In this post, I discuss a summer adventure to this great, state park in western Nebraska
Nebraska isn’t all flat cornfields! Looking for some hidden gems for recreation? Check out Fort Robinson State Park and Toadstool Geologic Park, both located in the far, northwestern corner of the state!
Fort Robinson State Park
Fort Robinson State Park is a great place to visit! It is a former fort (hence the name 🙃) that has been transformed into a family-friendly rec area! It offers hiking paths, history, and many of the old soldiers’ Quarters were refurbished and are now available for vacation rentals. This is unique and allows Fort Robinson to actually be known as a great, family reunion destination.
Sometimes called a “gem of Nebraska State Parks”, Fort Robinson was quite nice! (It’s a little-known fact that western Nebraska is actually very pretty! I recommend it over the rest of the state!) The park features LOTS of shade trees!
We did struggle with some ticks and bugs though at least it was quite green when we were there in late May. The mosquitoes weren’t bad though I’m sure they could be at times (and the tent-camping section was all grass, under trees, near the creek. It seemed fairly dark and damp–it looked like a great place to snag a few-hundred mosquito bites! 😝)
To be fair, we’ve only been to two of them, but this has been our experience with Nebraska state parks. We’ve never been impressed with their tent-camping areas (we had another disappointing, tent-camping experience at another Nebraska state park, on a Great Plains road trip, several years ago–though it did result in some Northern Lights viewing!)
For this trip, we actually chose to stay in the RV camping area. Though the sites were pretty tightly packed we were quite happy with this option.
Puppers checking out the old, fort poolThese were Officers’ Quarters that are now available for rent!Western Nebraska is quite beautiful!
Where is Fort Robinson Located?
Fort Robinson sits right on US Hwy 20 in far, northwest Nebraska, less than five miles southwest of the small town of Crawford.
The park has quite a storied past. It started as a fort during the Indian Wars in the 1880s–this was actually the sad location of the death of Crazyhorse, the great Lakota warrior.
The actual site where Crazyhorse died
Fort Robinson also served as a large reservation for many American Indians including Red Cloud and his people.
The fort was also a “remount” location for Calvary horses (meaning the battle horses and their wounds were treated here and new mounts were provided). Fort Robinson was also a war-dog training camp and a German, Prisoner of War camp during World War II.
This is about all that remains of the former, German, POW camp
Horse vet center! That table moves to the vertical. They would strap a standing horse to it, sedate the animal and then move the table–with the horse strapped to it–back to the horizontal to perform procedures–not bad for 1940s technology!
Toadstool Geologic Park
Toadstool Geologic Park is literally in the middle of nowhere! It is situated in the far, northwest corner of Nebraska, about 30 miles north of Fort Robinson, 20 miles northwest of the small town of Crawford and 40 miles west of Chadron, Nebraska.
The park looks a lot like Badlands National Park in South Dakota or the North Dakota Badlands at Teddy Roosevelt National Park–you can read more on that hidden gem here!
Toadstool Geological Park is mostly a place for hiking though it does offer some camping options…
This was my first big hike after severely breaking my ankle a few months prior. It was a little tougher than we were first expecting for a “nature trail” but I finished the route thanks to my awesome trekking poles and help from Mr. Trekker!
The trail said it was a one-mile “nature trail” which are usually fairly easy. This hike wasn’t “difficult” but there was plenty of uneven ground and some scrambling on loose gravel as well as a few steeper ups and downs…
We learned later that I “may” have gotten a little too aggressive with twisting my ankle around on the uneven ground on this hike. A few weeks later, at my next ankle-surgeon checkup, we found out I broke one of my titanium pins! 😅 The doctor was like, “How did you manage that?!”–she had planned to take it out anyway 😇
This is a mockup of a sod house–these were common in this part of the country in the past
If you’re looking for some great, family-friendly outdoor and camping options in western Nebraska, check out Fort Robinson State Park and Toadstool Geologic Park!
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In this post, I discuss what you’re missing from this national park you may not know exists!
**Author’s note: Just a word of warning, as this is a National Park, no dogs are allowed on any trails (exceptions for Service Animals). They are only permitted in the campgrounds and parking lots.**
The Trekkers have had Theodore Roosevelt National Park, in southwestern North Dakota, on our bucket list for quiet a while. We wanted to go fairly early in the season, so it would still be green, and in mid-June it was BEAU-tiful!
This was one of the first trips we took once I could start hiking again after I had been laid up for MONTHS thanks to surgery for an ankle that was broken in two places (along with being dislocated and a torn tendon) after a NASTY fall on the ice. 😝 I was finally able to start getting back out there!
Teddy Roosevelt National Park is named after the 26th President of the United States as he lived in this area for a while (before becoming President). He credits his time there as inspiring him to the Presidency.
I’ve come to decide “Teddy” may be my favorite President. They did call him the “Conservation President” after all! He originally came west to help him escape the pain of several serious, personal losses (one of the “loves of his life”, his first wife, died from complications after childbirth THE SAME DAY his mother died of typhoid fever! 😪)
Teddy helped create the US Forest Service and was a champion of protecting countless acres of land in the western US, as well as creating a number of national parks and monuments (many of which the Trekkers’ enjoy regularly.) He was also friends with John Muir (another of my favorites!) He was the OG #natureaddict/#natureboy!
A note on this park: the irony is the National Park named after the “Conservation President” sits on the edge of the Baaken Oil Fields!–For those who don’t know these are some of the largest oil fields in the US.
This really won’t affect your experience at Teddy Roosevelt National Park too much. You can see the flames burning off waste-natural gas from some of the overlooks and hiking trails in the North Unit. This is especially troublesome at night when they can affect the Dark Sky status of the park.
I don’t think Teddy would have liked to see his beautiful land in this state but who can stand in the way of progress? 🙃 “Black Gold, Texas Tea baby!” 😡
Where is Teddy Roosevelt National Park?
The park is situated in far, southwestern North Dakota about 130-ish miles west of Bismarck!
This park is also called the “North Dakota Badlands”. While somewhat similar to Badlands National Park in South Dakota, this area is wetter and greener…
Teddy Roosevelt National Park is divided into three separate units. The North Unit was our favorite. It is known for being less developed but also prettier, offers more wildlife and is less busy. The South Unit is more developed and busier but offers more hiking options. (The two units are about a one-hour drive apart–around 70 miles).
There is also a bit of a “satellite” unit centrally-located to the west of the other two, main units. It is called Elkhorn Ranch. This is where Teddy literally lived when he was in North Dakota and it is LITERALLY in the Middle of Nowhere! This one is pretty far out there–about a one-hour drive (around 54 miles) northwest of Medora…
The park basically isn’t near anything except the tiny town of Medora. The town is cute but small. It wasn’t too busy when we were there in mid-June but it can get MUCH busier later in the season.
Driving around North Dakota was kind of weird. 😅 All of their traffic light poles are bright yellow. Not sure if this is to highlight them against the snow they get all winter? Also, they don’t hardly have any good gas stations/Convenience-stores. All throughout Wyoming, rural South Dakota and Montana you have plenty of good, big, gas station stores (some are literally in the middle of nowhere with no other buildings in sight and double as catch-all grocery stores)–in western North Dakota these are HARD to find!
They have plenty of gas stations but they all look like they’re from about 1995–several we stopped at, while small, did at least have clean bathrooms! This was surprising to me because there aren’t a lot of gas stations up there, you’d think the ones they do have would be fairly good-sized and decent–even near major highways, like I-94, the stations were largely disappointing…
Teddy Roosevelt National Park North Unit
We enjoyed camping and hiking around the North Unit more. It was definitely quieter, and it offers a 14-mile scenic drive (each way). Just realize this is NOT a loop, you have to drive out and back!
Camping at Juniper Campground
Juniper Campground, on the North Unit of Teddy Roosevelt National Park, is MUCH easier to get sites at than the Cottonwood Campground on the South Unit. We got into a First-Come-First-Serve site at Juniper, in the middle of the week, in mid-June, with no problem!
The Little Missouri River ran JUST on the north side of Juniper Campground–basically barely across the road from our campsite!
I would not want to be standing there in a flash flood!
I LOVE this pic Mr. Trekker took, it’s SO moody!
There was even a buffalo that hung out with us IN THE CAMPGROUND–watch out for these! #dontpetthefluffycows!
Big boy! Imagine running into him walking to the bathroom in the middle of the night!
A note about buffalo: it is NOT ADVISABLE to get as close to a buffalo as we were in the picture above. However, in this case, we were literally sitting on the truck bed and he came up to us so this was a bit of an exception. He seemed calm and other campers said he’d been there before. As he was showing no signs of agitation we stayed still till he wandered off to a safer distance.
To be clear though, buffalo are known to be completely unpredictable and they can be DANGEROUS if they get irritated. So even in situations like this, DO NOT approach them, give them space, be calm and quiet and try to back off slowly but calmly if possible. DO NOT let dogs get near them (dogs can agitate them and they can easily kill a dog). ESPECIALLY, DO NOT APPROACHif they have babies!!! They may look oafish but these brutes can run at 30 mph–you CANNOT outrun them–and they’re equipped with sharp horns and a VERY hard head!
View from our GoFast Camper the next morning!
For more info on camping at Teddy Roosevelt National Park, click here!
Since the North Unit was so quiet we noted there was SO MUCH birdsong! Teddy actually mentions this in his book about being at his ranch, Ranch Life and the Hunting Trail. He describes the birdsong as:
“…the rider on the plains will hear bird songs unknown in the East…many are characteristic of this region. Throughout June the thickets and groves around the ranch house are loud with bird music from before dawn till well after sunrise.”
Your Moment of Zen: enjoy some birdsong from Teddy Roosevelt National Park (it was breezy too!)–turn UP the volume!:
Some hiking trails and good stops at the North Unit of Teddy Roosevelt Park:
We enjoyed several fun pull-offs and short hiking trails in the North Unit:
The Cannonball Concretions Pullout was the first one we came to and is just across the road from the entrance to Juniper Campground:
The Cannonball Concretions!Whaddya think…a bird or Mickey Mouse?
Buckhorn Trail starts from the Cannonball Concretions pullout. We only did a small portion of this trail, basically just up the hill from the pullout. It’s full length is more than 10 miles long and wanders throughout the North Unit of the park!
