Category: Hiking Vacation

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Great Basin, Great Vacation

This year for Fall Break, we decided to head back to Nevada (our third time this year) to explore one of the country’s lesser visited National Parks, Great Basin. The park is over four hours from Vegas and three hours from Salt Lake. Flights being what they were, we flew into LAS, rented a car and headed north.

Aside from the travel arrangements, another reason we flew into Las Vegas was that Cathedral Gorge State Park is on the drive up. In the west, one must keep in mind that there are a plethora of state parks, some as impressive as their National Park neighbors.

What We Did

Cathedral Gorge State Park: we drove up Friday night and hit the park the next morning. We only spent about four hours there, which was enough, and it was a great four hours.

The Juniper Draw Loop is just over 3 miles and is one of the most popular trails in the park. If you plan to do the whole thing, I recommend going clockwise, as this saves all the best parts for the end.

If you are not wanting to do the whole hike, you can go clockwise and just go up to Miller Point, which is a steep climb offering great views of the park. You can also drive straight to the overlook, if you are not interested in the walk.

I also recommend, on this end of the loop, Cathedral Caves. While the ‘caves’ in Cathedral Gorge are actually slot canyons, they are really cool, and our kids loved climbing through them.

If you liked the Cathedral Caves, I strongly recommend the Moon Caves. This is a slightly different area with equally impressive slot canyons. There were a few areas that only my kids could fit into, which they found really exciting (and Alyson and I found really nerve wracking). Both Eileen and JR said this was their favorite part of our entire trip.

Great Basin National Park

Visitors Center: Great Basin has two VCs, Lehman and GB, and I recommend visiting both. The Lehman VC has an attached cafe with a much better gift shop attached.

Astronomy Program: Great Basin is a certified dark sky park, so people flock from all around to check out the star. We went to a ranger led program that was great. The skies were amazing, and one of the telescopes showed Saturn clear to the point that the rings were actually visible through the lens. It is a later night, and it was hard for our four year-old to sit through, but it was worth it.

Wheeler Scenic Drive: This drive up the mountain takes you past several great overlooks, including one of Nevada’s only glacier, and goes by most of the trails you will want to hike. It is also a good way to see all the changing leaves if you are there at the right time.

Alpine Lakes Loop: This 3-ish mile loop is at the termination of Wheel Drive and is one of the park’s most popular. We went counterclockwise, but I didn’t really see a lot of advantages to one way or the other. Frankly, I wasn’t as impressed with this hike as I had hoped. It goes by two alpine lakes, but at this time of year, my daughter suggested they were more like alpine ponds. It was a good trek but not particularly mind blowing.

If you don’t have young kids and/or are feeling like you need more, the Bristlecone Pine and Glacier Trails branch of the loop, but they add a lot of extra mileage.

Lehman Caves: This was my favorite part of our trip. We took a guided, 60 minute tour that revealed all sorts of great features in this living cave. I love a good cave, and this might be my favorite that we’ve toured in a National Park.

Strawberry Creek Road: To access this, you have to leave the park and drive north, then follow a dirt road back in. We were the only people for miles, which was pretty fantastic. At the end of the road, we did a 1-mile loop that goes along Strawberry Creek. This was a nice trail, but again, not all that amazing, except that we saw a family of deer, including a 10-point buck, which made it all worthwhile.

Where We Stayed

Swallow Cove B&B: There aren’t a lot of options to stay near Cathedral Gorge, which is why this place was such a pleasant surprise. We had a great room with plenty of space for five, and homemade breakfast in the morning. One of the best amenities was the key-less entry. We arrive late, so the host simply texted us the instructions. We had a completely contact-free check-in and check-out.

Hidden Canyon Retreat: This place is fantastic. There are also few lodging options for Great Basin, and this one is actually the further of the two. That said, it appeared to be the far better choice. The approach is a 6-mile dirt road, but once you’ve done it once, it is far less daunting. The room was great with a fully functioning kitchen. We bought supplies and cooked dinner both nights in our room. There’s a heated pool, a hot tub, several grills, a convenience store and several friendly animals (including a 5-point buck). Recently, our best experiences have been the ones where we really liked our lodging, and Hidden Canyon did not disappoint.

Where We Ate

Historic Silver Cafe: On the way out of Cathedral Gorge, we stopped at the Silver Cafe, the older cafe in Nevada. The food was decent, and they were showing college football, so it was a good experience. If there were other options, and it wasn’t historic, I am not sure we would’ve stopped, but there was nothing significant about which to complain.

Sugar, Salt & Malt: We ate here for lunch on Saturday, and it was solid. We all got sandwiches that hit the spot, and everyone was very friendly. The dinner menu looked interesting, but due to staffing issues, they were only open for lunch during our stay. There was also a note about the owners selling the establishment, but it was not clear whether that is a recent development or has already happened. Whether or not it is there when you go, I can’t say for sure. There are not a lot of options for food in Great Basin, so do your research and plan ahead.

Able Baker Brewing: This brewery is actually in Vegas, and is where we stopped for lunch on Monday before boarding a plane. I thought it was great, one of my favorite recent breweries. There were several food options that the whole family loved, and a plethora of beers. Whether or not you’re going to Great Basin, if you want a break from the Strip part of Vegas, this is cool spot.

Overall, Great Basin was a great trip, and Cathedral Gorge was a great addition. That said, I do not think I would put it in my top 10 National Parks. If you are looking for stunning scenery, breathtaking waterfalls and great trails with hidden wonders, this probably isn’t the park for you. That said, I do think that of Mammoth Cave, Wind Cave and Carlsbad Caverns, GBNP has my favorite cave system. If you are looking for seclusion, wide open spaces and a crystal clear night sky, then look no further.

