Hiking Devil's Tower, WY (Pictorial & Maps)

View from our hike on Devils Tower to the valley (& campground) below

Be sure to grab a NPS brochure

NOTE:  The elevation is 3900 ft at the campground (base of these hikes).  You'll need sunscreen or a long-sleeve shirt, hat, eye protection, lots of water (water fountain at visitor’s center), a snack and a trail map.

The start of Tower Trail around the base of Devils Tower

Just us and several hundred bikers...

It's even more stunning up close

At one point, the trail goes right up to the base

Tower Trail (easy, paved, 1.3 miles):  If you want a short hike or are limited on time, then the popular Tower Trail at the Visitor's Center is mandatory.  There are some great views from here.  However, I highly recommend taking the time for one of the two following options:

Start of Hike #1:  Prairie Dog Town

Belle Fourche River or "Pretty Fork River" was named by French fur trappers

The ancient red sandstone cliffs you see from the park entrance

Red Beds trail takes you right along the cliffs.  Wow!

Can you spot The Colonel?

From the Visitor Center trailhead

Hike #1 Red Beds Trail, longer loop (4.1 miles, easy-intermediate):  Does not included Tower Trail loop.  See #2.  

Views of Belle Fourche river, the spectacular red sandstone cliffs, Devils Tower and the valley below.  Shallower sections through several meadows. (This side of Devils Tower should look look familiar from the movie, "Close Encounters of the Third Kind".)

• From the Belle Fourche Campground (see Campground Review blog: camping-at-devils-tower-wy.html), take Valley View Trail along Prairie Dog Town and the Belle Fourche River for 0.6 mi.  
• Cross the road & head up towards Red Beds Trail 
• Turn RIGHT on Red Beds Trail for 3 miles. (You’ll have a more gradual climb than turning left and you’ll hike along the red cliff’s with a view down on the valley).  
• About halfway, you’ll pop out at the Visitor’s Center (Tower Trail is another 1.3).  
• Continue on Red Beds until you reach the South Side Trail 
• Then head back down for 0.6 miles, back across the road, through the Prairie Dog Town to the campground.

The two routes through Prairie Dog Town

Pick your direction--left or right

A clearly defined, but single-file trail on hike #2

Hike #2 Red Beds shorter loop with Tower Trail (4.2 miles, intermediate):  

This was the hike we did first, but we both agreed the one above was our favorite.  Spectacular views of the river valley and Devils Tower.

• From the campground, take the 0.6 miles South Side Trail through the Prairie Dog Town,
• Cross the road, then climb up to join Red Beds Trail.  (This was the steepest part) 
• Then turn left for a 0.7 mile more gentle climb than the first segment (but steeper than Hike #1) to the Visitor’s Center (and for us, a COMPLETELY FULL parking lot full of Harley’s).  
• Tower Trail is a 1.3 mile gently rolling, paved path.  (Total elevation climb from the campground at 3900 ft to 4400 ft). This is fabulous walk because the Tower changes with the light.  There are American Indian prayer flags visible from the path.  You will be able to see several groups of rock climbers.  We saw a white tailed buck, hawk, and bluebird.
• Return the same route.

NOTE:  While headed out on Hike #2, we ran into a family with two kids (8 & 10?), walking down the main road from the KOA.  We pointed them down to Southside Trail (Hike #1) as the shortest distance to the Visitor's Center.  As we reached the Visitor's Center, I wondered what happened to them.  A short distance later, we found them stopped & enjoying the view.  Their youngest daughter in flip flops, looked tired but was excited and was "glad they came"--although, they were a little disappointed we had caught them already!  So I call it intermediate because of the altitude, and it's not paved, but definitely possible even for kids.  Just stop to take pictures & catch your breath!

