The Eagles
Christopher J.Roy
God's Country
South Dakota and Wyoming
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Chamberlain, SD,the bridge spans the Missouri River.
We had always wanted to go to South Dakota,and Wyoming . Finally in 1993 we took our first trip to these two magnificient states. The beauty of the mountains,sparkling streams ,forests, clear blue sky and wide open spaces left us awe-struck. We can hardly wait until we return once more.
We selected a few of our pics hoping you may be able to experience some of the beauty of South Dakota,and Wyoming.
Black Hills National Forest
covers more than 1.2 million acres.The Black Hills of SD extends westward into Wyoming.The Black Hills National Forest was established in 1897.
Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway makes a 70 mile loop via the Needles Highway;Iron Mountain Road,with its scenic views of Mount Rushmore framed by tunnels and over the pigtail bridges.
Custer State Park.
comprises 73 thousand acres of the South Dakota Black Hills.It is the habitat of one of the world's largest free-roaming bison herds.
Other large mammals living in the Park include Elk,Big Horn Sheep,Prong horn antelope,mountain goats and deer.
We must not forget the donkeys.These favorite animals of ours;call Custer State Park their home.
They walk on the road,stopping every car or truck they can for handouts.
We always take bunches of carrots to feed these adorable creatures.
This is Chuck feeding one of the donkeys.
Needles Highway Scenic Drive is a 14 mile route threading through the oddly,shaped,weathered granite spires.
Sylvan Lake is famous in the Black Hills for its unusual setting. It is surrounded by mammoth rock formations rising from the waters edge.
We like to pack a picnic lunch and hike around the lake.
Harney Peak is 7,242feet at the summit.The peak can be reached by hiking trails from Sylvan Lake.
If you are fortunate enough to reach the summit you are able to view the countryside of four states.
Mount Rushmore National Memorial
is 2 miles southwest of Keystone. The
colossal heads of George Washington,Thomas Jefferson,Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt were created under the direction of Gutzon Borglum.
The memorial is one of the largest pieces of sculpture ever created.The gigantic outcropping of granite from which the memorial was carved is at the top of the mountains,about 1,400feet from the visitor center.Each face is 60 feet high and carved with an intricate perfection of detail and expression. Special terraces and marked observation points permit viewing.
Mount Rushmore symbolizes the distinctive achievements of the United States leaders. Washington represents the founding of the Union,Jefferson, the Declaration Of Independence and the Louisiana Purchase,Lincoln,the preservation of the Union and Roosevelt,the expansion of the country and the conservation of its natural resources.
Corn Palace
has portions of the exterior and interior covered with designs of corn outlined with grasses and grains.
Each year 2,000 to 3,000 bushels of various shades of corn and grasses are used to decorate the building.
Hill City's first settlers arrived in 1876,lured by the discovery of gold and copper. A group of Englishmen spent $5 million mining and milling tin in the 1880's. The miners were later joined by ranchers and lumbermen who helped settle the area.
When visiting Hill City,the 1880 Train is a must on everyones list.
It is one of America's last steam trains still in service. Old Baldwin engines and 19th century coaches provide 2 hour trips along a route that miners and pioneers used to explore the Black Hills. the route includes locations used in the filming of "Gunsmoke" and "Orphan Train".
Badlands National Park
Badlands
Beneath the Badlands lies one of the world's finest Oligocene fossil beds of mammals that flourished 23 to 37 million years ago. Between the White and Cheyenne rivers in southwestern South Dakota, the area also contains spectacualr examples of weathering and erosion. Irregular ravines, fantastic ridges,low hills and cliffs display variegated color alternating with grayish-white sediment.
The present buffalo population is about 500. Other wildlife inhabiting the park include coyotes,deers,golden eagles,pronghorns and prairie dogs.
Roberts Prairie Dog Town can be seen along the Sage Creek Rim Road.
Deadwood has only one main street. That is all that space permits on the floor of Deadwood Gulch.the rest of the town clings to the steep sides of the canyon.
Wall is the northern gateway to the Badlands National Park. Wall Drug Store is a block long. It is the "old west"at its best. Main Street still has many buildings constructed during the days of western civilization. Ruts made by wagons that carried prospectors and their supplies to the gold fields of the Black Hills are still visible on the near-by prairie.
