Come explore with us!
We thoroughly enjoyed our short stay at Cathedral Gorge State Park, but a cold front was on its way and we were wanting to hunker down someplace a little warmer for the busy Thanksgiving travel week. Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge or Mojave National Preserve were our top choices, but they were going to be colder …
Tucked away along the eastern border of Nevada, not far from the tiny town of Panaca, is one of the state’s hidden treasures, Cathedral Gorge State Park. We discovered Cathedral Gorge in 2012 when we were driving through the area en route to St. George, Utah. I had never heard of the park and made …
After four weeks at home, we were back on the road. Thanksgiving was quickly approaching and the weather between us and our winter destinations was beginning to deteriorate. It was time to head south for some warmth and sun. Our route would take us south through Oregon and Nevada to Arizona where we had reservations …
Mother Nature had given us a stern warning—the beautiful days of early fall were being replaced with the first snow storms of the year. After receiving a foot of snow in the Black Hills, we had a reprieve as daytime temperatures quickly rebound into the 60s. But next time we likely wouldn’t be so lucky. …
Our time in South Dakota was coming to a close. The weather had recovered after the big snow storm and we were enjoying sun and 60s once again. But that would be short lived. We had planned to spend several days boondocking near Badlands National Park and hiking all the park trails, but we cut …
We had been in South Dakota’s Black Hills for two weeks enjoying unseasonably warm fall weather. Daytime highs had been averaging in the 70s, we had mostly sunny days, and fall colors were peaking. But, as we know, fall travel weather can be fickle. Conditions were about to take a massive turn, just in time …
Hike beneath towering granite spires to the tallest peak east of the Rockies Distance: 8.0 miles round trip (numerous routes of varying lengths possible) Type: lollipop loop hike Difficulty: moderate with ~1,500′ elevation gain Best season: summer through early fall At 7,242 feet elevation, Black Elk Peak isn’t just South Dakota’s highest point. It’s the …
Custer State Park preserves 71,000 acres of some of western South Dakota’s most stunning granite peaks, lakes, forests and rolling plains. It is home to abundant wildlife and offers a wide array of adventure opportunities including camping, hiking, biking, water sports, horseback riding and scenic drives. No trip to the Black Hills would be complete …
South Dakota’s Black Hills are home to two of the longest and most complex caves in the world, Jewel Cave and Wind Cave. Thanks to Theodore Roosevelt, both caves were brought under the National Park System in the early 1900s. A man of vision and conservation, Teddy saw the scientific value of both cave systems …
The George S. Mickelson Trail in western South Dakota is a trail rich in history and beautiful views. For nearly 100 years, it served as the Burlington Railroad route. The narrow-gauge line cuts through the heart of the Black Hills, running 109 miles from Deadwood to Edgemont. Traffic came to a stop in the mid …