Riverbend Overlook was just a quick (but pretty!) jump out of the car:
Oxbow Overlook was an easy, pretty and short hike to and around the overlook–the shelter also makes a great place for a picnic or snack:
Teddy Roosevelt National Park South Unit
The Scenic Loop Drive circumvents the majority of the South Unit of the park. It is about 36 miles round trip though we couldn’t do the whole loop as the southern half was closed for construction…
Note: The time zone change between Central and Mountain time runs along the Little Missouri River. This results in the main, two units of the park being in separate time zones (the North Unit is on Central Time while the South Unit is on Mountain Time.) So the North Unit is one hour ahead of the South Unit–life is weird out West! 😀
This was one of the actual cabins Teddy lived in when he was in North Dakota!
You literally drive through the South Unit on I-94 which is kinda cool. One of the rest stops is literally part of the park and you can hike a bit from here!
This pic was taken from the rest stop on I-94. This is a portion of the Painted Canyon Trail. You can hike around down there and access it from the rest stop!
Painted Canyon trails: These trailheads are locate at the I-94 rest stop that sits in Teddy Roosevelt National Park.
The Painted Canyon Nature Trail is an easy trail, only about 1/2 mile long and it runs along the rim of the canyon, just behind and around the rest stop building. Pets can be on this portion of the trail!
The Painted Canyon Trail departs from this same area. It’s fairly steep to get down into the canyon. It’s about four miles in total length and be aware there is NO SHADE on this trail. It also connects to other backcountry trails throughout the northern portion of the park.
Moment of Zen 2: Buffalo at Teddy Roosevelt National Park!:
Some hiking trails and good stops at the South Unit of Teddy Roosevelt Park:
Boicourt Overlook/trail: The park website says this trail is only .3 miles and handicap accessible–this is “kind of” true. This description is true for the main trail but you can keep going further along the ridge for probably close to another 1/2 mile (that portion is not accessible).
Buck Hill: The entire trail is less than 1/2 mile but it’s quite steep! The steepest portion is paved (though I wouldn’t call it “accessible” as it’s so steep) while the rest of the route is a good, packed-dirt trail.
Wind Canyon Trail: This trail is about 1/2 mile in length. It has a few steep sections but overall this one isn’t too bad. It was a nice overlook of the river!
View of the Little Missouri River from the Wind Canyon Trail
For more info about hiking at the South Unit of Teddy Roosevelt National Park click here!
Teddy Roosevelt National Park Elkhorn Ranch Unit
There are a few ways to get to the Elkhorn Ranch unit:
The easiest (though it is longer) is to take Exit 1, on I-94 at Beach, and go north on Route 16. Then take Black Tail Road to the east until it becomes Belle Lake Road. Then take a left turn at Elkhorn Ranch Road. We went to the Unit this route and found it pretty easy to follow…
The actual location of Teddy Roosevelt’s ranch in western North Dakota
You can also take I-94 west from Medora, to Exit 10 for Belle Lake Road. Google will get you there going this way though it is out in the middle of NOWHERE with a lot of twists and jogs. We brought this route back to the highway and found it fairly easy to follow.
Note: while they were in great condition when we were there, be aware most of these roads are dirt!–Your car may get a little dusty!
View from our campground near Elkhorn Ranch
It’s all dirt roads to get there but they’re in pretty good shape and your sedan can make it, at least in good conditions. 🌞(In mud or snow, you’re on your own! 😇)
Enchanted Highway
On the way back to the Black Hills we checked out the Enchanted Highway!
Most people can only take so much Interstate driving (and that only gets you so far in North Dakota) and the straight, flat, state routes can get a little dull too. So spice things up with this interesting little stretch of highway that runs 32-miles north and south between Exit 72 on I-94 and the tiny town of Regent, ND and Route 21 (that’s right, western North Dakota is so rural they just identify places based on their corresponding exits on the highway!)
An enterprising, local sculptor put a series of large, metal critters (ants, grasshoppers and kinda freaky-looking fairy tale creatures) all along the highway. It’s worth a looksie if you’re heading that way anyway! (There are even signs on the highway to help you find this!)
We had a good time in NoDak! I’m not “dying” to go back again but Teddy Roosevelt National Park is definitely worth a drive to this random state that is often one of the last on everybody’s 50-state list! 😀
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In this post, I discuss hiking trails, a scenic drive and amazing sites that we saw on our 15th wedding anniversary trip to this National Monument.
**Author’s note: Just a word of warning, as this is a federal, National Monument, no dogs are allowed on any trails (exceptions for Service Animals). They are only permitted in the campgrounds and parking lots.**
The Trekkers spent our 15th wedding anniversary trip in Grand Junction, Colorado hanging out at the Colorado National Monument! Funnily enough, for our 10 year anniversary we had visited Dinosaur National Monument which sits about two hours to the north. You can read about that adventure here and here.
Grand Junction/the Grand Valley:
The Colorado National Monument is found in the Grand Valley, which is located in far, western Colorado, only about 30 miles from the border with Utah. The Grand Valley is comprised of a number of small towns including Fruita, Palisade, and the much larger city of Grand Junction. This is the true, drier, more desert-like, western slope of the Rocky Mountain state.
While Grand Junction proper is smaller than Rapid City, the entire Grand Valley area is actually larger than Rapid so the end result was it felt busier/more crowded driving through town.
The streets in Grand Junction are hella weird! I’ve never experienced anything like it! You may have 25 1/2 street or 35 3/4. We even saw a 7/8 street once! What the heck does that even mean?! How do you have 7/8 of a street?! I was SO CONFUSED! 🥴
Little Book Cliffs that frame the northern side of Grand Valley shining in the evening sunThe Grand Valley
Hiking at Colorado National Monument:
There are a number of awesome hiking trails throughout Colorado National Monument. Many are short and relatively easy day hikes while others are lengthy and challenging hikes through some of the canyons. The few we enjoyed are outlined below:
Please note there is basically NO SHADE on most of the trails throughout the Monument. Also, you ARE in Colorado so even the “easier” trails sit at around one mile in elevation.
Devils Kitchen:
The Devils Kitchen trailhead is the first one you come to when you enter the park on Monument Road (from the Grand Junction side). It is less than a mile in each direction and is a simple, out and back hike.
It is fairly well-marked and largely flat as it traverses a canyon floor. Shortly before you reach the actual rock formations there is some scrambling required and the signage isn’t great. Basically just keep aiming for the rocks like what are shown in the picture below (there really isn’t anywhere else to go. 😊)
Devils Kitchen is basically just a small, rock circle made of rock spires. It’s pretty and pretty cool! This trail is family friendly for anyone who can handle basic walking/hiking and a little clambering. This is definitely a great trail for kids who want to scramble!
The Tranquil Trekker enjoys Devils Kitchen
The Trekkers take a break and enjoy the canyon view
Serpents Trail:
Assuming you can find parking, you can do the Serpents Trail and Devils Kitchen the same day. The trailheads are directly across the road from each other–there is also a nice picnic area to enjoy here!
The Serpents Trail is about two miles one-way. It does connect with Monument Road again about three miles further down the road.
Serpents Trail was the original, dirt road that brought visitors into the Monument. It is now closed to vehicles and serves only as a hiking trail. It gets it’s name from the many switchbacks that the trail uses to “snake” it’s way up the side of the hill.
This trail is not overly difficult as you’re basically just walking on a gravel road. Depending on which direction you choose you will often be walking “up” the entire route.
Do you see what I see in this boulder? …come on now! 👽 🖖 (Mr. Trekker says I’ve been watching too much Ancient Aliens! 😇)This pic gives you an idea of the switchbacks that circle back on each other on Serpents Trail.I found this tenacious, little tree facinating!
Liberty Cap (the short–difficult–way!) with return on Corkscrew Trail:
The start of the short, fun, steep section of Liberty Cap trail. Yes, you hike all the way to the top in less than 2 miles!
This trail is on plenty of maps but it’s a little confusing to reach. To make it easier I’m going to quote the directions from the park website to reach the trailhead from the eastern side of the park–you can find this info on the Monument’s website here.(Note: this trailhead takes you to the quick, difficult, pretty portion of the trail! It begins near the Grand Junction entrance.)
“From the east entrance, proceed north on Monument Road 0.6 miles (1.0 km); turn left on South Camp Road; drive 2.6 miles (4.2 km) to its junction with South Broadway; turn left and go 0.5 miles (0.8 km); turn left onto Wildwood Drive and go 0.5 miles (0.8 km). Watch closely for a brown trailhead sign on the right at what appears to be a driveway; turn down this road to the trailhead…”
This trail made for a great loop! There are many different options to complete this trail section:
–Liberty Cap up, Corkscrew down
–Corkscrew up, Liberty Cap down
–Just take one of these two trails both up and down
We opted to take Liberty Cap up and Corkscrew down, partially because we hadn’t seen the Corkscrew trail yet, partially because we like loops and not returning the same way we started (already saw that part of the trail!) and also because Corkscrew is listed as “moderate” on the trail map while Liberty Cap is listed as “difficult”. Due to this, we figured Corkscrew would be less steep for the descent–we were right and I would agree with these difficulty designations.
You can just make out the steps in the rock trailing down the side of the hillThere is a trail there somewhere!
This is actually a lengthy trail if you do the whole thing. If you want to access the other trailhead it can be found on the western side of the park about halfway along Rim Rock drive. The majority of that route from the west is fairly easy and traverses a canyon within the central part of the Monument. The fun part then comes at the very end of the trail. (This is the beginning of the trail if you start where we did from the trailhead on the eastern side of the park near Grand Junction). If you want to hike it the way we did, the actual route is fairly short though you gain over 2000 feet in elevation in less than three miles! (it’s steep folks…but VERY fun!)
I wouldn’t recommend taking Corkscrew up because it’s a lengthy slog through soul-crushing switchbacks with NO SHADE. There is also a lot of black rock on this portion of the trail that will absorb/radiate the sun’s heat on hot days–and there are a lot of hot, sunny days in Grand Junction!
I also wouldn’t recommend taking Liberty Cap down if the trail is at all wet/snowy/icy/slippy-in-any-way. Not that it can’t be done, but there are a number of steep sections where you may end up crab-crawling your way down on a good day. In wet/slippy conditions this could become dangerous very quickly.
It’s a bit difficult to see the steep drop-off at the side of this cliff but a fall here could easily result in serious injury if not be fatal!
Please note: along with being steep this trail includes a number of steep drop-offs. My acrophobia was definitely triggered (but I made it!–and the view at the top is ABSOLUTELY worth it!)
This trail was especially momentous for me as it just so happened we hiked it exactly 10 months to the day after I had major abdominal surgery!It was completely reasonable that I had recovered enough to complete this hike in that amount of time. However, knowing where I was 10 months ago–when I needed hard-core, pain meds just to be comfortable enough to get out of bed to walk to the bathroom–and here, 10 months later, I was able to scramble on all fours; stretch, bend, twist and even crab-crawl my way down steep sections of trail and feel AMAZING doing it–this was such a feeling of accomplishment!
