Out West Trip
Discovery Center Museum
Simple Machine exhibit
Young Scientist area
Farm exhibit
Outdoor play area
GuestHouse Hotel in Rochester Minnesota
They had a pool, splash pad area, and a hot tub.
Saturday August 31st
Part of the reason we stayed in Rochester Minnesota was because they have an amazing Nature Center there. They have a free nature center and they also have an old Quarry on the property that you can hunt for fossils and keep the ones you find. We didn't find any in the Quarry but the lady working the nature center gave each of the kids their own fossil to keep for free. The name of the nature center was Quarry Hill Nature Center. We could have spent a lot more time there but we had 8 hours of driving to do for the day so we got on the road.
Our next stop with the Chamberlain South Dakota rest stop. This was a great place to stop. They had a giant statue of a native american woman over looking the Missouri river. They also had an indoor museum with many artifacts from Louis and Clark's expedition.
From there we drove about 2 hours to the Badlands. We went to a look out spot in the park. We then drove to our campsite. We stayed at the KOA Badlands White river. The camp ground was very nice. It had a pool and was just a few minutes from the park. The only problem was it had really bad mosquitoes. We paid $56 a night.
Chamberlain Rest Stop
There were lots of creates with replicas of items Louis and Clark would have had with them.
Our next stop with the Chamberlain South Dakota rest stop. This was a great place to stop. They had a giant statue of a native american woman over looking the Missouri river. They also had an indoor museum with many artifacts from Louis and Clark's expedition.
From there we drove about 2 hours to the Badlands. We went to a look out spot in the park. We then drove to our campsite. We stayed at the KOA Badlands White river. The camp ground was very nice. It had a pool and was just a few minutes from the park. The only problem was it had really bad mosquitoes. We paid $56 a night.
Hiking at Quarry Hil
Quarry Hill Nature Center
Quarry Hill Nature Center
Quarry Hill Nature Center
Quarry Hill Nature Center
The type of tent Louis and Clark would have used.
We stopped at a look out point on the way to our campsite.
Mike set up the campsite while I took the kids to the pool.
Sunday September 1st
We drove into the park and Maddy saw some big horn sheep across from our planned trail head. After we watched the sheep for a while we hiked notch trail. It was a fun trail to hike. It was about 1 1/2 round trip. It included a notch ladder that you had to climb and a beautiful look out at the end. We started hiking early which was great because it was cooler and there were less people.
After our hike we went to the ranger station and enjoyed looking around. The kids also got their Jr. Ranger badges. It was mid day so it felt good to get out of the heat. We went back to the campsite so we could have lunch and we all jumped in the pool.
After our down time at the campsite we drove to prairie dog town and big horn sheep went right by the van. The kids also enjoyed watching the prairie dogs. It was fun to explore another part of the park. We then went back to the campsite for dinner and headed to the amphitheater for the evening ranger program. There was a ranger presentation on big horn sheep and then volunteer astronomers gave a presentation and we got to look at the night sky with their telescopes. We got to see Jupiter and Saturn.
After our hike we went to the ranger station and enjoyed looking around. The kids also got their Jr. Ranger badges. It was mid day so it felt good to get out of the heat. We went back to the campsite so we could have lunch and we all jumped in the pool.
After our down time at the campsite we drove to prairie dog town and big horn sheep went right by the van. The kids also enjoyed watching the prairie dogs. It was fun to explore another part of the park. We then went back to the campsite for dinner and headed to the amphitheater for the evening ranger program. There was a ranger presentation on big horn sheep and then volunteer astronomers gave a presentation and we got to look at the night sky with their telescopes. We got to see Jupiter and Saturn.
Caiden working on his Badlads Jr. Ranger badge at our campsite
There are so many sunflowers in the Badlands
Climbing notch ladder
Taking a break
The beautiful lookout at the end of the trail.
Getting their Jr. ranger badge
Watching the rangers work on fossils.
Evening exploring
Evening exploring
Watching the Prairie Dogs
Big Horn Sheep walking right by the van.
Evening ranger program
Monday September 2nd
We drove about 1 hour and 45 minutes to Mount Rushmore. The kids completed the Jr. Ranger Badge. We really liked the sculptor center. They had models of the carvings and the tools that they used to create the monument on display. It was also less crowded. We then went to Custer State Park. It was only about 30 minutes from Mount Rushmore. It did have a $20 entrance fee. The big kids enjoyed climbing the rocks and Westin swam all day. We stopped for dessert at the fire station restaurant we had seen signs for on the way in. The kids liked all the old fire trucks on the property. They also liked the free fire hats. On the way home we saw our first bison.
