North Carolina has some really interesting park units. Some are full of the beauty of nature, others tell the story of some pretty significant events in history. All of them are worth a visit and should be added to your North Carolina bucket list. Some will take you an hour or two, while others will have you coming back again and again for weeklong trips.

Below is a list of all of the North Carolina National Parks. When we started going to all of them, we learned of some new ones. We have lived in North Carolina for most of our lives and we had no idea that Carl Sandburg Home was anything! For this list we left off the three National Trails – Appalachian, Trail of Tears, and Overmountain Victory. These all are significant trails, but they are not talked about extensively in this post.

How many of these parks have you been to? Which one is next on your travel list? Are there some you had never heard about?

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

The Smokies are the only unit with the National Park designation in North Carolina. This stunning park sits on the border of North Carolina and Tennessee. The main visitor’s center and where most people enter through is Tennessee. This has caused many people to say this is a Tennessee National Park. In reality though, slightly more than half of the acreage of the park is in North Carolina. To get into the park from the North Carolina side, you will need to go through Cherokee and through the Oconaluftee Visitor Center. There are numerous other entrances to check out like Catalooche.

This park is the most visited park in all of the United States, and it isn’t even close. Millions more people come into this park than the second-highest on the list. It is beautiful, there is tons of wildlife, and there are so many options for people of all activity levels. This is a great park to drive through (Little River Gorge Road is amazing) or hike. They have a ton of really great visitor’s centers, plenty of camping options, and a ton of historical buildings. This park really has it all. It is also great because there are some really great towns on both sides of the border.

When you are there, check out Clingman’s Dome. This is the second tallest mountain on the East Coast and has a great observation tower. Drive through Cade’s Cove – this is where some really great bear spotting is. You can also get out and visit the historic buildings and go for a hike to Abrams Falls. If you want to see elk, Catalooche and Oconaluftee both have great fields nearby where most days you will see herds hanging out in the morning or right before sunset. This park is best done with three or four days, but you can also hit most of the highlights in a day. Of course, that will only make you want to come back.

We have a full post on visiting the Great Smoky Mountains National Park that will help you plan for your next adventure!

Cape Hatteras National Seashore

North Carolina has some incredible beaches and you would be hard pressed to find any better than Cape Hatteras. This seashore runs from Nags Head to Ocracoke Island. Highway 12, the road that connects it all, is just a spectacular drive along the water’s edge. The road has great views of dunes, the sound, the ocean, and of course you get to ride on the ferry to Ocracoke. There are three visitor centers within the park – Bodie Island, Hatteras Island, and Ocracoke Island.

There is a ton to do along this National Seashore. It is an ideal place to take a week-long vacation, but even if you have only a day to cruise through, take advantage of it. There are three lighthouses you can explore – Hatteras, Bodie, and Ocracoke. You can climb to the top of Hatteras and Bodie for a small fee. Ocracoke is off limits.

There are miles and miles of open beach areas. If you ever want to go to a beach with nobody around, this is the place for it. You can camp, take your foul-wheel drive vehicle out, or search for seashells for hours here. Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge is a great place to park and hangout at the beach.

Cape Hatteras also has a ton of really great towns to visit. Hatteras is really great, and Ocracoke is spectacular. This is where Blackbeard the pirate hung out, and just about everywhere you go on this island you will see nods to him.

Check out our 10 Things to do in the Outer Banks if you are headed to this beautiful North Carolina destination!

Guilford Courthouse National Military Park

Guilford Courthouse National Military Park is located right in the middle of Greensboro off of Highway 220. This is an urban park that flows in and out of the town pretty seamlessly. The park is focused on the Battle of Guildford Courthouse during the Southern Campaign of the American Revolution. This was a battle between Cornwallis and the British and Nathanael Greene’s Continental forces. The British won the battle, but it actually set them on course to lose the war. It is pretty interesting how the Park Service explains everything.

The visitor center is really awesome. They have some incredible artifacts and displays with a wealth of information. There are some interactive features and a pretty good movie to watch. We used to not watch the movies at the parks, but we have learned that they are worth the extra 15 minutes to get a good overview.

The park has trails and roads to take you from point to point through the battle. You can listen to their audio tour on the app or stop at each marker and read the different plaques. If you are driving, it will take you about an hour to two hours. Walking will take you much longer. Along the way there are close to 30 monuments that you can look at. Some of them are just small little markers in the woods and some are massive. Definitely check out the Greene and Forbus Monuments.

Greensboro is a great city to spend a day in! We have a day trip guide for visiting Greensboro that includes more details about the National Battlefield.

Cape Lookout National Seashore

Out of all of the beaches we have been to, Cape Lookout National Seashore might be our favorite. This place is just awesome. Cape Lookout is located on the Southern Outer Banks spanning from just south of Ocracoke to Beaufort. Cape Lookout is an undeveloped stretch of land three miles off the mainland. To get to Cape Lookout, you need to take the ferry or have your own boat. The ferry takes off from either Beaufort or Harkers Island. They have visitors centers at both locations. The Beaufort Ferry takes way longer and you will not have as much time in the water, so we recommend leaving from Harkers Island. There are a couple of vehicle ferries farther north for off-road access, but most will take the passenger ferries.

Cape Lookout has so much to do, but you need to be prepared. There is a small store on the main island of Cape Lookout, but besides that you are on your own. Make sure you pack plenty of food and drinks. On Cape Lookout, you can spend time at the beach or tour the lighthouse and surrounding areas. You can also take the shuttle to the north end for a slight fee to get the best shells (though we have found plenty at the main beach). On the sound side you can enjoy calm and peaceful water. The water on the sound side is pretty shallow and crystal clear. It is like you are in the Caribbean, just beautiful. This is where most people hang out, so if you want more quiet go to the ocean side. We have gone there and been alone all day long before.

You can also get off the ferry at Shackleford Banks. This is just right across the sound from Cape Lookout. Here, you can get on the beach and walk around the sand bars. It is really fun. But what makes this place the best is the wild horses that are on the island. They are everywhere, just don’t get too close. Even if you don’t get off here, you can typically see them from the ferry.

For a full overview on how to spend a day here, check out our guide to Cape Lookout!

Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site

Carl Sandburg National Historic Site is one of the reasons we love National Parks. We never would have gone to a place like this if it weren’t for the Parks System. This site is located in the mountain town of Flat Rock just outside of Hendersonville. We went there during this trip to the N.C. mountains. The Carl Sandburg Home was the estate of the American poet and biographer, Carl Sandburg.

The grounds are open late into the day, but make sure you go during normal operating hours so you can take a tour of the house. This is a 30-minute tour that you have to do with the a guide. The cost is $10. If you have the National Park Pass you do get a discount.

The coolest thing to do at this place though is to tour the farm. The Sandburg Home is still a working farm, with animals and crops. You can check out the goat shed, horse barn, goat barn, cow shed, milk house, and so much more. We had a lot of fun petting the animals. Once again, don’t come late or you will miss out on this.

There are also miles and miles of really great trails you can hike on here. These trails take you deep into the forests that Sandburg used to roam. They are a great little get away right in the middle of town. If you are there for an overnight stay, try and get a ticket to the theater across the street from the home.

We have an entire 5 day plan for visiting Hendersonville in the mountains of North Carolina that includes a stop to this National Historic site! It’s one of our favorite mountain towns to visit!

Blue Ridge Parkway

The United States is full of some really beautiful drives. It would be tough though to find one more scenic than the Blue Ridge Parkway. The Parkway stretches from the Great Smoky Mountains in North Carolina all the way to Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. For our money though, the best sections are found in North Carolina. Keep your eyes open, you may very well see black bears, wild turkeys, foxes, wolves, deer, and so much more while driving.

This road is 469 miles in total and has too many hikes, scenic overlooks, and special mountain towns to name. However, here are some of our favorite spots to stop for a visit:

• Devil’s Courthouse, a nice little trail at MM 422
• French Broad River Bridge and surrounding trails at MM 393
• Blue Ridge Parkway Visitors Center at MM 384
• Craggy Gardens Trail and Overlook at MM 364
• Glassmine Falls at MM 361
• Mt. Mitchell at MM 356
• Little Switzerland at MM 334
• Linville Falls at MM 316
• Linn Cove Viaduct at MM 304
• Moses Cone at MM 294

During the winter they often have road closures because of the snow. Our favorite times to go are the fall and spring. You know, when everyone else wants to be in the mountains.

We have a full overview on visiting Mt Mitchell off of the Parkway!

Fort Raleigh National Historic Site

Fort Raleigh is the site of England’s first New World settlement that lasted from 1584 to 1590. This is the group of colonists who became lost and eventually became known as the Lost Colony. This area is run by the National Park Service along with the Lost Colony Outdoor Drama Company. 

The site is at the northern tip of Roanoke Island right where Highway 64 begins. It is a beautiful property with some great trails, a really nice museum, and of course the outdoor theater. There is not much original left of the colony, so the Park Service has plenty of placards around saying what was probably in different spots.

The best thing to do here is to see the Lost Colony Outdoor Drama. This show is put on throughout the summer from Memorial Day until late August. It tells the story of Queen Elizabeth I, Sir Walter Raleigh, and Virginia Dare, the first English child born in the New World. Shows are right along the sound with the water in the background making for a beautiful backdrop. These shows start every night at 8:30. Tickets for adults start at $20, so not terrible. They do get higher the better the seat. Definitely worth checking out.

Plan ahead with our post all about visiting the National Parks of the Outer Banks!

Moores Creek National Battlefield

Did you know that the first major victory of the Patriot forces during the American Revolution happened in North Carolina? We didn’t either until we went to Moore’s Creek National Battlefield. Moores Creek tells the story of the battle that surrounded the Moores Creek Bridge. Here, close to 1,000 North Carolina Patriots fended off the forces of King George.

Moores Creek NB is in Currie, NC. It is a short drive off of exit 408 along I-40. This is a great stop when you are headed to the beach. This park has a pretty big parking lot with a couple of nice picnic tables and benches surrounding it. The visitor’s center is more than adequate. The museum does a great job explaining the what happened and the people working there are super friendly and willing to answer any and all questions. They also have a nice little book store.

Of course, the main thing to do is to take a tour of the battlefield. The Park Service has done a really great job with this. There are a couple of different trails that you can take that give you a good overview. The main trail is the History Trail. This trail tells the story of the Battle of Moore’s Creek. Along the way, you can see numerous monuments to different people and events of the battle. The highlight is the bridge site that the Patriots defended. Make sure you get your Junior Ranger book before you start your hike.

Moore’s Creek can be conquered in about an hour and half. You don’t need the whole day, but it is worth the stop.

Wright Brothers National Memorial

Wright Brothers National Memorial is another Outer Banks National Park Unit situated in the town of Kitty Hawk. The memorial commemorates the first manned airplane flight in 1903. This park does have an entrance fee of $10 for everyone over 16. They do take the America the Beautiful Annual Pass.

There are a couple of main things that you can do at the park. The first is check out the visitor center. This is one of the best visitor centers we have ever been to. There are so many great exhibits that are hands on and fun. The Junior Ranger book is really great here, make sure you do it. The highlight of the visitor center is the replica of the Wright Brothers flyer. The original is in the Smithsonian, but this one is pretty cool.

Another great thing to do is to check out the grounds. A really fun activity is to go to the exact spot where the flight took place and see if you can run the distance faster than the original plane flew. We bet you can do it. This is all a part of the overall grounds of the unit. The main attraction is the Wright Brothers monument on the top of the hill. It is a great place to climb to and check out the views of the ocean and sound. It is awesome!

FAQ’s About North Carolina’s National Parks

What are the best North Carolina National Parks?

This is a tough question because each of these are so different. However, for us, our favorite is Cape Lookout National Seashore. This one has it all. Low crowds, beautiful water and beaches, wild horses, a ferry ride, and plenty of history.

Of course, if you are a mountain person it is tough to beat Great Smoky Mountains. There is a reason this is the most visited park in the United States. There is so much to do here, so many hidden gems, and you can spend a month here and not do the same thing twice. It is great.

How many North Carolina National Parks are there?

There are 12 official National Park units in North Carolina according to the National Parks Service. However, there are two National Cultural Heritage Areas (Blue Ridge and Gullah Geechee) so many people say there are 14. You can get National Park stamps of both of these, so in our book it is 14!

Can you camp in North Carolina National Parks?

Yes! At certain ones at least. You won’t be able to camp at most of the historical sites, but there are plenty more you can. The Smokies are full of campgrounds, but you need to make sure you get your reservation in if you want an actual spot.

A super cool thing to do is camp out at either Cape Hatteras or Cape Lookout. Nothing like beach camping! Just make sure you have plenty of supplies for these.

Of course, you can camp just about anywhere along the Appalachian Trail. We have done some backpacking on this trail a couple of times and loved it – except for the time a freak snowstorm came in and dumped two-feet of snow on us in one night.

Does it cost money to visit the North Carolina National Parks?

Depends on the park. Most of the parks are free to enter, including Great Smoky Mountains. However, there are some that do have an entrance fee. Wright Brothers charges per adult, Carl Sandburg charges for house tours (though the grounds are free), Cape Lookout has a fee for the ferry. All of the parks that you camp at have a fee if you use an actual campground site.

When are North Carolina National Parks open?

Good news! These parks are typically open year round. Of course, the visitor centers and other amenities will be closed on major holidays like Christmas and Thanksgiving. Some of the smaller parks are open year round but the visitor center is closed on certain days of the week. For instance, Moores Creek is open but the visitor center is closed on Sunday and Monday each week. It is always best to check the park website before you visit any park for the most up to date information.

Takeaways

We love our home state of North Carolina and feel blessed with so many diverse places to see and discover. Over the last couple of years we have realized that many people don’t even know we have so many great National Park units. We have enjoyed visiting each one and would encourage any locals to start exploring our awesome parks! As a family, one of the best things to do at each park is to participate in the junior ranger program – every National Park Unit has one! Grab a park passport book and make sure to start collecting your stamps! It’s a fun way to start going the adventure way together!

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Dry Tortugas is one of the least visited parks in the whole system. Over the last five years it is averaging around 66,000 visitors per year. That means on average, only 180 people come to this park per day, that is crazy. It is a great place to find solitude in a beautiful setting. A lot of people don’t know about this park, and many who do don’t think they will ever be able to go. Hopefully, this post will be helpful in showing you that you can do this and will prepare you with everything you will need to know.

Where Is Dry Tortugas National Park?

Dry Tortugas is roughly 70 miles west of Key West in the Gulf of Mexico. In total, this park is about 100 square miles, but nearly 98% of the park is underwater. There are seven small islands that are in the park boundaries. The biggest island is home to Fort Jefferson, which is the largest brick structure in the Western Hemisphere. The fort used to be a prison during the Civil War. Samuel Mudd, the man who set John Wilkes Booth’s broken leg, was imprisoned here. A lot of history and natural beauty. This park is a little slice of paradise. Beautiful views, crystal clear water, incredible snorkeling, and so much more.

When Is The Best Time To Visit Dry Tortugas National Park?

When we were doing our research, everything we read said go between October and March. Our trip to Florida was right in the middle of summer, end of June to early July. Because of that, we were worried about afternoon storms and extreme heat. We were wrong on both counts.

We were told that because of where Dry Tortugas was located, most of the afternoon storms that plague Florida in the summer do not hit them. As a matter of fact, even if there is a storm in the Keys, chances are that it is clear at Dry Tortugas. That actually turned out to be true in our case. So, make sure you check the weather for the Park and not Key West.

It definitely was hot, but it wasn’t unbearable. And if you pack plenty of water to drink and get in the water from time to time to swim, you will be fine. If you are going to only visit the fort, we definitely recommend going in the fall or winter.

