Grand Tetons, Wyoming

Signal Mountain Campgroud, Grand Tetons, WY

We got so lucky! We had our sites set on a specific campground. We pulled into Signal Mountain campground by late morning. All the campsites here are first come, so we didn't even know if we'd get a spot. We snagged a gorgeous site, high on the hill, with a peek at the lake and the Tetons. Sweet! The Tetons are just breathtaking.

This view is from Jackson Dam.

 

 

 

After a picnic at our site, we headed off exploring the park.

 

The view of the Tetons from a meadow.

 

 

 

 

We strolled around String Lake. It was a hot day. There were people swimming, paddle boarding and diving from huge rocks submerged in the lake. Just like home! Really made me miss the Yuba River in the summer. Mmmm...could I possibly be getting a yearning to head home and swim in the South Yuba?

 

On our walkabout, Ned heading to Jenny Lake.

 

 

 

We also visited Jenny Lodge and Jenny Lake. Here's Jenny Lodge, very understated compared to the grand Jackson Lodge.

 

Loved all the wildflowers in the park. The wildflowers across Wyoming are really spectacular this year.

Here's a view of Jackson Lake from Signal Lodge.

 

 

Mr. Ned, at Jackson Lodge, where we stopped in for some afternoon libation.

 

Another great late afternoon to spend in the hammock reading. Here's the view from my perch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well hi there.

 

 

 

Another great day camping with my honey. Lucky girl.

 

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Two National Monuments - Jewel Cave & Devil's Tower

Location: Boysen State Park, WY

Reluctantly leaving Custard State Park our first stop was Jewel Cave National Monument. As far as caves go it wasn't jaw dropping spectacular. I'm comparing it to Carlsbad which is the best for stalagtities, etc. and to Mammoth which is cavernous. There weren't a lot of formations, but when you consider that this cave is 180 miles and 90% of it is still undiscovered, that's amazing.

This is a view of the big room.

 

 

Here's just a small snapshot of a portion of the cave map. One section is called "The Miseries". You have to crawl thru a tunnel the size of a microwave opening for 1/2 a mile before getting to the next big room. Yeah, we opted for the short one room tour. For you cave lovers, there is a lantern tour where you carry your own oil lamp through several passages. This map reminds us of the map at the Empire Mine of all the underground mines in our area. Crazy.

 

If climbing through passages like this looks fun to you, by all means visit Jewel Cave National Monument. They are lots of different tours lasting from 20 min to several hours.

It was also 49 deg. in the cave. Funny moment: Our Ranger tour guide said, "Imagine camping in here as a volunteer explorer for 4 days. It would be so calm and peaceful". A little boy, about 4 years old, piped up and said quite vehemently, "No, it would not!". My sentiments exactly.

 

Our original plan was to drive across Wyoming heading towards a reservoir in the middle of the state. At the visitor's center Ned spotted Devils Tower on a map and asked it I wanted to go. It was a mere 96 miles in a different direction. Heck, we once drove 200 miles out of our way for fried chicken (Whistle Stop Cafe, GA). Of course, we're going there! We saw this little butte on the way and we assumed Devils Tower would be something similar.

Not even close...

Here's the real Devils Tower, taken from a distance.

If you were like me the only thing you know about it is from the movie, "Close Encounters of the Third Kind."

This was the very first National Monument established by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1906.

The tower rises 867 feet from its base and stands 1267 feet above the river and 5112 feet above sea level. The area of its teardrop-shaped top is 1.5 acres.

 

Here's a closer view of the tower from the base. You can see the hexagonal pillars really clearly. So how did these form? There are several theories. One is that about 50 million years ago molten magma was forced into sedimentary rocks above it and cooled underground. As it cooled it contracted and fractured into columns.

 

 

 

 

We spotted some climbers just beginning their ascent. There are 2 of them in this pic. (I think there were 3 climbing tho). In the bottom left corner is one climber, and in the clump of trees above him is the other.

We were impressed with them until we learned they were violating the voluntary moratorium during the month of June enforced by the Park. Apparently, this is a sacred month for this local tribe's rituals which involve the Tower.

 

 

Ned standing in front of a painting depicting the Indian legend of Devils Tower.