I packed up the pop up and Mike took the kids to a ranger program about fossils in the Badlands. We drove 3 hours and spent the afternoon at Devil's tour. We went for a mile hike around the base of the tour. We enjoyed seeing the climbers on the side of the tower. The kids got their Jr. ranger badge at the visitors center. We all enjoyed seeing the Pairie Dogs at the base of the tower too. The smoke ring instillation was another highlight for me. We stopped for ice cream right outside of the park.
We drove 2 more hours and stopped at a hotel in Buffalo, Wyoming. I went grocery shopping after we got settled in the hotel, as I had heard groceries are expensive in the park. It was a good place to prepare for the next portion of the trip.
Working on Jr. ranger badges
tools used to make Mount Rushmore
Jr. ranger pledge
The sculpture center
Mount Rushmore
Needles highway
Sylvan Lake
hiking around sylvan lake
Hiking around sylvan Lake
Fire House Brewing Company
Maddy seeing her first bison in the wild
TuesdayI packed up the pop up and Mike took the kids to a ranger program about fossils in the Badlands. We drove 3 hours and spent the afternoon at Devil's tour. We went for a mile hike around the base of the tour. We enjoyed seeing the climbers on the side of the tower. The kids got their Jr. ranger badge at the visitors center. We all enjoyed seeing the Pairie Dogs at the base of the tower too. The smoke ring instillation was another highlight for me. We stopped for ice cream right outside of the park.
We drove 2 more hours and stopped at a hotel in Buffalo, Wyoming. I went grocery shopping after we got settled in the hotel, as I had heard groceries are expensive in the park. It was a good place to prepare for the next portion of the trip.
Getting the Devil's tower Jr. Ranger badge
Learning about Crack climbing
Hiking around the tower
Devil's tower
Sacred Smoke ring
A Prairie Dog hanging out around the base of the tower.
Wednesday
This was the craziest weather day I have ever experienced. In the morning Mike took the van to a local mechanic and he changed the oil on the van and rotated the tires. This was a great time to do this because we only had 5 hours of driving to do. We left Buffalo Wyoming and drove about 1 and 1/2 hours to the national battle field of Little Big Horn. It was over 100 degrees so we did not do as much exploring as I would have liked but the heat was miserable. By the evening of that same day we arrived after 3 1/2 hours at the North entrance to the park. That evening it dropped down to 30 degrees. Quite the temperature swing. We saw the Mamoth hot springs on the way in and lots of Elk and Mule deer. We also stopped and took pictures at the North Entrance. We arrived at our camp site in the Canyon Campground at dark and set up camp. We were thankful for our heater in the pop up.
Custer's clothes
Sitting Bull display
Little Big Horn Cheyenne tombstone
Native American memorial
Jr. Ranger badge at Little Big Horn
North Entrance to the park
We made it!
Thursday
We enjoyed a morning fire and coffee as the mornings were always chilly. It was nice to have a slow start to the day. We did not have any electricity at our campsite. The day was perfect. The sky was blue and it go up to almost 70 degrees. We spent the day in the Canyon area. We enjoyed lots of hiking in the grand canyon of Yellowstone area.
Morning hot cocco
We had no neighbors in our campsite
The kids loved seeing the bison walking on the road.
Red Rock trail
Red Rock trail
artist point
Drawing at artist point
Artist Point
lower falls
Beryl Springs
Friday
We had rain on and off all day. We had good rain gear so we were ready. We started the day off at Gibbon falls. Then we did the old faithful thing and enjoyed some ice cream at the old faithful lodge. The kids really liked the lodge. They said it was like the great wolf lodge but greater. We hiked around the grand prismatic spring area too. I loved that there was no wifi or electricity at our campground. If the weather was good we'd sit around the campfire and talk and if the weather was bad we'd read in the camper. I like being unplugged.
Gibbon Falls
Old Faithful Lodge
Hanging out at the old faithful lodge
Grand Prismatic Spring
hiking on the grand prismatic spring board walk
Grand Prismatic Spring
Reading by flashlight in the camper
Saturday
We went hiking in Hayden Valley but a herd of bison was starting to move our way. We then headed towards Yellowstone Lake. On the way we found a park ranger with a looking scope and he let us look through it. He was watching an owl that was out in the day time. We then hiked a trail around Yellowstone lake. We ended the day fishing on the lake. Mike and the kids did not catch anything but they had fun.