How Do You Get To Dry Tortugas National Park?

There are two main ways that you can get to the park from the mainland – the ferry or the seaplane. Both of these have their benefits. Of course, if you have your own private boat, you can get there on your own.

Ferry Boat

The ferry boat is the transportation that most people use to get to Dry Tortugas. The Yankee Freedom is the name of the catamaran that gets you from Key West to Fort Jefferson. The ferry takes off daily at 8 am and drops you off at Dry Tortugas around 10:15. It is a pretty long trip, so make sure you pack some activities for the ride. The ferry leaves Dry Tortugas around 3 pm, so you have close to 5 hours on the island. That will give you plenty of time to explore and hang out at the beach and in the water. Typically, the ferry returns to Key West right at 5:15. It lets you out in an area full of restaurants which makes it really great.

It is expensive to take the ferry – $190 for adults and $135 for kids 4-16. You get more than just a spot on the boat with your ticket, which helps justify the hefty price tag. Included with your ticket is breakfast and lunch, entrance into the National Park, a 45 minute narrated tour of the fort, and complementary snorkeling equipment. These are all really great perks to go along with the fun boat ride and day on the island.

If you are going to take the ferry, it is recommended that you make a reservation 6 months in advance, though you can find spots open a couple of weeks out from time to time.

Seaplane

If you think that the cost for the ferry was expensive, you might want to sit down for the seaplane. They have two options, the full and half-day excursions. All excursions take off from Key West International Airport. The full-day costs $634 for adults and $508 for kids 2-12. The half-day is $361 for adults and $289 for kids 2-12. However, there are some pretty big benefits to doing this if you can.

For starters, if you are on the first plane or the last plane you will get the island all to yourself with the exception of the handful of overnight campers. The reason for that is the plane takes a shorter time to get there than the boat, it is a 35 minute flight. So, if you are the first plane out you get to the park about an hour and 45 minutes before the ferry. If you take the last plane out around 2, you will be arriving while the ferry is loading up to leave and pretty much your whole time at Fort Jefferson is by yourself.

In addition to that, you get a cooler stocked with drinks. We recommend just asking for water, you won’t want soda out there. Also, everyone who wants it can get snorkeling equipment thrown in.

Is it Worth it?

This was a special trip for us so we opted for the half-day option on the seaplane leaving in the afternoon. When we spend a lot of money on something, we always worry we will feel like we wasted our money. As soon as we checked in at the airport we knew this was going to be an experience of a lifetime. Walking out on the runaway to the seaplane was so exciting for all of us and we were hooked. We cannot recommend this option enough.

There is something special about flying right over the water searching for sharks and sea turtles. We counted well over 15 sharks and lost track of the amount of giant sea turtles after we hit 50. It was a spectacular trip. Not only that, the feeling of circling Fort Jefferson and getting that view from the plane followed by landing on the water is something we will never forget. Oh, and if you have never taken off from the water, that is a crazy experience. If you can save for this or not do other experiences on your trip to do this, do it.

What Can You Do At Dry Tortugas National Park?

Snorkeling

Some of the best snorkeling in the United States is found at Dry Tortugas. This is one of the main reasons why you come here. This park is the perfect spot to see all sorts of incredible coral and fish. We couldn’t believe how many we saw everywhere we turned. There is so much to see, simply incredible. Seriously, we have been snorkeling all throughout the Carribbean and Gulf and have never seen as many fish as we saw there.

On the back end of the park is a small beach that is about 40 feet long. This is a perfect spot for you to go if you are new to snorkeling. We took our son for the first time ever and he had a blast. The key is to stay near the fort. That is where the coral and fish are.

On the front side of the fort where the ferry boat and seaplane dock, there are some old pier beams that stick out of the water. This is another great spot to snorkel. This is a little deeper, but still great. If you can, try and snorkel from the back beach all the way around the perimeter of the fort. So much fun! Make sure you wear your life jacket and have fun exploring.

Exploring The Fort

Fort Jefferson is massive. Like we said earlier, it is the largest brick building in the Western Hemisphere. The crazy thing about it is it never got finished! This fort is right in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico, something to behold. When you visit Dry Tortugas, you need to make sure you take time to walk around the fort.

The visitor center to Fort Jefferson is located right inside the main gate (Sally Port). To the left is the office for the Park Rangers. There are 8 Park Rangers that live on site during the year. We had a really great conversation with one of them. They get off the island a couple of days a month, but mostly they are living at the fort.

The right side holds the visitor center with plenty of great information about and artifacts from the fort. Here you will learn all the history and get to know the wildlife. It isn’t the biggest visitor center, but it is helpful. This is also where we found the Passport Stamp on our trip.

Make sure you walk around the fort and get all of the way to the top level. There is nothing like the views from up there. It is incredible to be so high up yet surrounded by water everywhere you look. There are no railings up there, but if you stay on the worn down trail you will be fine.

Our favorite part of the fort might have been the wall along the water that kind of set up the moat along the back side. It was kind of like a trail out in the middle of the Gulf. Make sure you take a couple of minutes to check that out. It is a really great spot for pictures too!

Hanging Out At The Beach

There are a couple of really great beaches at Dry Tortugas. We already mentioned it earlier, but our favorite one was on the backside of the fort. The water is calm everywhere on the island, but especially here. We didn’t see anyone the whole time we were there, had the whole place to ourselves. there are a couple of other beaches that we checked out, but it wasn’t where we stayed for the majority of our time. You are definitely coming here for the beach, so make sure you plan accordingly.

We flew in with a family who just wanted to check out the fort. After about an hour they wished they had brought their beach apparel. Don’t be that family.

Camping

We did not do this, but we hope to one day. We don’t typically write about experiences we didn’t have, but this one is probably worth talking about. If you can, try and get a reservation to camp here. If you do this, you will have to take the ferry and bring all of your own equipment. We heard over and over form the Ranger there that this is the absolute best way to experience the park. You are out 70 miles in the ocean with absolutely no other light around you. It is you, a handful of other campers, and stars galore. Going to Dry Tortugas has always been on our bucket list. Now, camping there is.

What To Pack For Dry Tortugas National Park?

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The biggest takeaways for us after spending the day at Dry Tortugas is to know it goes by super fast and you will be hot from walking around the fort and wet from getting in the water. There are very limited facilities on the island. They have a changing room, a national park type bathroom (if you know you know!) and little visitors center. This is also a no waste Park so you need to be prepared to take any trash home with you. You can’t buy any water or food on the island. The seaplane company provided us with a cooler and two drinks per person – you will need them all! They also provided our snorkeling gear. Here is what we brought additionally for our few hours there, we tried to pack minimally but also be prepared. The seaplane could accommodate with any bags we wanted to bring!

• Big Water Bottle – our favorite one
• Beach Bag – we needed a rather big one, bogg bags are waterproof and awesome!
• Beach Towels – these are nice
• Sunscreen – make sure to use a reef safe sunscreen!
• Bugspray – I don’t think we needed this but you never know!
• Snacks – Especially for the ride back
• Change of Dry Clothes
• Bathing Suits (we wore them under our clothes going and changed to dry clothes leaving.)
• Big Sun Hats (there is minimal shade and lots of bright sun!) – Men’s Option, Women’s Option
• Mini Backpack with our ids, keys, hair ties, chapstick, phones, sunglasses, etc (all those little things) – Meg’s Fave
• We just wore decent sandals that could get wet – Tevas for Meg, These for Silas, These for Justin

Junior Ranger At Dry Tortugas National Park

We try and take the time to do the Junior Ranger program at every National Park unit we go to. At Dry Tortugas you can actually get two Junior Ranger badges – the regular park badge and the underwater explorer badge. This is one of five National Park units where you can get the underwater explorer badges.

Because time can be limited on this island, you might not be able to squeeze it into your day at the park. We highly recommend printing this out at home from the National Park website and doing as much as you can before your visit. If you are taking the ferry, you will have plenty of time to work on it on your way in to the park. If you are on the seaplane, you will not be able to do it on the flight. You will be too busy looking for sea turtles and sharks.

We actually didn’t get the books until we got to the park, but we were able to complete it as we were checking out Fort Jefferson. Some activities have to be done on site, but in hindsight it would have been better for us to have done as much as possible before we got to the park. It took about 15 minutes of extra time so it wasn’t terrible, but every minute at this park counts.

Takeaways

Dry Tortugas National Park is a place we will never forget. Even if you aren’t on a mission to visit all of the National Parks – this should be a place you consider coming to! Since it’s a little more difficult getting out there it was worth it to us to splurge and do the seaplane. That experience alone really put the whole day over the top. If you do take the seaplane know that it’s pretty hot inside the plane (we were sweating a lot before even getting out there). When you hear a half day that seems like tons of time on such a small island but we were so surprised how quickly it all went! We could have stayed many more hours there.

You definitely want to take advantage of the snorkeling gear the Ferry or Plane serve provides for you – the snorkeling was simply incredible. We are so glad we opted for that! If you get a chance to talk to a Ranger – do it! We had a fun time learning about the island and hearing about their fun lifestyle on the island.

PS! If you enjoy checking out beautiful National Park beach destinations check out our post about Cape Lookout National Seashore and Canaveral National Seashore. Both of these National Park sites are incredible!

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Recently we had a conversation with someone about visiting National Parks. The conversation revolved around how much time people spend in the parks. Do you need a week to visit a particular park? How much time do you need to really experience a park? Right now in life we are trying to experience as many parks as possible. Though we would love to spend weeks and weeks in some parks, we just can’t do that. We have jobs, bills, and limited vacation time. One day we will have the time. But until then, we will take what we can get.

Why did we write that? Because this post might not be for everyone. This is not for the person who has a week to spend in the Badlands. This is for someone who wants a really great overview on how to spend a day. A lot of times when people go to this part of the country, they are hitting up a wide range of parks and activities, so a day is all they have. If that is you, this post should be pretty helpful.

There are two units to the Badlands, the North and South. The North is where most people end up. It has the majority of the trails, scenic drives, and things to do. The South Unit is located in the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. This is where you can get a ton of information on the Lakota heritage of those who have lived here for centuries.

Around Badlands National Park

Badlands National Park is located about an hour east of Rapid City, South Dakota. Many people will use this town as their launching off point for a trip in this area of the country. There is good reason for that. Custer State Park, Jewel Cave, Wind Cave, Crazy Horse Monument, The Black Hills, and Mt. Rushmore are all great places to visit from Rapid City. Rapid City has an awesome downtown area with plenty of awesome restaurants and shopping. We enjoyed our time visiting this trendy and fun city. If you have kids, make sure you take them up to Dinosaur Park. Great views of the city below and you get to see a bunch of roadside attraction style dinosaurs.

When we were on our road trip, we stayed closer to the park in Wasta – about a 20 minute drive. Wasta is a “town” of 130 people. There are a couple of airbnbs in the area, but not a ton. We liked our time here, felt safe and friendly.

Wall

Wall is the better known town in the area and about 10 minutes closer than Wasta to the Badlands. This is the closest town to the Badlands with hotels, dining, and of course, Wall Drug. Wall Drug is the world’s greatest roadside attraction. It is more than a store or restaurant, it is an experience. This place takes up a couple of blocks and has something for everyone. Tons of souvenirs, $.05 coffee, statues of famous Wild West characters, jackalopes you can get on, and plenty of gag gifts. If you are in to roadside attractions and tourist traps, this is for you. If not, stop by any way so you can say you have experienced it. It is worth at least 20-30 minutes.

Wall is home to the only grocery store we could find in the immediate area of the Badlands. There might be others, but we couldn’t find them. It is pretty much a large convenience store but it has all of the staples that you will need. This is where we stocked up on food for dinner and lunch the next day.

Minute Man Missile National Historic Site

There is another National Park unit around the Badlands, Minute Man Missile National Historic Site tells the story of the roughly 1,000 missile silos hidden in plain sight through the Great Plains region of the U.S. These missiles were active for 30 years during the Cold War. There are still a couple of hundred that are active today.

They have a really great visitor center off of exit 131 on I-90 (same exit as one of the main entrances to the Badlands). It does a great job telling the story of the Cold War and has some really fantastic pieces of history. Our kid enjoyed doing the Junior Ranger book while we were there.

You can tour a couple of their facilities to see the actual missiles. These require advanced reservations and they tend to fill up fast. Check the park site for details on that. There is a $12 fee to do the tours.

Entering The Badlands

As with most National Parks out west, overcrowding has become a huge issue. When it comes to this park in particular, we can’t stress enough how important it is for you to get there early to beat the crowds. This park is open 24 hours a day, plenty of amazing spots for star gazing, but most people start to show up around 8:30-9 am. We would recommend getting to the park no later than 8 am if you only have one day and want to experience everything. This will allow you to beat the crowds at the heaviest trafficked areas and get ahead of everyone as you head through the park.

Entrances

There are three entrances to the park – the Northeast Entrance, the Interior Entrance, and the Pinnacles Entrance. The Northeast Entrance is off of I-90 at exit 131. This is the entrance people will use if they are coming from the east or from Minute Man Missile. The Interior Entrance comes in from the south off of Highway 44, not too many people will come from this way, but it is an option. The Pinnacles Entrance is the entrance closest to Wall. A lot of people use this one when staying in the towns of Wall, Wasta, and Rapid City. We recommend using the Northeast entrance and taking the road all the way through the park. This way, there is no doubling back and you get to the hiking portions earlier in the day.

When we drove through, we went all the way to the Sage Creek Rim Road out to Highway 590. There is a sign that tells you that you are entering the National Park, but there is not an entrance gate. We think you can enter through here, but you will need to pay at one of the gates. Don’t want to get pulled over without a pass for the day (and you shouldn’t try and cheat the parks haha).

Entrance Fees

It costs $30 per vehicle for a week long pass. This covers everyone in your car. If you are in this area you might be headed to Devil’s Tower, Yellowstone, or the Tetons. If that is you, go ahead and get the American the Beautiful National Parks Pass. It is $80 for the year and gets you into places all over the country. If you have a 4th grader, you can get one for free.

Badlands National Park Visitor Centers

There are two visitor centers on the National Park property. The Ben Reifel visitor center is the main park headquarters and is located in the North Unit. The White River visitor center is located in the South Unit.

Ben Reifel

This visitor center is the main one for the park. There is a really great museum here where you can learn all about the unique geological formations throughout the park. They always have plenty of Rangers here and they are a wealth of information. These Rangers have the most up to date information and can give you info you won’t read in the pamphlet. It is always a great idea to talk to them about current conditions and events. They are the ones with the best pro tips. While you are here, don’t forget to grab your Junior Ranger book and your National Park passport stamp.

This park has plenty of picnic tables with some shade for you to eat your lunch (we highly recommend packing a lunch for this park, it is pretty much a must). There are also bathrooms, water fountains, and other hook ups in this area. After we ate lunch here, we hiked to the top of one of the nearby rock formations. There really is adventure all around you in this park.

White River

White River is where you go to learn all about the Lakota people and the special place the Badlands has played in their lives. There are many Lakota people who work in the park and share their vast knowledge with the visitors. This side is definitely less visited, but worth it if you have the time.

Wildlife In The Badlands National Park

The Badlands might not be known for its wildlife, but if you now where to look you can see a ton. The best place to check out the animals is along the Sage Creek Rim Road. This road will take you anywhere from 1-2 hours. There are a bunch of overlooks as well where you have views of the Badlands that others might miss. The Sage Creek Road takes you by a couple of awesome prairie dog towns – definitely stop at Robert’s Town. It is super cool and so many prairie dogs sticking their heads up!