Also, not having any pain, heartburn or needing to desperately pee on the trail for the first time in years 🤣 (especially hiking a trail this difficult) reminded me of the new lease on life I had now that surgery was behind me! Turns out my doctors’ promises were right, I really am a new woman! 😁
Colorado is one of my favorite places to visit. Click here for more posts on this awesome state!
Rimrock Drive:
Rimrock drive is the main road through the park. It’s paved and an easy drive throughout. It offers INCREDIBLE views of the canyons/rock formations that make up the park. Numerous pull-offs are spread along the length of the route and there is a Visitor Center near the west entrance (the Fruita side). Numerous opportunities for hiking are also available off the road. The park also offers some camping options.
Independence RockIt almost resembles Monument Valley in Arizona!Monument CanyonFallen Rock–I wonder why they named it that? 😉
The road Broadway runs through several of the towns in Grand Valley and connects the two ends of Rimrock Drive between Fruita and Grand Junction. This road, along with the Rimrock route, make for a great loop drive!
Some other pics from our trip!
The Grand Mesa
We first visited Grand Mesa on our Southwestern Road Trip in 2017–we couldn’t do much because I was recovering from a TERRIBLE flu that I had caught on the trip and it was still so early in the summer much of the park had snow. Then we returned in summer of 2018 for our Colorado Road Tripand were able to enjoy a lot more hiking. It was fun to come back in fall of 2024 and see it again in a different season and from another perspective!
These quail were ADORABLE and ran all over the porch at the Air B&B we stayed at making squeaky noises.A surprise Northern Lights viewing!We caught the ATLAS Comet when we got home!
If you’re looking for a fun and beautiful place to visit, check out the Colorado National Monument on Colorado’s Western Slope!
Have you visited the Colorado National Monument? Tell me about your experience in the comments!
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In this post, I detail some great places to hike and camp in the Snowys!
The Trekkers usually go to the Bighorn Mountains each summer. But this particular year the West had a VERY snowy and wet spring/summer (GREAT for avoiding wildfires, not so great for road conditions or mosquitoes). When we were making reservations all the roads/places we enjoy visiting in the Bighorns were closed due to mud and we figured the skeeters would be ATROCIOUS, so we thought why not try out the Medicine Bow Mountains (the Snowys) in south-central Wyoming instead?
Where are the Medicine Bows?
The Medicine Bows are a small area of mountains that run from north-central Colorado (near Rocky Mountain National Park) into south-central Wyoming (near Laramie).
The Wyoming portion is what most people think of as the Medicine Bows. Here they are divided into three main areas: the Sierra Madres to the west, the Snowy Range (the Snowys) in the middle, and the Laramie Peak area to the east. Our trip focused on the Snowys…
The Snowy Range reminded us of Colorado!
—This area felt a lot like that around Walden, Colorado, and State Forest State Park which makes sense as it’s the same National Forest. Also, less than 100 miles separates the two…
—There was still snow on some of the peaks. There is a reason they call this area “the Snowys”! 😉 Fortunately, the bugs weren’t too bad though!
There are multiple Forest Service campgrounds in the Snowy Range. We chose Ryan Park as it was lower than many of the other campgrounds in the Snowys (at “only” around 8,000 feet rather than 10,000 feet.) This proved an obvious benefit as it was slightly warmer (especially at night) and may have had less rain (but was still FAR cooler than the lower elevations of the surrounding plains!)
Our camp protector! (He was there when we arrived and we left him for whoever came next!)
To be clear, Ryan Park is still a Forest Service campground so it is rustic…
I’ve mentioned before that we REALLY enjoy US Forest Service campgrounds as they usually offer more secluded campsites and more rustic locations. Forest Services campgrounds are perfect for tent camping though most can accommodate RVs, as well (at least in some sites). Just be aware of what you’re getting into as most Forest Service campgrounds only offer:
potable water–at least in-season
decent campsites with fire grates and picnic tables (Always check local regulations to see if there are any current fire bans in place!)
…and that’s about it! 😀 Forest Service campgrounds also usually only offer vault toilets. (And, let’s be honest, a vault toilet is still just a hole in the ground that you pee in 😉but, the bathrooms at Ryan Park Campground were some of the cleanest and nicest-smelling outhouses we’ve ever been to! 😉)
I should do a post sometime about decent vault toilets we’ve visited around the country.Note: Yellowstone National Park and State Forest State Park, in Colorado, sport some of the NASTIEST! 🤥)
There wasn’t much shade at the campground. Sadly, this area has been hit BADLY by beetle kill in recent years. The Forest Service has done a good job of cleaning up all the dead trees near the Snowy Range campgrounds which is incredibly important for safety, it just means most of them are fairly bare of trees now. 😕This does equate to lovely views of the night sky and sunsets/sunrises though!
Hiking in the Snowy Range
We found some great hiking trails in the Snowys!
Medicine Bow Peak Trail
We hiked from the Sugarloaf trailhead near Lewis Lake. This is one of the shortest routes to Medicine Bow Peak, though we decided not to hike all the way to the peak–it was less than a mile from where we stopped but it was incredibly steep, rocky, loose, potentially slippy, and exposed on a shelf-like trail. (Thunderstorms were also forecast for the afternoon and we didn’t want to get caught out in such an exposed area.)
In addition to the Sugarloaf Trailhead, there are multiple trailheads you can use to access Medicine Bow Peak. The longest (but relatively easiest) is from Lake Marie. You can also access the trail from Mirror Lake and Brooklyn Lake, though these routes require a longer trek and combining multiple trails.
Lewis Lake
Is Medicine Bow Peak Trail Hard?
The trail from Lewis Lake is only about three miles long in total length but don’t let that fool you. It gains more than 1000 feet in elevation during the hike up. It’s also INCREDIBLY rocky and exposed, not to mention HIGH. (You start at over 10,000 feet and end up at almost 12,000 feet.)
Also, you’re above the tree line for the entire route so there is NO SHADE! This can also cause the trail to become INCREDIBLY slick in the rain, mist or snow–and note, snow and ice lasts LATE into the season and comes EARLY in the High Country. It can snow at any time of the year and thanks to monsoonal moisture, rain was forecast for our entire trip (it rained on us every day). Also, there is absolutely NO PROTECTION from lightning up here during the violent summer thunderstorms that frequently occur.
Libby Lake
We chose to stop at a saddle where the HARD part of the trail starts. Here it also meets up with the other end of the Medicine Bow trail that comes up from Lake Marie. This trail is LOVELY though! You hike along the spine of the Snowy Range getting amazing views of the local lakes, the nearby mountains, and the surrounding landscape. At one point we could make out eight separate, small lakes!
This is the amazing view from the saddle. Medicine Bow Peak is to the right and the trail gets considerably more difficult from here…
I would rate the early portion of the trail (before the saddle) as moderate for sure. It isn’t overly difficult or long–we saw several families with young children. It is a bit rocky and there is some scrambling required in a few, short areas.
The most difficult part about this trail is just that it’s incredibly exposed and high (as I said before, entirely over 10,000 feet). There are no steep drop-offs directly from the trail though, so as long as you are a fairly capable hiker, you take it slow and you respect the conditions, you should do okay.
Though we didn’t have to navigate any actual snow in early August, there were still some snowfields along the trail. I can’t speak for how normal this is due to all the snow the West got that year (though they must call this area the Snowys for a reason!)
Lost Glacier Lakes Trail to Lost Lake
Lost Glacier Lakes trailhead is found on the east side of the Snowys. It starts from Brooklyn Lake and heads west. The route to Lost Lake is about six miles in total length (out and back).
From Lost Lake, the trail continues on to where it meets up with the Medicine Bow Peak trail at Lewis Lake and the Sugarloaf Trailhead (see above). The entire Lost Glacier Lakes Trail from Brooklyn Lake to Lewis Lake is a little over eight miles (in one direction).
Lost Lake
Lost Lake was SO BEAUTIFUL! It reminded me of Lake Helen in the Bighorns!
One of the two Glacier Lakes
Is Lost Lakes Trail Hard?
The Lost Glacier Lake Trail is a lot of fun! It offers very little elevation gain and is mostly a wide, dirt path throughout. Be watchful for the occasional tree root and rock, but there is very little scrambling required. This is a kid-friendly trail! (Just remember the entire trail is still above 8,000 feet!) This trail is also below tree line so there is a lot more shade (and it’s much less exposed) than what you’ll find on the Medicine Bow Peak Trail.
Telephone Lakes as seen from the Lost Lake Trail
We really enjoyed this trail! It offered nice views of the lower lakes and plains of eastern Wyoming. On clear days you can also spot some of the high peaks of the Rockies down in Colorado.
You can see why they are called The Snowys! (This was in early August!)
Below are some pictures of the wildflowers we saw on the Lost Glacier Lakes Trail. The pictures don’t do the colors justice, of course. The flowers were absolutely BEA-Utiful!
Camping in the rain!
As I mentioned earlier, our trip was at the start of Monsoon Season in that area so it rained every day of the trip. That’s okay though, part of “roughing it” in the wild is dealing with whatever weather Mother Nature decides to throw at you! A few tips on tent camping in the rain…
—-Spend money on a NICE tent (I recommend the REI brand) with a rainfly that covers the entire tent and reaches almost to the ground. Our tent stayed completely dry inside even though we got rained on all three days we were out!
—-Make sure nothing important is touching the walls of the tent (clothes, bedding, etc.) I can’t explain it but there is this phenomenon where if the tent is wet outside the water stays outside as long as nothing touches it from the inside. If something does touch it, that thing gets wet and the water seems to start seeping inside the tent.
This is probably some weird phenomenon of physics, but since I’ve never taken a physics class I can’t tell you any more about it. 😇
Scenic Byways!
We also drove several scenic byways in the Snowy Range! (Note: both of these routes are closed in the winter–they’re really only open May through November–and this is weather-dependent).
Snowy Range Scenic Byway
The Snowy Range Scenic Byway is Wyoming Route 130 that travels east-to-west through this portion of the Medicine Bow mountains. It runs from the Encampment/Saratoga areas in the West to Centennial, Wyoming in the East.
There are several nice pullouts along the Byway. Some of our favorites were:
Libby Flats: an open, meadow area in the higher elevations of the Snowys. It offers an observation tower and spectacular views of the surrounding countryside. We also saw a bunch of marmots here!
Lake Marie: a VERY pretty stop on the western side of the Byway. It offers a nice boardwalk and paved walking path that connects to the Mirror Lake picnic area just to the east. Other hiking trails break off from here, as well.
