Hearts in Hawai'i
Our Trip to South Dakota (2023)--Day 6
9/14/2023
Devils Tower
Morning darkness waiting for the lights to come on and breakfast to be served!
The drive on I-90 from Rapid City west into Wyoming is one of my favorites. You have beautiful rolling hills, some small mountains especially in the Spearfish area and light traffic. It takes just over an hour and a half to get there. The weather was fine save for a few light sprinkles. We're hoping for clearer weather (which we got) once we hit our destination.
After turning off I-90 onto US-14, a wayside rest allowed our first glimpse of the distant Tower.
Still some driving to do to get to Devils Tower, but we're close!
Entry to the park is $25 and there is no senior discount as there was at Mt. Rushmore. When it gets busy here, the line to get in can be very long--as we found out how long when we left to go back to Rapid City and encountered dozens of vehicles waiting to enter the park. They only let in a set number of vehicles at one time so as not to create too big a crowd at the Tower and on its trails. Even with that restriction, finding a parking spot was a buggah!
There are two trails circling the Tower--the Red Beds Trail runs for about 2.8 miles and is a moderately difficult trail. An easier trail on the inside of Red Beds, the Tower Trail is paved and is an easy hike other than some ups and downs. This trail runs 1.8 miles and is the one we chose. We chatted with numerous people along the way (including a fellow D750 shooter!) But our most rewarding chat was with another couple--she had been visiting Maui for 50 years--and we discussed all manner of topics pertaining to our favorite vacation getaway.
Some nice valley views from the trail
Yes, these guys are actually climbing the tour
One last view of the Tower as we drive away
We kicked around options on where to eat dinner--Mackenzie River Pizza and Firehouse Brewing were discussed and their online menus perused. In the end, we didn't feel like dining at either of those places, opting instead for the Colonial House. It was a good decision; Patty had their soup, salad and bread combination and I was intrigued by the Bada Bing Pasta, featuring onions, mushrooms and Andouille Sausage in a creamy marinara sauce over linguine. It was pretty good, but the marinara sauce missed something I couldn't put my finger on. It was like they used jarred marinara sauce. This isn't necessarily a bad thing--I love Rao's marinara sauce, for example. As a leftover the next night, it was outstanding and the portion size was gigantic! We were stuffed by the time we left, partly due to choosing a meatball appetizer. It seems we all too often order too much food! 
Previous: 9/13/2023--Our Trip To South Dakota (2023)--Day 5
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last updated september 25, 2023
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