Along this road is a huge herd of bison. If you get it at the right time you can get stuck right in the middle of all of them. It is really cool to be stuck in a bison traffic jam. There are also plenty of bighorn sheep, deer, and even a coyote or two.

Hiking The Badlands National Park

Our favorite thing we did in the Badlands was to get out and hike. This park is pretty crowded during peak season, so in order to get away from the crowds you have to get out on the trails. If you are not able to hike, the Badlands still has a ton to offer, beautiful scenery and boardwalks, so don’t let that keep you from visiting.

The Badlands has an “open hiking policy”. What that means is you can pretty much hike wherever you want to in the park. You can go on or off trail. This made it super fun for us, felt like we were forging our own path. Pro tip, it is easier to hike up one of the rock formations than down one. You might get stuck at the top with a very strenuous and difficult path down. Obviously, don’t do anything stupid or put yourself or your group in danger by going places that simply aren’t safe. Just have fun exploring.

Here are the trails that we did. We hiked all of them in a day. There are a lot of trails here, but they only add up to about 5 miles in total. We did do part of the Castle Trail as well. The Castle Trail is 10 miles, we did a section near Saddle Pass while we were up there. This section was an awesome walk through the high plains of South Dakota

Door Trail

The Door Trail was the first trail that we hiked when we got to the Badlands. It is in the same parking lot as the Window, Notch, and Castle trails. This trail is only about three-fourths of a mile of maintained trail. It starts with a really nice boardwalk through the rock formations. If you are not an avid hiker, this is a great place for you to check out. After the maintained trail ends, you can go on as long as you would like to. We loved being able to hike wherever we wanted to and adventuring at our own pace. Our son loved being able to just run around, jumping in and out of holes and climbing the different rocks. This area is like you are exploring another planet. It is amazing. It was super cool hiking as far out as we wanted to.

A word of caution. There are signs all over warning about snakes. We never saw any, but they are there. Also, this area can be dangerous. We saw a kid try and do a little too much more than he could handle and he hit his head pretty hard on the rocks. Have fun, run around, but be aware of your surroundings.

Window Trail

The Window Trail takes off from the very same parking lot as the Door and Notch Trails. This is by far the shortest of the three, and really might not even be considered a trail. It is still one that you should stroll down and enjoy the view out the “window” overlooking the canyon. This trail is just .25 miles, you can see the end from the parking lot, but like we said, it is a good view and spot for pictures.

Notch Trail

The Notch Trail was our favorite hike in all of the Badlands National Park and might be our favorite hike we have ever done. This hike is truly spectacular and offers so much. It would be great if you stayed on the trail alone, but the fact that you have open hiking here makes this area a place you can stay and play all afternoon.

This hike takes off from the Door and Window parking area and begins in a little canyon with awesome rock formations on both sides. Eventually, you make it to the log ladder that takes you up along the side of the canyon along a sometimes narrow ledge. After the ledge, you end up in another canyon, just on another level up and this is where you can really get out and explore.

A lot of people stop at the log ladder, they get to the top, get their pics for Instagram, and head back to the parking lot (take plenty of pics, but keep going!). There was nobody after the ledge. It was weird, people just disappeared. This was a really great place for us to get away from the crowds for a little bit. We actually had the whole walk from the ledge to the notch overlooking the White River Valley to ourselves. It is an epic view, one you don’t want to miss.

The highlight though is the log ladder. It looks really steep, but you can easily do it. This makes the trail exceptionally unique. There are a lot of drop-offs on this trail. Nothing super crazy, but if you are not careful you will get in trouble real fast.

Cliff Shelf

Cliff Shelf is probably the most different of all of the other trails at the Badlands. This is a half-mile loop trail that takes you through an actual juniper forest with shade. Yes, you can have a little bit of shade on this trail. You won’t find that anywhere else in the park! There are some stairs here as well as a nice boardwalk. We have heard that bighorn sheep like to hang out around here.

Saddle Pass

Saddle Pass is off of the Badlands Loop Road. It is a super steep hike up the side of the Badlands Wall. The trail is only a quarter of a mile, but it takes a while because you are scrambling. It is tough, but if you take your time it can be done. At the top of the wall you have a magnificent view of the White River Valley. It is pretty intense but worth it. At the top of the wall, you can continue on the Castle and Medicine Root Loop Trails and climb higher in elevation. This was a short trail, but the most difficult hiking we did the whole time we were there.

Fossil Exhibit Trail

This is a super short trail that takes you on a boardwalk with fossil replicas of animals that once roamed the park. This is a great place to get out and stretch your legs and let your kids imagination run wild.

What To Bring To Badlands National Park

As with most National Parks you need to be prepared for your trip. This is a post about one day in the park, so we tried to limit our what to bring list to that, no overnight stuff on this list. This does not include your typical first aid kit, sunscreen, and other basic needs.

• Hiking shoes -We really like the Merrell Moab 2’s (Megan wore her Tevas to the Badlands and honestly was happy with the decision – it was really hot and my feet were super dusty at the end of the day but it worked for me).
• Long hiking pants – There are a ton of snakes and no shade in this park, so it is good to keep your legs covered. However, we did not take this advice and wore shorts and were fine. These are Megan’s favorite “National Park” shorts.
• Water bottle – we love and use Tal water bottles. PS – if you go in the summer fill that water bottle with ice if you can. It will be so nice to use on your neck when the sun is getting to you.
• Binoculars– these are great for hiking with
• Cooler – for your picnic…you really need to plan for one!
• Big Hat – His and Hers
• Plenty of Food – snacks, picnic lunch, more snacks!
• Megan’s favorite small backpack

Takeaways

The Badlands National Park is one of our favorite places in the world to visit. Silas would say it is his all time favorite National Park! You could definitely spend multiple days exploring at this amazing place but it is also very doable to do in a day – (and still feel like you took in all there was to do)! Our best takeaway would be to get out and enjoy the trails. We couldn’t believe how few people were not actually out hiking. A ton of people were just cruising through and pulling over for just the view points. You get to see so much more when you get out to explore together. This park offers awesome trails in all sorts of hiking levels. Don’t let the ladder scare you! The Badlands can be very hot in the summer so don’t forget to bring plenty of water and wear those big hats! If you have the chance we would definitely say to put Badlands on your must do National Park list!

Have you been to Badlands National Park? What would be your must dos or takeaways? Share with us in the comments!

PS! If you love visiting National Parks and are looking for more inspiration check out our post about visiting the Grand Tetons, Yellowstone and Smoky Mountains National Park!

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When you are planning a road trip you have to ask yourself the question – “Do you want to see a lot of a little or a little of a lot?” There is no wrong answer to this question. Depending on where we are going we can answer it multiple ways. Right now in our lives when we are traveling farther away from our house we want to see a little of a lot. We believe that if we can get a good feel for different areas, we will go back to the places we want to explore more in depth. This trip gave us plenty of those spots.

So, how do you pack 6,200 miles in 13 days? You do a lot of driving and you see a lot of the country. And it was incredible! Before we get to our itinerary, a couple of answers to some common questions.

What Did You Drive?

So, if you follow us on Instagram you know that we have recently converted a school bus into an RV. At the time of our trip, our skoolie was not 100% ready so we took our car. We probably would have done this even if the skoolie was ready because we had a lot of ground to cover and the skoolie doesn’t get places too fast. No way we would have made it and experienced all we experienced if we took the bus.

Where Did You Sleep?

Ok, we love to camp but for this trip we stayed in hotels, namely the Hampton Inn. We are Hilton Honors members and we were able to get some really great deals. it is easy to sign up and it saved us some cake. There were plenty of nights where we did stay at a couple of airbnbs and local hotels.

We are glad we did this because driving like that can get tiring. It was good to have a cozy bed and warm shower every night. We actually met a family from North Carolina while we were in the Badlands in South Dakota who was camping. They were loving it a couple of days into their trip. We just so happened to see this same family again in Yellowstone at Mammoth Springs. Though they loved their trip, they were starting to get pretty drained. Having a room to sleep in helped keep us refreshed.

Was It Expensive?

Well, we are not rich by any stretch of the imagination and we were able to do it. The key for us was saving up and budgeting while on the trip. We actually did it for under what we had budgeted. In all, the trip cost us around $4,000. This includes gas, hotels, food, souvenirs, and everything else. We have spent more on a week long Disney trip.

What Did We Eat?

One of the reasons we love to travel is because we get to try out all of the local foods. When we did our big San Antonio trip we had a blast trying out some incredible food. This trip though we weren’t able to do that as much. We visited a ton of National Parks (21 sites in total) and did a lot of driving so we mostly packed a lunch or got some fast food. Not our favorite way to do it (well, we love picnics, just not fast food), but we did what we had to do on this trip. This definitely wasn’t a foodie trip, but we did find a couple of good spots.

Now that those preliminary questions are out of the way, here is our itinerary for the trip…

Day 1 – Apex, NC to Richmond, IN

So, we left around noon on a Sunday and we wanted to get as far west as we could. We really did not stop too many places, we tried to get as many miles away as possible. On a long weekend we can visit most of the states that we went through, so we didn’t want to stop at too many places on this leg of the trip.

We drove through parts of North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio, and Indiana. In total we drove for about 9 hours. For future reference, we typically had the cruise control set at 7 or 8 over the posted speed limit.

Favorite Part Of The Day: Driving on the West Virginia Turnpike. This was the only toll road that we took the whole trip, but it was a beautiful drive.

Total Miles: 550 miles

Day 2 – Richmond, IN to Mason City, IA

So, this is where the trip really started for us. We got over 500 miles in the first day and we wanted to get going early so we could stop at a couple of spots on day 2. We cut across Indiana and Illinois, then crossed the Mississippi River on our way into Iowa. Pretty cool how all of the “I” states are right next to each other. We had never been to Iowa but knew we wanted to make a couple of stops. We ended up spending the whole day in Northeast Iowa and had a blast. This state is beautiful, green everywhere. And the people are amazing!

Field Of Dreams Movie Site

Our first stop in Iowa was the Field of Dreams movie site in Dyersville. This is one of Justin’s favorite movies of all-time so when we saw that we were passing through there we knew we had to stop. When we pulled up we felt like we were in Heaven. It is just like the movie. The house, the field, the bleachers – just spectacular. We packed our gloves and were able to play catch, field some grounders, and run around the bases. And, of course we walked in and out of the cornfields. You can go into the house but there is a fee for the 30-minute tour. If you are ever in the area, make sure you check it out!

Effigy Mounds National Monument

The first National Park unit we visited was Effigy Mounds National Monument. This park is in Northeast Iowa in Harpers Ferry on the banks of the Mississippi River. To get there you will have to take the Iowa Scenic Byway along the river, so pretty! This park is known for its American Indian mounds. These have been here for hundreds of years. We had a blast hiking around the beautiful grounds hunting down the animal shaped mounds. We also enjoyed learning about the different theories out there as to why they made them in the first place. If you go, know that the north end of the park is where you will do the climbing up to the cliffs. It is a tough hike, but doable for most people.

Pikes Peak State Park

Pikes Peak State Park is located just south of McGregor, Iowa. This is a great place to go hiking along the cliffs of the Mississippi. From this park you will have a ton of great views of the river. You even have a waterfall just a short hike from the main parking lot. There is no entry fee to get into the park, but there are fees for camping. Overall, there are 11 and a half miles of hiking with views of the surrounding towns, Bridal Veil Falls, fossil remains, and the sheer limestone walls. This is a great place to stop for the afternoon – or spend the night if you have a skoolie or RV.

Historic McGregor

McGregor, Iowa is a historic town on the Mississippi River in between Effigy Mounds and Pikes Peak State Park. This town rose to prominence during the 1870’s because the ferry service that ran between the two banks of the river. When a train was headed west, they would disassemble the cars, ferry them across, and put them back together in McGregor. At that time, McGregor was the busiest shipping port west of Chicago. Unfortunately for the town, the railroads decided to build a bridge, and the boom town went bust.

Today though McGregor is a quaint little downtown that transports you back in time. They have some pretty cool shops, a lot of food options, and even an “old west” themed area. McGregor is a great place to take a break after a day at one of the two local parks.

Barrel Drive-In

Barrel Drive In. Yep, that’s the name. The Barrel Drive In is a 1950’s era drive in diner located in West Union, Iowa that specializes in broasted chicken. If you are wondering what broasted chicken is – we were too. We asked our carhop what it was. His response “it is chicken that is put in our broaster.” Well…thanks, I guess? We laughed and laughed because we have no idea what a broaster is anyway. (The service here was awesome, the kid we asked was like 13 and had no idea, but they were amazing!!!)

So, broasted chicken is a midwest tradition. It is kind of like fried chicken but cooked with a combination of pressure cooking and deep frying. It is pretty delicious. The best things that we had there though were the onion rings, the milkshakes, and Megan especially loved the chocolate malt. We felt like we were in Back To The Future when we were there. Definitely check that out.

Favorite Part Of The Day: Playing catch with our son on the Field of Dreams.

Total Miles: 641 miles

Day 3 – Mason City, IA to Wasta, SD

This was our last day of really burning up miles on our trip. We knew the first three days would be full of driving, and at the end of this day we would have close to 1700 miles under our belts. Our destination for the night was an awesome little airbnb in Wasta, South Dakota about 30 minutes outside of Badlands National Park. In order to get there, we had to head north to I-90, which so happens to have plenty of quick roadside attractions to stop at. This was that kind of day (except for our stop at Pipestone).

Stockman House

Frank Lloyd Wright is considered the greatest architect in American history. In 1908 he built a house, The Stockman House, in Mason City, Iowa. This house remains as an early example of the Prairie School style of architecture. We aren’t really into architecture, but were wowed by this building. What stood out to us the most was the fact that it was built so long ago. The house feels so modern yet it is over 100 years old.

Tours are available on a first come, first served basis. They can get expensive, around $15 per person and they last an hour. If you want to just walk around the grounds you are able to do that. We happened upon someone who was part of the historical society. They were great and told us all we needed to know.

Jolly Green Giant Statue

Yes, we stopped in Blue Earth, Minnesota to visit the Jolly Green Giant statue. This is actually a really great place to stop and stretch out your legs. They have a great visitor’s center with really clean bathrooms. Naturally, we picked up a pin for our collection.

The statue itself is massive, standing over 55 feet tall. You can climb the stairs and get a picture underneath the massive vegetable mascot. It is a quick stop off of exit 119. You can visit it and be back on the road in about 15 minutes.

Lange’s Cafe

We went to Pipestone, Minnesota to check out Pipestone National Monument. This is about a 30-minute drive off of I-90. We got there around lunch time and stopped at Lange’s Cafe. This is the place that everyone told us to check out and we are so glad we did. It is an awesome little diner that has some great comfort food. All of it was extremely fresh, I guess because it is surrounded by so many farms. Their specialty though is their desserts. They have just about every kind of pie you can think of. We got a slice of the lemon merengue and it was bomb!

Pipestone National Monument

Our next stop was Pipestone National Monument. We had no idea what to expect and that is a really great thing. It is so fun to be unexpectedly blown away and this place did that for us. Pipestone is an old quarry where American Indians dug for the pipestone that they turned into different items, most notably pipes.

There is so much natural beauty here. The main trail takes about an hour to do and it takes you through the whole park. You walk through the Tall Grass Prairie, the Pipestone Rock Formations, climb to get a view up top and see the oracle, walk to Winnewissa Falls, follow the river path and see an active quarry. So much to see in less than a mile! This really is a great place for kids to run and explore. Don’t forget to get your junior ranger badge too!

