As we left Wyoming and started heading toward South Dakota, we went through the Bighorn National Forest. Some of the roads were very steep and so we actually stopped a time or two, to enjoy the scenery and take pictures, but, also to rest our brakes!
Bighorn National Forest
Stopping to look at a waterfall on the way.
It was a pretty steep cliff, Sissi did not want Krypto this near to the edge.
Looking up!
This is Bridal Veil Falls, and is in the Black Hills National Forest, specifically in Spearfish Canyon.
I think Sissi likes waterfalls also.
Once we got to Rapid City, going to see Mt. Rushmore was the evening activity.
The park is open most of the day, so you can come super early in the morning or stay until 10pm when it's very dark.
Family picture at Mt. Rushmore.
Indy, talking to a veteran at Mt. Rushmore.
Coming through the arch of state flags and getting our first up close view of the presidents.
I really loved this national park site. One of my favorite movie series is the National Treasure movies, in the second one they go to Mt. Rushmore at the end, to find the city of gold.
The museum and the history of how they etched out the presidential faces was fascinating.
Some of the samples of rocks and the miniatures that were completed before the full structure was worked on.
Earning her Junior Ranger badge at Mt. Rushmore.
Taking her oath.
By the time we came out of the museum, it was getting on toward dusk. At night, they have a show that they do and then they light up the mountain.
The sun is starting to really set now.
And, it's dark...the lights come on!
Even the trails are open after dark. So, Indy and I turned on the flashlights on our phones and we took a little trail hike and got as close to the mountain as we could.
Leaving Mt. Rushmore. Definitely a place I want to come back to visit.
On our way out of Rapid City the following day, we stopped at the famous Wall Drug.
The traditional picture in front of the sign.
This was the last time we were at Wall Drug...summer of '03, when Krypto was just a little guy, maybe 4 or 5 months old.
Even though it was morning, and we'd just had breakfast, we stopped and got shakes with their homemade ice cream.
Pretty yummy!
Then, a walk around the grounds had us find the shooting gallery.
...dinosaurs for Gwangi...
...attacking bears for Krypto...
...and a jackalope for Sissi to ride on.
As we left Wall Drug, we decided to do a couple more National Park sites...the Badlands and the Minuteman Missile Silos.
So cool to see the Badlands. Many of the pictures that I took reminded me of our time down in Batken, Kyrgyzstan.
Everywhere we go, we had to try the local root beer. This was Wall Drug's special blend.
Amazing layers of colored rocks and blue skies.
Really beautiful area there in South Dakota.
The rocks here look whitewashed, but there were still striations and colors. I think it was just so hot and bright, as we were hiking around, that it came our very dreary in color.
"Look at us, Mom!"
Since the Minuteman Missile sites are parallel to the Badlands, we didn't want to backtrack, so we left the western portion of the Badlands and went over to do the tour of the missiles.
Sissi, working on her Junior Ranger badge for the Minuteman Missile Historic Site.
Getting her badge and being sworn in.
Looking through the museum all about Cold War History.
Then, we went back over to the eastern end of the Badlands, and also where the Visitor's Center and Museum are located. Here is Sissi, again, working on her Junior Ranger badge paperwork.
This was one of the longest activity books I had seen, it required that she complete 11 of the activities to get her badge. That was 2 more than were required at Yellowstone and we had 2 days there, and just a couple of hours at the Badlands. She had to work on it over lunch.
This was available in the gift shop at the Badlands. Indy and I love the old WPA posters and this seemed like a great way to have a few up in our house next year.
A sweet memory of some of the places we have visited.
Taking the oath for her Junior Ranger badge at the Badlands in South Dakota.
My girl has quite the collection of pins and patches now. What a fabulous time of travel and learning we've all had while we've been on the road.
