This road trip starts in Colorado and takes us through Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho.
To begin this road trip we flew into Denver, CO. We chose Denver because it was cheaper for a family of 3, was more central to the states we wanted to visit, and was a direct flight from our home airport. Our flight arrived in Denver around 2:00. At that point we picked up our Turo rental car and made our way to Nebraska.
Our drive to Nebraska was easy, if not a bit boring. We were headed to Scottsbluff which would be our first overnight stay of the trip. Our first stop was the Legacy of the Plains Museum. However, because we were on a tight time frame, we only stopped for a restroom break and didn't get a chance to tour the museum. We then made our way to the Scottsbluff National Monument. We hoped that we would make it in time to drive the Summit Road but sadly, we didn't make it. Instead, we spent some time hiking and exploring the area.
From there we headed to Chimney Rock, about 20 miles or so west of Scottsbluff. We arrived after the visitor's center had closed. Again, our timing wasn't great (which we knew ahead of time). We got some great views of the big horn sheep and had a nice stroll along the boardwalk. One bit of trivia knowledge, the Lakota Sioux tribe had a name for this towering rock formation. Translated to English, it was called Elk's Penis.
After checking out Chimney Rock, we needed a dinner spot. Luckily, we happened upon Flyover Brewing Company. After a 3-hour flight, 3 hours of driving, and some sightseeing, beer and pizza were the perfect way to end the day. We did make a quick grocery store run before heading to the hotel to stock up on lunch items for the next few days.
The next morning, we were on the road by 7:45 am. The drive through Nebraska and up to South Dakota consisted of a lot of farm and prairie land. We honestly didn't see much. It was interesting that around the time that we crossed the Nebraska/SD state line, the landscape began to change. We started seeing more rolling hills and trees.
Our first major stop in SD was the Crazy Horse Memorial. It costs $35 for a car of 3 people to enter. After parking, we made ourselves a quick lunch. There is a restaurant and snack bar onsite, but we opted for a sandwich and fruit picnic. We spent about an hour and a half meandering through the museum, watching the video, checking out the sculptor's home and studio, and looking through the gift shop. We opted to take the $5 per person bus ride to the base of the mountain to get a bit closer and see this monument from a different perspective.
Crazy Horse Memorial was really fascinating. Make sure you watch the short video to really gain an understanding of Sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski and his vision.
From there we made the short drive to Mt. Rushmore which has been on my bucket list for a long time now. My penpal since 5th grade is from South Dakota so I had always envisioned making the trek to SD to see Mt. Rushmore. It didn't disappoint. It is very impressive and as a symbol of our nation, I was excited to see it with my own eyes.
To enter this National Park, it costs $10 for parking. It is otherwise free. You can tell that a lot of money goes into the maintenance and upkeep of this park. From the grand entrance (Avenue of Flags) to the hiking trails, this park is just beautiful. We watched the video, toured the visitor's center and museum, did a short hike, sat at the amphitheater, and in total probably spent right at an hour onsite.
After leaving Mt. Rushmore, Rapid City was our next destination. However, our kiddo LOVES snakes and alligators....even at 17 years old. So we made an unexpected stop at the Reptile Gardens. While I thought the $25 per person admission price was a bit steep, this is a lovely mini zoo. We took in both the alligator and snake shows, petted one of the giant tortoises, admired the prairie dogs, and checked out all the snakes..... It was a fun stop. I was impressed with how there were many workers around to answer questions about the animals...and the way the place is designed, you can get up close and personal with many animals.
Next was a quick stop at Chapel in the Hills which is on the edge of Rapid City. It was very zen, very peaceful, very spiritual. The chapel is a reproduction of the famous Borgund Stavkirke of Laerdal, Norway and was built in 1969. While it was a neat stop since we had time, if we were in a time crunch this would have easily been marked from the itinerary.
Our hotel for the night (and the next) was attached to the WaTiki Indoor Waterpark Resort so Avery spent some time going down those fun waterslides.
Overall, it was a great day and I wouldn't change a thing.
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