Interesting rock formations with a small cave

The intrepid adventurers...(intersection of Valley View & South Side--both hikes)

Option #3, next time:  Valley View, right on Red Beds Trail, Joyner Ridge Trail loop, return. (4.9 miles?)

http://www.mapmyride.com/workout/2385100355

Screenshots from MapMyRide of our hikes.  Click on the links to see more.

http://www.mapmyride.com/workout/2382945227

Reference links:

NPS map:  https://www.nps.gov/deto/planyourvisit/hiking.htm

Another hiking website with maps: https://www.hikingproject.com/trail/7012726/red-beds-trail

A good way to find hikes:  mapmyride.com

#FindYourPark @WyomingTourism #ThatsWY @WyoStateParks

Camping at Devils Tower, WY

Devil's Tower National Monument

For this stop/blog, I recommend 

• Watching the movie "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" to get in the mood.  It just so happens to be the 40th anniversary!  (After an encounter with U.F.O.s, a line worker feels undeniably drawn to an isolated area in the wilderness where something spectacular is about to happen.  Link for the rerelease trailer on YouTube:  https://youtu.be/dSpQ3G08k48)
• Download the theme song to play during your hike around the base of the tower or at sunset in the campground 
• Make mashed potatoes to accompany all of the above (a friend mentioned this on FB & I thought it was brilliant!)

Why Devils Tower? (no apostrophe)  The various Indian names for the landmark include "Bear's Lodge," "Bear's House," "Bear's Tipi," and "Bear Peak".  "Aloft on a Rock" and "Tree Rock."  "Bear Lodge Butte," "Grizzly Bear's Lodge," "Mythic-owl Mountain," "Grey Horn Butte," and "Ghost Mountain."  One version of the story is an interpreter mistakenly calling it "Bad God's Tower".

History:
Devils Tower or Bear Lodge has long been considered a sacred place by the American Indians.  It's believe French fur trappers visited the area, but the first documented white expedition was in 1859 (they were on their way to Yellowstone).  It was designated as a U.S. forest reserve in 1892 and was declared America's first National Monument in 1906 by President Roosevelt.  It's also popular with rock climbers with the first recorded ascent by local ranchers in 1893.  (We could see at least four from every angle.)

It also has an interesting geological history with different theories on it's formation, but you'll have to research that on your own.

A Herbert Collins painting depicting the Cheyenne version of the folklore courtesy NPS.gov

Summary of the story of its creation, 

according to the Akta Lakota Indian Museum:  

A Lakota tribe was traveling through the area 

when several little girls wandered off 

and were surrounded by a pack of hungry bears.  

The girls huddled together on a hill 

as the bears began climbing after them. 

The earth shook and groaned 

as the little knoll, began to rise out of the ground, 

carrying the children high into the air. 

The frustrated bears growled and clawed at its sides. 

Sharp pieces of rock broke away from the rising spire 

and crashed down upon the angry bears.”  (http://aktalakota.stjo.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=8792)

Example of the road conditions.  Little bumpy.  Devil's Tower in the distance

Devil's Tower is the CoPilot's pick while in the area.  The Belle Fourche campground on the National Park grounds is first-come, first-serve (NO RESERVATIONS), for $20/night!  The KOA just outside the National Park grounds is $60+, a no-go on principle.  As previously mentioned, it's the Sturgis Bike Rally and peak tourist season in the Yosemite/Rushmore corridor but The Colonel agrees to roll the dice.  Alternate?  WalMart parking lot in Gillette.

It’s a short hop across the Wyoming border from Rapid City (110 miles from our campground) with an elevation gain of 1300 ft.  After leaving I-90, it’s 27 miles of winding and hilly road with a narrow shoulder (but still a truck route per our Rand McNally Motor Carriers’ Road Atlas).  It's our most challenging drive yet, with a 9% downhill grade and a peak elevation of 5000 ft.  Based on the number of motorhomes we pass going the other way, we are hopeful.  I'm breathless as the Tower appears in the distance.  

A short line at the entry gate

We arrive at the National Park gate behind a line of Harleys ($15, no NPS senior pass YET).  We are instructed to pull in & unhook the dinghy a mile inside the entrance (for those wanting to continue onto the Visitor’s Center) but this is also the entrance to the campground.

Google Maps view of Belle Fourche

Our favorite pic from this stop

I'm hyper as we unhook {snap, snap, snap—see The Colonel’s fav photo above) and I bolt off in the car to not only find a spot (there were plenty) but to find the BEST spot, which I had studied on Google Earth and reviews (turns out it's not necessary to unhook for navigating the campground).  We end up in a primo spot in Loop A, facing Devil’s Tower with no neighbors except the camphost two spots in front of us.