Hiking in Hayden Valley
Watching an owl with a park ranger
Hiking around Yellowstone lake
Yellowstone Lake
Fishing at Yellowstone Lake
Westin working on his Jr. ranger badge
Sunday
We had rain midday today but other than that it was a good day for exploring. The kids needed to attend a ranger lead talk so we stopped in at a ranger station while it was raining and enjoyed the ranger talk. We then went to anglers point for a picnic lunch and some fishing. No one caught anything. We then went for a hike around the natural land bridge area. Then we explored the mud pots area. These were really cool. We then headed towards Lamar Valley. We stopped at tower falls as it was on our way. The wild life viewing was amazing at Lamar Valley. It was the best in all of the park! We saw wolves circling bison, prong horn, elk, and so much more. This was one of our favorite spots. It was a great way to spend our last full day in Yellowstone.
Ranger talk
Picnic lunch on Lake Yellowstone
Fishing at Anglers point
hike around the natural land bridge
Natural land bridge hike
Land bridge area
Mud pots
Mud pots
Tower falls
Prong horn in Lamar valley
Watching the wolves circle around the bison
Bison in Lamar Valley
Wild life watching in Lamar valley
Monday-
We packed up our camp site at the Canyon Campground in Yellowstone and we headed out. We stopped a the Continental Divide as it was on our way out of Yellowstone. We also stopped at Moose falls. It was really close to the road and worth seeing. We drove into the Grand Tetons and dropped of the pop up at our campsite. Then we went exploring. We drove to Jenny lake and hike the Moose Trail in hopes of seeing moose. We set a timer for 15 minutes and as the timer started to go off we saw a family of moose coming in.
Continental Divide
Moose falls
The Grand Tetons
Ranger Station
Looking for moose at moose ponds
The kids were super excited to see moose in the wild
Sunset at our campsite
Tuesday
The weather was beautiful in the morning. We all enjoyed a leisure morning. Mike and I sipped our coffee and the kids enjoyed some of the art supplies from the ranger bag we had checked out. We took the first boat across Jenny Lake, which wasn't early since we were in the beginning of the slow season. We enjoyed hiking on the other side of the lake but then it started raining. We took the boat back and went back to the ranger station and the kids got their Jr. ranger badge there. It was still raining so we decided to go into Jackson Hole. The kids enjoyed the toy store in town and we also got pizza for dinner. By the time we got back to the camp site the weather had cleared up and the kids enjoyed some time in their hammocks.
Paint from the backpack we got from the ranger station
taking the boat across Jenny Lake
Hiking before the rain came
Staying dry in the ranger station
The kids earning another Jr. Ranger badge
Jackson Hole, Wyoming
The kids liked the toy store
hammock land
Wednesday
We saw that there was snow in the forecast so we decided to pack up the pop up and start home. We drove for only a few hours because I had prebooked our next hotel and we couldn't back out of it. It was nice to only have to drive a few hours since packing up the pop up takes so much work. It was so odd to see snow in September.
Driving through Wyoming on September 11
Thursday
We looked at the forecast and saw that the weather was finally looking better. We were so close to the Colorado line that we decided we should spent the after noon at the Roosevelt National Forrest. We enjoyed 70 degree weather and a fun hike in the park. We then hopped back in the car and drove to Sydney, Nebraska for the night.
Friday
We got up and on the road at a decent time and around lunch time we stopped by an original pony express station in Gothenburg, Nebraska. It was on our way and was not far off the highway. It was little but free and had a nice park next to it. It was a good get out and wiggle spot. The gentle man that was working was great to talk with and showed the kids some cool things in the little museum. I was glad we stopped. We arrived around 6:30 we arrived at the Ramada Des Monies Tropic Resort. A friend had told me about this place and I am so glad she did. It was about the price of a regular hotel but it had a water park. The kids loved it. It was a nice way to end our trip. Since there wasn't much planned out our return itinerary.
Gothenburg, Nebraska
Original Pony Express station
Des Monies Tropic Resort
Saturday
We woke up the next morning and played in the pool for a little bit then had lunch in our room. We hit the road and drove the last 7 hours home with very few stops. We arrived home and went right to bed and unpacked in the morning. We will hold on tight to all the good memories we made on this trip.
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