Next up for the Traveling Igoes, we’re headed to Dallas for Thanksgiving to see Alyson’s family. We were able to get tickets to the Cowboys game, and I couldn’t be more excited. Whether you’re a Dallas fan or not, if you’re a football fa, Cowboys on Thanksgiving should be on your bucket list.

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Summertime in Tahoe

This July, we met my parents and three brother on the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe, in Stateline, for a week. We stayed in a VRBO on top of a mountain near the Heavenly Ski Resort. It was sold as a ski-in, ski-out, so it is primarily for winter use, but it made for a great summer home. It was basically two different three story units attached to one another, which worked well for our group of fourteen.

Lake Tahoe is quite expansive, so you have to plan what you do, what to see and where to eat based upon how much time you are willing to spend in the car. Getting up and down our mountain took a solid fifteen minutes, so that included, everything we did was at least half an hour away, so we really had to make the most of our time.

Hikes

Cascade Falls: I believe this was my favorite trail that we took on our trip. It is 1.3 miles out-and-back and does include some strenuous uphills and some scrambling. The effort is completely worth it. At the top, you find dozens of small cascades that you can play around in before they become a large waterfall. Not only do you get a great view of Lake Tahoe, but there is another, more secluded lake which is spectacular. Parking can be difficult, but going either early or later in the day can help.

Cave Rock: This is a short, popular hike with extremely limited parking. The initial approach is simple, but the end is a relatively vertical climb. This trail is most popular at sunset, so gets very crowded, but if you are willing to get there early, you can dangle your feet over the lake and watch the sun drop below the mountains.

Horsetail Falls: This is a great hike, but a good distance from where we were staying. It is hard time find exactly where this trail starts, but look for the Pyramid Peak parking lot. When you start up, I strongly suggest using AllTrails, because while the trail is marked, it is over a lot of stones, so it is not always clear where the pathway is. The best thing to do is follow the falls up, where you can find several small pools to swim in. Getting all the way to falls is difficult, and something we did not accomplish, but you get cool views of it all the way up.

Eagle Falls and Eagle Lake: This trail was by far the most difficult to park at. It is on the other side of the road from Emerald Bay, and there are multiple smaller lots, but we had to circle a lot to get a spot around 9:30 am. The hike up is two part, the first going along to Upper Eagle Falls, the second reaching an amazing mountain like. You should definitely go all the way. The trail was too difficult for my parents, but we made it with just a little difficulty.

Excurions

Clear Kayak Lake Tour: Tahoe Paddle Sports offers a really fun tour of Tahoe on the Nevada side. The clear kayaks are great and our guide was fantastic. It is not a super exhilarating, high-energy tour, but it was very relaxing and a nice way to see parts of the lake.

Rafting the American River: This was done through a friend of my brothers but is definitely something you should look into. It took us over an hour to reach the initial launch spot, but it was worth it. We basically did two tours. The older, more adventurous of us started at the top and took on some class 3+ rapids. We met the kids and grandparents halfway down, who joined us for a leisurely float for the rest of the day.

Boat Rental: Out of the Ski Run Marina, we rented two speed boats and a tube, each able to hold seven people. It was a lot of fun tossing the kids around on the tube and exploring the lake. It was also a good way to see Emerald Bay and get a close up look Fannette Island and the Tea House.

Beaches

Emerald Bay: Getting down to the Emerald Bay beach includes a solid 1 mile hike, once you’ve won the battle for parking. The hike is downhill, so super easy on the way down, not so much on the way up. The Vikingsholm House is at the bottom, so that is fun to see, and there are several vendors who rent things like kayaks and SUPs. If you’ve got the stamina for it, this trip is worth the walk.

Round Hill Pines: This is the beach where we spent a solid four or five hours. It doesn’t get nearly as crowded as some of the other options, but it just as impressive. The beach is gritty, but that is normal in the area, and there’s a restaurant and bar. We were also able to rent chairs, an umbrella and two jet skis for an hour.

Where We Ate

South of North Brewing Co: This brewery has decent food and decent beer and absolutely no parking. Our main reason for going was a Wednesday night trivia, which we won.

Artemis Lakefront Cafe: This Mediterranean restaurant is right on the water and kind of expensive. That said, the food was good, the view was great, and it was very convenient.

Riva Grill on the Lake: Riva is in the same Ski Run marina as Artemis. I prefer the former. Riva does have a great view, and the food was fine, but way over-priced with mediocre service.

Base Camp Pizza: This is a cool pizza place in the most popular part of town. It was good, but our favorite part was the large number of great appetizers they offered.

If you’ve never been to a ski town in the summer, you ought to consider it. We went to Breckinridge a few years ago and felt the same way. There is a lot to do and usually all sorts of great hikes. I usually try to offer advice at the end of our posts, things that I would do differently, but I really don’t have much to say. It wasn’t my favorite vacation ever, but it really was a lot of fun.

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Welcome to the Dakotas (both North and South)

This year, the bug struck again, and the Igoes set off in an RV across the great, wide North. If you’ve been following along, I broke our trip into a few different posts for the sake of readability but wanted to recap here and speak more to the trip itself than to the finer details.

We picked up our rig, a 24-foot Winnebago, in Rapid City, SD. If you are flying here, keep in mind that Uber XLs can be hard to get, so it was actually faster to get two separate Ubers. The owner the RV was not present when we arrived but left a key and texted several instructions. This actually does make things a bit more difficult. If you don’t RV all the time, you don’t know the basics of things like black valve then grey valve, how to prime the generator, etc. Our owner was quite helpful via phone call and text but getting a walk through is usually better.