Corn Palace

Our next stop was the world’s only Corn Palace. This is a tourist spot for sure, but we wanted to get off the highway and take a quick break so we checked it out. The Corn Palace is in Mitchell, South Dakota off of exit 332 on I-90. It is a basketball arena made out of corn (not entirely, but the murals on the outside are). Admission to get into the building is free (and we even got free popcorn while we were there). There is a fun gift shop area on the basketball court and some other displays. The surrounding area has a bunch of little shops, restaurants, and places to get some sweets. For us, we were glad to take a little break and see something unique. You should see it once in your life, that might be it.

Dignity Statue

Another stop right off of I-90 is the Dignity Statue at exit 263. We would not call this a roadside attraction, it is a beautiful work of art celebrating the Lakota and Dakota people of South Dakota. This incredible 50-foot tall monument overlooks the Missouri River outside of Chamberlain, South Dakota. They have some hiking trails there that you can take down to the river. It is pretty steep so be prepared for that if you want to take the hike. This is definitely a can’t miss in our minds.

Wall Drug

Well, what trip to South Dakota is complete without a trip to Wall and maybe the world’s most famous tourist trap, Wall Drug. This isn’t usually our thing, but we felt like we had to stop because we were there. This place is massive, the whole town block is owned by Wall Drug, and the surrounding area is full of stores and restaurants.

Wall Drug is something, just room after room of souvenirs, $.05 coffee, statues of famous cowboys, animatronic scenes, stuffed animals and playgrounds. There are plenty of places to put quarters in machines and to spend your money. Come prepared – one way or the other. Our favorite part of our time in Wall was by the giant dinosaur at Exit 110.

Favorite Part Of The Day: The unexpected greatness of the Pipestone waterfall.

Total Miles: 569 miles

Day 4 – Wasta, SD to Rockerville, SD

Day 4 of our trip was the day that we were able to kind of breathe and not travel as much. We wanted to spend the majority of our time exploring the Badlands and that is what we did. This National Park is amazing, we would go back there right now. When we go to National Parks we try and get there as early as possible. It is so much better to beat the heat and crowds. This is what we did this day.

Wasta is about 25 miles to the west of the Badlands, so we had to circle back east to get there. Not a big deal and we were happy with our place in Wasta. And, it just so happens to be that there is another National Park Site at the exit to the Badlands (Exit 131 off of I-90).

Minuteman Missile National Historic Site

Minuteman Missile tells the story of the thousands of Cold War Era missile silos spread throughout the plains of the United States. These were hidden in plain sight and you can still tour some of these facilities today. In order to do that you need to get a reservation. When we were traveling here they were not offering tours underground, so we were only able to go to the visitors center and tour the museum. They have a great place there and it is worth a quick 20 or 30 minute stop to learn a little, get your Junior Ranger badge, and pick up your stamp.

Badlands National Park

The highlight of our day and one of the highlights of our whole trip was our time spent in the Badlands. We had driven by the day before and were blown away from the road. When we got to explore up close – just wow! This is one of the best National Parks we have been to. There is a north unit and south unit to this park. When we went the south unit was closed.

We got there around 9:30 because we had to hit up Minuteman Missile first, but we still beat most of the crowds. In total we spent about 7 hours at this park. This was one of the days were we packed a lunch because there isn’t a lot around. We feel like we got a good overview of the park, we didn’t get to hike some of the longer trails, but we did do the ones that we wanted to.

We were able to hike the Door Trail, Window Trail, Notch Trail (has a fun ladder and great views at the end), Cliff Shelf (straight up), Saddle Pass, and Fossil Exhibit. That is only 3.5 miles of (marked) trails, but the Badlands has an open hiking policy, so you can hike wherever you want to in the park, on the trail or off. For instance, the Door Trail goes on and on and on past the maintained entrance. We loved climbing all over the place here. Our kid especially loved it – no rules! He loved jumping from rock to rock, just be careful, there are some pretty big drops (and snakes!). It gets hot hiking here so make sure you have plenty of water.

Most people exit the park at the Pinnacle Entrance and head north on 240 to Wall. We decided to drive all the way down the Sage Creek Rim Road and exit to highway 44. This took us through the wilderness area and we saw a ton of bison, bighorn sheep, pronghorns, and prairie dog towns. There are also a ton of really great overlooks and the drive is just beautiful! Much of this section is gravel road, so be prepared for that.

Dinosaur Park

When we left Badlands we headed to our hotel in Rockerville, the Rockerville Lodge. They have cabins and a hotel, we stayed in the hotel. This place was great – an awesome price, great location, friendly staff, and wonderful rooms. We highly recommend this place.

We had to drive through Rapid City to get there so we got some food at a Culver’s and had a picnic at Dinosaur Park. This park is located on Skyline Drive overlooking Rapid City. We recommend this road even if you are not visiting the park. It has a ton of great views of the city. Dinosaur Park is full of giant green concrete dinosaurs. It was built in 1936 and has entertained visitors for generations. It looks old, but it is something fun for kids. You do have to climb up a bunch of stairs to the park from the parking lot. Not fun after climbing all over the Badlands.

Rapid City is a cool town as well. The downtown is great and has plenty to do. Many people use this as a launching off point for a South Dakota vacation. It is centrally located and a good option.

Mount Rushmore National Memorial

We still had about an hour of daylight so we headed up to Mount Rushmore. We were planning on doing this the next day, but because of the time we decided to go ahead and do it. This was one of the most disappointing parts of our whole trip.

When we went everything was closed off. The walkway with the flags, the trail down to the base of the mountain. The only thing that was open was the plaza. It is beautiful, we just had a pretty bad experience. We actually liked our views from the Iron Mountain Highway the next day better. Sometimes when you are traveling things don’t go as you had hoped, it is part of it.

Favorite Part Of The Day: The Notch Trail at Badlands National Park. The ladder was great and we had the whole trail to ourselves.

Total Miles: 201 miles

Day 5 – Rockerville, SD to Deadwood, SD

This was a day we were super excited about. Our plan was to explore the Black Hills of South Dakota and see all that we could. We pretty much did a giant loop in the order listed below. We were able to visit two National Park sites and probably the best State Park we have ever been to.

The reason why we were able to visit so much was because the two caves that are part of the National Park System that we went to were both closed. We were only able to do some hiking above ground, check out the visitors centers, and drive around. We did get in plenty of fun at Custer State Park which made it an amazing day.

Custer State Park

We woke up really early and headed to Custer State Park. This was a place that we were really excited to visit. We have a full day trip post on Custer, so check it out. We will just give you the highlights here.

Custer is all about the roads you take. We entered by the Iron Mountain Highway. This is an incredible drive and one you can’t miss. There are some epic views of Mt. Rushmore through the tunnels and they have some awesome corkscrew bridges. We had never been on these before and they are so much fun. This takes you through Black Hills National Forest and drops you off at the east entrance of Custer.

The next drive is the Wildlife Loop. We went there first because we wanted to be able to see the wildlife in the morning. We were not disappointed. The highlight of the road was getting stuck in a bison traffic jam. It is scary and fun to have these massive animals walk all around your car. You get up close and personal. If you are lucky you might even see the begging burros.

The third main drive is Needles Highway. You have to do this. It takes you high up to the needle shaped rock formations. It is like you are in another world. This road is unlike anything we had ever seen. Just spectacular.

At the end of Needles Highway you get to Sylvan Lake. This is one of the four main lakes at Custer. All of them have their own beaches and you can swim in them. We visited all of them but Sylvan stands out as the best. The rock formations and trails in and around the lake are so unique. We loved our time here.

Overall we were in Custer for about 9 hours. We could stay there for multiple days no problem. We did a lot of hiking, but we weren’t able to do all of the trails we wanted to. This should be a National Park, it is that good.

Wind Cave National Park

Wind Cave is the 7th National Park in the whole system. This park is just south of Custer State Park. When we went the cave was closed, but there were still plenty of activities to do. This park is beautiful; full of bison, prairie dogs, and other wildlife. There are plenty of trails to keep you busy as well. We were able to hike to one of the entrances to the cave, but we really only were here for about an hour total.

Jewel Cave National Monument

This was another quick stop that would have been longer had the cave been open. We ended up taking the trail along the visitor’s center. There are some pretty cool views from up there. The visitor’s center is pretty great, the main area is a replica of the cave, but it would have been way cooler to be able to get into the cave.

Deadwood

We ended the day in Deadwood. This place was on our list because it is one of the main Old West towns that you can visit today. This is where Wild Bill was gunned down and the Dead Man’s Hand originated. We visited the tombstones of Wild Bill and Calamity Jane and checked out the super touristy downtown area. There are plenty of re-enactments and Old West saloons that you can check out. For us, it was a little bit of a let down. It wasn’t what we expected from Deadwood, just a little too commercialized for us. We would recommend going and checking it out (especially if you are into the Old West), we didn’t hate it, just didn’t love it.

Favorite Part Of The Day: Getting stuck in the bison traffic jam.

Total Miles: 143 miles

Day 6 – Deadwood, SD to Gardiner, MT

This might have been the most frustrating travel day we have ever had, but we had some amazing experiences along the way. Our goal was to get to Gardiner, Montana outside of the north entrance to Yellowstone. We wanted to hit up Devil’s Tower, Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area and Little Bighorn along the way. We made it to two of the three and ended up driving about 300 miles that we shouldn’t have.

The reason is because the website for Little Bighorn had the wrong hours of operation. If it had the right times, we would have just headed to Gardiner after Bighorn Canyon. Instead, we drove for hours and hours out of the way. This area of the country is so difficult to get to, so we wanted to hit up Little Bighorn while we could. We probably would have gone to the north end of Bighorn Canyon instead of the south if we had the right hours. Of course, we think that the south entrance is where it is at! One negative of taking this route was we didn’t get to do the Beartooth Highway. This is one we will be doing next time.

This was the second latest we arrived at one of our hotels during this trip. We got in around 11:00 pm. Not ideal because we had to get up super early the next day to go to Yellowstone!

Devil’s Tower National Monument

Devil’s Tower is the first National Monument in the United States. The tower is an awe-inspiring 1,200+ foot rock formation that looks like the trunk of an ancient tree. This rock has meant so much to so many through the years and looking at it you can easily see why. The cost to get in is pretty steep (pardon the pun) at $25 per car (thank you National Park pass). There are some great hiking trails, but there is little to no shade and the trails are steep the farther you get from the mountain (is it a mountain?). If you are going, get there early because parking is limited and it fills up fast.

Wyoming Scenic Byway/Bighorn National Forest

So, in order to get to the south entrance of Bighorn Canyon from the east you have to take Highway 14 through the Bighorn National Forest. Let us tell you, this is one of the most beautiful drives you will ever go on. But, you better be comfortable with steep grades both ways. We are talking first gear all the way.

Bighorn National Forest is gorgeous. Highway 14 takes you to the top of the mountains and you get to drive through beautiful mountain meadows covered in flowers and streams. It is like you are in the Sound of Music. There are plenty of places to get out and walk around. Simply stunning. the views coming down on the western side of Burgess Junction are just ridiculous. It is almost like you are going to take off through the clouds. We did this in July and there was still snow on the ground. That was kind of weird for us North Carolinians.

Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area

Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area is one of the lesser known National Park sites in this area. With so many other great options this one is just passed over (and it is tough to get to). The south unit visitor’s center is in Lovell, Wyoming. We had a great experience there with the park rangers. The actual entrance to the park is about 15 miles away. We had the whole park to ourselves.

There are a bunch of trails but because our schedule was so wacky this day we only had time to check out some of the scenic overlooks. They were spectacular! The Devil’s Canyon Overlook was one of the coolest things we saw this whole trip. We were all in awe of how amazing it was. This canyon is massive and nobody has heard of it! If you have time, check it out. We would love to one day take a boat along the river at the bottom.

We made it to Gardiner and checked in to the Yellowstone Big Rock Inn. This place was great. We got a really good price for the location. Room was really big. If you are staying for a couple of days, this place would be perfect. Unfortunately, we were only in the room for about 8 hours!

Favorite Part Of The Day: Getting to our hotel room after 16 hours on the road (but also Bighorn Canyon).

Total Miles: 735 miles

Day 7 – Gardiner, MT to Island Park, ID

By this time we had already had enough fun and made enough memories to last until the next road trip, but we were only halfway there! This was day one of two here in Yellowstone. We still had plenty of fun and adventures left.

The main reason why we stayed in Gardiner was because it is by the north entrance – home of the Roosevelt Arch. Roosevelt just happened to be vacationing at Yellowstone when the cornerstone to the arch was going to be laid. He was asked to say some words and lay the cornerstone, because of that, the arch was named after him. We got there early in the morning, were the only ones there (except a jogger who took our picture), and had a blast walking in and around it.

Yellowstone National Park Day 1

What can you say about Yellowstone? This is America’s first National Park. We had never been here before and honestly we were worried that our expectations would not be met. Everyone who has come here has gone away just scratching their heads at how crazy awesome this place is. After two days this place had the same impact on us.

You can’t grasp how big this park is until you actually go there. Because of that, it takes a long time to get from one place to another – that isn’t a bad thing, because the drive is full of awesome stops. We had a bunch of people tell us that you could spend months here and never see it all. We thought there is no way. They were right. We felt like we did a ton in two days and yet there is so much that we left unexplored. We cannot wait to get back to this place. It is like you are in another world.

There were a ton of other things that we did at Yellowstone, many not mentioned below. So many quick stops for animal viewing or viewpoints. These are just the highlights.

Lamar Valley

We entered Yellowstone around 6:30 am and headed to Lamar Valley. This is where you go to see wildlife. We wanted to get there early because that is when the animals are the most active. It took about an hour to get there. We would recommend getting there by 7. Lamar Valley is huge – make sure you bring binoculars. There are plenty of places to pull of and check everything out. When we were there we saw tons of bison, a brown and cinnamon bear, pronghorns, and a couple of wolves. It was awesome.

Cooke City

At the end of Lamar Valley is the Silver Gate. This is one of the least used gates to the park. We decided to slip out real quick and head to Cooke City to get some breakfast. This is a cool little mountain town with some fun shops and cafes. We stopped at Pilot’s Perk for some good coffee and breakfast sandwiches. While we were waiting for our food on the outside deck we watched a bison walk right down the middle of the street. Too cool.

Random Stops

Lamar Valley is in the northeast corner of the park. In order to get back to the main part of the park we had to double back through the valley. We stopped at a ton of great spots – don’t miss that at Yellowstone. Right by the Silver Gate there is a sheer rock wall that has mountain goats on it.

We were not able to take the road between Tower Falls and Canyon Village because it was closed. If it wasn’t, we would have hit up Tower Falls and Mt. Washburn. We were pretty bummed about that.

Because that road was closed, we took the road back to Mammoth Hot Springs. Along the way we hit up Slough Creek, a nice trail where you can see some wildlife and saw the petrified tree. Just a couple of little stops along the way.

Wraith Falls

We were driving to Mammoth Hot Springs and saw a sign for Wraith Falls and we thought, why not? This is a quick half-mile trail to the waterfall. This is why Yellowstone is so cool. There is so much to see and do. It might be crowded, but you can always find a place to get away from people. Wraith Falls is one of those places. Such a peaceful place.

Mammoth Hot Springs

Mammoth Hot Springs was the first of the incredible hydrothermal natural wonders we saw. This one is in the the northwest corner of the park. The old Fort Yellowstone is located here as well and you can tour the grounds and hit up the restaurants and gift shop. We highly recommend going into the gift shop and getting some huckleberry ice cream.

There are upper and lower terraces where you can check out the springs. The lower area has boardwalks surrounding it. There is plenty of room to maneuver and you get up close and personal to these features. There are a lot of stairs, so if you don’t like them, you can just stick to the lower areas.

You can take the stairs to the top or you can drive around to the top and take the walking trail around the upper area. This loop trail is not that bad and can be done in about 30 minutes.