Lake Marie–this was one of my favorite spots in the Snowys!
The Continental Divide! –Battle Pass Byway
Battle Pass Byway is Wyoming Route 70 that travels east-to-west through the Sierra Madre portion of the Medicine Bow mountains. It runs from Baggs, Wyoming in the West to Encampment in the East and crosses the Continental Divide.
The Continental Divide! From this point, water either flows West to the Pacific or East to the Gulf of Mexico/the Atlantic.View to the west!Even more wildflowers!History happened here!
So, if you’re looking for a great place to hike and camp that’s just across the border from the crowded trails in Colorado, check out the Snowys!
Have you spent time in the Snowy Range? Tell me about your experience in the comments!
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In this post, I detail a Spring Break trip we took to Death Valley!
**Author’s note: Just a word of warning, as this is a National Park, no dogs are allowed on any trails (exceptions for Service Animals). They are only permitted in the campgrounds and parking lots.**
The final stop on our epic, Spring Break trip to celebrate the Trekkers’ 40th birthdays was Death Valley National Park! We’ve been wanting to visit Death Valley for a long time. We figured early March was hopefully a good (and cooler!) time to do it!
3 Tips for Your Visit to Death Valley:
–The heat in Death Valley!
The heat in Death Valley is NOT a joke so PLEASE be careful! We were SO LUCKY that it was so cool when we were there (FYI, early March is a GREAT time to visit!) This place is literally on record as being the hottest place on Earth!
Death Valley is also extremely dry and can be very windy, which means you may be sweating (and getting dehydrated) and not even realize it. Some years, it has been known to be over 100 degrees here for almost HALF THE YEAR! I cannot stress enough the potential danger this type of heat can bring. Dehydration/heat stroke are very real dangers here for much of the year. This park can LITERALLY kill you!
Check out the name of the Visitor’s Center…Furnace Creek! This area is where the hottest temp ever recorded on Earth was taken. I doubt it’s rarely this “chilly” there.
The heat can also be VERY hard on your car, and if it breaks down in the middle of the desert, you’re now stuck in the heat. There are almost NO TREES in Death Valley so there is also almost NO SHADE. We even saw one remote section of road where signs told you to turn off your car’s air conditioning to take the stress off the car’s engine (the road was also going uphill)–again, this wasn’t an issue with the cool temps when we were there. 😂
It rained on us…in DEATH VALLEY! (There was also sleet and a 30 mph wind. It was COLD during that storm…in Death Valley!)
–No cell coverage in Death Valley
One big thing to plan for when you visit Death Valley is that the park is HUGE! It covers more than THREE MILLION acres so you should plan to do A LOT of driving! Also, it is a valley (duh! 😉) surrounded by mountains, so there is very little cell coverage–this adds to the danger the park poses if you encounter a problem.
Also, something to be aware of, Death Valley isn’t the prettiest of our national parks. This comment is not intended to dissuade you from visiting in any way. I just don’t want you to be disappointed. Glacier NP this is not! 😇It’s called DEATH Valley for a reason! There isn’t much that grows or lives here! 😉
The only flowers we saw in Death Valley
Where is Death Valley?
Death Valley is located in southeastern California, right on the border with Nevada. The park is situated about 130 miles west of Las Vegas and a little more than 200 miles to the northeast of Bakersfield, California.
The easiest way to reach Death Valley is to bring Nevada Route 160 west from Las Vegas to Pahrump. Then take State Line Road west to the Death Valley Junction on California Route 127. From there you pick up Route 190 and take that into the park! (Don’t worry, there are signs. Also, these are basically the only paved roads out there! 😉)
You can also reach Death Valley from the north by taking US 95 south through Nevada to California Route 374, or from the west on California Route 190.
Places you don’t want to miss in Death Valley:
There are a number of awesome sites to see at the park!
Badwater Basin:
Badwater Basin’s claim to fame is that it is THE lowest point in North America, at more than 200 feet BELOW sea level!
Panoramic of Badwater BasinDante’s Point is at the top of that mountain (this will be important later.)Badwater Basin is THE lowest point in North America!
The shiny stuff in the foreground IS the water in “Badwater Basin”! This is one of the rare places where water can regularly be seen in Death Valley.Death Valley!Haboob! (Dust storm)
Father Crowley Overlook:
This locale is otherwise known as, “Star Wars Canyon”! Ironically this was NOT a Star Wars filming site (to learn more about those, scroll down!)–although portions of the new, Top Gun: Maverick were filmed here!
The proper name for this canyon is Rainbow Canyon, from the colorful rock and gravel that comprises it. However, it got its nickname as fighter jets have often practiced low-altitude moves here (the terrain mimics much of where they fly throughout other parts of the world.)
This has been a Bucket List item on both the Trekkers’ lists since Mr. Trekker heard you could see fighter jets here and I found out it was called Star Wars Canyon (and why!)This meshed well with our watching planes at Nellis Air Force Base in Vegas and touring the Extraterrestrial Highway earlier in the trip!
Rainbow Canyon, otherwise known as…Star Wars Canyon!
Sadly, several years ago there was an accident where the pilot was killed and spectators on the ground were injured so they’ve limited what all the planes can do here…but, you can sometimes catch a plane and…WE DID (two actually)! We didn’t get any pics or video (literally, we heard it, we saw it, it was gone, all in a total of about three seconds). 😁
View from Father Crowley Overlook! (We saw a fighter jet fly down that valley in the distance too!)
Panamint Valley
This GORGEOUS valley is situated just down the road (about seven miles) to the east of Father Crowley Overlook. This was my absolute, favorite spot in all of Death Valley (that we saw anyway). (We also saw a fighter jet flying through this valley (from the Father Crowley Overlook!)
One weird thing about this valley was that it was SO QUIET! All you could hear was the light breeze ROARING in your ears (and occasionally a fighter jet flying overhead! 😝) We realized what was missing, there were no birds and there weren’t even any bugs buzzing about. I’m not sure if this is unique to Death Valley or because we were there in early March (though a lot of literature on the park talks about the extreme quiet.)
My favorite place in Death Valley (Remember my love of long, empty roads on this trip?)Look at that sky! That is my favorite shade of my favorite color, blue! (Also, this pic is now the background for my work laptop! 😁)This is what a lot of Death Valley looks like. I told you it wasn’t super pretty. 😇
Zabriskie Point:
This is supposed to be a great place for sunrise/sunset with the varying colors in the rocks!
Star Wars Sites in Death Valley National Park
Many people don’t know this but several scenes from the ORIGINAL Star Wars trilogy were filmed in Death Valley! Most were from Star Wars, Episode 4: A New Hope (SW), but a few were also from Episode 6: Return of the Jedi (ROTJ)! Prepare yourself, my nerd flag is about to fly high! 😉
Note: There were no signs or literature that we saw at the actual park that show where filming sites are. There is plenty of info on Google about where to look, then you have to kind of use your imagination to put droids, Luke Skywalker, and Obi-Wan Kenobi there. 😉
Artist’s Palette:
The scene where the Sand People attack Luke in SW…
This area is especially known for the beautiful colors in the gravel
Mesquite Sand Dunes:
The droid scene near the beginning of SW was filmed here (where R2-D2 and C-3po walk through the dunes after their spacecraft, life raft crashes. Jabba the Hutt’s sail barge scenes from ROTJ were also filmed here.)
20-mule canyon:
The scene where the Jawas grab R2-D2 and where Obi-Wan’s home is located/where he meets up with Luke for the first time in SW. Also, the first droid scene from ROTJ was filmed here.
Dante’s Point:
The lookout on top of the Point gives you this view down into Badwater Basin (this was the filming spot for the Mos Eisley Spaceport in SW–“you will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy…” 😁)
This is from the top of the mountain I showed the view of from Badwater Basin earlier. Badwater Basin is at the bottom.Sunset over Badwater Basin
I-70 through Utah is GORGEOUS!
On our trip home, to South Dakota, we took I-70 through Utah. I’ve always thought I-70 through Colorado was pretty (and it is!) but the highway through Utah is INCREDIBLE! And literally, anyone can see these views, all you have to do is drive the highway!
This is at a rest stop on I-70!
Incredible views, Hollywood film sites, and potentially VERY hot temperatures. If you’re looking for a unique vacation check out Death Valley (but maybe not in the summer. 🥵)
Have you visited Death Valley? Tell me about your experience in the comments!
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In this post, I highlight our visit to Garden of the Gods, Pikes Peak and other locations around Colorado Springs!
The Trekkers’ enjoyed another lovely, anniversary trip to Colorado! This time we visited the Front Range, the one part of the state we haven’t spent much time in. We also knocked several long-held items off our bucket list: the National Museum of World War II Aviation, Garden of the Gods, and Pikes Peak!
I find I have a love-hate relationship with Colorado. I LOVE visiting there! If I had to pick one state in the entire nation to vacation the rest of my life it would be Colorado, hand’s down. It’s just SO beautiful and there are so many things to do!
That being said though, to actually live in Colorado, you have to either choose a crowded, big city or live isolated, in the middle of nowhere, with weather that can be incredibly harsh for much of the year. *sigh*
We’ve spent extensive time in the northern, western, southwestern, and southeastern portions of this awesome state. The only place we hadn’t really visited was the Front Range. So, as Mr. Trekker had a work meeting there on our anniversary weekend we thought we’d make use of the opportunity! (I’m very blessed that, as long as I have internet access, my flexible job allows me to work from hotel rooms in random states. 😉)
On the drive down to Colorado Springs we opted for the “Nebraska Route” from the Black Hills. This is a great drive to avoid traffic but it includes a unique trip through the nuclear missile fields of far southwest Nebraska and far northeast Colorado. The dichotomy between these weapons of death and destruction that sit just off the road and the relatively benign, green energy, wind turbines that watch over them from the nearby hills is enough to leave a chill down your spine. 😮
The Colorado Front Range
For those who don’t know, the Front Range is essentially a conglomeration of cities and towns that run for almost 200 miles, north-to-south, along I-25 and the “front range”–hence the name–or eastern border, of the Colorado Rockies. This region basically runs from Fort Collins to Pueblo and includes the other highly populated areas of Boulder, Colorado Springs, and, of course, Denver.
I get why people like to live on the Front Range. It’s got many cultural opportunities, easy access to shopping (basically anything you could want), and easy access to incredible sites and all the outdoor activities you can think of at any time of the year.
