January 2019 – Page 2 – Chase the Big Dream

The Black Hills of South Dakota

On to the Black Hills of South Dakota, south of Teddy Roosevelt National Park. We leave the grasslands behind and the road winds into the mountains – tall granite peaks covered with dark green pines. This stop is a whirlwind of national monuments and parks– Devil’s Tower, Jewel Cave, Mount Rushmore and Wind Cave. In addition, we want to see the towering Crazy Horse Memorial, the old west city of Deadwood and are hoping for some exciting wildlife viewing!

Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Onward to Teddy Roosevelt National Park! We are really looking forward to this park – buffalo, prairie dogs and feral horses. Wildflowers and towering buttes in the badlands. There is the much visited South Unit and the more remote, less visited North Unit and we plan to visit both. Our first dry camping experience – this is going to be an adventure!

Voyageurs National Park

We are now leaving the Great Lakes behind us. Our next stop is Voyageurs National Park, land of even bigger bugs and endless lakes, inland waterways and skinny pine forests.

We thought we had already experienced northern Minnesota during our adventures at our last stop (Grand Marais, Grand Portage and Isle Royale National Park), but for this stop we head even further north into Minnesota.

Isle Royale National Park

Our next stop is Grand Marais, Minnesota, our base to visit Isle Royale National Park. Isle Royale is an island in the middle of Lake Superior. The park, famous for its moose and wolves, is one of the least visited national parks. It is only open from April to November and… it is only accessible by boat or plane. Another boat trip, this was now our fifth in a little over two weeks. We were really done boating. But it had to be done – we couldn’t miss the National Park… and a seaplane is not in the budget.