The RV had one small slide out for the table bed, a nice bed in the back and the typical loft. We basically wedged Clara in her car seat next to the table, and she spent most nights with JR in the loft, the largest of the sleeping areas. I strongly recommend walking around the outside of the RV and walking through with your camera on so that you can document anything that existed prior to your trip, damage-wise. It was not an issue this time around, but our last trip involved a dispute that was resolved in our favor due to our foresight.

In terms of lodging, we try to stay at KOAs when possible; we have never had a bad experience. That said, there isn’t always one close by, so you have to do some digging. Be sure to read what exactly each site offers. For us, we need full hook-ups and a comfort center (which just means bathrooms and showers). We use the restroom in the RV when necessary but try to minimize it when possible.

This year, thankfully, I hit neither a gas station nor a Dairy Queen, so that’s a plus. The thing one must take into account with every turn of an RV is that the radius is far different than a regular car. You’ve got to give yourself a wide berth and have to be quite careful whilst changing lanes.

All told, if you are willing to take the plunge, I think you’ll love it. Driving an RV is great, and if your kids are the right ages (and constitutions), it makes memories that will last forever.

Our Itinerary

Day 1: We left the Rapid City airport, picked up the RV, drove through Wal-Mart and stayed the night at the Fall River Ranch RV resort, just south of Wind Cave NP.

Day 2: We got up early and spent a few hours at Wind Cave. The cave itself was closed, but I have been before, and it shouldn’t be missed. Above ground, there’s a nice hike called Rankin Ridge, which was definitely worth our time. From there, we went to Jewel Cave and took a short but fascinating tour. We drove back around to the other side of Custer State Park and went to the Cosmos Mystery Area. It’s cool, it’s kitschy, and it’s a good way to kill an hour. We finished the day with a Buffalo Jeep Safari out of the south end of Custer, which was pretty spectacular.

Day 3: We stayed that night at the Mount Rushmore KOA, got up early and went to Mount Rushmore. This is a place that should be visited by every American. Following that, we took a short drive to Crazy Horse Memorial, which while currently unfinished, is still really impressive. We hiked the Cathedral Spires trail that afternoon and spent the rest of the day at Rushmore Tramway Adventures. A note, if you’re driving an RV, you cannot make it through the Needles or Iron Mountain highways.

Day 4: We woke again at the Rushmore KOA and took the kids rock climbing with Sylvan Rock. This took a solid 4 hours, and afterwards, we tried to hike Hippie Hole, but it was inaccessible. Instead, we drove to Deadwood, watched a wild west show and had a nice dinner. We spent that evening at the Spearfish KOA.

Day 5: This was one of my favorite days. We drove into the Spearfish Canyon area and visited Bridal Veil Falls, Roughlock Falls and Spearfish Falls. All three are great and shouldn’t be missed. We hiked Devil’s Bathtub that afternoon. It’s a cool trail but was very crowded. From there, we drove to Devil’s Tower in Wyoming. It’s pretty amazing, but there’s not much to do other than take a nice, long look. Following DT, we took our first long drive into North Dakota, to Theodore Roosevelt NP and stayed at the Boots Campground.

Day 6: We spent this whole day exploring TRNP. We started out with a 1 hour horse back ride from Medora Stables, which was a lovely introduction. We spent the majority of the rest of our time in the North Unit, in particular the Caprock Coulee trail. This park is incredible; it was definitely a high point for me. We changed campgrounds that night, due to a mistake on my end, and moved to the Red Trail Campground.

Day 7: This day included our second long drive, from TRNP down to the Badlands. It’s about a five hour drive, and while it’s scenic, there’s nowhere to stop in between. Our first stop was at Minuteman Missile NHS. It’s pretty cool, especially if you’re game for a Cold War history lesson. We spent the rest of this day in and out of the Badlands, including a hike along the Notch Trail and a sunset at Bigfoot Pass. We stayed that night at the Badlands KOA, which was more than adequate.

Day 8: Our last full day on the road, and we spent it all in the Badlands. We hiked the Saddle Pass, Medicine Root and Castle Trails, all very impressive and can be put together to make a nice loop. We also visited the White River Visitors Center at the far end of the park. Unless you’ve got literally nothing else to do, you can skip this stop. We at that night in Interior, SD, a town of 91, at a great little dive call the Wagon Wheel.

Day 9: We stayed that last night in the same KOA and headed back to Rapid City. On our way out, we stopped at Wall Drugs for breakfast, and the experience. If you’re in the area, you shouldn’t miss it.

This was a great trip, and while it might be a bit before we rent another rig, I cannot wait to do it again.

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Into the Badlands (RV Days 7 & 8)

After leaving North Dakota, we made the long trek south towards Badlands National Park. This was the longest drive of our journey, about five hours, and we legitimately tried to find something to do along the way. It turns out that between Theodore Roosevelt NP and Badlands NP, there isn’t anything to do. It is a very scenic drive, but we found nowhere to stop.

We spend about a day and a half in the Badlands area, which was definitely enough to see what we wanted to see. The park is expansive and has multiple units, and much of it is under the care of a Native American nation. The area is very visitor friendly, but it can take quite some time to get from one end to the other.

What We Did

Minuteman Missile National Historic Site: If you are in the area for more than half a day, it is worth it to stop at this NPS site. It memorializes the nuclear arms race that occurred during the Cold War. There is a lot of interesting history here, and you can actually visit a decommissioned nuclear launch silo. Especially if you are an NPS passport book holder, this site is worth your time.