Now for the bad news…THERE ARE SO MANY DAMN PEOPLE!!! 😝 This region is one of the fastest-growing areas of the country (not to mention one of the most expensive places to live) and it keeps expanding! This equates to it being incredibly busy and hectic. 🤯 Sorry kids, there is nothing tranquil about the Front Range. 😂 The Trekkers have spent too much time living in small-town America to handle all that craziness. Plus, you’re talking to the girl who grew up in rural Indiana and liked it! FAR too many curses emit from my lips when trying to navigate Front Range traffic! 😂
So, Colorado, while I love you and will forever enjoy vacationing there, I don’t EVER see myself living there! 😇
Pikes Peak
The summit of Pikes Peak sits at over 14,000 feet of elevation. This is VERY high! The air is much thinner up here and the oxygen level is much lower. Do not be surprised if you feel short of breath, dizzy, and lightheaded with even the most minimal exertion. Also, if it is summertime know that you can get sunburned FAST at this altitude.
Altitude sickness can occur at this height (though it is rare if you are only visiting for a short time and is a larger concern if you are heavily exerting yourself.) Symptoms to watch for include nausea, dizziness, and shortness of breath. In most cases, these will subside once you return to a lower elevation.
How do I visit Pikes Peak?
There are multiple ways to visit Pikes Peak! You can drive your car, ride a shuttle bus, hike up or take a train! Details on each option are below:
Drive the Pikes Peak Toll Road
You will find the entrance to the Pikes Peak Toll Road off of US 24, about 10 miles west of Colorado Springs. There is a fee to reach Pikes Peak using this route. Please note: this mountain is VERY popular. So much so that during the summer season (Memorial Day through the end of September) you must have a reservation to drive all the way to the summit. (You can purchase tickets online here.) There are also guided tours during the summer months that allow you to let someone else drive.
This picture speaks for itself 😁
Click here for a video of our drive UP Pikes Peak and here for a video of our drive down the mountain (complete with police escort! 😮
Ride Bikes up Pikes Peak Highway
You can also ride a bike to the top of the mountain via the Pikes Peak Highway. Fees and reservations still apply.
This wouldn’t be my preferred method as you’re sharing this winding, narrow road with about a million of your closest friends (mostly tourists who are trying to navigate large machines that could easily kill you while they’re looking around at the amazing views)…but you do you. 😉
A panorama, 14,000 feet up from the top of Pikes Peak!
Hike Pikes Peak
If you’re the ambitious type, you can hike the Barr Trail up Pikes Peak. This would be an incredibly scenic way to see the mountain although I’ve heard the hike is not for the faint of heart. We didn’t do it but I know some people who have, successfully. For a first-hand account of the hike up Pikes Peak please see the blog of a friend of mine!
This hike is no joke! The trail is 13.5 miles long (one-way) and gains more than 7000 feet in elevation! It also reaches heights of over 14,000 feet and much of it is incredibly exposed both to sun and thunderstorms that can easily pop up.
Many people like to hike up the mountain and then take the Pikes Peak Cog Railway on the return trip (see below)!
Garden of the Gods as seen from Pikes Peak!
Pikes Peak Cog Railway
One of the more popular ways to reach the summit is via the cog railway. This way someone else gets to “drive” (while you enjoy the views!) and you don’t have to deal with the crowded roadway on the way up! Click here for information on getting tickets for the cog railway!
This hazy pic is of the east side of the Sangre de Cristos mountains as seen from Pikes Peak. We visited the west side for the Festival of the Cranes earlier in the year!
Police escort off Pikes Peak (not a joke!)
We had quite the adventure as we left the summit of Pikes Peak. The story starts when we initially arrived at the gated entrance to the attraction around 2 in the afternoon. (That gave us a good four hours to enjoy the views and get down before dark.) When we paid our entrance fee the “gatekeeper” told us THE MOST IMPORTANT THING to know is to keep the vehicle in low gear on the return trip to save the car’s breaks. Note: he stressed the importance of this tip and this is the ONLY THING he told us.
We reached the summit and went to check out the summit building when I realized this was the place that had the awesome donuts I had heard so much about! (They ran out WHILE we were standing in line! 😝) We also saw some signs that said the summit building closes at 4:00 pm.
That’s fine, we’re used to buildings in our local national parks closing around that time, it just means you need to find an outhouse if you need a bathroom after that time…or so we thought. Note again, this is the ONLY thing the signs or the brochure said–stay with me, this is important for later in the story…
A short while after leaving the summit we stopped at a pull-off where a number of people had stopped and were hiking around. We wandered down the trail and around the corner of some rocks for about 20 minutes. We were upwards of 14,000 feet in altitude so we weren’t moving very fast 😇 but it was a nice day and we were enjoying our walk.
As we were returning to the car we noted the pull-off was now completely devoid of other vehicles save the ranger truck with flashing lights sitting next to our car (and another police truck sitting on the road just before the pull-off.) We talked to a VERY friendly, older-gentlemen ranger who said they close the summit at 4 in hopes everyone will be off the mountain by 5-ish–ok, we were heading down anyway. Note: Again, this is ALL he said…
So we left the pull-off and got back onto the road with a friendly wave to the police truck who then…basically escorted us, with flashing lights, off the mountain. We thought, “wow, they aren’t kidding about closing the summit!” (That’s way more intense than we’re used to but whatever, we were on our way down anyway.)
I wasn’t kidding about the police! 😂
About halfway down the mountain, we came to another pull-off where several vehicles and people were still milling about. As we slowed down for the curve we were finally able to make out the muffled noise coming from the police truck behind us…”I told you all once before, if you’re not off the mountain by 5 pm it’s a $1000 fine!” (For the record, he was talking to the people still parked, not us.)
I should also note, it was currently about 4:55 and there was NO WAY we were going to make it off the mountain in the next five minutes! Fortunately, he was busy with those people and ignored us and we merrily continued our way down the mountain with no further problems.
Really…not kidding! 😂
With the rise in van life and “stealth camping,” not to mention the winding road, steep dropoffs, and large wildlife (and close proximity to a large, metro area) I can understand their desire to keep people off the mountain in the dark. However a few suggestions come to mind…
–Maybe…when a park gate employee tells you “THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO REMEMBER…” three hours from park closing time, he should actually mention that there is a closing time? (Especially if there is a monetary fine involved?…)
–Maybe…on the brochures for the park (not to mention the signs on actual park buildings) they note this closing time as well?…
…these are just suggestions, of course. 😝
***I should also note we visited the park in mid-October, during the summer I believe it closes at 8…JUST MAKE SURE YOU’RE OFF THE ROAD BY THEN! 😝***
Colorado is one of my favorite places to visit. Click here for more posts on this awesome state!
Garden of the Gods
Garden of the Gods has to be one of the more famous “city parks” in the country! The main entrance is off 30th street on the west side of Colorado Springs (though there is another entrance on the south side from US 24.) Also of note, this park is open till around 9 each night, and there were signs ALL OVER clearly stating this…*ahem* 😝
Garden of the Gods with Pikes Peak looming overhead (to the right)
This is a great attraction! It’s found right in town so it’s easy to access for Out-of-Towners or Locals wanting a nice place to exercise or walk the dog. Rock climbing is also available at certain places within the park. Another cool thing about Garden of the Gods…admission is completely FREE!
Sign at the front of the park
This locale is characterized by a number of red rock formations rising from the dry, green scrubland that is common in this part of Colorado.
This formation is called the “kissing camels” (though from this distance it looks more like a sea turtle. 😝)Up-close view of the “kissing camels”. We thought they looked more like a calf laying down, kissing a vulture with its wings folded…but whatever. 😝
The Twins!
View from “the window” between the Twins!
National Museum of World War II Aviation
While in Colorado Springs we also checked out the National Museum of World War II Aviation which is located just north of the Colorado Springs Airport, just off Aviation Way (which you can reach from US 24). This was a nice museum! As Mr. Trekker is a history nerd with a special fondness for WWII airplanes, he especially enjoyed it. 😉We had enjoyed the Pikes Peak Regional Air Show earlier that fall and many of the warbirds from the museum were featured there.
Places to Eat near Colorado Springs
As usual, we found MANY good places to eat on our trip:
Paninos Restaurant–this is a cute, casual, family-owned, Italian restaurant. We enjoyed a lovely anniversary dinner there!
Louies Pizza –a tasty, casual place for pizza in a convenient, downtown location
Sandy’s restaurant –Sandy’s has one of the best breakfasts in Colorado Springs! This place has HUGE portions! (I’m not kidding. However much you think you should order…halve that!) You usually need reservations on weekends but the hostess liked us when she found out we were from South Dakota (a certain blogger may have noticed her Mt. Rushmore shirt and casually mentioned we live near there. 😇) She convinced some friendly locals to let us sit with them at their long table.
This is one thing I LOVE about traveling, road trips, and taking the scenic route. It often means you get the privilege of visiting local places. You never know when an opportunity will arise to get to know a complete stranger in a comfortable environment. I LOVE interacting with Locals like this! You never know what you’ll learn from their experiences!
Josh & Johns –this was a yummy place for a sweet, ice cream treat
Uncle Sam’s Pancake House, Manitou Springs —nothing fancy here but the staff were friendly and attentive and the breakfast was DELICIOUS!
Hoosier Pass, Colorado
After our weekend in Colorado Springs, we needed to get to Boulder as Mr. Trekker had some work meetings there. Normal people would have driven straight up I-25 from “the Springs” to Boulder…but who wants to be normal?!
Instead, the Trekkers opted for the VERY scenic route! We took US 24 west to Hartsel, then took Route 9 across one of our favorite parts of Colorado, South Park (click here for a video of another drive through South Park!) We even got to check out the ghost town of Alma and the skiing area of Breckenridge on this jaunt!
Leave it to the Trekkers to willfully and eagerly turn what could have been a simple, 90-minute drive into an incredibly beautiful, 8-HOUR tour of central Colorado on a GORGEOUS fall day…ALWAYS take the scenic route!
As part of our scenic drive, we randomly stumbled upon a place I’ve had on my list to visit…that’s right, the Hoosier finally found Hoosier Pass! 😁 😁 😁 (Not sure why the two signs differ by three feet in their claim of how high it is? 😮)
This is a great little park situated in north-central Colorado, around 15 miles west of Golden and about 17 miles north of I-70. It’s got a number of trailheads that can be accessed from various areas, but the main entrance/ Visitor Center can be found on Route 46 about five miles east of the t-intersection with Route 119.
Golden Gate Canyon State Park offers around 35 miles of trails in addition to other activities (like camping) and it’s dog friendly! If you want to know how the park gets its name, visit in late September/early October, it was beautiful!
Can you see why they call it “Golden Gate”?
There are places in the park that also offer incredible views of the surrounding Rockies, including some of Rocky Mountain National Park’s most notable peaks (the national park sits only about 60 miles to the north).