That's Devils Tower through the trees

Our campground, nestled in the Belle Fourche river

The pull-thrus are big enough for our 36 ft Winnebago, with good views, some shade and are relatively level.  There is no electricity or dump station (there are multiple water spigots but not at each site).  We’re basically dry camping or "boondocking", but it’s 79F with 29% humidity and a light breeze.  The quandry is, without electricity, do you want shade to keep cool?  Or sunlight for our solar panel?  We compromise (we run the generator for 30 min before sunset.  It's a nervous night, since our generator will auto-start if the batteries get low and that's a no-no during quiet hours!)  The good news is, we awoke to the same 12.6 we went to bed with.

Another view our spot

You pay on honor system but the Camphost and Park Rangers make regular rounds, so be honest!  (The Colonel took down our slip as we prepped to leave & the Camphost stopped to ask for it...)  We originally paid for one night but we ended up staying two.  We drove all this way after all!  

Our moderate shade, the trees will effect your view

We still aren't the biggest RV in the campground.  Including us there are 4 class A’s, and three fifth wheels.  The rest of the 50 campsites were tent & van campers.  The first night was full was late afternoon, but that didn't stop a few people from driving through after dark.  (The second night did not appear full & was mostly tent campers).

Prairie Dog's keeping a close eye on us

To do:

• Visitor’s Center:  The parking lot was full of Harley's so we didn't stop
• Prairie Dog Town:  Dang they're cute & make a funny chatter as you walk by.  This was a popular turnout with the Harley's
• Hike:  (stay tuned for a link) There turned out to be some great hikes from the campground but we met people who hiked from the KOA! 
• Nothing:  This was a very quiet, peaceful campground and aside from the distant hum of motorcycles during the day, it couldn't have been darker or quieter at night!

A view from the trail that starts at the campground (Prairie Dog Town)

Summary: 

This stop is difficult to explain.  Even The Colonel acknowledged there is a different vibe here.  The Indians believe it is a spiritual place and we'd have to agree.  Everything from the fact that I had trouble sleeping at night because I felt wide awake to the incredibly clear pictures I took with my iPhone.  It's difficult to describe.  If you didn't spend the night on the grounds, you'd be missing a part of the magic.  It's also a truly unique geographical feature that is even more spectacular in person.

If nothing else, this stop has inspired The Colonel to add another solar panel or two.  If the temps are reasonable, and we keep the stops to 5 days or less, more extreme boondocking is closer to reality for us.  (Watch for our stop at Glendo State Park!)

Stay tuned for our hikes around Devils Tower!

References:
NPS:  https://www.nps.gov/deto/index.htm
Akta Lakota:  http://aktalakota.stjo.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=8792
Wikipedia:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devils_Tower

@WyomingTourism #ThatsWY @WyoStateParks

Rapid City, SD Part 2 Scenic Drives

Mt. Rushmore in the Black Hills

I’ve been to Mt Rushmore twice for work, but The Colonel has never been.  We’re up early.  We forgot the time change and are on the road by 8:30 am—the best way to beat the crowds.  Another advantage of our location is we’re right on Business-16, the truck route for Rushmore which circumnavigates downtown Rapid City.  We see more motorhomes pulling enclosed trailers than motorcycles.  We pass two nice looking RV resorts just as we enter the National Forest and make note:  Mystery Mountain Resort if you like shade and gravel pads.  Rushmore Shadows RV Resort for big flat, paved spots (but not a tree in the place).

Don't forget a paper map or download Google Maps for the area (link:  planesboatsandbicycles.blogspot.com/2017/01/cheapskates-on-move-saving-data-offline.html) because cell phone reception is spotty in the Black Hills National Forest. 

The Colonel trying to figure out, "How did they do that?"

We pay our $10/car, park in the parking garage (was there always a parking garage?) and head in.  There is a decent crowd for so early and we take the 0.6 strenuous loop (giggle now but high elevation and lots of stairs actually had me out of breath).  I get some amazing shots from this angle.  The Colonel wants to go around again!

