2016 Travels: Wind Cave NP, Sylvan Lake SP, Devils Tower NP, Theodore Roosevelt NP.

Getting there. We live about as far south as you can get in our country so it's not a wonder we've never seen the upper Mid-west. Our travels will take us through the Rockies to South and North Dakota then across Minnesota and Wisconsin  to Michigan's Upper Peninsula.

Boon docking in the Apache National Forest.

Off to a good start. A lonely boondock all to our selves in the Apache National Forest serves as a good start to our adventures on our first night out. No fee, no facilities, no people, quiet solitude. This is the kind of camping our Sprinter was made for but there won't be many such places along our way.

Camping at West Fork CG on the San Juan River. Relaxing again.

2nd night out. If you're traveling through Pagosa Springs, CO consider camping at the West Fork Campground, a National Forest CG along the San Juan River. Nice sites with fishing opportunities. Cost is $18/night, $9 with Senior Pass, vault toilets, water, no internet but you can listen to the river all night long. What's better than that? Pagosa Springs is a neat little tourist town with hot springs.

Bristol Head National Forest Campground.

We go over Wolf Creek Pass and into the Rio Grande basin. The basin has many forest campgrounds with access to great fishing, jeeping, hiking and mountain biking opportunities. The old mining town of Creede is an interesting stop with shops and eateries. We camp at Bristol Head Campground and hiked to some outstanding waterfalls along upper Clear Creek and I forgot to take the camera.

A view of Bristol Head from the campground.

From Bristol Head we travel through Lake City, Gunnison and over Monarch Pass. Our Sprinter motored right up the pass with ease. In Buena Vista we visit our friends Tommy and Sarah, the former owners of the Buena Vista KOA.We'd planned on staying at a forest campground but it shouldn't have come as a surprise that all the campgrounds were full. This area is very close to Denver and the Front Range and in July everyone migrates to the mountains for cool weather. We ended up at a commercial campground near Buena Vista that only had one site for 2 nights. They gave us tent site with no hookups for $33 a night.

Jim, Jackie and Tommy at Cottonwood Pass.

Tommy takes us on a day hike along the Continental Divide/Colorado Trail. We start at Cottonwood Pass and follow the trail along a 12,000+ ft. ridge. We hike above timber line with breathtaking views of the massive and much higher Collegiate Peaks. The trail winds far ahead of us across scree slopes. It tugs at our feet, encouraging us to follow. So many years in our younger days were spent backpacking along such trails in the Rockies. Our hearts and souls will always be wandering above timberline.

Big country on the CDT/Colorado Trail high above timberline.

Jim and Jackie on the CDT/CT.

A view from the Divide.

Looking down at Lost Lake.

Jim on the CDT/CT.

On either side the slopes drop away 1,000 ft. to the forest. There are two glassy lakes below us, Found Lake and Lost Lake. After several miles we find a place were we can descend the scree to Lost Lake.

We find a place to descend the scree slope to Lost Lake.

Almost back to timber line.

Looking back up to the ridge. The remnants of an old trappers cabin in the lower right. 

Beautiful Lost Lake has a little rock island.

It's wildflower season in the high country and the slopes are a carpet of color. Here are three of my favorites.

Pink Elephants.

Columbine.

Monk's Hoods.

The hike back to the car is easy. Later we celebrate the day with dinner at our friends beautiful mountain home. Sitting on their deck we watch a single cell storm blossom over the mountains.

A thunder head develops over the mountains at Buena Vista, CO.

Our next destination is Dillon Reservoir in the mountains west of Denver. At one time we had reservations in the best campground and intended to stay for several days to bicycle and kayak. We had to cancel due to a delay in our travels and didn't know when we'd be there. The impact of not having reservations hit home when we find all the campgrounds full. The Forest Service gave us some dispersed camping locations in the forest and we spend one night at Rock Creek so we could bicycle the excellent bike paths in the area.

Dillon Reservoir.

Big tax base = nice paved bike paths. We start our ride at North Pond Park in Silverthorne and ride around the reservoir to Breckenridge, 40 mile round trip ride. Lots of people bicycling and kayaking.

Bike path spectators.

Without a good campsite we decide to move on through Denver and to the Wind Cave National Park in the SW corner of South Dakota. This is beautiful county of hilly grasslands and stands of pine. Elk Mountain Campground within the park is tucked into the hills and has shady pines. It's $18/night, $9 with the Senior Pass. Roads are paved and there are flush toilets, potable water and we could get internet. No reservations are needed. The ranger tells us that campers have declined because they don't have hookups or dump. It's too bad people can't do without service for a few nights to enjoy such a beautiful and peaceful place where you can be entertained by the aerial displays of Common Nighthawks.

