Bear USA

Reindeer

Arctic Wolves

Rocky Mt. Goat

Big Horn Sheep

Black Bear taking a bath

This bear was right outside my car window but the kids wouldn't let me open it to get a better shot. Go figure!

I found out it does actually pay off to read the AAA tourbook to the boys every night as we find out about things we never would have known were there (it also puts them to sleep like nobody's business). We found out about the largest privately owned collection of wildlife called Bear USA. You get to drive around in the car while the animals roam free. While it is not the same as seeing the animals in the wild, it was still very cool. A bear was literally right outside my car door and another one went right beside Adam's door. The pictures are a little fuzzy as I had to shoot through my window (I tried to roll it down but the backseat passengers got a little upset). We also decided to stay an extra night in town at Rapid City, South Dakota as there was another water park at the hotel. Rapid City ended up being a jewel of a town. In honor of nearby Mt. Rushmore, they have bronze stautes of all 44 US Presidents sitting or standing on their street corners. We had a great time trying to figure out who they were and the boys got a great lesson in US history. The boys also played chess in a very chic coffee shop and there was even an organic health food store. I can see why tourism is the number two industry in South Dakota (I have no idea what number one is).

The Black Hills of South Dakota

Main Street in Deadwood, South Dakota

The Black Hills of South Dakota

Ben with Mt. Rushmore in the background

The Hall of Flags as you approach Mt. Rushmore

We finally made our way to South Dakota after saying goodbye to the Tetons in the distance. Shortly after crossing the border from Wyoming, we came upon the Black Hills. They actually look black from a distance and are the home to many historic sites. We first visited the town of Deadwood where Wild Bill Hickock lived and died. He was a sharpshooter and scout who could reportedly shoot two guns simultaneously from his hips and hit dead on without aiming. He was killed by James McCall in Deadwood and is buried in the local cemetery. Calamity Jane also is buried in the same cemetery. The entire town of Deadwood is a historical site. In 1989, the town legalized gambling and used part of the proceeds to renovate the town. It is absolutely beautifully restored and one of several towns filled with gold rush history. It was General Custer who reported the presence of gold in the Black Hills that was actually on the Lakota Reservation. This led to a gold rush that pushed the Lakotas from their land. Many made their fortune here including the original Hearst. You can still visit some of the old mines and caves abound.

Within the Black Hills lies one of the most amazing National Monuments - Mt. Rushmore. I know it is sappy, but tears actually came to my eyes when I first saw the amazing visages. I still don't know how Gutzon Borglum pulled off this artistic feat. Between 1927 and 1941, Borglum and 400 workers carved the 60 foot carvings of 4 former Presidents. The Presidents were chosen to record the first 150 years of American history. George Washington was chosen because he helped form the Union. Thomas Jefferson because he drafted the Declaration of Independence and expanded the US with the Louisiana Purchase. Abraham Lincoln because he preserved the country during the Civil War. Teddy Roosevelt for expanding the country with the Panama Canal and preserving our natural resources. It is quite an impressive site and truly unique among the National Monuments we have seen in the West.

Little Big Horn

An American Indian teepee. We found out that a teepee is made from canvas or skins while a wigwam is just made from sticks.

The hill of Custer's Last Stand

Tombstones marking where the soldiers actually fell in battle

The Memorial under which 200+ soldiers are buried

The Memorial for the fallen American Indians

Custer National Cemetary

On day two of our trip east, we stopped to see the Little Big Horn National Monument. This is where General Custer and the 7th Cavalry was defeated by the Lakota Sioux, Cheyenne and Arapaho Indians near the Little Big Horn River in 1876. It did not do the American Indians much good, however, as they still ended up on the reservations. Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse were among the Indian warriors. This is a very special site for a number of reasons. It is the only battlefield in the Western Hemisphere that has markers placed where the soldiers actually fell in battle. Evenutally they removed the bodies and buried them in a mass grave underneath the Memorial except for the officers who were buried in other graveyards. General Custer's final burial site is at West Point. There is also a Memorial for the fallen American Indians and their graves are marked with red granite markers. Nearby is Custer National Cemetary that is the final resting place for 5000 veterans.

Billings, Montana

Theoretically, you are supposed to hop across the lily pads like a frog:)

A man on the move!

We left West Yellowstone, Montana and started our trek east. We drove through beautiful Big Sky and saw tons of fly fisherman. Ben really wanted to stop the car and fish along the way, but I didn't exactly have any way to clean or cook the fish. He is definitely crazy for fishing. We ended our day in Billings, Montana and came upon this amazing hotel that had an indoor waterpark attached. What a great idea! The boys had an absolutely wonderful time and even Mom joined in the fun. Little did I know that this is a new trend. Almost every town since then has had hotels with indoor waterparks. It sure is a great way to have fun and relax after travelling in the car all day.

Yellowstone

Flaming Gorge Dam on the Green River

Elk Antler arches around Jackson Hole Square

Grand Teton National Park

Grand Teton

Adam looking for minnows in Colter Bay, Grand Teton

Grand Teton

Ben in front of Old Faithful

If you look really closely, you can see the bald eagle in the tree

Grizzly bear at the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center in West Yellowstone

Gray wolf at the Discovery Center

Ben and Adam with elk in the background

Elk

Hot spring at Yellowstone

The blue water of the hot spring is from algae and the orange color surrounding it is from bacteria

A bubbling mud hole. This was one of Ben and Adam's favorite spots.

Ben in front of a geyser at Yellowstone

We took two days to travel through Wyoming to West Yellowstone, Montana just outside the West Entrance to Yellowstone National Park. I would have to say that this was some of the most spectacular driving of our entire trip as we went through the Grand Tetons. We also lucked out and drove up to Old Faithful 4 minutes before the scheduled eruption. I had no idea that this geyser only erupts for a few minutes every 90 minutes or so. We timed it perfectly! We also saw bison, elk and a bald eagle perched in its nest along our drive. That was before we even reached our destination!

Adam absolutely loved the geysers. I think for him it was like being surrounded by constant science experiments. Ben enjoyed looking for animal tracks and actually found bison tracks (and bison scat) right near the hot springs. We also went to the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center where we fortunately saw grizzly bears across a moat which was just fine with me. While I have truly loved and appreciated all the wonderful places we have seen, I would have to say that there is something special about Yellowstone.

Dinosaurland

View from the Douglas Pass in Colorado

Yes, the eyes really move back and forth all day long

The lobby of the Utah Field House of Natural History aka the Vernal Dinosaur Museum

Ben and Adam enjoying the real dinosaur fossils

Not to worry, this is the fake dinosaur replica

The dinosaur garden

We left Moab and ventured into Colorado on our way to Vernal, Utah and Dinosaurland. We actually went through the town of Dinosaur, Colorado on our way. Vernal is situated just past the Dinosaur National Monument and boasts a huge pink dinosaur with moving eyes and the Utah Field House of Natural History not to mention dinosaur statues all over town. As Ben is particularly crazy about dinosaurs, he loved the Natural History Museum. The boys could touch real dinosaur bones and fossils. It was an amazing exhibit and we went through several times. They also had a garden of dinosaur statues. For all you dinosaur fans, this is the place to go.