Crazy Horse Memorial

We continue through the Black Hills National Forest for 20 minutes to the Crazy Horse Memorial which came highly recommended ($22/car).  It started in 1948, when Lakota elder Henry Standing Bear commissioned the sculpture.  They have a long way to go!  There is a large collection of Indian artifacts from all over the country in the Museum.  Maybe we were getting tired, but this wasn't our favorite stop.  We continue into the town of Custer for lunch and caught up with our first large group of motorcycles.

A group of Harley's join us in Custer for lunch

We stumble into a nice cafe that serves buffalo burgers (on gluten-free bread!)  A few bikers wander in for lattes...After spending $30 on lunch (an expensive tourist day!), we head back through Custer State Park.

Artists have painted buffalo and they are on display around the town of Custer 

One of three one-way tunnels (note the skid mark...)

It's $20 for a weeks pass at Custer State Park.  We drive the 16A route through the middle (we later learn that you could drive this route for free but I plan to return for the Wildlife Loop) and spot a few nice campgrounds to add to the list (Grace Coolidge & Game Lodge, easily accessible for big rigs but booked solid despite the few empty spots we see).    

We choose the Iron Mountain Road route for our return through the Black Hills (popular ride for the bike rally) since it has the most tunnels (No, we couldn't have gotten Odin the Winnebago back here!)  It's a narrow, winding, one-lane road and the tunnels end up being hazardous.  We see the aftermath of one motorcycle accident in one tunnel and in another tunnel, apparently they didn't get the message, and a van tries to join us IN the tunnel from the opposite direction!  Peak elevation for the drive is 4200 ft.

The first herd of bison off in the distance

I highly recommend setting aside a morning for the Wildlife Loop Road through Custer State Park.  The geography is very different from the National Forest, with breathtaking and peaceful rolling plains.  The best time to see tatanka (Lakota word for bison) is morning or evening when the wildlife is most active.  I ditch The Colonel and was on the road by 6:30 am (but I wish I'd left earlier!)  You can take the route through the National Forest if you like, but if you've already been through, I recommend following the signs to the East Entrance to maximize your time here.

One half of the herd on one side of the road

Just inside the entrance, I had spotted a herd off in the distance, then another lone bull near the road.  However, about halfway through the park, as if on cue, I rounded the corner to a herd that was working it's across the road, with traffic stopped!

A South Dakota traffic jam

A game warden quickly arrives and monitors the herd, advising everyone to stay in their cars (except for the two lone motorcyclists, of course) because the bull's are in rut.  He gets out a whip to encourage a lone buffalo that was eyeing the cars to take another way around.

The other half of the herd on the other side of the road.  See the baby?!

We ran out of time before we could do some hiking, explore the George S. Mickelson bike trail or drive the scenic Needles Highway.  Next time.

To get in the mood for your visit, I recommend the movies:  "Dances with Wolves" (filmed in the area and several museums advertise props from the movie), or "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee".

Stay tuned for last stop in the area, Devil's Tower!

Rapid City, SD Part 1 Museums

America's Mailbox RV Park

Before departing St. Louis, friends reminded us to check the dates for Sturgis bike week.  Dang!  We'd be arriving the week before with an overlap.  All the state park campgrounds were already booked a month in advance (even the weekdays, our bread & butter).  I resorted to calling around on the phone & the first campground laughed, “They start arriving two weeks before the rally!  We’re full!”  I started working my way east with the second phone call and hit pay dirt.  “Wow.  We have a spot.  I can’t believe it.  You know it’s the Sturgis bike rally, right?”

We arrive in Box Elder, South Dakota (between Rapid City & Ellsworth Air Force Base) with The Copilot behind the wheel.  America's Mailbox RV Park is behind the Flying J, along I-90 and is basically a gravel lot.  No shower house, no laundry, no shade, but there is wifi for $10 (we used our T-Mobile for streaming) and our reserved spot has full hookups (electricity, water, sewer).  We paid double their normal rate, since it was Bike Week.  Nothing fancy but good location for running around since it was right on Business/Truck Route 16.

Our first Rapid City sunrise

We’ve slowly climbed to an elevation of 3200 feet (the gas mileage on this tank will only be 8.0 mpg)  The average high for our stay in late July is less than 80F but it's crazy windy (we never found our entry rug).

