By Brian Nelson
Prologue
If ever you need a break from the blandness of Florida, GO WEST!
We called this The Great Western Adventure. Truth be told, though, it was a contender for The Trip From Hell: a no-notice cancelled flight, one very delayed flight (3:30am arrival home), two life-threatening bad tires on a rental car (we had to pay for replacements), and two anxious ER visits that concluded fortunately that nothing’s really amiss. (Incidentally, the Alberta heath care system is excellent!)
So, here we go …
South Dakota – Day 1
After wasting almost 4 hours in a tire shop the next morning (see above), enough daylight remained to reach the Badlands National Park on the eastern side of Rapid City. The 40 mile loop road is a must-do. It can best be described as tripping through a Hollywood back-lot for a Sci-Fi flick like The Martians. The road winds you around these alien-like rock formations, from steep towering spires to deep barren canyons. None of it paper-mache. The Badlands got its name from the Lakota, mako sica (meaning “bad land”). Later, French trappers were in full agreement after they fought their way through the maze. Said to be a home for bison and other wildlife, we saw none on this visit, likely due to the heat of the day. But the wowza scenery was more than enough.
South Dakota – Day 2
We gulped our way through a second decadently delicious breakfast at the Summer Creek Inn and headed deeper into the Black Forest and Custer State Park. It wasn’t long before phone and internet coverage got spotty and we missed our turn for Mt. Rushmore. So, we roamed the hills blindly wondering where we’d end up. We came upon a somewhat hidden promontory that rewarded us a unique elevated view of the four presidents most visitors don’t get to see.
Once again behind the wheel, we eventually got back on track as we found the road that took us south to the bottom of Custer State Park. Normally, this is where everyone says you will see bison on the road. That was true on my last visit 30 years ago. Not this time. The bison had taken the afternoon off. Only a few stragglers lounged in the grass by the park entrance. But we did come face-to-face with the famously ugly “begging burros”, a friendly bunch of feral donkeys that roam at will along the 18-mile Wildlife Loop Road looking for snacks.
Our route back north on the Loop eventually delivered us to Mt Rushmore’s main entrance for the obligatory photo-op. Notice how quiet it was. It was the end of the day and off-peak tourist season, so parking was easy and we got in and out in half and hour. As a bonus, leaving around back of the monument, we caught a side view rarely seen of GW.
Now, reversing gears for a moment … our meandering drive up to the Mt. Rushmore complex proved once again an old travelers tip: a missed turn isn’t always an annoyance. Sometimes it’s an opportunity … a detour to the Road Less Traveled. And true to form, the scenery got really interesting. We found ourselves driving the famous 14 mile drive called the Needles Highway. For the most part, it’s a meandering two-lane road that climbs up to elevation. Then, you come to one of several tunnels bored through the granite decades ago to create the touring road. Those two lanes shrink to one. And before you know it, there’s a narrow hole in the rock wall through which you’re expected to drive through without losing a wing mirror and ruining the paint job.
Single-file you go, gingerly, holding your breath, encouraged that the big pickup ahead of you is getting through. And when you do, you emerge to a stunning landscape of jutting granite pillars and spires.
You’re reminded somewhat of yesterday’s Badlands, but the Needles are not Badlands-barren. There are plenty of trees sprouting up. It is the ROCK! If rocks could dance, these seem to be performing a Baryshnikov ballet, vaulting and lurching to the heavens, striving to touch the sky in rebellion to South Dakota’s otherwise flat prairie nature. Beautiful … and more so in person.
Finally, Crazy Horse. One man’s 20th century dedication to carving a monument to the historical Lakota warrior has morphed into a 21st century revenue generating machine with entrance fees and a visitor center. And on Crazy Horse himself, the eyesore of a construction crane. Locals say very little of “educational and humanitarian” 501 (c) (3), tourist dollars have found their way to the impoverished local Indian population. Pro Tip: consider not paying the $30/couple entrance fee and instead drive ½ mile down the highway for a better, free roadside photo. Unfortunately, the crane remains an eyesore.
Yellowstone National Park
At an average 8-thousand foot elevation (topping out at 11,000 ft), Yellowstone National Park marks the start of our western “high’. The park’s numerous hot springs, its vast wilderness and towering trees, and the lumbering bison and bears create an experience like none other.
Our staging area was Bozeman, from where we made the 90 minute trip to the park’s northern entrance. Fun fact: about 96% of the park is located in Wyoming. Montana and Idaho have to share the remaining 4%.
Having ample warning of cool temperatures and rain for late May, we packed appropriately. On the plus side, however, less than ideal weather meant crowds were thinner and the experience better than the jockeying we would have had to endure with mid-summer hordes.
Our one-day Yellowstone guided tour (booked through Trip Advisor) produced numerous iconic moments. Our first – from a distance – was a cinnamon black bear, the day’s appetizer, so to speak. From there, we moved on to catch sight – through our guide’s high powered lens – of a wolf seen carrying off an elk’s leg. Imagine! And it was something of a first for our guide, yet a potent reminder this is really a wild park.
