We were up early and out of camp by 6:00 a.m. I’ll miss Slough Creek – it was a small, quiet, scenic place to stay for 3 nights. We headed out with uncertain plans for the day. Our ultimate destination was South Dakota (Badlands National Park, Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse, etc.), but we were debating about going through Crow Nation or stopping at Devil’s Tower on our way. We decided to drive and figure it out as we went, as they were both about 300 miles away. We drove through Beartooth Pass, the only exit out of the northeast corner of Yellowstone; the views were stunning. We drove up to nearly 12,000 feet (a stat displayed on the GPS – something I’ve become even more obsessed with lately!) on a narrow road that weaved in and out of giant glacial boulders, creeks, and lakes. The Sprinter handled it beautifully and Deven imagined how fun this drive would be in her father’s racecar. I verified that she was going the speed limit (on the GPS – another favorite stat!) and reminded her that we are in a 6-wheeler that is nearly 25 feet long. After our descent, we went through a lot of little towns scattered throughout Montana and Wyoming. We often went several miles without seeing an exit or sign of any activity. There were a lot of non-descript little structures in the middle of nowhere and we’re pretty certain there’s some secret government projects going on around here! We made our way out of Wyoming, and looped back into southern Montana, stopping at the Little Bighorn Battlefield. This National Monument, which consists of a National Cemetery, the battlefield itself, and a small museum, memorializes one of the last armed efforts of five Plains Indian tribes to preserve their way of life. The battle lasted 2 days in June of 1876 and 260+ American soldiers were killed and less than 100 American Indians died (mostly Lakota and Cheyenne). We toured through the museum and stood on the spot where Custer’s Last Stand took place. This memorial was a little frustrating because it’s presented mostly from the American soldier’s point of view. There was one part designed by members of the Lakota, Cheyenne, and other tribes, which paid tribute to the fallen American Indians. There were very poignant quotes from tribal members past and present along with symbolic structures and art within the memorial. Also in tribute to the American Indian perspective, the name was recently changed from Custer’s Battlefield to Little Bighorn Battlefield (named after the adjacent river, Little Bighorn). From there, we drove back into Wyoming and made quick stops in both Sheridan and Gilette – two places I cannot even compare to any town I know near Seattle. They were both so small (even though they’re two of the bigger cities in the state), full of cowboys, and seemed like we went back in time about 25 years. There was a little bit of activity in Gilette, as they were in the middle of the National Rodeo High School Championships. I made Deven wear her cowboy hat into the grocery store (even though she was wearing workout shorts and tennis shoes and carrying my little coach purse)…needless to say, she was getting some very interesting looks and I couldn’t buy a thing because I was laughing so hard. We were back on the road and decided to stop at Devil’s Tower, our nation’s first national monument, located in the northeast corner of Wyoming. After driving about 460 miles for the day, we found a campsite in the park, and headed up the hill to tour the monument. Even if you know this structure from the movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind, it would still surprise you to see it jutting up in what seems like the middle of nowhere. The geological story is basically another case of erosion; however, the American Indians have many different legends that tell the story of what most tribes call Bear’s Lodge – a place they hold very sacred and still come to pray near. It is a place of controversy for the American Indians because the common name has such negative connotations and nearly 5,000 rock climbers travel here each year from around the world to ascend their sacred place. We learned a little bit about the legends of what I insist on calling Bear’s Lodge, walked the 1.5-mile trail around the base and attended a ranger-led information session around the campfire later that night. Tomorrow, we’re heading into South Dakota and I’m so excited to see Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse.