Whether you want souvenirs,good food or relive the days of the "old west" Wall is a definite stop on your agenda.
Keystone was established as a mining town after an expedition led by Lt. Col.George Armstrong Custer descovered gold nearby in 1874. Particularly lucrative was the Holy Terror Gold Mine,discovered in 1894. The owner named the Holy Terror after his wife,who had previously been disgruntled that the family mines were never named in her honor.However,she took it in stride when the mine began yielding $70,000 worth of gold a week.
There are many more places in South Dakota that we visited that are also very beautiful.Our next stop was to beautiful Wyoming.
One of our favorite cities in Wyoming is
Cody
It was founded by Col.William "Buffalo Bill"F.Cody in 1898.
Some of the state's most scenic areas including Sunlight Basin,Absaroka, and Beartooth mountains and Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area are nearby.
U.S.14/16/20 which leads through the Wapiti Valley and Cody on its way to Yellowstone,was designated by President Theodore Roosevelt as the most scenic 52 miles in America.
We got caught in a snowstorm while traveling to the peak.Chuck wasn't afraid but I sure was.
Buffalo Bill Buffalo Historical Center
is the world's largest western heritage center. It houses four museums. They are:Buffalo Bill Museum, The Cody Firearms Museum, The Plains Indian Museum and Whitney Gallery of Western Art.
Devils Tower National Monument occupies 1,347 acres in the area between Sundance and Hulett.
The tower,a huge monolith resembling a colossal stone tree stump,rises 867 feet from its base and 1,267 feet above the Belle Fourche River.The nearly 2 acre top has a growth of sagebrush and grass and the almost perpendicular sides are fluted columns. The tower was formed when numerous sedimentary layers eroded from around a volcanic intrusion that had cooled in a teardrop formation.
Bighorn National Forest encompasses 1,115,171 acres in the Bighorn Mountains of north-central Wyoming.
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Big Horn Scenic Byway crosses 8,950 foot Granite Pass and winds through scenic Shell Falls and Canyon.
Shoshone National Forest occupies nearly 3 million acres in northwestern Wyoming.Marked by glaciers,hundreds of lakes and immense areas of exposed rock interspersed with meadows and woodlands.
It is the habitat of pronghorn antelope,black and grizzly bears,game birds,coyotes,deer,bald and golden eagles,elk,moose,mountain sheep and goats.
Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone was established in 1872 as the worlds first national park.
Although most of the parks 3,472 square miles lies in northwestern Wyoming,it also extends into Montana and Idaho. The central portion of the park is essentially a broad,elevated volcanic plateau that lies between 6,500 and 8,500 feet above sea level. On the south,east,north and northwest are mountains ranges with peaks and ridges between 2,000 and 4,000 feet above the enclosed tableland.
The most outstanding of Yellowstone's natural phenomena are the thousands of displays that compose the world's largest thermal basins.Burst of scalding water spurt high into the air from some of these,while others bubble and spit its murky depths.
Mutilated pools born from steaming springs tint the lands surface. Algae and bacteria color the formation in areas of thermal activity,while not far away vigorous steam vents emit uncanny sounds.
Yellowstone is one of the most successful wildlife sanctuaries in the world.
Grizzly and black bears can be seen occasionally in the back country and sometimes from park roadways. The park also has several thousand elks, mule deer,pronghorn antelope and moose,bands of bighorn sheep and about 2350 bison
Chuck at Yellowstone
We hope you have enjoyed our little excursion from the Black Hills to Yellowstone National Park. Although they are beautiful,there are no pictures that can fully capture the majesty and beauty of the forests,mountains and the wildlife that roams free as God intended. The majestic mountains,the beautiful forests,the clear streams,and the abundant wildlife were created for man to enjoy-not to destroy.
We believe that South Dakota and Wyoming as well as southern Ohio were truly touched by the Hand of God.
Links to other sites on the Web
Badlands
Black Hills
Mount Rushmore
Black Elk Wilderness
Custer State Park
South Dakota State Parks
Corn Palace
Wounded Knee
Yellowstone
Buffalo Bill
Buffalo Bill Village
Cody