The tall peak to the right is the infamous Longs Peak in Rocky Mountain National Park!
Places to Eat in Boulder
We were only in Boulder a few days but we enjoyed a few yummy places to eat there, as well!
Sweet Cow –another yummy place for a sweet, ice cream treat!
Chez Thuy–this is a great, Vietnamese restaurant. I highly recommend their Pad Thai!
So if you’re visiting the Colorado Front Range, be sure to check out Garden of the Gods, Pikes Peak, Golden Gate Canyon State Park, and the National Museum for World War II Aviation! You’ll be glad you did!
Have you visited any of these locales? What did you enjoy most? Tell me about it in the comments.
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In this post, I review the Misty Moon trail starting at the trailhead at West Ten Sleep Lake and continuing to Lake Helen.
Are you looking for a moderate hiking trail that really lets you enjoy the wilderness of the Bighorn Mountains in Wyoming? Check out the Misty Moon trail from West Ten Sleep Lake to Lake Helen in the Cloud Peak Wilderness!
Where is the Misty Moon trail?
Trail #63, the Misty Moon trail, is one of the most accessible, main trails to access Cloud Peak and Bomber Mountain. It starts at the trailhead behind West Ten Sleep Lake (this is also where the trail for Mirror Lake/Lost Twin Lakes begins.
To reach the trailhead take Forest Route 27 to where it terminates. FR 27 is located off of US 16 in the southern Bighorn mountains. You will turn at the sign for (and location of) the Deerhaven Lodge. Boulder Campground, Island Park Campground, and West Ten Sleep Campground are also all located off of this road.
What is the trail to Lake Helen like?
The first few miles of the trail are LOVELY. You start by meandering on a flat trail through the woods around West Ten Sleep Lake.
We saw a momma moose and baby bedded down in the tall grass near the lake! Be sure to give these animals PLENTY of space, especially with dogs. Most momma animals can be INCREDIBLY aggressive when they’re protecting babies, and moose have been known to kill dogs–we kept Puppers on a leash and she was too distracted by smells to be aware of our new friends.
Puppers and I on the Misty Moon Trail
Once past the lake, you start a gradual climb through several grassy meadows and forested areas, with great views of the mountains beckoning you along the way.
The trail undulates the whole way so while there are a few short, steep spots, there are no lengthy, spirit-crushing climbs–I think this contributed to the trail feeling easier than it actually was.
We saw a bunch of these indentations on the rocks, not sure if it’s some kind of fossil? Looks like a plant left them…🤔
About halfway to Lake Helen, the trail becomes steeper. This is where you hit the rocky sections. There are no large boulder fields to cross and no scree slopes to navigate (on this portion of the trail) but the rocks are big enough that they cause a lot of uneven terrain that you’ll need to manage. Hiking boots are definitely recommended for this trek!
I think older kids could do this trail. It’s a longer one and they may need some help in the rocky areas, but overall I would say it is moderately difficult.
The hike didn’t actually seem that bad while we were doing it. Both Mr. Trekker and I were pleased at how good we felt throughout. Especially considering we carried heavier packs than usual (we brought A LOT of water) and we hadn’t hiked much this summer as it’s been so warm. Also, the trail STARTS at around 9000 feet (you gain around 1000 feet in elevation over its five-mile length. Lake Helen sits at almost exactly 10,000 feet.)
Mr. Trekker and I were both pleased that we didn’t feel the altitude too much (it probably helped that we camped at 9000 feet the night before). If you aren’t used to these altitudes though, you’ll definitely want to take it easy.
The Trekkers seem to be doing better with altitude in recent years. It used to be that just driving to Estes Park in Colorado (which sits at around 8000 feet) was enough to make me feel funny. Now we’ve camped and hiked higher than that on multiple excursions in Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana and done quite well. They claim your body “learns” how to adjust to the altitude better the more you experience it and I think that may be true. (Living at 3000+ feet for the last decade probably hasn’t hurt either. 😉)
We considered going all the way to Misty Moon Lake but that would have added several miles to our already 10-mile hike. All three of us were feeling good when we arrived at Lake Helen so we figured we’d just spend a relaxing lunch at the lake and head back.
As it turned out it was good we did decide to turn back. Even though she was raring to keep going when we reached the lake, by the time we got back to camp Puppers was hurting. This was the first time she’s ever really had issues on the trail. This is one of the longer trails we’ve ever done with her (though she’s done 10 miles with us before). This trail is REALLY rocky, in parts, which means it’s probably also one of the toughest trails we’ve ever done with her. We did LOTS of rock hopping on the way down and she was obviously aching by the time we got back. She seemed to make a full recovery within a few days though! (In her defense, my hips were sore for several days afterward, as well.)
Obviously, I can’t speak to the trail past Lake Helen (since we didn’t do it. 😉 I do know that Misty Moon Lake is only about 300 feet higher than Lake Helen but it takes two more miles of hiking (each way) to get there.
Also, my understanding is once you get past Misty Moon Lake the trail gets much tougher. There are some scree slopes and boulder fields (namely on the way to the wreckage site at Bomber Mountain and to reach the actual Cloud Peak). Also, once you get past Lake Helen you are basically above treeline the entire way. This means there is NO SHADE at all so make sure you bring sun hats, LOTS of water, and sunscreen if you’re planning to go this route. There is also NO PROTECTION if you’re caught out in a storm.
I cannot stress this enough: if storms appear imminent PLEASE get below treeline as safely and quickly as possible. It is INCREDIBLY dangerous to be above treeline during a lightning storm. Safety should ALWAYS be your first priority!
Lake Helen! (Bomber Mountain is near the tall peak straight up from the rock in the water. Florence Pass is through the saddle even further to the right.)
From Lake Helen you can see Bomber Mountain and the high-altitude, Florence Pass to the right. What you cannot see is Cloud Peak (as often as we have visited the Bighorns we have yet to see that site. It’s VERY isolated. 😝) From what I have heard from other hikers though, you CAN get views of Cloud Peak from Misty Moon Lake.
Let’s talk about Bomber Mountain and Cloud Peak
Cloud Peak and Bomber Mountain reach altitudes higher than 12,000 feet so altitude sickness starts to be a concern when you spend lengthy amounts of time at these altitudes. Potential hikers should also be aware the snow can be quite deep on these trails through July! Also, mosquitoes are said to be HORRIBLE in the summer (we had no problems at all on Labor Day weekend and we didn’t use any bug spray. 😁)
Bomber Mountain: This used to be an unnamed mountain in the Bighorns. That is until a World War II-era bomber crashed here while on a training mission in the early 1940s. If you know where to look you can still view the wreckage. (Don’t ask me how to get there, I don’t know. 😉. For more info on this hike you can click here)
You can check with local forest offices for information on how to get to the site. From what I’ve heard there are also rock cairns that help direct the way but you need an idea of where to look.
Please be respectful if you visit this site as several soldiers did lose their lives in the crash.
There are no actual trails that go to Bomber Mountain or Cloud Peak. (This seems a little odd to me as Cloud Peak is the highest point in the Bighorns and is what the wilderness area is named for, but I digress. 😝) There are some rock cairns to guide your way to Cloud Peak. My understanding is for Bomber Mountain, you pretty much just have to know where you are going.
This being said, PLEASE be sure you have a good, topographical map and a compass with you if you are attempting these hikes. Also, be aware there will likely be some bushwacking involved and you could easily become lost. These routes should only be attempted by EXPERIENCED, backcountry hikers! (Cell phone service is spotty at best in this area. DO NOT rely on it!)
Cloud Peak: “can” be done in one day but it would be a VERY long and VERY hard day (it’s around 24 miles total). People have done it but most suggest doing a 2 – 3 day backpacking trip. (Lake Helen and Misty Moon Lake are popular places to camp for these.) The last three miles to the summit are said to be a boulder field with “house-sized” boulders (per the reviews). The “trail” isn’t super clear either. Some people suggested this is actually a more difficult hike than the notorious Longs Peak in Rocky Mountain National Park 😮 so PLEASE think hard and use incredible caution if you’re considering this trek.
West Ten Sleep Lake Campground
On other trips, we’ve stayed at the Island Park campground but since we were leaving from the trailhead at the lake we stayed at the West Ten Sleep campground on this trip.
It was LOVELY! Some sites had views of the lake, ours had forest views. But the sites were nicely shaded with lots of soft, pine fluff. The campground was also relatively quiet and quite pretty. It was also only a couple of hundred yards to the beauty of West Ten Sleep Lake!
West Ten Sleep Lake!
James T. Saban Fire Lookout
The Trekkers have passed this lookout on every trip we’ve made to the Bighorns and we always say, “we should check that out!”…so, we did!
The trailhead for the James T. Saban Fire lookout is found off Route 16 in the Bighorn Mountains, around five miles east of Meadowlark Lake. The turnoff is on the south side of the road. I can’t remember if there are signs telling you to turn but you can see the lookout at the top of the hill from the road. This is also the turnoff for the St. Christopher’s Chapel and there are signs for that site.
The James T. Saban Fire Lookout!Puppers enjoying the view from the fire lookout!
This fire lookout is easy to reach and offers some amazing views of the surrounding area. It requires a short drive on a narrow, dirt road to reach the trailhead. You’ll want to take it slow and watch where you are driving. In good conditions, I would be comfortable taking almost any higher clearance car, SUV, or truck there. In poor conditions (mud or snow) the road may be impassable.
Once you reach the trailhead, it is about a 15-minute walk (in each direction) to the tower at the top of the hill. It isn’t a bad hike. It gets a little steep in spots but the trek is short enough almost anyone in good health should be able to handle it. (Note: you are at an altitude of around 8000 – 9000 feet in this area so take your time as you may feel short of breath.)
That is Meadowlark Lake in the background
Though it is a bit long and strenuous, the Misty Moon Trail to Lake Helen is a great hike if you want to really get a taste of the Cloud Peak Wilderness area in the Bighorn Mountains!
Have you hiked to Lake Helen, Bomber Mountain, Cloud Peak, the James T. Saban Lookout Tower, or Misty Moon Lake? If so, tell me about your adventures in the comments!
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In this post, I review these two, fun state parks in southeastern South Dakota!
After more than a decade of living in the state, I finally have a park report from the eastern side of South Dakota (otherwise known as “East River”)! Mr. Trekker had a hankering for orchard-fresh apples and cider one fall (those are hard to come by in the Black Hills) so we decided to explore the eastern half of our state for our anniversary that year.