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Before we headed out for the night we drove over to Canyon Village to check out the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. We stayed on the north rim and walked to Lookout Point, Grand View, and Inspiration Point. These views were all spectacular. The upper and lower falls are amazing, but don’t sleep on the view of the canyon from Inspiration Point. It is spectacular but nobody was there except for us.

West Yellowstone and Island Park

We headed out to our place for the night in Island Park, Idaho. This is about 10 minutes outside of the town of West Yellowstone. We stopped in West Yellowstone for a little bit to get some supplies and check out the town. This place is busy! People everywhere, every restaurant was a super long wait. If you are trying to eat here, go early or stay in the park really late and grab something after.

We found a super cool cabin in Island Park on airbnb for a pretty good price. This is not a secluded cabin, more like a cabin park. They are all private, incredibly comfortable, and a great place to sleep for the night. Also, we got to spend the night in Idaho at the foot of Sawtell Peak. This is a 9,875 foot mountain that you can drive to the top of and enjoy some views of Yellowstone and the surrounding valley. Definitely check that out if you have the chance.

Favorite Part Of The Day: Checking out the animals in Lamar Valley. We felt like we were in a National Geographic documentary.

Total Miles: 275 miles

Day 8 – Island Park, ID to Jackson Hole, WY

Our second day in Yellowstone was just as amazing as our first. We did a lot of driving around this day because we hiked about nine miles the day before and we knew we were going to do about the same the next day. On this day, we hiked around four miles. This was kind of a surprising day because a lot of what we did just kind of snuck up on us – especially with Firehole Canyon and West Thumb. We think this is what makes Yellowstone so special. There is so much to do and so many amazing places that people don’t really know about.

Yellowstone National Park Day 2

Firehole Canyon

As we were heading into Yellowstone from the west entrance we saw a turnoff for Firehole Canyon. It is right after you turn south on the Grand Loop to head toward Old Faithful. We decided to take the scenic two-mile drive and we were so happy that we did. You drive along the canyon floor along the Firehole River. Take some time to get out and look up at the canyon. There aren’t a ton of turnoffs, so when you find one you will have the whole place to yourself.

You gradually climb up out of the canyon and get to have some awesome views of waterfalls and the river. Our favorite stop along the drive was the Firehole Falls overlook. Just another amazing waterfall that we just happened upon. You can also swim farther up the river, so bring your suit if you are feeling that.

Grand Prismatic

Our first planned stop was the Grand Prismatic Pool in the Midway Geyser Basin. We stopped in the main parking area and walked around the Midway Geyser Basin Trail. This is a boardwalk that takes you to the different pools in the area. They are full of color and so beautiful. If you want a bird’s eye view, drive about a mile down the road and park at the Fairy Falls trailhead.

This is a short hike to the overlook, about 1.2 miles roundtrip. It is definitely worth the views. Great perspective from up there. You can continue on the trail to Fairy Falls. If you do this, it is about 3.2 miles roundtrip.

Old Faithful

The icon of Yellowstone is definitely Old Faithful. There is a whole village surrounding Old Faithful. We were so surprised about how big this area is. This is the one place where parking is plentiful! This is also the place where we battled the most crowds. It was cool to see Old Faithful erupt, you have to make the stop if you are in Yellowstone, but it definitely isn’t our favorite thing in Yellowstone. We saw it, but if we never see it again we will be ok.

West Thumb

In doing our research for Yellowstone we didn’t see a lot of people talking about West Thumb. After going here, this might be the best place we went to during our two days there. This is another geyser basin but this one is right along the shore of Yellowstone Lake. The lake itself is spectacular, but couple that with the colorful pools and you have something out of a storybook. There is a great boardwalk trail that takes you through the geyser basin, a perfect place to get away from the crowds and enjoy a leisurely stroll. West Thumb is definitely a hidden gem of Yellowstone.

Lewis Falls

We left Yellowstone through the southern entrance but before we got totally out of the park we stopped by Lewis Falls. This is just a small pullout from the road but the waterfall is really beautiful and it makes for a great place to relax for a bit. There is a trail to the top, but we went the other way by the river and got down to the bottom. We had the whole spot to ourselves, it was awesome. This was just another one of the many unexpected spots we came upon.

Rockefeller Memorial Parkway

The road that connects Yellowstone to Grand Teton is the John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway. This is actually a National Park Unit. This is an iconic drive and you have the first views of the Tetons while driving on it. They took our breath away. There is a small visitor’s center where you can get the National Park passport stamp. It is closed often. If you are there and it is, you can get your stamp for this place at Colter Bay Village in Grand Teton.

Entering Grand Teton

We got into Grand Teton about 5 pm and spent about an hour driving through the park heading to Jackson Hole. There were a couple of places that we stopped off, but for the most part we just cruised through and scoped out places we wanted to visit the next day.

Jackson Hole

Jackson Hole is an awesome town outside of Grand Teton. It is an expensive place to stay, but is super convenient and has plenty of places to eat. The downtown area is really great, tons of shops and restaurants. Also, there are a ton of people everywhere. We ate at a place called Cutty’s by our hotel. Food was really great and the atmosphere is really cool. They have a fantastic outdoor patio and lawn area. This was a perfect place to relax after a couple of days in Yellowstone. We went back to the hotel and got to bed early. We wanted to wake up really early to get as much of the Tetons in as we could.

Favorite Part Of The Day: West Thumb was spectacular. That is hard to beat for us.

Total Miles: 235 miles

Day 9 – Jackson Hole, WY to Casper, WY

We woke up early and headed into Grand Teton National Park, knowing we only had about 10 hours in the park and wanting to get in as much as we could. We are glad we got there early because boy did some of these places get crowded. There are so many trails here and we will be back to hike them. For this trip we were only able to do two of them for a total of about 9 miles.

Grand Teton National Park

Jenny Lake

We got to Jenny Lake around 7:30. We had heard that this was one of the most popular hikes so we wanted to beat the crowds. All of this is true. Get there early. We were able to do what we wanted to do before the crowds came. On the way back there were so many people going to where we were.

The Jenny Lake trail takes you from the main parking area to Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point. You can opt to take a boat across the lake which cuts about two miles off of your hike. We decided to do this because we wanted to ride on the boat. It is a 10-15 minute ride and costs $10 per adult and $8 for kids. It was worth it to us for the experience.

From the boat landing we went up to Hidden Falls (wow!) and Inspiration Point. You can continue farther down the trail into the mountains, but we headed back after Inspiration Point. The trail up to Inspiration Point is stunning. Great views of the Tetons and along a rocky ledge. A great experience.

We only did the boat one-way so we were able to hike back on the Jenny Lake Trail. This trail is beautiful, great views along the water. It is pretty narrow, so you will be stopping often for people heading the other direction. We didn’t see any wildlife, but we heard there are a lot of moose and bears around where we were. The crowds probably scared everything away.

Colter Bay Village

Our next stop was Colter Bay Village. We needed to stop by the book store to get our Passport stamp for Rockefeller. This was pretty out of the way but it allowed us to grab our stamp and enjoy a drive through the park. Driving in the Tetons is so cool. Great views wherever you go. We stopped at a bunch of places for the views, had a picnic by the lake, and just rested from our morning hike.

Taggart Lake

Out of all of the hikes we did on our trip this was probably our favorite. We were pretty tired and weren’t really feeling another 4-mile hike but we figured we better do it because we weren’t sure when we will be back. This trail is just amazing. We began by crossing over a cascading river, by a horse farm, and through a beautiful meadow. What is really cool about this hike are the incredible views of the Tetons. This was easily the best views we had of the range.

We went at just the right time, middle afternoon. We had the trail to ourselves for the most part and just enjoyed being a family together. It was tough for us that afternoon, not a difficult hike, we were just exhausted. However, we pushed each other and made it to Taggart Lake. Boy, that was an awesome feeling. What an incredible view. We jumped in the lake and celebrated on the rocks. Such a special memory.

Mormon Row

The most iconic view of the Tetons is from Mormon Row. We stopped by there on our way out to check out this cool spot. It is best visited in the morning so you get the light on the mountain range, but we did what we could. We had a good time just walking around for a couple of minutes and heading out.

The Road To Casper

This was terrifying. We headed out of the park around 6 pm and started our drive back east. This was a big mistake. Our trip started beautifully heading on some pretty scenic roadways on Highway 26. Eventually, the sun went down and when the sun went down the animals came out. It is so frightening to be going the speed limit and have animals jump all around you. Plus, there is one town with more than 50 people on this road. There is absolutely nothing. We ended up driving 40 mph in an 80 mph zone. The drive took 6 hours instead of the 4 it was supposed to take. We will never do that again.

Favorite Part Of The Day: Taggart Lake Trail, easily.

Total Miles: 378 miles

Day 10 – Casper, WY to North Platte, NE

At this point in our trip we were starting to feel all sorts of emotions. We were traveling back east and we knew that our trip was coming to an end in a couple of short days. Also, we were starting to get pretty tired. We knew we had to go two-thirds across the country in a few short days, but we still wanted to see what we could while we were heading home. We feel like we did just that, hitting some special stops along the way, but still putting those miles on the dashboard.

Fort Laramie National Historic Site

Fort Laramie was originally a trading outpost for fur traders, but as America moved west it became the largest military post on the Northern Plains. This is a sprawling compound with plenty of historical significance. You can explore the different buildings. Old Bedlam is probably the most famous. It is Wyoming’s oldest building. Our favorite was the store that had been restored to its original. We had a lot of fun talking to the shopkeeper. As with most National Park sites, the Rangers and volunteers are just amazing here.

Scotts Bluff National Monument

Scotts Bluff was another one of those beautiful, unexpected stops. The bluffs shoot up 800 feet seemingly out of nowhere in the middle of the plains. They are sheer cliffs with a beautiful color no matter what time of day you visit. The day we visited it was over 100 degrees. We checked in at the visitors center and drove up to the top. There is a trail, but with the temperature we opted for the road. Of course, one of the reasons you have to drive is because this is the home of the only tunnels in all of the state of Nebraska. We couldn’t pass that up.

At the top parking lot there are a couple of really fun trails that give you spectacular views any direction you look. If you can, check those out – just watch out for the rattlesnakes. At the base of the bluffs, they have a couple of covered wagons because the Oregon Trail went right by here. You can actually see some of the original wheel ruts. We had a lot of fun reminiscing about elementary school, hunting for bears and squirrels and trying not to die from dysentery.

Agate Fossil Beds National Monument

Our next stop was a little off the highway, but we had to hit up Agate Fossil Beds National Monument in Harrison, Nebraska. As with most of this trip, National Park sites guided us. This is where they have found fossils and you can check out their location on one of two trails, the Daemonelix Trail and the Fossil Hills Trail. It is beautiful out here, the grasslands and the Niobrara River make for some incredible landscape. Best part about this place for us though might have been the porcupine we saw on the way to the park.

Favorite Part Of The Day: Driving up Scotts Bluff.

Total Miles: 455 miles

Day 11 – North Platte, NE to Brookfield, MO

Ok, not going to lie. Nebraska is massive. We had no idea until we drove the whole stretch of I-80 from the northwest corner to the southeast corner of the state. That is a long haul. Nebraska is great, but it isn’t for anyone. Seriously, the state Tourism Commission literally used the slogan “Honestly, it’s not for everyone.” For our day and a half in the state, it was for us. Not sure when we will be back, but we did enjoy our time there.

Buffalo Bill Ranch

We had no plans to stop here when we initially planned our trip, but when we were looking at things to do on our way home this came up in a search. We actually stayed the night in North Platte because of its proximity to the ranch. The ranch was Buffalo Bill’s home from 1886 until 1913. At one time the ranch covered 4,000 acres. Now, it is significantly smaller, but there is plenty to see and do.

On property you can wander through the restored buildings, by relaxing ponds and creeks, and even see a couple of buffalo that they have on site. The highlight of the ranch is the barn. This barn is original and used to hold Bill’s horses. Now, it is a museum for the world famous Wild West Show. The memorabilia that is here really is one of a kind. Our favorite items had to have been the giant posters that were plastered about. They are true works of art.

There is a small fee to explore this property, but we found that it was well worth the price of admission.

Pony Express Station at Fort Kearney

The Pony Express was a mail service that delivered mail from Missouri to California for about 16 months in 1860-61. I always thought that it was longer than that, but that was it. In that time it became the stuff of legend. Riders on horseback would sprint from station to station as fast as they could in a giant relay race to get the mail across the country as fast as possible. It made it so mail would only take 10 days to travel from the Atlantic to the Pacific Oceans. When the telegraph came along, it went away.

There are numerous Pony Express Stations found throughout the Central Plains, the Rockies, and into California. The National Park Service actually has a Pony Express National Historic Trail that stretches from Missouri to California. Along the route there are numerous National and State Parks that you can visit. It is 2000 miles of history in some pretty crazy and remote places.

We saw a sign for Fort Kearney as we were driving down I-80 in Nebraska so we pulled off for a bit and explored the little museum. This was the site of one of the over 150 stations on the trail. It made for a fun little stop with some pretty interesting history. It is pretty weird that this building sits in the middle of a neighborhood. The town just built all around it and made it a park.

You can’t get a National Park stamp here, those are found in Old Sacramento in California, the Fort Sedgwick museum in Colorado, or the Pony Express museum in Kansas.

Runza

On most of our trips, we do a story on Instagram or Facebook. We had some people reach out to us when we were going through Nebraska and they told us we had to stop at Runza, it is a Nebraska institution. Hey, we understand, we are from North Carolina, home of Bojangles. We did, we loved it, and we will be back. Just wanted to let everyone know we went to Runza.

Homestead National Monument

Our last stop in Nebraska was Homestead National Monument in Beatrice. This National Park unit tells the story of the homesteaders who settled the west. We had way more fun here than we thought we would. This is an incredibly well put together museum and grounds, they make the story come to life. There is an original homesteader cabin on the grounds and a school a mile down the road. You can go inside these and explore.

We learned about what homesteaders went through to get their land, and learned of the last homesteader in America – a dude in Alaska who moved there, built a cabin, and was given the deed to the land. The U.S. government used to give people 160 acres of land if they lived on the land for five years and improved it. Pretty crazy.

Favorite Part Of The Day: The unexpected greatness of the Buffalo Bill Ranch.

Total Miles: 484 miles

Day 12 – Brookfield, MO to Vincennes, IN

This was our American legend day. We went to the hometowns of two men who have helped shape America through their creativity and art. Walt Disney and Mark Twain. It was such a fun day walking around where these two icons grew up.

Marceline

Why in the world would we want to make a stop at a small town of just over 2,000 people in central Missouri? Because it is the hometown of Walter Elias Disney. We are pretty big Disney fans and we were very excited that our route would take us by his hometown. Main Street in Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom over in Disney World are modeled after this fun little town. This is a great stop for any Disney fan, or anyone really. We were able to check out the family farm, the museum full of awesome Disney collectibles, have a yummy meal at Ma Vic’s and walk right down the middle of Main Street.

Disney Family Farm

The Disney family farm is located on W. Broadway just outside of downtown Marceline. It is a private property now, but near it is a small parking area with a path that takes you to the replica barn and dreaming tree. The barn was raised in 2001 and is an exact replica of the one that was on the Disney farm while Walt was growing up. You can walk all around this area, inside the barn, and add your signature to the thousands that are already there. We recommend bringing a sharpie with you. See if you can find any familiar names – including Go The Adventure Way!