Notch Trail: This is one of the most popular trails in the park, and when you get there, you’ll know why. It is at the same parking lot as the Door and Window trails, and it can get crowded. Take the path to the right for the Notch Trail, and about 10 minutes in, you’ll find a rope ladder ascending the topography. It can get backed up, which is a good reason to go early. The trail itself is about 1.5 miles out-and-back, and terminates with an expansive panorama. If you have time for only one trail in the Badlands, this should be it.

Castle, Medicine Root and Saddle Pass Trails: In terms of additional hiking, there are several trails that crisscross the Badlands, and you’ve got the option to choose your adventure. The Castle Trail moves east-west across the park but is a long way in one direction. Instead of hiking the entire route, we started at the Saddle Pass Trail Head.

This is less than half a mile, but you go straight up into the heart of the Badlands. It is more of a climb than a hike, but it is a lot of fun. At the top, you come to one of the intersections of the Castle Trail and Medicine Root Trail. If you combine these, you get a really nice loop.

We went counterclockwise along Medicine Root, which offered beautiful, expansive views. The way back along the Castle Trail takes you by the classic stony architecture of the Badlands. Combined, these three tails create about a 4.5-mile lollipop. It was a great way to see the park.

Sunset: One of the top things to do in the Badlands is to watch the sunset. In this park, it is not so much watching the sun drop below the hills that draws the crowds but watching the way the shadows envelop the stony outcroppings. The Pinnacles is one of the most popular spots, but evidently, gets quite crowded. At the suggestion of another blogger, we stopped at the Bigfoot Pass Overlook. We had it almost completely to ourselves, and the views were spectacular.

White River Visitors Center: This is the VC located in the southwest unit of the park. The drive to get there is scenic but time consuming. When we arrived, we found a trailer with two rangers who seemed annoyed to see us. Unless you are looking for a way to kill a few hours, this is probably not worth your time.

Where We Stayed

Badlands/White River KOA: While KOAs are not always the right choice, for us, on this trip, they were. This KOA is only a few miles from the south entrance to the main part of the park. It was nothing special, but the kids played on the playground and swam both nights, and the proprietors were quite friendly.

Where We Ate

Wagon Wheel: Aside from the RV itself, we had a great meal in a local bar in Interior, SD. This city has a population of only 91 but still has a fun bar and grill. When you go, get the beer and get the pizza. Everything else is frozen, but they make the pizza on-site. It might not be the best you have ever eaten, but it certainly hits the spot.

Wall Drugs: This was originally a drug store in the 1800s but has developed almost into a Buc-ee’s style venue. We got breakfast here, and a pair of socks, but could have gotten almost anything we wanted. There’s ice cream, shopping, a fudgery and multiple restaurants, all under the Wall umbrella. The food was good but the experience was superb.

This was the last stop on our 8 day RV trip. We made our way back the Rapid City and jumped on a flight back home. This was my second visit to the Badlands, and I am still quite awed. If all you have is one day, that’s probably enough. Unless you’re doing back country camping, three days is probably too much.

There is so much to do in South Dakota that it can be overwhelming, but if you are there, be sure to prioritize the Badlands; you won’t be disappointed.

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Teddy Roosevelt National Park (RV – Day 6)

We left Wyoming, cruised up through Montana and made our way to Theodore Roosevelt NP. This is amongst the country’s least visited parks, and this is really a shame. TRNP is nothing short of spectacular and should be on the list for any outdoor enthusiast.

The park consists of three separate units, North, South and Elkhorn Ranch. We visited both the North and South, but skipped the ranch. The ranch is where Teddy Roosevelt sought solitude after his mother and his wife both died on the same Valentine’s Day. From what I have been led to understand, this is really only worth visiting if you are a huge TR buff, so we skipped it.

What We Did

Horseback Riding: We got up early and headed for the Medora Stables. This is a nice outfit just outside of the South. We did a one hour tour up and down the hills and into the wilderness. It was a nice trip with good guides and good horses and was a nice intro to the park.

Caprock Coulee Trail: From here, we set off for the North unit, about an hour away, which is the more impressive of the two sections. The Caprock Coulee trail is a 4.4 mile loop, and I recommend going clockwise. The sights are spectacular. The terrain is very similar to the Badlands except with a lot more greenery. There is not much to do other than hike, but it is a great place to find wide open spaces.

South Unit Scenic Loop Drive: This is a fun excursion with lots of good places to stop and take pictures, but much of it was closed due to construction. The Visitors Center is worth stopping and getting your book stamped, but frankly, the place to be is the North Unit.

Little Missouri Saloon: This restaurant in Medora was fantastic. I got a bison burger, and Alyson and the kids got a bison pepperoni pizza. Every time I eat bison, I wonder why I tried it again, as it is extremely gamy, but when in Rome…The beer was good, the atmosphere is great and the balcony offers great views.

Where We Stayed

Boots Campground: This RV park is about 3 miles from the south entrance to the park. It has full hook-ups but does not have shower/bathroom facilities. I did not realize this when we booked (which was my fault) so we only stayed the one night and moved elsewhere the next night.

Red Trial Campgrounds: This park didn’t have extensive amenities but offered all the basics, including a comfort center. The wifi was good, and it was a lot better fit for our family.

We stayed at TRNP for two nights and one full day. This is probably all the time you’ll need unless you really want to see Roosevelt’s house. There is not a ton to do here, and it is not very built out, but I loved it.

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Spearfish, Deadwood and Devil’s Tower (RV Days 4 and 5)

After we left the Custer State Park region of the Black Hills, we headed Northwest towards Spearfish Canyon. This area is still part of the Black Hills but distinct from Custer. It is also the close to Deadwood and only about an hour from Devil’s Tower in Wyoming. If you’ve got the time, all three of these areas need to be visited.