It was a hot, dusty day and we had about a 5 hour drive in front of us. We didn't do any hikes or explore a lot of this park. We left without encountering any aliens.

 

 

Driving across Wyoming...local humor.

 

 

Climbing over the Big Horn Mountains was amazing. It could have been a national park with the canyons, mountains and river.

We pulled into a campground at about 8 pm tonight. We're camped on the Big Horn River. It's a very primitive campground, no showers & no flush toilets, but hey it's a spot for the night! After a long hot drive across Wyoming I'm ready to call it a night.

 

 

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Custer State Park - Serenity & Beauty

Game Lodge Campground, Custer State Park, SD

We got up around 5 am so we could take advantage of the early morning light and enjoy the iconic scenic roads of Custer Park to ourselves.

 

 

Lake Sylvan.

 

We drove the Iron Mountain scenic byway and we're delighted that we did in fact have the road to ourselves. The road climbs 17 miles from Custer Park to Mount Rushmore. There are several tunnels, pigtail bridges and epic views. Here we are approaching one of the tunnels. In the distance you can get just a glimpse of Mount Rushmore.

 

As you exit the tunnel, this comes into view!

This picture was taken while still in the tunnel.

 

 

 

The road continues to wind, with every turn highlighting epic views of the Black Hills or Mount Rushmore.

 

 

Love this picture approaching one of the tunnels in the early morning light. Just surreal.

 

 

 

We had a great morning stopping and taking pictures along the way, eventually making it to the other side of the park. Once there we drove the Needles Scenic Road.

The highlights of this area were the majestic granite rock formations, the famous needle rock and even smaller tunnels.

This tunnel is 12 ft. high and 8 ft, 4 in. wide.

 

 

The Black Hills remind me so much of the Sierras. Maybe that's why I love it here so much.

 

Oh Winnie, the places you take us!

 

 

 

It was so still. It felt as if we had the park to ourselves.

 

 

Our early morning expedition tired us out. Afternoon siesta time...The view from my hammock.

 

 

 

The view from Ned's hammock.

While hanging out in the hammocks, we saw an owl dive into the creek and get a fish. How cool is that!

 

 

 

We rallied to go on a bike ride...

 

But only to go get ice cream.

We were not terribly ambitious today, but we made up for it in enthusiastically enjoying a summer day.

 

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Custer State Park...Amazing Wildlife

Location: Game Lodge Campground, Custer Park, SD

 

This is our third time at Custer State Park and everytime we visit it's a completely different experience. All so good. This place is amazing!! After a bike ride to the Visitor Center we couldn't wait to drive thru the park. Fair warning...lots of cute animal pictures coming.

Ironically, General Custer died 140 years ago today at the Battle of the Little Bighorn.

Custer State Park is famous for its buffalo. Yep, saw a couple of herds. I caught this guy chomping away.

 

This one is carrying 2 birds on his back.

 

 

 

We spent a lot of time just hanging out watching the prairie dogs. These little guys are hilarious!

 

 

 

 

 

Lunch time.

 

 

These burros are not native to the Black Hills. They are descendants from the herd that once hauled visitors to the top of Harney Peak. The rides were discontinued years ago and the burros were released into the park. They now just hang out on the Wildlife Loop Road. They are pretty domesticated. Here is one coming up to our car and Ned feeding it some apples.

 

 

I got out to see if the baby burro wanted to eat some apples. He was still nursing so he wasn't interested in my apple. So, does this make him a "burrito?".

 

 

 

Hi Ned, I heard you got some apples there...

 

 

 

We also spotted a coyote

 

 

 

A fawn

 

 

 

 

 

And a pronghorn.

 

 

 

 

Ned photographing the photographer or maybe just another wild animal in her natural habitat...

We had lunch at the Game Lodge. There are several lodges throughout the park. This actually feels more like a National Park than a State Park with the lodges, campgrounds and visitor centers.

This lodge was known as the Summer White House for Calvin Coolidge in 1927. Dwight Eisenhower also used it as a summer residence in 1953.

 

 

 

 

Tonight we are enjoying our campsite, right next to a creek. We'll be here a couple of days so time to put up the hammock, pop a cold one, and enjoy the evening!

 

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