Walt Disney Hometown Museum

This is one of the coolest museums we have ever been to. There are pieces of Disney memorabilia here that you can’t find anywhere else. This museum tells the story of Walt’s time in Marceline and where he got his inspiration. The coolest part of the museum to us though was the collector’s wing. Here, Disney fans from all over the world donated their collections to be on display for everyone to enjoy. Some really great pieces of Disney history are in this area.

The museum is open year round Tuesday – Saturday 10am to 4 pm, and Sunday 1 pm to 5 pm. It is closed on Mondays. The museum is located right in downtown, fittingly in an old train station.

Ma Vic’s Corner Cafe

Ma Vic’s is the place to grab lunch in Marceline. It is located right on Main Street across from the town square and museum. They have plenty of great food to choose from here and the service is awesome. It is run by a family and you could tell they loved it. We spent some time talking to them and it was good to get to know them a little bit. That is what is so cool about traveling the States. There are so many interesting people with interesting stories to tell. Try and go to the museum before you go here. If you bring your museum ticket in, you get a free dessert. The Dusty Miller. Once you get the small size, you might opt for a larger one! We loved our time at Ma Vic’s!

Hannibal

Hannibal is the hometown of Samuel Clemens, better known as Mark Twain. This town is only 90 miles down Highway 36 from Marceline. The town sits right on the banks of the Mississippi. Hannibal is a blast from the past. They have kept a lot of the historical waterfront buildings and it is so fun to walk through the old town. it is like you are back in time getting ready to hop on a riverboat (which you can do here). Most people tour the Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museum. It is an incredible little town block where you can whitewash a fence, see Becky Thatcher’s and Huck Finn’s houses, and go into an old drug store. There is a fee to enter them, but one ticket covers all of it.

On Main St. there are a bunch of great shops and restaurants to visit. All of them selling your typical souvenirs. We did buy a coffee mug and a pin here. Make sure you go to Dutch Country General Store. This is a super fun place to shop and walk around. But they do something here that nobody does – they give you free ice cream, popcorn, and coffee! And the people there are some of the nicest people we met on our trip. Just fantastic.

Take some time to climb (or drive) up to the top of the hill where the lighthouse is at the end of Main St. This was a fun little adventure that we went on. There are a lot of stairs, so if you can’t do them, take the winding road up to the top. We always love a good river lighthouse.

We were only here for about two hours, though you could spend a week here. No doubt we will be back to visit.

Gateway Arch National Park

The Gateway Arch is one of the icons of America. It stands 630-feet over the Mississippi River city of St. Louis. The arch symbolizes the westward expansion of America. This National Park unit is by far the smallest unit with a National Park designation.

We stopped here in the afternoon and had just enough time to go underground, get our stamp, and talk to the Rangers. There is a great museum down there that tells the story of the arch and the move west for America.

The elevator to the top was down when we got there, but we will be back one day to travel to the top. There is a fee of $12-16 for adults and $8-12 for kids depending on what day you go.

Even though we couldn’t ride to the top, we had fun walking around the grounds, sitting under the arch, and checking this place out from all sorts of angles. It is something to see in person. Another really cool thing about it is it is right on the banks of the Mississippi. A great place to sit and watch the riverboats roll down the river.

Favorite Part Of The Day: Walking right down the middle of Main Street, U.S.A.

Total Miles: 375 miles

Day 13 – Vincennes, IN to Apex, NC

This was our last day on the road and the one that we covered the most ground. We originally planned to do this in 14 days, but we decided it would be best for us to get all the way home and have a rest day before going back to work. After this epic adventure, it was pretty wise. However, we were still able to make four more stops along the way. That is what makes road trips so awesome, getting there is half the fun.

George Rogers Clark National Historical Park

Ever heard of George Rogers Clark? We hadn’t either until this trip. He was an American Revolutionary War hero who led the army in what was then the Northwest Territory of the United States. There is a National Park unit bearing his name in the town of Vincennes, IN. The grounds here are quite stunning and the monument is one of the most unique in the U.S.

The park is located on what is believed to be the site of Fort Sackville. When Rogers and his men captured this fort, it solidified the western frontier for the colonists. It has a beautiful rotunda with a statue of Clark. Inside are massive paintings depicting the westward movement of the U.S. This is the largest memorial on any battlefield in the country. There is a nice little visitors center as well here, so don’t forget to pop in and get your passport book stamped.

Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial

This was the first of our two visits to a Lincoln National Park unit on the day. There are a handful of these spread throughout the midwest. Lincoln’s boyhood home is located Lincoln City, Indiana right outside of Santa Claus (more on that in a minute). This park is on the property where Lincoln grew up. The visitors center is really great, very unique. The outside is its own museum with great art telling the story of Lincoln.

You can take a short half-mile walk to the actual land where Lincoln grew up or drive to the nearby parking lot. The Lincoln historical homestead is awesome. The Rangers on site are dressed in clothing from that period and they teach visitors what it was like on the farm in those days. They also have animals on site. If you have time, check out the Trail of the Twelve Stones which does a great job telling the story of Lincoln’s life.

Santa Claus, Indiana

We weren’t planning on stopping here, but when you pass by a town called Santa Claus, you have to take the time. We were just here for a quick minute, but we had fun going to the Santa Claus Christmas shop, buying an ornament, and grabbing some fudge and cookies. Also, check out the post office in town. This is where all of Santa’s mail gets delivered to.

Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park

Our last official stop for our whole epic road trip was the Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park in Hodgenville, Kentucky. There are two sections to this park, the main section is on Highway 31E. This is a beautiful park with a great museum and movie on Lincoln’s life. The highlight is the Memorial Building. This building houses the actual log cabin that Lincoln was born in. It was really special to be able to walk around this cabin. It was one of those things we will never forget.

When we got done with our time with Lincoln we decided to just hit the road hard and get back to our house. It was 570 miles but it was a good choice to sleep in our bed. It was great spending the afternoon and evening enjoying the open road and reminiscing on the previous two weeks. A great way to end our trip.

Favorite Part Of The Day: Seeing the cabin that Lincoln was born in was pretty sweet.

Total Miles: 747 miles

This was the most epic trip we have ever been on. We loved every single day, experienced so much, and made so many memories. This trip was something we wish everybody could experience. Life is good when you Go The Adventure Way.

If you want some more in-depth information on some of our stops, check out our post on Pipestone, Grand Tetons, Custer State Park, and our time in Iowa.

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Out of all of the places we have had the privilege to travel to, few if any compare to the majesty of Grand Teton National Park. The Tetons are a magnificent mountain range south of Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. It is a short 31-mile drive between the parks on the Rockefeller Memorial Parkway (which happens to be a National Park unit itself). This is a beautiful drive between he parks, so try and come in this way if possible.

The Tetons are one of the many mountain ranges that make up the Rocky Mountains. Grand Teton National Park is named after the tallest peak in the range, Grand Teton. This beautiful mountain is 13,775 feet tall. Mt. Owen is next at just under 13,000 feet. It is a crazy sight to see those peaks shoot up 7,000 feet over Jackson Valley.

There are numerous lakes in the park, Jackson Lake being by far the largest. However, the beauty in the lakes may well lie in the smaller ones. Jenny Lake, Taggart Lake, String Lake, Lake Solitude, and Leigh Lake are all wonderful. The Snake River also flows through parts of the park.

There is a charge to get into the park. It is $35 per vehicle. This will cover the vehicle for one full week. If you are in this area of the United States, it is easiest to go ahead and get the National Park Annual Pass. Well worth the price. You will save money in the long run with all of the other parks around.

There is no bad time to visit the Tetons. However, be aware that some of the roads are closed in the winter and early spring. But the snow-filled valley and trails are spectacular.

Where To Stay

There are so many great places to stay in and around the Tetons. If you are able to get a spot in the park, go for it. These places go fast, so grab them if you can. There are cabins near Jenny Lake, Jackson Lake, and Colter Bay.

If you can’t score a reservation in the park, Jackson Hole is your next best bet. This is an amazing town at the southern end of the park. There is so much to see and do here. Plenty of great food, shopping, nightlife, and just a great vibe. This place gets super crowded, so be prepared for the crowds. This is one of the most expensive places to stay outside of a National Park in the United States, so be prepared for that. You pay a lot for location and easy access to the park.

Jenny Lake

Jenny Lake is the one thing that is on everyone’s list when they are visiting Grand Teton National Park. It is totally understandable because it is one of the most beautiful places on the planet. Because so many people put this on their list of things to do when visiting the park, you need to get here early. We were here first thing in the morning and beat the majority of the crowds on the way up. As we were hiking down we were blown away at how many people were on their way up. We were so happy we chose to get up and out of the bed early. It would have been pretty miserable hiking up the mountain with so many other people. So, #1 piece of advice, get there early!

There are plenty of amenities at this location. There is a great visitors center and gift shop as well as bathrooms and maps. This is an easy place to find a Park Ranger as well.

Jenny Lake Trail

The Jenny Lake Trail is a loop that encircles Jenny Lake. In total the trail is a little over 7 miles, but most people will only hike the two mile section that leads up to Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point. If you have the time and energy, do the whole loop, but if you are pressed for either, stick to the part we are going to talk about now.

To get to the trail from the visitors center, head down the path towards the boat dock. Once you get to the boat dock, there is a bridge on the left that takes you over a creek leading into Jenny Lake. That is the Jenny Lake Trail. At about the two-mile mark you will see a junction in the trail that will take you up to Hidden Falls (half-mile more), Inspiration Point (one-mile more), and further into the Tetons. We definitely recommend heading that way.

The trail gives you some sweet views of the lake and there are plenty of places where you can get down by the water (and even in it). Jenny Lake is over 400 feet deep at its deepest, so don’t get out too far! This is a pretty good place to see wildlife as well if you get there early. If you go too late, all of the people will have scared everything off usually. This trail isn’t too wide either, so there will be plenty of places where you will have to stop and let others pass.

Boat Ride

If you don’t want to hike to get to Hidden Falls or Inspiration Point you can take the Jenny Lake Boat. You can purchase one-way tickets or roundtrip. We really wanted to ride on a boat so we bought a one-way ticket. We rode over in the morning, hiked up to where we were going, then took the Jenny Lake Trail back. This is what we would recommend. We beat the crowds to Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point and eased into the day with a fun boat ride.

Tickets for the boat can be purchased on the boat dock. To get there, take the short walkway from the visitors center towards the lake. There is plenty of signage, but if you have trouble just ask a Ranger. Tickets are $10 one-way and $18 roundtrip for adults and $8 one-way and $10 roundtrip for kids aged 2-11. Boats leave every 10-15 minutes. No reservations are taken because the boats just run continuously through the day.

The boat ride is a fun 10-15 minute trip across the lake. We found that to be worth it on its own, just to get out on the water for a bit surrounded by such beautiful scenery.

Once you get off the boat, it is a half-mile hike to Hidden Falls and a one-mile hike to Inspiration Point. If you do this and hike back to the boat ramp, you are looking at about 4.5 miles total.

Hidden Falls

Hidden Falls is a picturesque waterfall that flows through Cascade Creek down into Jenny Lake. This waterfall is 100 feet tall and gets really full when the snow is melting farther up the Tetons. At the base of the waterfall is a nice little sitting area where you can relax and enjoy the view.

From the Jenny Lake visitors center it is just under a 5-mile hike roundtrip. If you don’t want to hike that far or don’t have the time, you can always just take the boat across Jenny Lake. From the boat dock it is a mile round trip.

Inspiration Point

If you go another half-mile up the trail you will get to inspiration point. This is an inspiring overlook with views of Jenny Lake and the the valley around the Tetons. The view is really great, but what makes this place so spectacular is the hike from Hidden Falls.

This hike is super fun. There are some really great cliff walkways that are plenty wide and safe, but they make you feel like you are walking on dangerous ground. The best is when you are on the little switchbacks and you get through the woods. You can turn around and have some of the best views of the mountain range in the whole park.

Once you get to Inspiration Point, take your time and take it all in. This was a perfect spot for us to take a break. We spent about a half hour up there filling up on snacks and taking a water break. Once it got crowded we got out of the way and let other people have some space, but it is something we will always remember.

Cascade Canyon

Not nearly as many people do this, but you can continue on to Cascade Canyon. You can hike the out and back trail which is a little under half a mile and get a good view of Grand Teton, Mount Owen, and Teewinot. If you want to see animals like moose and bears this is the place to go. You can go even deeper, over 4 miles, but the elevation gets steeper after the out and back trail.

Taggart Lake

Taggart Lake was our favorite hike in the whole park. There are a couple of reasons for this. The first is this place was absolutely stunning. The whole trail. You pass through forests, streams, meadows, boulder fields, and the lake. The whole time you have views of the Tetons that you can’t see anywhere else. It is a magical place. The other reason why we loved this is because we were super tired and didn’t know if we had any more miles in our legs. But, we realized it was now or a couple of years until we were back, so we did it. So glad we went the adventure way.

Taggart Lake is a relatively easy 3-mile hike. The trailhead is right off of Teton Park Road south of Jenny Lake. We went right at the fork at the trailhead and circled that way. Right when you get in the forest area there is an incredible cascade with an awesome bridge over it. That would have been enough to end it for us, but it was just the beginning. When you get to Taggart Lake you can get in for a cold swim or just wade out to to the rocks and find a place to sit. The water is crystal clear, simply stunning. Make sure you hit up Taggart Lake when you go to the Tetons.

Lupine Meadows

Lupine Meadows is a beautiful area at the base of the Tetons just south of Jenny Lake. If you come at the right time you will find a meadow full of colorful flowers. The road through the meadows dead ends at the Lupine Meadows Trailhead. There are two trails that you can take from here and both of them are strenuous hikes that will take up most of your day. Garnet Canyon takes you to the middle of the Tetons. To get there though you better be at peak physical condition. You will need to do some boulder scrambling, and 2,500 feet of elevation change over 8.4 miles. The other trail takes you to Surprise and Amphitheater Lakes. This is over 10 miles and it strenuous as well. Definitely not for the faint of heart. Even if you don’t hike these trails, take the turn and drive through the meadows.

Colter Bay

Colter Bay is on the north end of the park on Jackson Lake. This is such a beautiful part of the park that a lot of people stay away from. However, we highly recommend coming up here. If you like to be on the water, this is where you go. There are plenty of boating options in Grand Teton National Park, but Lake Jackson is where most of the action is.

Another really great option at Colter Bay is the trails that are available. The Lakeshore Trail is a relatively easy 2-mile trail that takes you right along the shore. It starts at the visitors center and takes you through a small forest and to some spectacular views of the Tetons. The mountain range reflecting off of the water is simply stunning. Another big bonus, there are a ton of bears in this area.

Chapel of the Sacred Heart

We had no intention of stopping at the Chapel of the Sacred Heart, but we were looking for a place to stop and eat lunch. Pretty much everywhere in the park was completely full so we just started trying different pullouts on the side of Teton Park Road.

When we got to Chapel of the Sacred Heart nobody was there. We parked and took a 50-yard trail down to the water and there were a couple of picnic tables down there. We had that whole section of Jackson Lake to ourselves, it was awesome. This is a great, quiet stop for you to get away from the crowds and have a moment to yourself. It was a perfect recharging spot for us as we headed into a pretty busy afternoon. We all need those moments of calm and quiet, we found it at the Chapel of the Sacred Heart.

Mormon Row

Maybe the most photographed location in all of the National Park System is Mormon Row. Mormon Row is a historic homestead on the east side of the Tetons. It has been well preserved and makes for some really great pictures of the Moulton Barns with the Tetons in the background. The time to go is early in the morning as the sun is coming up and hitting the Tetons. People line up an hour before the sun is up to get the pics they are after. We went late in the afternoon and the sun was on its way down so we got some pretty bad pictures. It was still worth it to go and walk around.