What We Did

Bridal Veil Falls: This water fall is pretty, and is right off the road one takes to reach the other two falls in the Spearfish area. I recommend checking this one out first. There’s a nice overlook, but that’s about all that it is.

Roughlock Falls: We did this second of the three falls. You’ll need to park behind the lodge in the area, and then there is a pretty easy 2-mile out-and-back that leads to a beautiful green, rolling set of waterfalls. If you don’t feel like hiking, you can actually drive up to a parking lot at the top of the falls, but the hike is definitely worth it.

Spearfish Falls: This was my favorite of the three falls, and I think my favorite thing we did. You leave from the same parking lot and access the trail from behind a restaurant (where you are forbidden to park). The hike is less than a mile round trip and leads to a spectacular waterfall where we stayed and relaxed for at least half an hour.

Devil’s Bathtub: This is a very unique trail in the Spearfish area. There’s little total elevation gain, but it is a lot of ups and downs. You end up crossing the creek probably a dozen times, so you’ll definitely get wet. If you’ve got sturdy water shoes, that’s the way to go. Several times, we thought we’d reached the end but just keep going; you’ll know when you get there. Aside from a few dozen other people, there’s an obvious natural water slide, that whilst bumpy, was fun. Personally, this trail was a little too…popular for me, but Eileen claims it was her favorite part of the trip.

Deadwood: This historic western town has been commercialized with shows and casinos but shouldn’t be missed. We made it in time to see an old west shootout take place on Main St. and got to visit Charlie Utter’s. Especially if you enjoyed the HBO show, you’ll love the visit. We ate at the Buffalo Bodega, which is also a casino, but it had a lovely courtyard. The food was as expected, but we had a nice time. If you’ve ever been to Tombstone, Deadwood feels very similar, and if you’re in the area, don’t miss out.

Devil’s Tower National Monument: This unique formation is incredible inspiring. The views are you approach are amazing, and the opportunities for great pictures abound. That said, there’s not actually a lot to do there. If you plan ahead, you can actually climb portions of the monument, but I do not believe it is for novices. We took the trail that circumnavigates the tower, and it is pretty cool, but if all you have is time to get a look, that’s about all you need. We arrived at around 2 pm, and the line to get in took about 30 minutes. On our way out, at around 4, there was almost no line, so plan accordingly.

Where We Stayed

Spearfish KOA: This is a solid KOA. It’s nothing over-the-top like the Mount Rushmore KOA, but it was a fun place to stay. It had a nice store, a nice pool and solid wifi.

The Spearfish area was probably my favorite part of the trip. If you are in the Black Hills, there’s no doubt that you need to spend time in Custer but don’t hesitate to take a day and head towards Wyoming. There’s a lot to see here, and you won’t be disappointed.

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The Black Hills and Custer State Park (RV Days 1, 2 and 3)

It’s been over two years since the family’s last RV trip, and we were do. The first Friday after all three of the kids (and Alyson) were off school, we zipped up to Rapid City, SD, picked up an RV through Outdoorsy and made for the hills. This trip was an eight day adventure, but for the purposes of the blog, I am going to break into a few distinct parts.

What We Did

Wind Cave NP: Wind Cave is a National Park on the southern end of the Black Hills in South Dakota. It is unique in that it features extensive box work patterns. I visited once as a teenager and was impressed. Unfortunately, this summer, the elevator is being replaced, so the cave itself was not accessible. The above ground acreage is extensive, and there is some cool stuff, including the Rankin Ridge Trail (which should be walked clockwise), but without the cave, there’s not actually that much reason to go. We knew ahead of time, but also knew we were going to South Dakota, and the chances of going back anytime soon seemed slim, so we went to get our books stamped. It would have been a lot better with a cave tour.

Jewel Cave NM: Jewel Cave, whilst only a National Monument, is consider by some the better of the two caves. It is much more alive with all sorts of different features. Tickets are required and can be obtained through recreation.gov. Be careful you buy the correct tickets. I mistakenly booked the Discovery Tour, which is only 20 minutes, only one room, and probably only for seniors. You want the Scenic Tour, which I also took in my teens, which is great. What we saw was still really cool but not as great as it could have been.

Cosmos Mystery Area: This experience is a bit of kitsch, a bit Gravity Falls, and is a fun way to spend about an hour. Some blogs we read prior stated this was the best thing they did in the Black Hills, which for us, it was not, but it was a unique way to spend an afternoon. The Mystery Area is a unique place, gravitationally speaking, in the Black Hills. Depending on where a person stands, he or she appears to grow or shrink. In one room, you have little choice by to stand at a 45 degree angle. In another, a ball rolls down one railing and right back up a parallel one. It is probably a hoax, but the kids enjoyed it, and it was less than $70 for all of us.

Buffalo Safari Jeep Tour: This tour takes you along the southern loop of Custer State Park with the goal of seeing the local wildlife. The jeeps are open air, and a bit bumpy at times, and can seat at least 9 comfortably. In terms of the geography of the park, Custer is similar to Yellowstone, if on a smaller scale, in that the southern half is very different from the northern. The lower portion is a bit flatter and much more grassy. Almost immediately, we found hundreds of hilarious ground hogs, a few dozen antelope (yes, antelope) and one coyote. Oh, and several hundred bison less than a few feet away. If the name of the tour bothers you, it has evidently become acceptable in areas where they actually exist to refer to bison as buffalo.

Crazy Horse Memorial: This is a really interesting site. You can buy advanced tickets to enter the grounds, then a $5 ride to the base of the monument or a $120 ride that will get you up to the chieftain’s face. We wanted to do the latter, but the timing wasn’t right, so we visited the base. I saw this monument about 25 years ago and progress, while moving forward, has been very slow. That said, if and when it’s finished, it will be amazing. If you’re able, I recommend the face tour, as we heard great things from some Texans we met at a bar. Keep in mind these tours go every hour on the hour. The base tours go far more frequently.

