I grew up in Northeastern Wyoming and went on a lot of road trips, both East and West. Here are my favorite places to stop and visit in Northwestern Nebraska and Northeastern Wyoming. I am biased since I grew up there but I think it is so beautiful and I hope you find yourself in the Black Hills, Badlands and the Big Horns one day!
The best time of year to visit many of these places is late spring through early fall. Many destinations have shortened hours during the winter and heavy snowfall can cause road closures throughout the state. Avoid visiting Western South Dakota during the first week of August. This week is the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally and it brings in over 400,000 motorcyclists to the area; however, if you are a motorcyclist, you'll love the rally.
Northwestern South Dakota |
Wall Drug is essentially an old trading post that has been made into a big tourist trap but a really fun one. It’s one part Western town,one part shopping mall and one part historic site. My two year old loved taking her picture on the 8 foot tall Jackelope and my 5 year old spent our time cooling off from the 98 degree heat in the free spray ground. It’s a fun stop when you are driving across South Dakota and just need a quick break. My favorite thing? They have the BEST donuts. Whenever I know of someone driving through I ask them to get some for me. Wall Drug is off of I-90 near mile marker 110. You can’t miss it; there are signs every five miles as you near it. You can plan for an hour if you take the time to go.
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Mt. Rushmore is like the Statue of Liberty or the Grand Canyon, everyone should see it once. After you view Mt. Rushmore, you can visit the tourist center which is very informative. The cost to get into Mt. Rushmore is free but you have to pay to park. Plan for two hours to visit Rushmore.
Jewel Cave, the 3rd longest cave system in the world, is one of the best kept secrets of Western South Dakota. This national park is absolutely a must-see! As you are driving west on I-90 you will see signs for other caves, don't be fooled! Go to Jewel Cave. Get there early in the day as tours book up quickly. You cannot purchase tickets ahead of time; it is first come, first serve. My favorite tour to go on is the Scenic Cave Tour. It is $12 adults, $8 for youth, and 5 and under are FREE. The tour is about 1.5 hours long and is a moderate amount of exercise. There are a lot of stairs to climb as you are going through cave. Wear appropriate foot wear (caves are damp) and consider bringing a jacket. It is always cool (around about 50 degrees) in the cave. You cannot take strollers on the tour; however, I have worn my children in carriers before. Plan for 2-3 hours at Jewel Cave.
Crazy Horse Memorial is a sculpture, carved into a mountain, of a warrior, riding a horse and pointing into the distance. When it is finished it will be much, much larger than Mt. Rushmore. Currently, only the head has been sculpted. If you choose to visit Crazy Horse, you'll have a medium drive with breathtaking scenic views of the Badlands. Along with the statue, there are museums and shopping on site, areas you can walk and hike and a laser show at night. It is $28.00 per car to enter Crazy Horse Memorial. Plan for two hours to visit this destination.
Spearfish, SD is near the border of Wyoming and South Dakota, nestled in the Black Hills. It is a gorgeous town and one of my favorite places to spend a day or to stop on a long car ride. They have an adorable down town with lots of local shops. Our favorite place? The Spearfish City Park has probably one of the best playgrounds that I have ever seen (and I've been to a lot). It is fence with only two exits so if you've got a runner (I do) it isn't as stressful as many parks. The park also has the beautiful and serene creek that runs through it and the historic and educational DC Booth Historic Fish Hatchery. Looking for a bit more excitement? Spearfish has a big, outdoor water park that everyone in the family will love.
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Northwestern Wyoming |
Devil’s Tower is the inside of a volcano and it is America's first national monument. It is stunning and boldly stands out in the landscape. This is the place to go if your kids have energy to burn. People visit Devil's Tower to walk around the base of the tower, spot wildlife and watch climbers scale the tower. The walk around the base is approximately one mile. Kids can run, jump and climb their way around the tower.
Make sure to sign your kids up to be “Junior Park Rangers” and get the little book. If you don't see a sign for it, ask a ranger. Kids take the book (similar to a scavenger hunt) on their hike around the tower and afterwards they show it to a ranger. Hint: don’t lie about what you see, the rangers will know if there aren’t any bald eagles around that year. Bring a picnic with you to eat at the base of the tower and enjoy this amazing feat of nature. Devil's Tower gets crowded and at the height of summer, it is hot so go early if you can. It is $10/car and you'll need 2-3 hours at Devil's Tower. Read more about Devil's Tower here.
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Gillette, WY sits on the Northeastern corner of Wyoming is on I-90 (my favorite way to travel to Yellowstone). The Recreation Center (250 Shoshone Avenue) has an indoor water park with multiple pools, two water slides, a lazy river with tubes, beach entry with a splash pad and more! For food, I would suggest Pizza Carello, the Prime Rib Restaurant or Humphrey's Bar & Grill. Looking for indoor activities? Check out the Rockpile Museum or the Eagle Butte Mine Co. Tour.
My favorite road to Yellowstone is the Northern route, I-90 to to 14 which takes you through the gorgeous Big Horn Mtns, Buffalo, Sheridan and Cody. It is truly stunning! Buffalo, WY is a small town along I-90 at the base of the Big Horn Mtns. It boasts a quaint and lovely downtown with antique shops, ice cream parlors and local restaurants (try the Busy Bee!). There is so much history in the town! Our favorite outdoor activity is to go the famous outdoor Buffalo City Pool (S Burritt & W Angus St). Why is it famous? Well, for one it is HUGE and secondly, it is fed by a creek that comes down from the mountains so it is chilly. It has free admission, a water slide, a diving board, a splash pad and did I mention that it is enormous? I wouldn't recommend swimming during any months other than June, July and August. Next to this pool are not 1, not 2 but 3 playgrounds! And there is a creek that kids and adults spend hours playing and fishing in. You could stop here for an afternoon break or for a whole day. If you are lucky enough to find yourself in Buffalo, WY I highly doubt you'd want to go inside but if you do, check out The Historic Occidental Hotel Museum or the Jim Gatchell Memorial Museum.
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Enjoy your trip to this beautiful part of the world! If you are going to Yellowstone and would like more recommendations, please email me at marym@macaronikid.com and I'd be happy to help.
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