We just returned from a trip to the Big Sky Country where we made our way through South Dakota, Wyoming, Idaho and Utah. There was beautiful landscapes and a variety of wild animals everywhere we went.
We saw Bandlands National Park and the carvings – both Rushmore and Crazy Horse – of the Black Hills.
We rode up to Devils Tower but did not see any alien spacecraft landing.
We visited the Buffalo Bill Center of the West in Cody, Wyoming.
We made our way through Yellowstone National Park, where we stayed at the Old Faithful Inn. We saw geysers, bison, elk, a wolf and massive waterfalls. However, the best part was watching Old Faithful erupt and the sun rose over the horizon. It was just Necole and I watching a sight that usually attracts thousands.
We rafted the whitewater of the Snake River in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Along the way, we saw otter playing in the water and a bald eagle perched on the limb of a dead tree.
We glamped on the shores on Bear Lake, a natural lake that covered 109 square miles and straddles the border of Idaho and Utah. We floated the waters and took in the blueness that makes Bear Lake the Caribbean of the Rockies.
We drove the length of Wyoming on the return to Rapid City, South Dakota. On the route, we crossed the Oregon Trail and the Bozeman Trail. We passed by Teapot Dome, the namesake of a massive presidential scandal. We went through Johnson County, the location of a range war that made its way into the pages of history.
It was a lengthy trip, and a detailed account would take up post after post. Instead, I have decided to portray our excursion with my favorite photograph from each day. Be warned that they are mostly landscapes. I have been told that I am better at capturing landscapes than I am at capturing people.
Day 1 – Mount Rushmore
Day 2 – Devils Tower
Day 3 – Buffalo Bill Center of the West
Day 4 – Yellowstone Falls
Day 5 – Snake River
Day 6 -Conestoga Ranch
Day 7 – Bear Lake
Day 8 – Plains of Johnson County
It was a great trip that created a lot of fantastic memories. One of these days, we will make it back to Big Sky Country.
SBI: A Thinning Crowd 
You made the trip WE want to make but won’t because we just can’t drive that many hours anymore. I’m glad no alien spaceships were landing. I feel much more secure already.
It was great. I wish you could get out there. We saw a bunch of tour buses making the same route.
Congrats! I love your stopping points. Although, I have not been to Utah, yet. Sounds like an ambitious trip. My favorite was the Snake River. So beautiful!
The Snake River was great. I had not been to Jackson before. Once we left Yellowstone, I was in new territory. I had never been to those parts of Idaho and Utah.
I love discovering places I’ve never been to before.