To get to Mormon Row, you have to take 191 to Antelope Flats Road and go about two miles. It is right in the middle of a valley so you can see it from pretty far away.

Scenic Drives In Grand Teton National Park

Grand Teton is one of the most magnificently beautiful places we have ever been. There are amazing views wherever you go. Because of that, it makes this park ideal for whatever you are able to do. If you are not able to go deep into the mountains or woods, we would still highly recommend coming to this park because there is beauty all around you.

The main road, Teton Park Road, drives by the base of the Tetons. There are plenty of up close views and turnouts that make the drive itself worth it. Highway 191 goes from Jackson to Yellowstone and the views and turnouts there are spectacular as well. You are a little farther away from the range so you have a wider view. The Moose Wilson Road also gives you great views and is a really fun drive. It takes you up to Phelps Lake and you can see some great views from there. Make sure you check to see if it is open if you go in the colder months. Signal Mountain Road is another great one. Fantastic views from most points.

Maybe our favorite drive was the Jenny Lake Drive. This is an awesome little road that skirts the shore of the lake. It is one way and tight in some places, but you can see so much of the lake and the Tetons. There is plenty of wildlife in this area, so take your time and be on the lookout. There was not a ton of places to turn off on this section of road, so if you find one, take advantage of it.

What To Pack For Grand Teton National Park

You should always be prepared when heading to a National Park! Click here to sign up for our newsletter and receive our packing list for any trip we go on. For the Tetons, we wanted to highlight a couple of items that will help you have the best experience as possible.

Go The Adventure Way is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

• Hiking boots – with all of the hiking in this park, you will need to have a good pair of boots, these are the ones that we use and we love them!
• Backpack – this pack is a little more on the expensive side for a day use pack, but it is lightweight with plenty of storage.
• Water bottle – always pack a water bottle that can be reused. This is a good one.
• Scope – we always carry a pair of binoculars but recently got a scope and have been able to see animals up close and personal. When we went to this part of the country the people who had a scope had much better views of wildlife. If you can invest in one and go to parks a lot, go for it. These can go into the high hundreds, might want to start cheaper and see if you use it.
• Fanny pack – you read that right, fanny packs are back! This one is great for going into the woods for a couple of hours. You can hold a water bottle, some snacks, your phone, and you are good to go!

We hope you have a blast going the adventure way in Grand Teton National Park. We know that you will. Here are some other National Park units you can visit as you are out traveling this beautiful country.

Congaree National Park, Great Smoky Mountains, Effigy Mounds, Cape Lookout, and Pipestone

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The post 48 Hours In The Tetons first appeared on Go The Adventure Way.

There are a lot of factors that are at play with those numbers. It is on the east coast where there isn’t as much competition for other parks. It is located by a couple of really big tourists towns in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg on the Tennessee side, and Cherokee and Bryson City on the North Carolina side. But, the real reason why so many people go to this park year after year is because it is just a beautiful place with a ton to do. We recently went on a trip to the Smokies and had a blast. Here is all you need to know to have a great time on your visit.

About Great Smoky Mountains NP

The Smokies are a mountain range located on the border on North Carolina and Tennessee. The park is home to a very diverse plant and animal life. Because there is so much variation in elevation, rainfall, and temperature there are so many different types of plant – there are over 1600 different flowering plants alone! As far as wildlife, the Smokies are a great place to see black bears (over 1500 live here), elk, deer, wild turkeys, coyotes, and salamanders. We love searching out animals on our trips and the Smokies are a great place to do this.

The park has two main entrances that are connected by the Newfound Gap Road. This road is the main road for the whole park connecting the Gatlinburg, TN entrance to the Cherokee, NC entrance. This is a super scenic road and if you are just in the park for a day or two you will want to stick to this. There are other entrances to the park, and you will actually need to drive around the outside of the park to access many of the areas of the park. Look Rock, Abrams Creek, Twentymile, Cataloochee, Big Creek, and Greenbrier are all best (and sometimes only) accessed by leaving the park and driving around.

Where To Stay

There are plenty of campsites located throughout the park. If you like to backpack, tent camp, or park an RV or Skoolie, there is a spot for you. Most people however, opt for one of the awesome mountain towns surrounding the town.

The towns of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge are a tourist lovers dream. There is anything and everything you could want or imagine. Plenty of great local and chain restaurants. Tons of hotels, cabins, apartments, and Airbnbs. A variety of nightlife, shows, aquariums, and museums. And for the shopper – everything from outlet malls to high end retailers. And of course, you can’t miss the most important thing from that area of Tennessee – Dollywood.

The North Carolina side is a lot quieter but they have plenty as well in Bryson City and Cherokee. Both of these towns are great to stay in and will keep you busy. A really great part of staying on this side is the amount of waterfalls that are available to you right outside of the park gates. Mingo Falls, Soco Falls, Indian Creek Falls, Juney Whank Falls, and Tom Branch Falls are all located on the North Carolina side of the park.

Great Smoky Mountains Visitor Centers

There are four visitors centers located throughout the park. Sugarlands, Oconaluftee, Cades Cove, and Clingmans Dome. You can get a National Park passport stamp at each one of these locations. Two of the centers are at the main entrances. The other two are a little off the road, but are major areas that you will want to visit.

Sugarlands and Oconaluftee (ask a Park Ranger how to say it and then enjoy saying it the rest of the day) are the two main entrance visitor centers. Sugarlands is on the Tennessee side at the Gatlinburg entrance. This is the most visited visitor center because it is so close to the more touristy towns of Tennessee. There is a nice gift shop and a pretty cool museum. Oconaluftee is a pretty new visitor center and has a really cool topographical map of the park as well as a great gift shop. In addition, there is a fantastic mountain farm museum that you can walk through and learn how families lived a 100 years ago.

The other two visitors centers are located in Cades Cove and Clingmans Dome. There isn’t too much to these two centers. Cades Cove is actually an open air structure that kind of looks like a giant bus stop and Clingmans is like an old camp canteen. They do have food and souvenirs to purchase at both places, but the real reason a National Park lover needs to go is for the passport stamp.

A bonus, the Clingmans Dome center has a passport stamp for the Appalachian Trail because it passes right through there. We were thrilled by that because we had just been to Harpers Ferry, West Virginia a couple of weeks before which is the halfway point of the AT. When we were there, all of the places to get the stamp were closed because of Covid and they didn’t have any out. Lucky for us, Clingmans Dome had them!

Cades Cove

Cades Cove is one of the coolest spots you can check out when you go to the Smokies. You can get to it from the entrance outside of the park off of Highway 73, but our favorite way to access the area is by taking Fighting Creek Gap and Little River Gorge Roads from the Gatlinburg entrance. The Little River section is one of the most beautiful drives we have ever been on. This drive is one of the highlights of the park. Take your time, make some stops, and enjoy.

Cades Cove is a peaceful valley area that was settled in the 1800s. It is an 11 mile loop road that takes you through a ton of awesome stops. You can get out and hike to waterfalls (Abrams and Laurel) and see a bunch of fantastic historic buildings. There is a church for every denomination as well as tons of historic homesteads. They make for a great place to explore.

What makes Cades Cove so special though is the wildlife. We definitely recommend going early in the morning or right before the sun sets. You can see black bears, deer, wild turkeys, coyotes and so many other awesome animals. This is such a fun place to slow down and take it easy.

This drive can take up to 2 hours on some days because it can get so crowded. Come prepared and pack a lot of patience if you are there on one of those busy days. Make sure you prepare for that. It also takes a while to get here, so plan on at least a half a day.

Take A Hike In The Great Smoky Mountains

Great Smoky Mountain National Park is the home of some incredible hikes for all different skill levels. There are far too many to name here, but we did want to point out a couple of the best ones.

The AT

The Appalachian Trail goes right through the park. There are a couple of really great places to hop on the trail and hike. Maybe the best is the hike from Newfound Gap to Charlie’s Bunion. It is a four mile one way hike with a little bit of elevation change. There are some tough spots, but the views along the way are well worth it.

Rainbow Falls

Rainbow Falls is perhaps the most popular of all of the trails in the smokies. Parking is tough here so try and get here early. This trail follows LeConte Creek at the beginning and crosses through some beautiful vegetation before getting to the falls. Rainbow Falls is an 80-foot waterfall that is just stunning (when the water is flowing). The main parking area is off of Historic Nature Trail Drive in Gatlinburg.

Gatlinburg Trail

An easy and fun hike for just about anyone is the Gatlinburg Trail. This trail is located right by the Gatlinburg entrance. You can actually get on it from downtown (or the Sugarlands visitor center). This is a 3.9 miles trail that takes you by the Little Pigeon River. You can hike on this for as long as your kids legs can handle. There is a really beautiful bridge over the river. A great place to take some pictures. There are plenty of stops along the way where you can learn about the history of the park. You can also take a spur trail to Cataract Falls from this trail. This is a relatively easy, flat trail that most beginning hikers will be able to hike.

Abrams Falls

Abrams Falls is another great hike. This one is located in the Cades Cove area of the park. Abrams Falls is not a giant waterfall, but it is usually pretty full with some swift water. This trail is a 5.2 mile hike that takes you through some pretty scenery. We read somewhere that this is the 9th most dangerous hikes in all of the United States. We thought that was crazy.

There are so many other amazing hikes in the Smokies. Gregory Bald, Alum Cave, Mount LeConte and so many more. For the best hike for your ability and family, we definitely recommend stopping by one of the visitors centers and talking to a Park Ranger. They can point you in the right direction for a great time with your group.

Clingman’s Dome

Clingman’s Dome is the highest point in the Smokies and at one point was thought to be the highest point east of the Mississippi. Now it ranks third behind Mt. Mitchell and Mt. Craig. This mountain is over 6,600 feet tall and has an incredible viewing tower at the peak. It is a fun spiral walkway up to the top. On a clear day you can see up to 100 miles, but it is the Smokies so those days are few and far between. Either way, there are plenty of great views no matter the weather.

To get to Clingmans Dome take the Newfound Gap Road (Hwy. 441) to Clingmans Dome Road. It is pretty much right between Gatlinburg and Cherokee. From the parking lot it is about a half-mile trail to the summit. It is a pretty steep trail. There are a ton of places to stop and sit on benches, all with spectacular views. The road does close during the winter, so if you come during that time you will need to hike up (and that is miles and miles!). You can’t miss Clingmans Dome on your visit to the Smokies.

Mingus Mill

The Smoky Mountains and surrounding areas are full of historical buildings. These buildings tell the story of the different people that settled in this area through the years. An important part of life in those days revolved around mills. Many of the old mills have been restored, none better than Mingus Mill.

The Mingus Mill parking area is located on the North Carolina side of Newfound Gap Road near the Oconaluftee Visitor Center. It is a short walk over a beautiful little creek to get to the mill that was built way back in 1886. This is still a working mill today and it is staffed with millers who will be able to educate you on all things dealing with mountain life. We sat and talked with them for a while about mountain music – some are pretty great musicians.

Throughout the year they offer special programs. They have everything from educational programs to bluegrass concerts on the porch. This is a great place to relax, go on the nearby trail, or have a picnic.

Wildlife Viewing

Roaring Fork

There are so many great places to check out wildlife throughout the park. Many of the places you can view from the comfort of your own car. The Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail is a super fun one-way 5.5 mile loop road. There are plenty of historic buildings, cabins and mills, beautiful streams, and an old looking forest. This is a great place to see animals in the wild.

Cataloochee

Cataloochee is a favorite for people looking for elk. They were reintroduced into the Smokies in 2001 and they have thrived. If you want to see elk, try and get there first thing in the morning or at sundown. They are so fun to watch and listen to. The easiest way to get there is to take I-40 at NC exit 20, just follow the signs to Cataloochee from there. If you want a more adventurous route, come in from Tennessee on Highway 32. Just don’t do it if you get car sick easily.

Cades Cove

Cades Cove is probably the best place to see black bears. There are a bunch in the area. The key to seeing them is to be patient and to be there in the morning or right before the sun goes down. Find a good pull off spot in a valley and see if you can see them running around. Also, black bears in the mountains are often found in the trees. So, make sure you look up as much as you look down.

Newfound Gap Road

Another really great spot to see elk is the valley by the Mingus Mill parking area on Newfound Gap Road. We were just driving by and saw a huge herd right before it got dark. There were Park Rangers directing traffic and answering questions. It was a great experience. The Rangers said they are out there just about every day, so make sure you plan to be there around sundown.

Newfound Gap

The Newfound Gap parking area is located near mile marker 15 along the Newfound Gap Road. This is a great place to relax and take a lunch break with some incredibly scenic views. You can climb the Rockefeller Overlook that towers over the parking area. Great views from the top. The Appalachian Trail crosses right through this area. You can get on the trail here and hike for a couple of miles just to say you have been on it. This is also the state line of North Carolina and Tennessee, always fun to be in two states at once.

Great Smoky Mountains Packing List

You should always be prepared when heading to a National Park! Click here to sign up for our newsletter and receive our packing list for any trip we go on. For the Smokies, we wanted to highlight a couple of items that will help you have the best experience as possible.

Go The Adventure Way is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

• Hiking boots – with all of the hiking in this park, you will need to have a good pair of boots, these are the ones that we use and we love them!
• Backpack – this pack is a little more on the expensive side for a day use pack, but it is lightweight with plenty of storage.
• Water bottle – always pack a water bottle that can be reused. This is a good one.
• Scope – we always carry a pair of binoculars but recently got a scope and have been able to see animals up close and personal. When we went to Yellowstone the people who had a scope had much better views of wildlife. If you can invest in one and go to parks a lot, go for it. These can go into the high hundreds, might want to start cheaper and see if you use it.
• Fanny pack – you read that right, fanny packs are back! This one is great for going into the woods for a couple of hours. You can hold a water bottle, some snacks, your phone, and you are good to go!

We hope you have a blast visiting Great Smoky Mountain National Park! We know we did, can’t wait to go back! What are some of your favorite places to visit while in the park? Leave a comment below and let us know.

For more guides to National Park units, check out our posts on Pipestone National Monument, Congaree National Park, Cape Lookout National Seashore, Big Thicket, Tuskegee, Gettysburg, or Canaveral National Seashore.

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One of the few National Parks on the east is found in central South Carolina – Congaree National Park. We recently went on a visit and wanted to put together everything we learned to help you when you visit this fun little park. Here is your ultimate guide to Congaree National Park.

Where Is Congaree National Park

Congaree National Park is located in Hopkins, South Carolina. Hopkins is about 20 miles southeast of Columbia, the state capitol. From Columbia, it is pretty much a straight shot down highway 48. For us, it was just under a four hour drive from Raleigh. Congaree is one of the smallest National Parks at just over 42 square miles. Congaree became a National Park in 2003, after years of being Congaree Swamp National Monument.

What Makes Congaree National Park Special

Congaree National Park is in the middle of the Congaree Biosphere Reserve – part of UNESCO. The Park preserves one of the largest bottomland old growth forests along the East coast and boasts some of the tallest tree canopies found in the area. The trees here are truly beautiful. Growing up along the east coast you don’t see trees this size very often. The Congaree river flows through the park and much of the park is its floodplain. Being a floodplain, the park is very often covered in water and washes out a lot of the hiking trails and boardwalks.

It’s really important to check which trails are open before you go since flooding happens often! Congaree’s swamp status also lends itself to major mosquito issues. Just be aware this can be a real nuisance to you while there. The park even has a little fun with it and sets the mosquito level everyday for you at the visitors center! Don’t miss checking this out on your trip to the park.

One of the special yearly events found at Congaree is the firefly displays during the late spring/early summer evenings. There are only 3 species of synchronous fireflies found in North America and you can view them in full display in Congaree. It is truly a special occassion. The firefly festival has grown over the years and receives thousands of visitors. Check the National Park website to determine when to go to view the fireflies and details about the event. It changes every year!

