National Parks Tidbits

The Badlands, Devil's Tower, Mt. Rushmore, Yellowstone, and Grand Teton...I did trip recaps on all of them, which you can read by clicking on the word, but there are some little tidbits left as well as some things I'd like to call attention to that might have been lost in the long ass re-cap posts.

1. Lodging varies. How's that for vague? If you need five star, there are few options for you, but if you need five star I don't really see you on a National Parks trip anyway. We had wifi in our room in the Badlands and in Grand Teton, but the strength was weak in most places throughout the trip. All of the rooms we stayed in in the parks were clean, and that's all I was expecting going into this. If you're there to really get the full experience, you are in the room to sleep and use the bathroom and that's about it. My favorite place to stay was Cedar Pass Lodge in the Badlands (I actually wish we spent more than one night there) and Signal Mountain Lodge in Grand Teton. The place I liked the least was Lake Hotel in Yellowstone, and that was the fanciest. Go figure.

2. Huckleberry is everything. I had no idea what it was until I got to Yellowstone. One day I had huckleberry ice cream twice in one day. I also had huckleberry pie, huckleberry candy, and huckleberry pancakes on this trip. And came home with huckleberry chapstick and huckleberry jam, which we ate like ravenous dogs at home. Do not pass up the opportunity to have the huckleberry ice cream if you get it.

3. Speaking of food, the food wasn't bad. It was pricey, but not bad. The pie and ice cream everywhere were freaking amazing.

4. Depending on when you go, you have to be prepared for all kinds of weather in Yellowstone. The afternoon this was taken, I was sweating in capris and a short sleeve shirt. On the whole, it was much warmer in Yellowstone than we thought it would be.

5. People do really stupid shit on the roads in National Parks. I had read about it a lot on Trip Advisor, but when I saw it with my own eyes I was all WTF. Take your time, pull over and let chains of douches on CB radios chasing wolves pass you, and you'll be fine.

6. They're very big on the gathering in the common spaces. There's no TV in the rooms and no wifi hardly anywhere, but there are a lot of places to sit in front of a fire and read a book or play some cards, and a lot of outdoor spaces to enjoy in a central area with others.

7. I was happy with 15 minutes at Mt. Rushmore. Really. See the faces, marvel at them, look at all the flags, walk through the gift shop, go to the bathroom, be on my merry way.

8. I wish we saw Crazy Horse from the road instead of paying to go in. The view is pretty much the same and even the people working there seemed sort of sheepish to be taking the $22 we paid to get in.

9. If I knew how cool the area surrounding Devil's Tower was, I would've skipped that weird town and gone right there instead. Not to mention I would've liked to just sit at the base of the tower a little longer, It was a spiritual place.

10. I still can't believe some of the stuff we saw and the animals we were in close proximity to. The other day we were talking about our upcoming trip to Africa, and MFD said, "I'm still not over the National Parks." Neither am I, and I responded that I hoped I never would be...part of what I love so much about travel is how the experience becomes a part of you.

Linking up for Wanderlust Wednesdays with Kate, Emily, and Kerri

Road Trip: Badlands National Park

When we stepped outside at the Rapid City, South Dakota airport, I thought huh...there's really nothing here. That's true and it's not. South Dakota sits back, secure in its beauty and the sites and secrets it holds, and waits for you to come to it. It does not come to you. It doesn't attempt to seduce you with fancy brochures. But you find yourself imagining a life as Laura Ingalls Wilder soon enough anyway.

Our first stop was in Wall, at the infamous and tacky Wall Drug, a must for the tourons out there. About 45 minutes from the airport, Wall is a one horse tourist trap town with meh food in the Wall Drug cafeteria but plenty of people watching opportunities. I adored its little stone library, and there was a little free library rack outside too.

Then it was on to the Badlands after we stocked up on gallons of water and some jerky, nuts, and protein bars. There was a temporary road closure, so we cut through to the back end of the park on a dirt and gravel road (Sage Creek Road). We immediately encountered a shit ton of prairie dogs, some antelope, and some buffalo...and not much else. Wide open spaces, indeed. There weren't too many other people around the first three or four hours we were in the park.

The Badlands are harsh, lonely, and beautiful. It was like being dropped into a prehistoric era except we had electronics and a car. It is not a place where man is king. Weather, animal, earth, and sky are king there. Standing up on the bluffs, I felt how vast the world is, how old the earth is, and how insignificant this life is in time and space. There are very few times when it's good to feel small. This was one of them. To visit this place is to be instantly humbled and aware of your tenuous grip on a tiny strand in the universe.

We stopped at overlooks around the loop road of the park before pulling off to do some hiking at Pig Dig, an archaeological site. We kept it relatively short and took a lot of water with us - it's like the Sahara out there. We saw a lot of interesting rocks, awesome colors, and heard the telltale rattle of a snake so we beat feet the other way. We did some climbing (MFD more than me, of course) and really enjoyed being pretty much alone in the middle of the Badlands.

We continued to loop around the park and checked into our hotel as we got closer. When it comes to National Parks trips, you are limited with your hotel and dining selections if you're staying inside park boundaries. We lucked out with this one. Great views, quiet, and not a bad room.

The food at Cedar Pass Lodge wasn't bad either - the bison burger and ice cream (made at South Dakota State University) were awesome. But enough about the food - here's the sunset.

We were up and out by 7 the next morning to stop at the few places we wanted to see but were unable to get to the day before. On a trip like this, you can't be lounging around wasting your mornings. When there's a lot to see, you're just burning daylight.

MFD did some more climbing and I just stood on a rock taking in the enormity and the silence and the skies that changed by the second.

I know MFD felt like he could spend more time there, but I feel like we got a good overview and that it's definitely doable in what amounts to about a 10 hour day. I loved staying overnight in the Badlands - the stars were incredible and I saw the freaking milky way, right in front of my eyes. My neck hurt from looking up. I'll keep that photo stored in my mind's eye forever.

The day we drove out, actual tumbleweeds were flying across the road. Laura Ingalls Wilder, can you hear me? I made it. 

Next up: the day we saw everything. 

The dirty details - if you'd like a full trip itinerary, please comment below or email me at lifeaccordingtosteph@gmail.com
Day 1: PHL - Rapid City, SD with a layover at O'hare in Chicago. Arrived in Rapid City at 10:23 a.m. Rental car from Hertz, picked up right in the very tiny Rapid City airport. Stopped for lunch in Wall then on to Badlands National Park by 1.
Hotel: Cedar Pass Lodge in Badlands National Park
Day 2: Badlands until 9 a.m.

In my head the whole time? 

Light's out tonight
Trouble in the heartland
Got a head-on collision
Smashin' in my guts, man
I'm caught in a crossfire
I don't understand

But there's one thing I know for sure, girl
I don't give a damn
For the same old played out scenes
I don't give a damn for just in-betweens
Honey, I want the heart, I want the soul
I want control right now

Talk about a dream, try to make it real
You wake up in the night
With a fear so real
You spend your life waiting
For a moment that just don't come
Don't waste your time waiting

Badlands, you gotta live it everyday
Let the broken hearts stand
As the price you've gotta pay
Keep pushin' till it's understood
These Badlands start treating us good

Linking up with Kristin and Joey for Stuff & Things