Mount Rushmore: If you’re going to the Black Hills, you can’t in good conscience miss this mountain. I’ve heard other say they found it underwhelming. I have now been twice and both times found it inspiring. There is a nice hike around the grounds that gets you different viewpoints, and a lot of history in the Visitors Center. This feels like a bucket list items for any American. It doesn’t take more than an hour or two, and it is worth every minute.

Cathedral Spires: This trail is in the heart of the Black Hills, and is a 1.6 mile out-and-back. Parking is limited, but since the trail is not that long, turnover is high. This was probably our favorite hike in the hills, with really stunning scenery throughout and a satisfying payoff at the end. It does include some scrambling, but nothing our 3 year old couldn’t handle.

The Needles/Iron Mountain Roads: One of the iconic things to do in Custer State Park is to drive the Needles and the Iron Mountain roads. The highways themselves are only a few miles, but they are windy and scenic, and crisscross the park, so the drive requires time and patience. The Needles offers several one-way tunnels that are exhilarating, and the Iron Mountains offers the same. I recommend going North to South on the Needles and the opposite for the Iron Mountains. A few of the latter tunnels open up to picturesque views of Mount Rushmore. We had to rent a car from our KOA for this. If you were thinking about trying in an RV, don’t; you’ll get stuck and ruin everyone’s week.

Rushmore Tramway Adventure: This was just a nice break from all the driving, hiking and photo-capturing for the kids. Alyson and the older two did a 5-line zip which they loved, while Clara and I rode the alpine sled and tube slide. There are a few other outfitters in Keystone that offer similar excursions; we find it to be a nice way to break up any potential monotony for the younglings.

Rock Climbing: Sylvan Rock Climbing took Jonathan and Eileen into the park to scale several of the spires. It took about 4 hours and was totally worth it. The guides were great, everything was perfectly safe and the scenery was special, even for those of us who weren’t actually climbing.

Where We Stayed

Fall River Ranch RV Resort: The first night, we stayed at an RV park in close proximity to Wind Cave. It was nothing special, but they had full hooks, a very nice restroom/shower complex and a wonderful owner. I would recommend it to anyone.

Mount Rushmore KOA: This place was bananas, B-A-N-A-N-A-S. It’s now a Holiday run KOA, but is really more of a resort. It’s right in the heart of Custer State Park and has everything. There’s a restaurant, a bar, ice cream, rental vehicles available, a pancake breakfast and much, much more. If you are looking for solitude, this is not the place for you, but if you want a pool with a water slide, check it out.

This all took us about 60 hours, and then we moved northwest into the Spearfish area. It was a great start, and we were able to fill out days. The best decision we made was to rent a car for a day so that we could make our way through the entirety of the park.

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Death Valley (of Fire)

Those of you paying super close attention will note that this is actually two separate blog entries, one for Death Valley and one for Valley of Fire. We actually visited these over the same trip, as well as see Hoover Dam, the Lake Mead National Recreation Area and a Golden Knights games, but for the purposes of this blog, I think it is easier to separate the two Valleys into their own posts.

Over the Mardi Gras break this year, we decided to take the kids out west, again, to see one of the country’s lesser visited National Parks. Death Valley is a below-sea-level basin in constant drought that records summer heat extremes higher than anywhere else in North America.

It takes about two hours to get there from Vegas and is legitimately in the middle of nowhere. Our arrival time was well into the dark of night, which was actually pretty spectacular, as the star-scape is pretty unreal.

We did a lot of planning to figure out exactly how much time we needed, and we settled on basically two full days. I believe one full day could have been enough, and I believe we could have filled more time on a third day, but for us, 36-48 hours seemed like the sweet spot.

Where to Stay:

We stay at The Ranch is Death Valley, which is also associated with the Oasis. This is a great resort. We had a two room cabin that easily slept five and access to all sorts of amenities. The Ranch has a golf course, spring-fed pool that is warm year round, two restaurants, horseback riding, a general store, a museum, a playground, oh, and wifi.

The resort alone makes it worth it to stay a few days. That said, the restaurants are pretty expensive, and the food is more than pretty mediocre. I’d give the resort itself 5-stars with an addendum, giving the restaurants 2. That said, there aren’t a lot of alternatives in the area, so options are limited.

The Ranch is in the Furnace Creek area, which is more or less centrally located. There is another area, which is even more central, that one can stay, called Stovepipe Wells, but it is not nearly as quaint.

What to Do:

Horseback Ride: The Ranch offers several rides into the park, including sunrise and sunset. We did a sunrise tour and frankly, it was kind of a disappointment. The ride was fine, and the views were great, but I can’t say that it was really worth the effort.

Zabriski Point: This is a great introductory overlook into the vastness of Death Valley. It is an easy walk up from a parking lot and the views of the colored hills are pretty impressive.

Badwater Basin: This is the lowest point in North America and is why most people come. The drive takes about half an hour and is definitely worth it. You reach a basin that occasionally has an inch of water in it that you can walk out on; it gives the appearance of walking on water. At this stage in 2024, there was actually far more water than normal, due to Hurricane Sandy, so it actually wasn’t as impressive as we’d hoped. There were several areas though where we could walk out onto the salt flats, which is why we came.

Devils Golf Course: This is a really interested formation of rock and salt that would be an awful place to try to play golf. There is a road down that leads to a parking lot, but during our trip, the road was closed (it’s not clear why), so it was a 2 mile out-and-back to see anything of interest. I am not actually sure this is worth the walk, but the ‘golf course’ itself is pretty interested.