The Trekkers visited Palisades State Park and Good Earth State Park at Blood Run. Both of these locales were on the smaller side, especially compared to the larger parks that we’re used to on the western side of the state (let’s just be blunt, these are NOT Custer State Park! 😇) We knew they would be more modest going in though, and we really enjoyed them. They were relaxing and the trails were not very strenuous at all. We also found both parks to be relatively easy to locate!
Palisades State Park
You will find Palisades State Park off of 485th Avenue, about 23 miles to the northeast of Sioux Falls and about 10 miles northeast of Brandon, South Dakota. You can reach the park from Exit 400, off of I-90, for 476th Avenue, or from Exit 410, for 486th Avenue (you head north from both of these exits.) Then follow the signs!
You will feel like you’re driving through farm country and there can’t possibly be a state park out there. (It’s kind of hidden in a gulley created by Split Rock Creek.)
This park is quite pretty. It offers a number of trails, though my favorite was the South Wall trail. It traverses the south wall (hence the name) of the canyon created by Split Rock Creek. A portion of it reminded me of Raven Rock State Park that we used to frequent when we lived in North Carolina (I haven’t done a post on this one yet but don’t worry, it’s on my list!)
Split Rock Creek:
This park had some decent fall color when we were there in early October (though we were actually a little early for this). It was surprising, in the Black Hills we were already almost done with fall color, and out east, they were just getting started (to be fair there are a couple of thousand feet of elevation change between the two. 😉 )
Isn’t this tree cool, the way it grew around the rock? Nature is awesome!
Several of the trails in this park did require a little bit of scrambling on some boulders. This could be more difficult for smaller children or anyone who may have mobility difficulties.
King and Queen Rocks (Yes, that is a farm field above the canyon. I told you this park was in a weird place. 😂 )
King Rock through the trees:
Palisades was definitely the most scenic of the two parks. Below are a few more pictures Mr. Trekker took:
Old railroad bridge over the creekView from the bridgeBalancing Rock
Good Earth State Park at Blood Run
Good Earth State Park at Blood Run is located about 11 miles to the southeast of Sioux Falls off of 480th Avenue. From Sioux Falls get on the Veterans Parkway on the east side of town. Take it south until it meets up with 69th Street (Route 102). Then take that road to 480th Avenue (follow the signs).
This park consists mostly just of hiking trails (which are really more walking paths). There were a number of them, many of which connected and formed loops. This would be a great place for some mild mountain biking, or cross-country skiing in the winter (if the typical South Dakota wind doesn’t scour the paths dry, that is! 😝) While it was closed when we arrived late on a Sunday afternoon 😝 the park appeared to have a new, large and lovely Visitor’s Center.
In case you were wondering, that’s Iowa across the river. 😂
The trails had many maps spaced along them. The only problem was almost all the maps were south-facing and had such terrible sun damage they were difficult to read. 😕 They had paper maps available, which would have been fine, but unfortunately, they didn’t mark the trails with the trail names which made the maps difficult to follow. 😕
The trails were wide, graded gravel, and mostly flat. They should accommodate an off-road stroller/wagon quite well, in dry conditions. This locale isn’t far from town and would be a great place for a run or to walk the dog after work. It would also be perfect for a nice, Sunday afternoon stroll with the family.
Both of these parks were nice, though Palisades was my for-sure favorite. I’d definitely consider going to both again. As both of these have been on my “to-do” list it was fun to visit them and see more of our fair state.
Have you visited either of these parks? Tell me what you thought of them in the comments!
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In this post, I review several, cool ghost towns in southwestern Montana.
Montana IS the Old West! It’s full of small, dusty, cowpoke towns where you can just imagine characters like Buffalo Bill Cody and Wyatt Earp walking its streets. What better way to enjoy that experience than visiting an authentic ghost town? We’ve enjoyed a few of these unique locales (though there are still plenty more on our list!) See below for details!
Elkhorn State Park (Ghost Town)
Elkhorn is a tiny town located in the high mountains of southwestern Montana. It is situated in a lovely valley with a mountain expanse that spreads out before you. Technically this is a state park but the park portion only encompasses two buildings and a picnic area, the rest of the town is privately owned. Feel free to walk the local roads though. There are a number of signs that show where buildings used to be, what they were used for, etc.
You can reach Elkhorn from the south by taking Exit 256, off of I-90, near Cardwell, Montana. From here you will take Route 69 north. After about 25 miles you will turn right on White Bridge Road (it’s literally just a short road that crosses the river on a small bridge.) Once you cross the river turn right at the T-intersection onto Lower Valley Road. You then take this road to the town.
There are a few signs for the Elkhorn mountains and Elkhorn state park but don’t rely on these to guide you. It will be about 40 miles until you reach the town going this route. As long as you stay on the main gravel road once you reach Lower Valley Road, you should be fine. These roads are almost all dirt but they’re in good shape for basically any vehicle in good weather conditions.
You can also reach the town from the north from I-15. From Exit 164 on I-15 at Boulder, MT, take Route 69 south and then take a left onto White Bridge Road. The town is about 20 miles from the I-15 exit going this route.
If you continue up the dirt road past town and follow the signs, you will end up at the old cemetery in the woods. (The road is in pretty decent shape in good weather conditions–though we admittedly had a 4×4 truck. We did see a sedan up there but I’d be careful with any car other than a Subaru or something else with higher clearance. There were a few ruts and rocks in the road that could damage a lower-clearance vehicle.).
The cemetery was really neat but also very sad. There were SO MANY graves of babies and children (apparently there was a diphtheria epidemic in the town that killed many children). You’d see families where multiple children died within just a few days of each other. I love visiting old cemeteries. It’s always very sad to see how frequently young people died, but the histories of the area that you can gather are so interesting.
The mine in Elkhorn
Nevada City and Virginia City Ghost Towns
These two towns are also located in southwest Montana. They are only about two miles apart. The easiest way to reach them is probably from Three Forks, Montana. Take Exit 274 off of I-90 for US 287 south. Then take this road to the town of Ennis and turn right onto State Route 287 (yes, the roads are the same number. 😉) This road runs right to the towns. It is around 60 miles to the towns from I-90.
Nevada City was our favorite site of the two. It is an outdoor museum of sorts. Once you enter you can then walk around the entire town. There are many buildings that you can actually go inside that are modeled to look as they would have in their heyday (such as a barbershop, the blacksmith shop, the general store, etc.). Many of the structures are not native to this exact location, rather they were saved by historical foundations and brought here from around the state to be preserved. (It reminded me a little of the 1880 town in South Dakota.)
Main Street Nevada City
Barber Shop, Nevada City:
One great part about this museum, it was Puppers friendly!
Puppers enjoyed the post office!
Virginia City was ok. There were some decent sites to see but mostly it was a busy, commercialized town filled with shops, restaurants, and saloons. Some people enjoy that atmosphere and that’s fine, but the Trekkers (and Puppers) prefer the quiet and solitude of the real ghost town. 😁 The town did offer some historical tours in horse-drawn stagecoaches that looked kind of cool, though we didn’t partake.
Main Street Virginia City (it isn’t quite so ghostly)
Bannack State Park (Ghost Town)
The easiest way to get to Bannack would be to take I-15 to Exit 59, near Dillon, Montana. From here you will take Route 278 west. After about 17 miles, Bannack Bench Road will break off to the south (left). That takes you right to the state park.
Some of the roads to get to the park are gravel, but they were in great shape! As long as you take it easy and don’t mind getting your car dirty, any sedan should be able to handle the drive in good weather conditions.
Main Street Bannack
The jails in BannackYou can see where the prisoners were chained
Bannack is AWESOME! It’s one of the better preserved, true ghost towns I’ve ever seen (meaning it’s still in its original location and the buildings are in fairly good shape.) They let you just wander around the town on your own, you can go in the buildings (that aren’t locked) AND you can bring dogs!
A smoky sunset over wild MontanaPuppers and I searching for ghosts at sunsetInside the schoolhouse
Rules for teachers written on the schoolhouse chalkboard:
My favorite are no wearing bright colors over that scandalous one petticoat! 🤣
Not gonna lie, I couldn’t help imagining myself descending these stairs in a hoop skirt!
If you can make it work I STRONGLY recommend camping in the park, it’s about a half-mile walk from the campgrounds to the ghost town, and being there in the evening as the light wanes is AMAZING! (If you choose not to camp the park is open till 9 at night, in the summer). The campgrounds are rustic (read vault toilets) but they were cute, well-maintained, and quiet. This was our favorite stop of the trip and Mr. Trekker’s favorite campground (mostly because of the access to the ghost town.)
Our cute little campsite at the Bannack State Park campgroundView of Bannack from the hill above the townSleepy puppy after chasing ghosts! (BTW that seatbelt harness she’s wearing is AWESOME!)
Though they weren’t nearly as good as the ones we found for Colorado, I did find a series of books that is helpful when visiting Montana ghost towns:
This volume didn’t cover EVERY town we’d like to see but it did review many of them. I’ll look into getting one of the other volumes when we go out for our next trip. The book focused mostly on the histories of the towns (which is always interesting) but it did give a quick synopsis of how to find the town at the end of each section. It even made helpful suggestions such as, “it is not advisable for any vehicles towing trailers to approach using the southern route.”
Bannack and Nevada/Virginia Cities are only about 80 miles apart. While you can certainly enjoy Nevada City and Virginia City on the same day, I would encourage you to save one whole day for Bannack. This will allow you to fully enjoy that park and give it the time it deserves.
Ghost towns are such a great way to experience history and gain an appreciation of the “cushier” lives we lead today. So if you find yourself in southwestern Montana, check out some of these cool destinations!
Have you been to any of these awesome ghost towns? Are there others we should put on our list? Let me know in the comments!
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In this post, I detail sites we saw on a road trip through western Montana.
It all started with some AMAZING huckleberry bear claws… 🤤
In 2016, on our trip to Glacier National Park,we visited Polebridge, Montana. They are famous for their homemade, huckleberry bear claws that are baked at their Mercantile. (They are AMAZING and totally worth the drive!)
Mr. Trekker has had an ongoing craving for these delicious delicacies since that trip. One summer a few years ago, we decided we needed more of these amazing treats, so we crafted an entire road trip around enjoying some! Read on for more info on the bear claws, and several other cool stops to add to your Western Montana Road Trip!
Places to Eat in Western Montana
There are so many great places to eat in Western Montana. I mention a few we tried below:
Montana Wheat bakery (throughout the state): this place has AWESOME cinnamon rolls and pastries that are made locally.
Lake City Bakery and Eatery (Polson, MT): We acquired yummy pastries from this locale and then enjoyed them at Boettcher Park which sits on the southern shores of Flathead Lake. It offers prime views of the lake (where we learned that Puppers is afraid of waves, even small ones. 😂)
Burrito Brothers (also in Polson): We got another AWESOME breakfast from this small shop. They offer a variety of burrito choices including both breakfast and lunch options, and they’re open throughout the day!
