This fall we decided on a 2 week adventure to capture as much of the “wild” west that we could. This is Part 1 of our trip.

We knew it would be a lot of windshield time between destinations, but felt that this was the best way to cover a lot of area in one trip. Lucky for us, our rental car was upgraded to a bright green jeep which added to our adventure and set the mood for the trip. Our Jeep also got “ducked” on the trip which evidently is a cult thing to do to Jeeps which places a duck with a note. Some people collect the ducks, others (like us as we were only temporary Jeep owners) pay it forward and duck someone else. Also we spent a lot of time waving to other Jeep owners as you passed. Lets just say there are a LOT of Jeeps in this area so Tom’s hand was tired by the end of the trip.

We had purchased last winter, a $20 National Park Pass which proved to be well worth the cost in the long run. This pass was good for a year and got us into all the parks. You may also consider getting the $80 lifetime pass as it would save lots of $$$ through the years as you go to these parks.

Our home base for the first week was Rapid City, SD and from there we veered out in different directions each day. Along the way we ate at some fun restaurants and visited a few microbreweries as well. Follow our dining experiences on our dining page.

Day 1 was the Badlands and to experience this at its finest we got up early and drove in the dark and rain to get there for the sunrise. Thirty million years ago it was part of the giant salt water sea but with volcanic activity and upheaval, the sea floor was pushed up and the water drained away. Left today are beautiful canyons, peaks, layers made from ash and clay, and grasslands which stretch for 35 miles. Although our sunrise was partially marred by rain clouds, the skies eventually cleared and the beauty of the area shined through. We recommend starting on the west end and working your way east as you then end up at Wall (more on that below). We were not in the peak season so I think we did the loop maybe a little faster than if the park were busier. However 3 hours is probably a fair estimate unless you go out and do some hiking through the area. Definitely recommend this stop though as it is breathtaking.

Wall Drug - While driving to the Badlands, signs for Wall Drug appear about every mile it seems. This site is also listed as a “must see” destination when traveling to the area. So we checked it out. Wall Drug is a whole block long with lots of shops included amongst the cafe. The food is fairly simple and is ordered and picked up from a counter. As it was still early we got the breakfast sandwiches which filled the spot. They also have coffee for 5 cents and free ice water (which started their claim to fame), and the dining area seats 530 people! We were there on a Monday morning in the off season and it was crowded. I cannot imagine what it is like in peak season. Main Street also has other shops with a wide variety of goods to purchase and the town’s landmark is a huge dinosaur which overlooks the interstate. This is a fun little stop and the story of how it all began is worth the trip in itself. However I cannot imagine opening a little drug store in the middle of nowhere and seeing what it has become today.

Day 2 was another early morning to get to Wind Cave. There are 2 major caves in the area - Wind and Jewel - however Jewel was closed for updating. You cannot buy Wind Cave tickets online so you have to get there early and get your tickets for the day. As we were “off season” we were able to get in the 2nd tour of the day, however in season I would suggest you get there before the 8:00 opening, get your tickets and then you can come back at your scheduled time. The cave is one of the largest caves in the country, with only about 5 percent of it explored. It is known for its box work formations and was the first cave to be designated a national park. Our guide did a great job keeping the tour informative and fun.

After the cave we headed to the city of Custer. We love these small towns and this one did not disappoint. With bison statues on every corner and music playing all down Main Street, as well as several interesting restaurants and stores, this made for a fun afternoon. We had lunch at Begging Burro, a Mexican restaurant where we had a great outdoor view of Main Street, and shared a Pollo Burrito and a margarita. We loved it. We then drove through Custer State Park and took the Wildlife Loop. We unfortunately did not see much wildlife, but the views were beautiful. With the Buffalo roundup this weekend we felt that there may have been some pre-rounding up going on.

Day 3 - This was a day of some of the regular big sites, as well as a few surprises. First we went to Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse. Both sites were awe inspiring but different in their own ways. Mount Rushmore is government run, was built in 17 years and was truly worth going through and watching the movies etc. Crazy horse is independently run, was started in the 1940s and still has a long way to go, but has an amazing story of commitment of a family to not only make a monument, but also an all inclusive support of the indigenous people of the US.

We then went to Keystone and Hill City. We liked Hill City so much we went back on another day as well. The town has lots of restaurants and cute shops. We visited Prairie Berry Winery with nice seating and atmosphere, as well as its neighbor Miner Brewing Company which has some great brews and a great outdoor setting. Miner Brewing was one of our favorite microbreweries of the trip.

Day 4 was a visit to some of the great western towns with history. Sturgis was our first stop. Although the 70,000 motorcycles were not there, the area is still great to visit and has a lot of info about how Sturgis began, etc. This stop really doesn’t take more than an hour but it's great to see. We then headed to Deadwood - the place where Wild Bill Hickock was shot. We visited that bar, as well as many of the other stores and sites in the area. This city has evidently become a gambling Mecca as casinos were everywhere but were inconspicuous. There are lots of hotels right on Main Street and the city was hopping with lots of tourists. Our third stop was Lead which is an old mining town. This smaller town looks like it is growing and lots of good things to come in the future. The Visitors Center was well worth the visit as it gave great views of the mine and lots of history of it. All 3 of these towns together are probably a ½ day visit.

Day 5 Wrapping up the first half of our trip with an unexpected event. Once a year in Custer State Park they have the Buffalo Roundup, where they corral all the buffalo, tag them, check for disease, etc. This event happened to be on a day where we were just taking it easy before our trip to Yellowstone tomorrow. Evidently this roundup is quite popular to watch as there were over 22,000 people there to watch these 1400 buffalo. I have to say it was pretty amazing to see the herd come over the hill and funnel into the pen area. Getting into the park that morning, working our way to the parking areas, and waiting for the roundup to come over the hill, took 3-4 hours. Once the herd came over the hill, it only took about 20- 30 minutes to have them corralled by cowboys. But we have to say that the 20-30 minutes were more than worth the total time we spent. You just do not get to see an event like this very often. So glad we got to experience it.

Check out the next part of our trip - Yellowstone and Jackson Hole