Gold Canyon Hike: The way we did this hike was from the Golden Canyon parking lot, and was about 4.5 miles. There are several intersecting trails that can make it far shorter or far longer, depending on what you want to do a see. The walk through the canyons and up the mountains is amazing, but strenuous. I recommend going clockwise, as you get the toughest section done in the first two miles and get to enjoy or more leisurely pace as you see the golden hills contrasted against the red and green rocks.

Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes: There is an unusual, almost out-of-place, set of sand dunes near the Stovepipe Wells area, which is about half an hour from furnace creek. It is a popular place to watch the sunset, but there are so many dunes that it is easy to find your own personal dune to watch the god-flame set.

Ubehebe Crater: The crater is a solid hour-plus drive from the main areas of the park, but it is worth it. One of the interesting things about this NP is the varying topography, and the fact that a giant volcanic crater is part of the mix is pretty cool. You can drive up to it and hike all the way around for some cool views. I am not sure the hike is necessary, but it is a lovely area.

Mosaic Canyon: This is another worthwhile hike, about 3 miles out and back. It is uphill on the way in, but the grade is not too severe. I recommend it, but if you are pressed for time, the best parts of the hike are in the first half to full mile, so if you don’t make it all the way until the end, you won’t be missing out on much.

What We Didn’t Do:

Dante’s View: Unfortunately, this part of the park was closed due to recent flooding, but I understanding the view to be pretty impressive. That said, it sounds very similar to Zabriski Point, so I am not too devastated at having missed it.

20 Mule Team Canyon: This is supposed to be a very scenic drive in an historic area, but again was closed, due to recent flooding.

Artist’s Drive/Palette: This being closed was a real disappointment. It is supposed to be the best place to view the varying colors of the rock formations, ideally about an hour prior to sunset. It was a good learning experience for the kids, that sometimes things happen that you can’t change, and there are plenty of other places to see rocks a shockingly unusual color, but not getting to see it did suck.

Racetrack Playa: This was actually open, but we made the conscious decision not to go. The turn-off for the Racetrack is at the Ubehebe Crater parking lot, but says that it requires a high-clearance, 4-wheel drive vehicle. I have heard that most SUVs can handle it, and I think ours could have, but you are an awfully long way from nothing, with no cell service, if something goes wrong. This is the area where you can see the rocks apparently move on their own. If we ever go back, I think we’ll try to get a better car, but for this time around, oh well.

What We Learned

It depends on what you want to do, but Death Valley can be done pretty well in just a day. That said, if we really dived into what the The Ranch has to offer, I think we could have stayed there for three or four. I would definitely recommend getting a car that can handle the Racetrack Playa drive, which can be rented in the Furnace Creek area if needed.

I do not think I will be putting DV in my top 10 National Parks, and frankly, it might actually be towards the bottom, but the family and I had a great time. It is definitely something every Parks fan should see and given the opportunity, I would definitely go again.

The second part of our trip took place in another valley (of Fire). Take a look at our next post for more information about this incredible State Park.

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Thanksgiving and Red Rocks in Sedona

This year for America’s favorite holiday, the Igoes again avoided sitting around in either St. Louis or San Antonio with our families and instead head west for beautiful Arizona. This was our third trip to the Grand Canyon state, and third different location we visited, which makes us think that perhaps we should just move to Arizona.

That not withstanding, we flew into Phoenix and drove north two hours to Sedona. Something to be kept in mind is that at certain times of day and year, this drive can take far longer than it seems it should, due to heavy traffic and narrow lanes, so please plan accordingly.

We rented in a house on the Oak Village area of Sedona, large enough for my extended family of parents and three brothers. The house was amazing, and in a fine location, but there are some takeaways that we will touch on towards the end.

Phoenix to Sedona

On our way up, we stopped at a few places to kill some time before we were able to check into the VRBO:

Montezuma Castle: This is a National Historic Site that is basically on your route, in the Verde area. It is a pretty interesting cliff dwelling, but aside from that, there isn’t a ton to see or do. It’s less than a half mile round trip to see the dwelling, and you can’t actually enter the dwelling. It’s pretty interesting, and there’s a passport stamp that can be obtained, but I think we spent no more than an hour there.

Verde Brewing Company: We ate lunch at a small, kind of underdeveloped brewery in Verde. The food was fine, as was the beer, but honestly, it was nothing special. On our way to our next stop, we went through the town of Cottonwood, which, in retrospect, is where we should have stopped for lunch. The town is adorable, and there is a lot there, including a brewery.

Tuzigoot National Monument: This adobe is another NPS are not too far off the route to Sedona, especially if you do stop in Cottonwood. We actually enjoyed this site more than Montezuma, I think. It’s a nice, short hike up a hill to a beautiful vista. The adobe is mostly recreation at this point, but it is still pretty fun to walk around, and yes, you can get your passport book stamped.

Sedona (Can’t Miss)

We did everything maximize the time we had in Sedona, only 3+ days, so below, I have chronicled the things that we did, how we did them, and why we would do them again.

Devil’s Bridge: This is one of the most popular hikes in Sedona, and thus, requires arriving early. We got to the parking lot at about 7:15 am and had no trouble getting a space. When we left about two hours later, the lot was full. There are several ways to do this trail, including taking a Pink Jeep tour or high clearance vehicle to a spot 1 mile shy of the bridge. Barring this, I recommend the Mescal Trailhead. From here, the round trip is about 4 miles, and the entire hike up is breathtaking. There are other options, but none which offer such a beautiful approach.