Freestone Ice Cream (Hamilton, MT) and the Virginia City Creamery (found in the Virginia City ghost town!): check out the yummy huckleberry ice cream at these locales!
Red Lodge Cafe and Lounge: They make a great breakfast sandwich!
**Author’s note: Technically dogs are allowed in this portion of the Park, however it is recommended that you keep them in your car/camper. There are LARGE bear dogs that roam freely throughout town–to help keep the grizzlies out of town!–that are known to be aggressive with other dogs.**
We made it to Polebridge and got our huckleberry bear claws…and yes, they were DELICIOUS! (For more info about this little piece of paradise, click here!) Polebridge is a TINY hamlet that sits only about 20 miles south of the Canadian border. (For those keeping track at home, the Polebridge Mercantile is exactly 923 miles from our house! 😁) They also make some great sandwiches that we enjoyed by the creek later!
Polson/Flathead Lake KOA Review
I struggled with whether to include this info. I always try to keep this blog positive, however, this experience was so disappointing I felt like I needed to say something. The campground was LOVELY. It was set back from the road so it was fairly quiet, and it offered beautiful views of Flathead Lake and nearby mountains. The RV sites were shaded and lovely, as well. We were excited when we got there because it seemed SO NICE…then we got to the tent sites…
Anyone who reads this blog regularly knows we prefer to stay in national forest campgrounds. They’re usually more secluded, quieter, prettier and you’re more likely to see wildlife. However, western Montana is prime grizzly habitat (and since they scare the CRAP out of me) we decided to opt mostly for KOA’s this trip. I will be the first to admit, KOA’s are basically the most “vanilla” camping experience you can possibly have (but the showers and flush toilets were LOVELY! 😉)
Unfortunately, the tent campsites at the Polson/Flathead Lake KOA were AWFUL! The facility literally parked the tent sites onto a gravel parking lot. It felt like whoever designed them had never tent-camped a day in their life. 😔
The tent sites are on pebble tent pads (which are ok) but they are surrounded by gravel…there was only a small amount of lawn that we could reach next to us (and the sprinklers came on for that at midnight and sprayed half our campsite too, getting our chairs and towels wet and hitting the fence and waking us up. 😒)
The sites offered almost no shade so they just BAKED under the sun. We avoided ours until at least 6 at night as it was so hot. The first night the hot pebbles radiated heat into our tent all night. 🥵 To top it all off they wanted us to park our car elsewhere (not too far away, but still.) Um, we are CAR CAMPING, all our stuff is stored in the truck so we go to it, A LOT! KOA isn’t known for great tent sites but these were the worst we’ve ever had. 😕
I’m sorry but THIS is not worth $50/night. 🙁
I will say the showers and the Pet Exercise area were nice. The views of Flathead Lake were also great and the mountains would have been gorgeous…if we had been able to see them through the wildfire smoke. 😝 (This issue was obviously not the fault of the campground.).
Bottom line, if you want to be an RV resort, that’s fine, just tout yourself as such and don’t bother with the tent sites. Or, if you want to offer options for all types of camping, PLEASE don’t make your tent campers feel like second-class citizens. 😡
Flathead Lake
On a much more positive note, Flathead Lake is situated in far, northwestern Montana, less than 50 miles southwest of Glacier National Park. It’s the largest freshwater lake in the Continental US west of the Mississippi and it is AWESOME! The view reminded me of Sebago Lake in Maine. (I reviewed a trip we took to that lake, several summers ago, here.)
Looking north from the southern tip of Flathead LakeThe sun rising over the haze-enshrouded Rockies (those would be the dark blur below the sun that you can barely make out through the wildfire smoke). 😝The sun reflecting off Flathead Lake
*You may notice a lack of the beautiful, landscape, vista pictures, that I usually post. That would be because on this trip, we could hardly see the mountains due to all the smoke and haze. 😩 Sadly, this is becoming more of a norm as the West tends to burn each summer. 😪 PLEASE pray to Whatever/Whoever you pray to, send positive vibes, good wishes, white light, or whatever your spiritual “thing” is, but the West NEEDS rain, snow, or anything else that can fall as precipitation. It’s crazy seeing some of the flooding in other parts of the country/world while out here the landscape just BAKES under the hot sun. 😭 Climate change SUX!!! 😡
I’m glad we’ve visited this area before so we know how beautiful the landscape actually is. A few times on this trip we could barely make out tall, mountain shapes looming through the yellow-brown gloom. 😪(We did get lucky that even though we drove through some very smoky areas, none of our campsites were inundated with wildfire smoke.) The morning we woke up to the sound of rain on the tent it took me a while to remember what that sound was! 😯 And then I rejoiced! It’s a beautiful sound and we didn’t even mind packing up a wet tent in the drizzle. 😁
Hungry Horse Dam in Hungry Horse, Montana
We also saw the Hungry Horse and Kerr Dams. The Hungry Horse Dam is located just south of Route 2 in Hungry Horse, Montana, just west of Glacier National Park. It dams one of the forks of the Flathead River and creates the very scenic and very LONG Hungry Horse Reservoir. The dam is over 500 feet tall and is one of the tallest ever built by the CCC (and is one of the largest of its type in the country). It was cool to see! If you stop at the Visitor Center there are even some tours available of the dam and its workings.
Hungry Horse DamView from Hungry Horse Dam
Word to the Wise: The view in the picture above is similar to the one we saw from the Gunsight Pass Trail in Glacier National Park–the portion of the trail that starts from the Jackson Glacier Overlook which is found off the Going to the Sun Road. (I reviewed that trek here.). Often, if you know where to look (and have a little bit of luck), you can see similar sites to those found in national parks just outside the park boundaries where there are fewer crowds. After all, it’s all the same countryside!
Kerr Dam in Polson, Montana
The Kerr Dam was REALLY neat! They had a great little boardwalk path down the canyon wall that offered prime views of the structure.
Be warned, the path was a little steep and could be HOT in the sun. It could also be slippery if wet. We had a nice breeze and a rain shower when we were there at 6 pm so it was pretty nice, we also had the place to ourselves at that time of day. This could also be a bit of an uncomfortable walk if you’re afraid of heights. It didn’t bother me as there was a nice railing but you’re basically walking along a knife-edge cliff that drops off on both sides.
The dam is on another fork of the Flathead River on land owned by the Flathead, Salish, and Kootenai tribal people. The US government leases the dam from the tribes which provides them revenue.
Kerr Dam
Views from the Kerr Dam Overlook:
Traveler’s Rest State Park
Traveler’s Rest State Park is pretty cool! It is located near the intersection of Routes 12 and 93 in Lolo, Montana. This site’s claim to fame is that it is the only confirmed campsite of the intrepid explorers, Louis and Clark. How do they KNOW this is the case, you may ask? Well, the answer is kind of gross actually! 😂
A recreation of Louis and Clark’s camp!
The location of the camp was long suspected to be in this area. An archeological study eventually found higher-than-normal amounts of mercury in soil samples gathered here. It was known that the exploration party carried mercury pills to be used to help “expel sickness from the body”. As it turns out, the soil the archeologists had found was the site of the camp’s latrine! 🤥 Once this spot was confirmed, the scientists were then able to locate other remnants of the camp using previously known camp arrangements.
Don’t believe me regarding the story of how they confirmed this was the site of the camp? Read the sign! 😁
Similar to the trees I discussed in my Gettysburg National Battlefield post, Witness Trees have also been identified at the site of the Louis and Clark camp! (These are trees that have been determined to be old enough to have been here when the camp was here.)
The camp’s three Witness Trees:
The Salish Tribe
One of the prominent, early tribes in this area was the Salish People. I loved how many of the local signs are written in both English and Salish. It is a beautiful language to see written. It looks almost Cyrillic (Russian) but is actually completely unique to this tribe. I was also able to purchase a cool book that gives a Salish glossary.
This is so neat! It’s one of those “wildlife bridges” on Route 93 between Missoula, MT and Polson (on the Flathead Reservation). It allows wildlife to safely cross the highway. Notice the Salish language included on the sign.
Our evening with the Hells Angels 😮
When we arrived in Red Lodge, Montana, one evening, near the end of our trip, we noticed LOTS of bikes (motorcycles). We’ve always loved Red Lodge but have only been there in the early summer, it’s a bit busier during the prime season. 😝 We should be used to this living so close to Sturgis but we hadn’t anticipated all these bikers may want to ride the Beartooth Highway (duh!)
So, we were like, “oh, ok, no big deal.” Then we noticed, “Hey, that guy has a Hells Angels cut on…and so does that guy over there…and over there is a cop…and over there is another cop…those guys over there are wearing Hells Angels cuts too….and over there is another cop…”…yeah…the Hells Angels were apparently having their annual gathering in Red Lodge that week. *sigh*🙄 (For the record we had no problems at all and the few HA’s we talked to were VERY friendly–they liked Puppers. 😉)
Beartooth Highway (Beartooth Pass)
On our final day in Montana, we traveled up the Beartooth Pass a bit to see the view.
We were actually killing time until a local store, Lewis and Barks opened. (You’ll notice it’s a play on words of the two explorers mentioned earlier.) As you may guess by the name, it’s a pet-based store. We figured Puppers had done so well on her first real trip with us that she deserved a souvenir too!
Finally, we took a nice, country drive on several back roads (Route 308 east out of Red Lodge, then picked up Route 72 north to Route 310 southeast. We took that to Lovell, WY where we picked up Route Alt-14) to our final campsite of the trip in the northern Bighorn Mountains of Wyoming!
Puppers checking out the view on Beartooth Pass!Puppers enjoyed the OVERLY FRIENDLY chipmunks at the Vista Overlook on the Beartooth Highway.
So there you go, 2000 miles and 7 days later…we saw some great sites, we ate some DELICIOUS huckleberry, bear claws and we had a fun time! Check out some of these great locales for your next road trip around Western Montana!
Have you visited any of these places? Tell me about your experience in the comments!
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The road Broadway runs through several of the towns in Grand Valley and connects the two ends of Rimrock Drive between Fruita and Grand Junction. This road, along with the Rimrock route, make for a great loop drive!
If you continue up the dirt road past town and follow the signs, you will end up at the old cemetery in the woods. (The road is in pretty decent shape in good weather conditions–though we admittedly had a 4×4 truck. We did see a sedan up there but I’d be careful with any car other than a Subaru or something else with higher clearance. There were a few ruts and rocks in the road that could damage a lower-clearance vehicle.). 