Wind Cave National Park.

The Cave headquarters is a very busy place with tours running hourly during the summer. There are tours for people of various abilities. The cave was formed differently from wet caves where you'd expect to see typical cave formations. This cave has a maze of passages and unique box work formations. My pics weren't good so go to the Wind Cave National Monument for outstanding photos. You'll want to visit. We wish we would have spent an extra day here to take another tour and ride our bikes.

Next we'll spend 3 days at Sylvan Lake Campground in Custer State Park. We follow scenic Highway 87. The section of 87 north of US 16A is scenic, curvy and has 2 tunnels which won't accommodate most RV's. We just fit through them with the mirrors inches from the tunnel walls. Height would be a problem for motor homes and 5th-wheels.

Sylvan Lake Campground has nice sites with electric hookups, water available at a tap and a new shower/restroom building. The individual shower rooms are about 8x12 to accommodate couples and families. This is along Highway 87, a busy scenic route that has lots of traffic, large groups of motorcycles and occasional tourist helicopters thumping overhead. Not the quietest place although it is pretty and only a half mile from Sylvan Lake. The cost is $25/night in addition to a $20 7-day Custer State Park Pass.

Our site at Sylvan Lake Campground in Custer State Park, SD.

An easy 1-mile trail goes around Sylvan Lake. There's a beach and kayak and paddle boat rentals.

Sylvan Lake.

Unfortunately the highway is too busy and narrow for comfortable bicycling so we hiked for the 2 days we were there. This is a very popular place and the trails were as busy as the highway. On our first day we hiked 6.5 miles into the Cathedral Spires on the Harney Peak Trail. Saw some impressive Mule Deer and eat lots of wild raspberries along the way.

Harney Peak Trail.

Mule Deer in velvet and shedding his summer coat.

Jim on the trail through the Cathedral Spires.

The Cathedral Spires.

On our second day we hike the Sunday Gulch Loop, only a 3.5 mile hike from our campsite but a very interesting one when the trail passes through a boulder-filled gorge with tall steps and handrails to assist you over the boulders. It's very beautiful and fun as well. A hikers amusement park.

Metal handrails in Sunday Gulch.

Decorative waterfalls along the hike.

Jim climbs up Sunday Gulch with a little handrail assist.

Looking down Sunday Gulch.

A stairway to heaven.

Our next destination was Pactola Lake for a day of kayaking. The Pactola Lake FS campground is in ponderosa pines and we have a view of the lake near the boat launch. There are toilets and water but no hookups. The cost is $26/night because it's a recreation site, $13 with Senior Pass. There is also an easy hiking trail called the Osprey Trail.

Our camp at Pactola Lake.

We stayed 2 night and spent the day kayaking the length of the lake. Lots of lake shore to explore.

Kayaking Pactola Lake.

Pactola Lake.

A Mallard family on the lake.

Pactola Lake.

Next stop on our Fall Travels bucket list is Devils Tower National Monument in Wyoming. We camp at the Belle Fourche River Campground in shady cottonwoods along the banks of the Belle Fourche River. The Tower sits heavily on the horizon and holds up the dome of the sky. Sites are $12/night, $6 with Senior Pass, no hookups, flush toilets. A real bargain with a view. There are ranger programs every night during the summer.

Our camp at Belle Fourche Campground at Devils Tower National Monument, WY.

The Tower is sacred to many tribes and was called Bear Lodge. It was named Devils Tower because of a misunderstanding of the native words. There is currently a movement to get the name changed back to Bear Lodge. Like changing Mt. McKinley back to Denali, this would be a good change. It would acknowledge and honor the histories and mythologies of the tribes. Bear Lodge has many interesting legends associated with the name.

This sculpture near the campground is called Circle of Sacred Smoke, referring to the smoke of the peace pipe. The entire sculpture has meaning. There is a transition from rough hewn stone to finished stone to the refined sacred smoke sculpture. I stepped up to it and ran my hand over the smooth white marble. In touching it I understood the power of the ideas the sculpture represents. Read about this beautiful piece in the photo of the plaque.

Circle of Sacred Smoke.

Circle of Sacred Smoke.