Minuteman Visitor's Center

We rarely miss an Air & Space Museum but there are some unique sites in the area related to the Cold War Era.  I recall "duck and cover" drills during school--like hiding under our desks would save us from a nuclear attack.  The movie, "The Day After" was filmed in my hometown of Kansas City and was so controversial many parents wouldn’t allow their children to watch it (I did).  

The Minuteman Missile Museum is actually five locations. Interestingly enough, I never considered that as the missile launched, it destroys the silo.  Therefore Launch Control is in a different location and actually controlled ten or more missile silos in the area.  The five locations we visited are:

• The Visitor Center
• Delta-01 Launch Control Facility (requires reservations)
• Delta-09 Missile Silo
• South Dakota Air & Space museum (Ellsworth AFB)
• Base Tour (training silo)

To get in the mood for your visit, I recommend the movies: War Games, Red Dawn or Hunt for Red October.  

The Visitor Center along I-90 is a small, free, museum about the Cold War and has an overview of the Launch Control facility.

A diagram of the control center

• Ranger-guided tour of Launch Control facility:  This used to be first-come, first-serve but now requires reservations ($9/each.  My original reservations were a week in advance but we heard they were up to a month in advance from the Ranger.  Monitor the website daily for cancellations--and click fast if you see any available!  A woman tried to guilt me into handing over my tickets so they're whole family could go in together.  Um, NO!).  We walked through the living accommodations up top, then went down into the capsule, behind a 3 1/2 foot thick door.  When decommissioned in 1993, they learned three missiles were pointed at this location and the Russians came to inspect after everything was decommissioned.  The treaty allowed us to keep this one launch center for historical purposes.

Delta-01's blast door:  "30 minutes or less" from silo to the target

Much like the aircraft nose art of World War II, the launch control's blast door was frequently painted by the crew.  You can do an internet search to find more.

Just like the movie War Games

A Google Map view of the Delta-09 formerly active missile silo

• Exit 116 is an actual Minuteman Missile Silo that is no longer active.  It is a nondescript, low structure right off of I-90.  They have placed a glass dome over it, so you can look down the silo.  This stop & the audio tour are also free.  A park ranger is available during certain hours to answer questions.  (We were told they had the lid off earlier in the day for a movie filming but it was back on when we arrived.)  NOTE:  Once you know to look for the silos, you can see them from the road, otherwise you drive right by.  There are still Minuteman III silos active in the U.S. but not in SD.  If you have time to spare, you can use Google Earth to look for other defunct silos that still reside on private land.  One rancher later dug up the copper wiring to a tune of $75,000!!!

Ten silos surrounding the control center

South Dakota Air & Space Museum is located just outside Ellsworth Air Force Base and is free!  Built in 1942, it was the home of the B-17 bomber wing in World War II, followed by B-29 Superfortress and B-52 Stratofortress.  Ellsworth was also a Strategic Air Command (SAC) base.  The only aircraft now based here is the B1-B (we were very fortunate to see them fly over twice).  

Training silo maintenance hatch that took 45 minutes to open

Ellsworth AFB bus tour:  From the museum, you can take a $9/each bus tour of the base which includes going DOWN INTO the silo used for training maintenance personnel.  If you're tight on time, do the base tour first.  (Bring an ID and be ready for a background check at the gate.  Any outstanding warrants will get you arrested!)  And yes, commercial aircraft have mistaken the AFB for the civilian airport with the same runway configuration ten miles away (No, I never landed here but I did fly into Rapid City a few times).

The training silo from the maintenance level

Trailer that delivered the missiles to the silo

(Ironically, as I edit the final version of this, we turn on the news and see the North Koreans are pointing missiles at us.)

South Dakota School of Mines & Technology, Museum of Geology

Another free museum in Rapid City is the Museum of Geology at the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology.  The collection of fossils, mostly from the Black Hills area is awe inspiring, with specimens still being unearthed in the area today.  Their mineral collection includes samples from around the world.  The school opened in 1885 and is historically significant for at least two reasons:  1) the gold mines in the area from the 1870's until 2002 when Homestake mine was closed.  2) The evolutionary theory that the Bering Land Bridge allowed people and animals across to the Americas from Asia.  South Dakota lays right in that path of migration.  The area was also underwater at one point indicated by the fossils of crab, lobster and other salt water creatures.

Stay tuned for our scenic drives around the Rapid City area...