A few things about this trail to remember. If you take the Mescal Trail head, the first mile+ is relatively flat and easy, and then there’s a bit of rock scrambling towards the end. When you reach the top, the views are amazing and bridge is very unique. That said, even that early in the morning, we had to wait in line at the top of the bridge to get the Instagram-worthy picture that my 16 year-old (and every one else in Sedona) wanted.

Subway Cave: This was my favorite of the hikes we did, but also, an extremely popular Sedona experience. We arrived at about 8 am and no trouble parking, but by the time we left at around 11, the lot and trail were packed. This trail can be a bit difficult to identify, as it is actually called the Boynton Canyon trail, which has its own termination point. Basically, about two miles in, you take a right at the ‘Alligator Tree’ and go another quarter of the mile, over several fallen trees, to a great cave and Native American ruins. If you are using All Trails, it shows were to take the turn. If not, you can follow the crowds or look out for the Alligator Tree, although I did not find it as distinct as others had described.

The two mile approach is beautiful and mostly flat. Once you take the right turn, it gets narrower, and the end is definitely a climb. I did it with a three year old attached to me, so it is certainly doable. I recommend going up into the Subway Cave using the ‘slide’ on the right. After you get your picture, take the turn around to the right of the cave and check out the ruins. This part is just as impressive, and there is another way down that allows you to avoid the traffic coming up. If you have the time and the will to get to this trail early, I couldn’t recommend it more strongly.

Soldier Pass/Seven Sacred Pools: In order to access this popular Sedona site, it is necessary to take the Sedona Shuttle to the trailhead. Instead, we took a guide tour offered be West Sedona Jeep Tours. There are plenty of options, and all worth the time. We were able to book three separate Jeeps to accommodate our entire group, and were able to tour this area in about two hours.

The bumpy, thrilling jeep ride took us first to the Seven Sacred Pools, followed by Soldier Cave. It was nice for the whole family to get to participate. Several of the hikes we did were without the larger group, and for a few, my mom (70) stopped once the rock scrambling began. The tour group was great and payoff was certainly worth it.

Birthing Cave: Another popular location, this site is a bit easier to park at, and is less than two miles, round-trip. Much like the rest of Sedona, the approach is mostly flat with a rock scramble to the top. The view from the Birthing Cave is really impressive, but you are likely to have to wait in line to get the shot that you want. I also found some of the online photos of this area misleading. It is not a through-and-through hole in the mountain (arch). There is definitely a back wall, with a little cove, from where you can get great pictures. My daughter got herself into the cove and successfully birthed back out for a great photo.

Fey Canyon/Arch: This hike is actually not nearly as well-traveled as some of the others. We were turned onto it by our Jeep guides, and for the most part, had the trail to ourselves. The hike is similar to Devil’s Bridge, in that it ends on and arch that you can ascend. It is not quite as stand-alone as Devil’s Bridge, but it was my daughter’s favorite part of our trip.

Again, the hike is not long, and there is a scramble at the end. I suggest that on the approach, though, you are vigilant, as the turn off to the scramble to the arch is actually not all that obvious, so keep an eye on your trail map.

West Fork Trail: This trail was billed as something similar to The Narrows in Zion, but frankly, it was kind of a disappointment. On the north end of Sedona, this trail which requires $12 to be accessed, winds along the West Fork River and crosses in several places. Out and back, I believe it is about 7 miles.

The scenery is lovely, but it does not compare to The Narrows. I should mention that the baby was acting like a psycho at the time, so we didn’t make it to the end, which is supposed to be the best part. Your experience might be different, but of all the things we did, I would put this at the bottom of the list.

Bell Rock: This short, but steep hike is one of the main attractions in the southern half of Sedona. The ‘trail’ is less than a mile up, but it is relatively undefined, and is mostly a rock scramble. This is a great area to take in panoramic views of the sunset. Parking is free and does not require the shuttle, but can be kind of difficult. Bell Rock is a great spot and offers something for hikers of all ages and skill levels.

Castle Rock: Castle Rock is one of the most popular destinations in Sedona. In order to access it on weekends, you have to take the Sedona Shuttle. Early in the day, this is quick and easy but as the day lengthens and traffic worsens, the shuttle can take some time.

If at all possible, you’ve got to climb Castle Rock. It is not particularly dissimilar to Bell Rock, but I thought the views were better, and the sunset is pretty amazing.

Chapel of the Holy Cross: Regardless of your religious affiliation, this Catholic Church, cut into the side of the mountain, is pretty cool. I recommend going early, as the crowds get intense, but even then, it is worth it. It is an active Church, so it is important to be respectful, but if at all possible, I recommend a quick visit.

For Next Time:

I thought Sedona was amazing; I would love to visit again. If possible, I would choose to go at a less busy time; Thanksgiving is very popular, but I suppose that is the nature of the beast. Traffic getting from the Oak Village area (south) to North Sedona and West Sedona can take quite sometime in the middle of the day.

If we were choosing where to stay again, I think I would pick the north area. Most of the hikes we really wanted to do were North and West, as well as most of the restaurants and shops. Bell and Castle Rock are both on the south side, but aside from that, we spent most of our time elsewhere.

What I wish I had known prior to our last day is that from the south side of Sedona, there are trails that allow you to access things like Castle Rock from a different approach. We learned this by taking a few wrong turns and getting advice from a local. There is a street called Verde Valley School Rd. If you follow this until it becomes a dirt road and keep going, you will come to a few parking lots that access several trails, including ones that can be put together to get you to Castle Rock. By the time we discovered this, it was too late to really take advantage, but next time around, this is where we’ll start.

Not sure what’s next for us. Christmas is in San Antonio, and after that, there is talk of Costa Rica, or maybe the Virgin Islands, but we’ll be back on the trail soon. I’ll keep you posted…