We took an afternoon hike up the Red Beds Trail to the Visitor Center at the base of the Tower. There were no other hikers. Along the way we saw hundreds of little blue and red bundles tied to sinew and wrapped around the trunk of a small Ponderosa Pine. I wouldn't guess at the meaning but it was left by a tribe during the sacred month of June, the solstice month. We saw another tree with black, white, red and yellow streamers tied to it, the colors of the four directions. These ritual objects just appear and no one ever sees when and who places them. They caused us to stop and consider the spiritual aspects of this place in contrast to the bustle of traffic and humanity on the road below. These are very sacred and should not be touched or photographed.

Looking up at the Tower from the Red Beds Trail.

This is a hot spot for climbers and we watch several parties climbing on the south face. Climbers are asked out of respect for the tribes to voluntarily not climb the Tower during the month of June which is a sacred month. Many do however because they don't know or are insensitive. A ranger told me around 400 climbers ascended in June. Its the equivalent of climbing someone else's church steeple on Sunday during services. We were here in July so these climbers were acting properly.

Climbers on the Tower.

The Belle Fourche Campground is next to Prairie Dog Town. Cute little guys to watch but you can almost hear this guy say, "Get off my lawn."

Get off my lawn!

And a flock of four Turkey hens and 11 pullets forge through the campground.

Turkeys are used to campers.

As we travel to our next destination on our journey north we come across a wonderful Department of the Interior campground at Shadehill Reservoir in the northern part of South Dakota. In the folds of the prairie hills where trees are few the DOI planted rows of juniper, pines and lilacs to create a pleasant campground on a hilltop overlooking the lake. The area is a magnet for birds and white-tail deer. The sites are large and rows of trees create a park-like setting and seclude the sites from the graveled campground roads. Most amazing of all the camping is free. Not a fee box to be seen. There are no hookups, vault toilets and a boat ramp on the lake below the campground. It's the beginning of August and it seems like the end of the camping season. There were only 3 other sites occupied so the night was very dark and peaceful. The solar panels on our Sprinter liberate us from hookups and able to enjoy this kind of camping.

Hugh Glass Campground at Shadehill Reservoir, SD.

 A view of Shadehill Reservoir from our camp site.

Here is the Hugh Glass Memorial. In 1823 Glass came up the Grand River to this location as a member of the Ashly Fur Company. While out hunting he was mauled by a Grizzle Bear and later left for dead. Thus began his epic journey of survival to Ft. Kiowa. The tale is recounted in the poem "The Song of Hugh Glass" by John Neiheart. The movie "The Revenant" was based on this event. It was really neat to stumble on this place and make a connection with the actual person.

Hugh Glass Memorial.

By the afternoon we make it to the Theodore Roosevelt National Park and find the Cottonwood Campground in the park is full. You have to arrive before noon. We stay a night at Sully State Park. The next morning we find a site at Cottonwood Campground and take the bikes out for a ride.

Cottonwood Campground in Theodore Roosevelt National Park.

Storm clouds over the park at sunset.

Cottonwood Campground along the Little Missouri River has paved roads, no hookups, flush toilets and a Bison herd that occasionally wanders through. The cost is $14/night, $7 with the Senior Pass. We spent 2 nights here and rode our bikes on the park loop scenic drive in both directions.

Bicycling in Theodore Roosevelt National Park.

The scenic loop drive has smooth pavement that curves through grassland basins and climbs over colorful eroded clay hills. The loop is 26 miles starting at Cottonwood Campground. The ride isn't very long but we decided it was one of our favorites.

Grasslands and badlands.

A view from one of the overlooks.

Eroded badlands.

Once we had to stop for Bison in the road and followed a car through the herd under the watchful eye of a big bull who grunted his disapproval at us.

Waiting for the Bison.

There are also other Bison hazards on the road.

Bison road hazards.

Could this be what this warning sign means?

Falling Material covers a lot of hazards.

Colorful clay hills along the scenic Park Loop.

Later in the evening we watch the Bison come wandering through our camp. What could be better. Our national parks and monuments protect the land and wildlife and give us real experiences. That's what it's all about. Our public lands must never be privatized.

Watching Bison from our Cottonwood camp site.

There are some big bulls in this herd.

The family next to us has a memorable Bison encounter.

The park also has short nature trails and extensive hiking and backpacking trails. The nearby town of Madora has interesting shops and events throughout the summer. It's a great place schedule one or two nights and conveniently located along US I-94.

Our 18 days of travels have taken us from home through the Rockies to the Dakotas. We'll be heading east through Minnesota and Wisconsin to the Michigan upper peninsula and exploring all new country.

Until then,
Jackie

A horse from the wild herd that rooms Theodore Roosevelt National Park watches from a hilltop.