The most fascinating thing about Mount Rushmore (to me) is that it’s preposterous. It’s in the middle of nowhere, carved from a mountain with controversial ownership, and features four men with no obvious connection to the region. My longstanding fascination with monuments however, meant there was no way I could do a road trip through this part of the U.S. without stopping to see it, and it … Continue reading Mount Rushmore National Monument
For my fellow nerds, the first thing we need to talk about is what we’re actually looking at, because despite widespread agreement on the basics, geologists still aren’t exactly sure about the specifics when it comes to how this tower formed (and no, it’s not hollow.) There is agreement that the tower is composed of an igneous rock (meaning it was once lava or magma) … Continue reading Devils Tower National Monument
Cody is a small town, but big enough to offer all of the services you’d expect in a medium sized city, with lots of entertainment, dining and lodging options. Just 50 miles from the East entrance to Yellowstone (a stunningly beautiful drive), with an altitude below 5,000 feet, it’s a perfect place to stop for a few days to rest and regroup if you are … Continue reading Cody, Wyoming
The Heart Mountain Interpretive Center and National Historic Monument is located about a fifteen minute drive outside of Cody, Wyoming, and if I hadn’t been specifically heading to it, I probably would have driven right past without even realizing it was there. That would have been a huge miss, because this was the most intellectually and emotionally moving place I visited during my entire four … Continue reading Heart Mountain
The story of the native people of the American plains is epic, and still unfolding today. This museum does a great job of providing a basic overview of the complex network of tribes, with exhibits that highlight their cultures, their traditions, their spiritual perspectives and values, and provides some context of their lives today. The label of “Plains Indian” is a rather broad brush to paint … Continue reading Plains Indian Museum
This was the first museum I visited which was wholly dedicated to western art, and it was a lot more interesting than I expected. I don’t know what I was expecting, exactly. There were three areas of particular interest to me that I’ll highlight here, but if what floats my boat doesn’t float yours, go visit this museum anyway! There is a LOT of variety. … Continue reading Whitney Western Art Museum
This is a fascinating museum that focuses on the natural history of the area around Yellowstone National Park. The exhibits are filled with the artistry of talented taxidermists. This would normally not be my thing, at all, but here the preserved animals are presented in a way that helps visitors understand how the whole ecosystem fits together. Famous animals are also preserved here, along with … Continue reading Draper Natural History Museum
If you are passing through Cody, Wyoming, you should definitely make time for a stop at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West. The Center is actually five exceptional museums in one, and is surrounded by impressive sculpture gardens. I was planning to spend a day here, but after four hours of wandering through the incredibly well curated exhibits, I realized it would be a two … Continue reading Buffalo Bill Museum: Life and legend of Buffalo Bill and the West he loved.
One of the most exciting things about Yellowstone for me, was that while I was wandering among the cool geothermal features, I was also wandering among big, impressive wildlife. I found it amusing to see the signs notifying visitors that bison have the right of way on boardwalks, but when a one ton animal casually walked up onto the path and stood there looking at … Continue reading Yellowstone National Park: Part 2 – A Wildlife Scavenger Hunt
I could easily spend an entire month wandering around this massive park, exploring both the wildlife and the fascinating geothermal features that draw life from sitting atop a large super volcano, a massive magma reserve below. It was vaguely discomforting to know that is what’s behind all of the bubbling, steaming, and spouting water features, but since scientists don’t expect another eruption for the next … Continue reading Yellowstone National Park (Part 1: Exploring a Volcano)
Magic Carpet Caravan 