We have always wanted to do an extended trip exploring the western United States. There are so many interesting places and beautiful scenery to take in!
We started this journey headed north. Our first major attraction for this journey was the Corn Palace in Mitchell, South Dakota. It was intended in the beginning to be a tribute to agriculture. It is made of a wooden structure while the outside is made of wheat, rye, Milo and sour dough that begins to be applied in June of each year. The corn is applied later as it matures. The murals require 3,000 bushels of grains and grasses, 2,000 pounds of staples and nails, and well over 275,000 ears of corn each year. If you are headed to South Dakota to see Mt Rushmore, this stop is worth a look?
Our next stop was Badlands National Park. The park had many overlooks with beautiful landscapes and rock formations. We were able to view some wildlife while driving. The park has many hiking trails. We had a short visit here on the way to Keystone, SD to see Mt Rushmore.
Mt Rushmore has always been a bucket list destination for our travels. To us it was truly stunning to see and view. It took 400 men to carve it out in approximately 14 years from 1927 to 1941.
We continued our journey west but before leaving South Dakota we drove by the Crazy Horse Memorial. It serves as a memorial to honor the living heritage of the North American Indians.
Well, on to Red Lodge, Montana. Red Lodge is known for the Beartooth highway.
This highway has some of the most stunning views we have ever experienced!
The route climbs to 11,000 feet and has some great vistas. We pulled off and viewed Pilot and Index peak and also saw plateaus with lakes across the range.
The locals, although maybe biased, told us it’s the most beautiful mountain range there is. Especially in the spring before summer with the snow covered peaks and valleys. We tend to agree even during our time there.
Stay tuned for Part 2 of our Western Adventure…