Category
- Art 1
- Bike Rides 7
- Boondocking 2
- Capitals 3
- Food on the Road 2
- Hikes & Trails 3
- History & Architecture 1
- History & Culture 11
- Kayaking 1
- Museum 1
- National Park 4
- Nature & Outdoors 17
- Photography 6
- Sculptures 1
- Shorelines & Water 1
- Travel Journal 22
- Van Life 41
- capitals 11
- hike 1
- historic sites 3
- parks 3
- photography 3
- trails 2
Fort Meade
Fort Meade is where the daily playing of The Star-Spangled Banner first began, a custom that spread across the Army and helped establish our national anthem. I spent time exploring the fort, photographing Bear Butte at sunset, and walking through Black Hills National Cemetery in golden light — three places that carry the weight of history and memory in the Black Hills.
Sturgis & Belle Fourche
The Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame brings motorcycle history to life with custom bikes, early models, and the inspiring story of Mary McGee. A short drive north, Belle Fourche marks the Geographic Center of the United States with a monument and a local history museum. Two stops, one theme—South Dakota’s deep connection to heritage and adventure.
Pierre Capitol Tour and Prairie Homestead
My South Dakota day took me from the marble halls of the State Capitol in Pierre, to the underground world of the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site, and finally to the Brown Homestead where pioneer life came alive. Three places, each with a very different story, but all part of South Dakota’s past.
Badlands National Park
From Cold War history at the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site to the rugged beauty of Badlands National Park, my day was packed with contrasts. I wandered the chaos of Wall Drug, stood above the Delta-09 missile silo, and hiked the Badlands at golden hour. History, kitsch, and landscapes all came together in one unforgettable loop.
Sioux Falls To Pierre SD
A windy drive along Route 14 led me to Pierre, South Dakota’s quiet capital. I explored the expansive capitol grounds, the Trail of Governors, and downtown’s small-town charm before ending the day at Walmart with dinner and rest.
Tour of Sioux Falls
A day in downtown Sioux Falls brought sculpture walks, historic quartzite landmarks, quirky café moments, and an unforgettable meal along the river before tucking in for the night.
Sioux Falls: Falls Park and Biking the City Loop
I spent the day in Sioux Falls, starting with the roaring cascades at Falls Park and then riding the paved bike trail that loops around the city and finishing up with spectacular images of the sky.
Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Prairie and Corn Palace
In De Smet I followed the trail of Laura Ingalls Wilder—from schools and the courthouse to the Ingalls Homestead—before heading to Mitchell to discover the Corn Palace, an auditorium covered in corn murals and steeped in history.
Quiet Towns on Labor Day: Ellendale and Redfield, SD
Crossing into South Dakota on Labor Day, I stopped in Ellendale and Redfield—two small towns where history lingers in opera houses, train stations, and quiet streets.
Chase Lake and Frontier Village
My trip to Chase Lake National Wildlife Refuge didn’t go as planned—the main access road is closed until further notice due to unsafe conditions. I made it within a few hundred yards of the refuge only to find the road underwater, so no bird photos this time. Instead, I turned south to Jamestown, where Frontier Village and the World’s Largest Buffalo turned out to be a quirky mix of prairie history, roadside attractions, and a concrete beast that’s been watching over travelers for more than 60 years.
Bismark, ND - State Capitol
Touring North Dakota’s Capitol gave me a look at one of only three “tower” capitols in the country, complete with Art Deco details, massive wheat-inspired chandeliers, and sweeping prairie views from the 18th floor. I also stopped at the new Governor’s Residence, with its Prairie School feel, and wandered the historic grounds of Fort Abraham Lincoln where the Custer House stands on its original foundation—a place filled with both family life and frontier history.
Lewis & Clark Interprative Center
From the massive Garrison Dam to the reconstructed Fort Mandan, the day mixed history with a few surprises. At the Interpretive Center, I learned how the Mandan and Hidatsa sustained entire villages and saw Karl Bodmer’s artwork that brought their world to life. A Sioux guide at the fort shared stories of the Corps of Discovery, from daily routines to the “peace flags” they gave tribal leaders. Later in Bismarck, dinner across from a live wrestling match turned into some street photography before I ended the night at a quiet campsite on the water.
Knife River Indian Villages
Two reset days in Dickinson gave me time to regroup before heading north to Knife River Indian Villages. Walking among the mounds where Hidatsa earthlodges once stood, I could almost picture the families who lived here, farming, trading, and gathering along the rivers. The history was rich, the reconstructed lodge gave it shape, and the trails made it real. My day wrapped up with a not-so-smooth attempt to book a campsite at Lake Sakakawea.
Enchanted Highway
Driving the backroads to Regent, North Dakota, I found myself on the Enchanted Highway, a 30-mile stretch lined with massive scrap-metal sculptures dreamed up by Gary Greff. From geese soaring across a steel sunburst to a 100-foot dragon squaring off with Sir Albert the knight, each piece rises unexpectedly out of farmland. What started in the late 1980s as one man’s fight to keep his hometown alive has turned into a quirky success story that still draws thousands of visitors each year.
Petrified Forest Theodore Roosevelt National Park
My day started boondocking outside Theodore Roosevelt National Park and led me deep into the North Trail of the Petrified Forest. Between herds of cows blocking the road, wild horses watching my every step, and a lone bison cooling itself among fossilized tree stumps, the hike was a mix of ancient geology and living wildlife. Wide-open prairies, sweeping badland views, and even a glowing cell tower at sunset made it a day to remember.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park (South Unit)
The South Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park turned into a day of detours, surprises, and reflections. From road construction delays and an unexpected film about the James Webb Space Telescope, to prairie dogs stealing the show on the scenic drive, the trip was less about perfect views and more about the experience of being there—even when the loop ended with a forced turnaround.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Unit)
The North Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park surprised me with its rugged beauty, quiet roads, and some unexpected geology lessons. Driving the 14-mile scenic road brought me to wide river overlooks, bison herds, and one of my favorite features of the park—the Cannonball Concretions. These perfectly round rock formations are still partly a mystery, but standing among them felt like walking through nature’s own sculpture garden. At moments, during the golden hour, the display of colors on the sides of the mountains was spectacularly breathtaking.
Drive to Walford City
A long day’s drive across North Dakota took me from quirky roadside Americana — the W’eel Turtle in Dunseith, built from more than 2,000 discarded car wheels — to the oil-and-farm country near Watford City. Along the way I saw the stark contrast between the state’s two economies: endless fields of corn, soybeans, and sunflowers on one side, and oil rigs punching into the prairie on the other. By evening, I rolled into the north side of Theodore Roosevelt National Park, ready to settle in for the night.
Lake Metigoshe Park
Exploring Bottineau brought me to some of North Dakota’s quirkiest and most memorable stops—from the star-aligned concrete pillars of Mystical Horizons to the giant snowmobile-riding mascot, Tommy the Turtle, and finally to Lake Metigoshe State Park, where the trails, showers, and scenery each left their own impression.