Devils tower-40 minutes
Mount Rushmore-75 minutes
Custer State Park-60 minutes
Big Horn Mountains- 100 minutes
Roughlock Falls-40 minutes
These are just a few of the adventures waiting for me near home.
I am lucky to live in the Black Hills of Wyoming with all the landmarks and tourist activity not far away. Sundance is a beautiful town with abundant outdoor opportunities. Devils Tower is just 40 minutes away from my home. It is the nation’s first national monument and I hope no locals take it for granted. After a short drive on a curving, winding road you’re up on a flat plateau and all of the sudden there is this huge rock column sticking up out of the upcoming valley. It is magnificent, a true wonder of the world.
Other delights of WY Black Hills would be Cook Lake and Keyhole Reservoir. Cook Lake is a mountain lake with cold water, camping and hiking paths. Keyhole is a boating, swimming, cliff jumping and fishing paradise.
If you are a history buff, the hills offer a wide variety of attractions. Custer’s Expedition went through the area. I have seen his marker on top Inyan Kara Mountain. The outlaw Harry Longabaugh, otherwise known as the Sundance Kid was infamous as he was captured and stayed in jail in the town of Sundance.
Everyone should see Mt. Rushmore at least once in their life. As you come in from the parking lot every state flag is flying to form a tunnel which leads the eye to the historic faces- Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and Roosevelt. It is amazing that someone could actually carve that 87 years ago. The walking path gives different views of the faces and is really pretty interesting. When I was littler we camped a lot by Hill City and visited Mt. Rushmore often.
Driving the Needles Highway or Ironridge road is just fascinating. Great stops along the way would be Legion Lake, Sylvan Lake and Harney Peak. On a clear day from the top of Harney Peak a hiker can see Inyan Kara Mountain which is just 10 miles from my house. Just south of this area is Crazy Horse Memorial. The blasting isn’t done but if you are interested in native art, culture and stories it would be a place to visit.
Further south is Custer State Park. The park at Custer is South Dakota’s largest and first state park. The park is named after Lt. Colonel George Armstrong Custer. It covers over 71,000 acres which is tough terrain and home to a variety of wild animals. Buffalo (bison) and donkeys are common along the roadways.
Wind Cave National Park or Jewel Cave are fascinating. It is a whole different experience than hiking or climbing. Caves are cooler, sometimes wet. Spelunking is crawling and fitting through tight spaces. It usually requires head gear with a flashlight. Jewel Cave has a rock with a hole that a person actually has to fit through before they can go on the spelunking tours. If you live near a cave and haven’t visited, you need to!
As you can see, I love the Black Hills area. Being within driving distance to so many places makes day trips or camping excursions an easy adventure for both young and old.
The Moore You Travel—Your Next Adventure Is Waiting!
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