More driving and finally, BISON!! There they were! Lots of American buffalo. And because this was spring, we got to see baby bison jumping around, frolicking in their attention-grabbing new orange-ish fur.
Encouraged, we kept driving, looking for more wildlife. And suddenly, up on the right shoulder were three or four bison quietly dining on roadside grass, oblivious to nearby cars stopped to get a better look. One of these mammoth grass-munching creatures let us pull alongside close enough to touch through the opened van door. Our guide wisely kept the vehicle in gear, ready to bolt at the first sign of trouble, since bison can quickly change their tolerance for human contact.
Next up was a Yellowstone traffic jam and the Bison Parade. A police escort gently guided a herd making its leisurely way off the highway back to pasture.
Then on to the Lower Falls of the Yellowstone River. At almost 8-thousand feet elevation, the largest and most famous waterfall in Yellowstone plunges 308 feet into the depths of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. That’s nearly twice the height of Niagara Falls and its water volume reaches up to 63,500 gallons per second during peak spring runoff.
Old Faithful
We had blown through our lunch break and still had Old Faithful on our dance card. We stopped at the historic Yellowstone lodge overlooking the water spout and got to briefly marvel at its cabin pine log structure and mammoth vaulting fireplace. The rooms looked pretty cozy too.
But the big event was about to happen. We made our way upstairs to the terrace and joined a small audience in a perfectly timed arrival for the day’s performance by Old Faithful.
Banff and Canmore, Alberta
Next stop, much further north, the famous Canadian ski area of Banff and Canmore. About 90 minutes west of Calgary, the region gives off some of that Montana vibe we left behind down south. Both share a devotion to the outdoors and to wildlife. And of course, to horses and the cowboy culture too. But up here in the mountains, skis and hiking gear lay claim to more of the iconography than do saddles.
The Boss
Now meet an icon. The big guy above is the local “rock star” known as THE BOSS. Not Springsteen, THIS Boss (Bear 122) is Banff and Canmore’s El Hefe. Weighing up to 700 pounds, he is an apex predator of the Bow Valley known for legendary resilience. He claims a massive 2,500 square kilometer territory and is believed to have fathered 50-70% of the grizzly cubs in the region. Thought to be in his late twenties, the massive bruin weighs between 650 and 700 pounds. He has survived multiple train strikes (including one that left him with a distinctive limp) and is known to be so fearsome he has even fed on black bears.
Walk around Banff and its sister town Canmore, and you can’t help but want to pick up a Boss T-shirt or Boss carving, or at the very least return home with a Boss selfie.
Banff National Park
Once again, we took an organized tour for an efficient introduction to the region. Created in 1885 and claiming more than 2500 square miles of terrain, Banff National Park includes Banff and Canmore with their shops, hotels, bars and restaurants. Wildlife are as common as dogs and cats, seen everywhere. The natural setting is beauty on steroids, a stunning 360 degree painting.
Our first stop, no surprise, is none other than renowned Lake Louise. Even on this overcast day, the waters of the iconic body of water were still famously turquoise, with the sun peeking out to add a additional zest of visual flavoring.
Next came Lake Moraine, smaller but a favorite of many who also find its oddly adjacent “rock pile” a reason for an impromptu hike.
Maybe the winner on this particular day was our next stop, Lake Minnewanka. The sky cleared enough to let Cascade Mountain strut its granite beauty from across the lake.
Rivers and waterfalls form a big part of the attraction for visitors in Banff National Park. Sites like Johnston Canyon provide hiking opportunities and the chance to get close to its impressive falls.
We contented ourselves watching the roaring waters making their rush through lower narrows before the Bow river widened out and took on a more peaceful flow. This is where we encountered a local park scientist replenishing his water bottle with pure mountain water. Incidentally, local hotels here normally don’t offer bottled water because tap water comes from the same source, pure mountain runoff.
Finally, we end this trip on a three images summing up Banff’s stunning beauty. On the advice of a new acquaintance, we climbed (by car of course) nearby Mt. Norquay. And wow, did we get a beautiful view of the area!
And we had a visitor. After all, no mountain is complete without something like a Bighorn Sheep, right? And this fellow easily climbed right up the mountainside to join us.
The iconic Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel proudly carries a majesty befitting its stunning surroundings. Locals just call it, The Castle. The old Canadian Pacific hotel is perched way on on a hilltop by itself, with little to look at but mountain peaks all around.
We noted that one of its ground floor corridors bears a simple sign inviting guests and visitors to a hideaway called the “Secret Garden”. We took the bait and walked to the back of the hotel where we opened a door to a lookout. What we saw was especially welcome because our day hadn’t been blessed by the best weather. But in a split second as we stepped out, our day ended brilliantly. There before us was the most mesmerizing vista imaginable, a scene so perfectly framed with depth and contours and color that our eyes bounced like a pinball from left to right to left and right all the way out to the distant mountains and blue sky miles off.
A visual feast and a fitting capstone to The Great Western Adventure!