The Best Trails At Congaree National Park

Hiking

The most popular trail at Congaree National Park is the boardwalk loop trail. This is a really pretty and super easy trail that takes you through the swampy forest. It includes both an upper high boardwalk and lower boardwalk. On our visit some of the lower portions were flooded. We actually thought it was pretty cool to see the water up so high and it just added to the experience. This trail should be number one on your list since you get such a great view of the park here.

There are many other trails ranging in all levels of difficulty. We also took the Longleaf trail (marked as easy) since it branched off of the boardwalk trail and provided a loop back to the main parking area. One of the most difficult trails is the Kingsnake trail which is a total of 12 miles along the Cedar creek. This trail is often flooded and nearly impassable at times-however its a favorite for bird watchers! Other trails marked as Difficult include the River trail, a 10 mile trail to Congaree River and the Oakridge Trail which is 7 miles.

Kayaking or Canoeing

A huge draw to Congaree is the amazing waterways to explore. Kayaking or Canoeing is a major activity you can take part in here. The Cedar Creek Kayak trail is a 15 mile waterway leading you through the old growth forest. Important to note, you must bring you own kayak or canoe – they are not provided at the park. There are several outfitters in the area you can rent equipment from if needed. There are even several companies who offer guided tours. This truly is one of the best ways to experience Congaree National Park.

Camping At Congaree

Another major draw to Congaree is the primitive camping. Only tents and hammocks are allowed on site (no RV’s!). There are two campgrounds available onsite – Longleaf and Bluff. Both require reservations and have a small fee. It’s recommend to call ahead to get a spot and not waiting until you show up to the park that day! Backcountry camping is also available at Congaree with a free permit. All camping information can be found here.

Around Congaree National Park

When we have time we love checking out the surrounding areas of National Parks. Congaree is fairly secluded but with a short drive you can spend some time exploring the capitol city of Columbia, SC. Columbia isn’t the biggest city but it does offer lots of areas to explore. We enjoyed spending some time along the waterfront of the Congaree river that flows through the City. It’s a great relaxing place for a stroll. The vista is a fun and eclectic area to stop for a bite to eat or to do a little shopping! Columbia is a charming city with lots of museums and a great zoo. We didn’t have time to do it all but enjoyed the early evening we had checking out the capitol of South Carolina.

Packing List For Congaree National Park

You should always be prepared when heading to a National Park! Here is a list of what we like to bring with us and some of our favorite go to travel items for a day of adventure!

• Bug Spray! This is a very big deal here at Congaree. The mosquitos are no joke you need some sort of protection. Deet Free Option, Deet Option
• Small Backpack – depending on how extensive your hiking will be. We enjoyed the boardwalks and smaller hikes on our trip! This is Meg’s go to backpack for all of our hiking adventures.
• Water Bottle – Justin’s favorite for a long road trip/hike
• Hand Sanitizer
• Hiking Shoes – Justin’s favorite, Meg’s favorite

Our Takeaways

We have had the privilege of visiting several bigger and better known National Parks in the western part of the US. Congaree definitely doesn’t compare to those but it has it’s own unique qualities. The bottomland forest is different and beautiful. There is a lot of beauty in the swampy areas of the Country and here you can really immerse yourself in that eco-system. We found this visit to be relaxing. A lot of times at National Parks there is so much you want to do and see you feel kind of rushed. Not here. It’s peaceful, calm and not overrun. Here you need to take time to stop and look up through the tree canopy. Take your walk slowly and see if you can find a big spider, water snake moving through the swamp or even an alligator.

This park is excellent for smaller kids since the trails are easy. If you can go on a day when the bugs are not bad (think late fall/early winter) then you have hit the jackpot. The forest here is old and we are sure the trees could tell lots of stories. Take in this different type of nature and go the adventure way in Congaree!

PS! Looking for more National Park Units to discover along the East Coast? Check out our guide to Cape Lookout National Seashore in NC, Gettysburg and Canaveral National Seashore in FL!

The post Your Ultimate Guide To Congaree National Park first appeared on Go The Adventure Way.

Field Of Dreams

What got us to this part of Iowa was the Field of Dreams. Growing up, this was Justin’s favorite movie (might still be). You know the movie, man hears a voice in Iowa cornfield, he rips it out, builds a baseball field, and a bunch of dead ball players come and play. When we found out that the actual movie set was open we decided to make it part of our itinerary. The most famous line in the movie is “If you build it, he will come”. Well, they built the set and we went – and had a blast!

The Field of Dreams movie location is located in Dyersville, Iowa. It is literally in the middle of miles and miles and miles of cornfields – just like in the movie. Driving up was one of the coolest experiences of our whole trip, seeing the lights pop up over the corn fields was super cool. You drive up and you are transported right into the movies – it is the exact same thing! Best part about the whole thing – it is totally free!

You can play baseball on the actual field. For this baseball family we thought we were in Heaven, not Iowa. We made sure we had our baseball equipment and went out and had so much fun playing catch, running around the bases, and walking in and out of the cornfield.

The other part of the movie set you can check out is the home of the Kinsella family. This is a 30 minute tour that takes place every hour. The cost is $20 for an adult and $12 per kid. We didn’t do this, but have heard it is worth it.

They have a great little concession stand along the third base line, just like you would have at a regular little league field. Really authentic. Something new that they have is the gift shop run by Baseballism. This is a super cool gift shop with some really unique gifts. Any Northeast Iowa road trip has to take you to the Field of Dreams.

Effigy Mounds National Monument

We are on a quest to visit all of the National Park Sites in the continental United States before our kid graduates high school. So, most of the time we travel we find routes that have these sites along the way. We were excited that Effigy Mounds was near this area.

Effigy Mounds is located in Harpers Ferry, Iowa on the banks of the Mississippi River. This is an ancient American Indian mound-building site. There are many theories out there as to why these 200+ mounds were built, but all agree that this is a sacred site for the more than 20 tribes who have lived in this area. These mounds are in the shape of different animals. It is pretty sweet to hike around and hunt these down.

In order to see this park you will need to do some hiking. There is a north and south side to Effigy Mounds. The south side is an easier hike with little elevation change. From here you will be able to see the March Bear Group mounds. The north side is the more challenging hike. You are pretty much going straight uphill at the beginning, but once up there you get some incredible views of the Mississippi River. We didn’t realize that there were cliffs like this in Iowa. A really fun surprise. There are a bunch of lookout points, Fire Point is about a two-mile hike round trip from the parking lot, Twin Views is about three miles, and if you feeling really adventurous you can do the seven-mile hike to Hanging Rock.

Make sure you get your National Park Passport stamp as well as the Junior Ranger Badge while you are there. This is a great stop on any Northeast Iowa road trip.

The Stockman House

Frank Lloyd Wright is considered the greatest architect in American history. In 1908 he built a house, The Stockman House, in Mason City, Iowa. This house remains as an early example of the Prairie School style of architecture. We aren’t really into architecture, but were wowed by this building. What stood out to us the most was the fact that it was built so long ago. The house feels so modern yet it is over 100 years old.

Tours are available on a first come, first served basis. They can get expensive, around $15 per person and they last an hour. If you want to just walk around the grounds you are able to do that. We happened upon someone who was part of the historical society. They were great and told us all we needed to know.

Mason City is a cool little town. A lot of the buildings are inspired by the Stockman House. Just driving around is fun in itself. A great place to get off of the main roads on your Northeast Iowa road trip.

Pikes Peak State Park

Pikes Peak State Park is located just south of McGregor, Iowa along the shore of the Mississippi. This is a great place to go hiking along the cliffs of the Mississippi. From this park you will have a ton of great views of the river. You even have a waterfall just a short hike from the main parking lot.

There is no entry fee to get into the park, but there are fees for camping. Overall, there are 11 and a half miles of hiking with views of the surrounding towns, Bridal Veil Falls, fossil remains, and the sheer limestone walls. This is a great place to stop for the afternoon – or spend the night if you have an skoolie or RV.

Historic McGregor Iowa

McGregor, Iowa is a historic town on the Mississippi River in between Effigy Mounds and Pikes Peak State Park. This town rose to prominence during the 1870’s because the ferry service that ran between the two banks of the river. When a train was headed west, they would disassemble the cars, ferry them across, and put them back together in McGregor. At this time, McGregor was the busiest shipping port west of Chicago. Unfortunately for the town, the railroads decided to build a bridge, and the boom town went bust.

Today though McGregor is a quaint little downtown that transports you back in time. They have some pretty cool shops, a lot of food options, and even an “old west” themed area. McGregor is a great place to take a break after a day at one of the two local parks.

Barrel Drive In

Barrel Drive In. Yep, that’s the name. The Barrel Drive In is a 1950’s era driven in diner located in West Union, Iowa that specializes in broasted chicken. If you are wondering what broasted chicken is – we were too. We asked our carhop what it was. His response “it is chicken that is put in our broaster.” Well…thanks, I guess? We laughed and laughed because we have no idea what a broaster is anyway. (The service here was awesome, the kid we asked was like 13 and had no idea, but they were amazing!!!)

So, broasted chicken is a midwest tradition. It is kind of like fried chicken but cooked with a combination of pressure cooking and deep frying. It is pretty delicious. The best things that we had there though were the onion rings, the milkshakes, and Megan especially loved the chocolate malt. We felt like we were in Back To The Future when we were there. Definitely check that out.

We don’t know if we will be back through this section of Iowa, but we hope to one day. What were some things we missed out on? What would you want to check out from this list?

If you are looking for more road trip adventure ideas check out our Kentucky Road Trip or Southwest Virginia.

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The post Is This Heaven? No – It’s Northeast Iowa first appeared on Go The Adventure Way.

We have lived in North Carolina our whole lives but until the last four years we had never been there either. It is hard to imagine us leaving this perfect place off of our list of favorite North Carolina beaches from now on. We have been multiple times now and will continue to go back as long as we are in the area. With 112 miles of uninhabited shoreline, crystal clear water, wild horses, and a beautiful lighthouse – once you go you will see why it is one of our faves.

Because so many people haven’t been to Cape Lookout, we wanted to put together a little information to help you plan your first (next) trip. Here is all you need to know for Cape Lookout National Seashore.

Where Is Cape Lookout

Cape Lookout National Seashore is located along the coast of North Carolina between Fort Macon and Ocracoke. The seashore makes up the southern part of the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Cape Lookout National Seashore is made up of three main islands that separate the Atlantic Ocean from the various sounds along the North Carolina coast. Shackleford Banks is on the southwest area of the seashore, South Core Banks is located in the middle of the seashore (and is where Cape Lookout is), and North Core Banks in the northeast area of the seashore.

How To Get To Cape Lookout

Maybe one of the reasons why not too many people list Cape Lookout as one of their favorite beaches is because it is tough to get to. If you don’t own your own boat, you will need to take a ferry to get to Cape Lookout. The National Park Systems has contracted with local ferry operators to get people back and forth from the seashore. There is a charge for each ferry service.

It is important to note that there are different locations you will need to take off from to get to the different parts of Cape Lookout. With most of the ferries, you are allowed a couple of personal items per person. You will need them – much more on that later in the post.

From Harkers Island

The main visitor’s center and point of departure is located on Harkers Island. Harkers Island is a beautiful little fishing community about 25 minutes east of Beaufort. It is out of the way, but it is such a fun drive that takes you through the beginning of the Outer Banks Scenic Byway.

From Harkers Island you can go to the west end of Shackleford Banks or Cape Lookout Lighthouse area on the Island Express Ferry. The ferry stops at Shackleford Banks first and then goes to the lighthouse. If you want to do both in a day, you can purchase the two islands in one day ticket (about $10 more), spend some time on Shackleford Banks, then head to the lighthouse on a later ferry (you will have to make sure there is room). It is about a 15-20 minute ferry ride from Harkers Island to Cape Lookout Lighthouse.

The cost to ride the ferry is $18 for adults 12 and over and $11 for kids 3-11. During peak season the ferry runs every 30 minutes from this location. You can make reservations in advance, but walk-ons are welcome.

From Beaufort

Beaufort is one of our favorite towns on the Inner Banks. It is full of history and fun – a great place to spend the weekend. There are numerous ferry services that operate out of Beaufort, but once again Island Express is the official ferry service from this location. There are two options from Beaufort.

The first option is the ferry to Cape Lookout Lighthouse. This ferry fills up fast so you will need to reserve your spot plenty of time in advance. This is a four-hour narrated roundtrip ferry ride. It is a 45-minute one way and you have between 2-2 and a half hours at the lighthouse area. Along the way you will see the wild horses of Shackleford Banks and maybe even some dolphins. The cost is $35 for adults 12 and up and $25 for kids 3-11.

The second option from Beaufort is the 15-20 minute ride to the west end of Shackleford Banks. This ferry drops you off and will pick you up at your desired pick up time. The cost is $18 for adults and $11 for kids.

From Ocracoke

From Ocracoke you can take Rudy Austin’s Portsmouth Island Boat Tour. You can either be dropped off at historic Portsmouth Village on the northern end of Cape Lookout or simply take the 90-minute boat tour of the surrounding area. Capt. Austin is an Ocracoke native and it is an experience not to be missed. You will need to call for availability and prices.

Vehicle Ferry Locations

You can take your four-wheel drive vehicle out on the beach at Cape Lookout. You will need to get a permit and take one of the vehicle ferries. The vehicle ferries take off from Atlantic and Davis, both small villages on the inner banks. The cost to get your vehicle to the island runs from $35 to $400 depending on the size.

Things To Do At Cape Lookout

There is plenty to do at Cape Lookout National Seashore. It is the perfect place to spend a week or come back over and over again for day trips.

Visit The Lighthouse

The Cape Lookout Lighthouse is one of the seven coastal lighthouses in North Carolina. At 169 feet, this lighthouse is the second tallest in North Carolina and the fifth-tallest in the United States. Visitors to the lighthouse can explore the whole light station area. This includes the lighthouse as well as the surrounding living quarters and storage areas.

To climb the lighthouse, you will need to purchase a ticket at the Light Station Visitor Center. This is the visitor’s center located where the ferry drops you off at on Cape Lookout. Tickets are $10 per person and $5 for kids 12 and under. Your ticket is time stamped and you will need to show up at least 10 minutes before your climb time. The reason for this is only 10 people can be at the upper level of the lighthouse at a time. They do not give refunds to late arrivals.

This is a pretty strenuous journey to the top. There are 207 steps and you will feel them. However, the view from the top is well worth it. Kids must be 44-inches or taller to climb because of the wind at the top, so keep that in mind. If you can’t make it to the top, there is a pretty cool panoramic picture in the nearby Keeper Quarters Museum.

Spend A Day At The Beach

Cape Lookout has something for everyone when it comes to hanging out on the beach. The best way to break it down is sound side or ocean side.

In a lot of ways the sound side reminds us of a Caribbean beach. The water is crystal clear and there are not too many waves. This is where you want to go if you have kids that like to get in the water or if you like to be around people while you are at the beach. There are a ton of boats that come in and out which is pretty cool to watch. It is a perfect spot to spend a beach day.

The ocean side is for people who want the whole beach to themselves. Every time we have gone we have had times where we look both ways and don’t see anyone else for miles. It is crazy. The waves can get really big here, so you will see surfers from time to time. From the sound to the ocean it is about a five minute walk. It is crazy how different it can be.

Hunt For Some Shells

One of our favorite pastimes at the beach is going shelling. We love walking down the beach hunting for sea shells. The best place we have found so far for this is Cape Lookout. Because it juts so far out into the ocean and few people make it out there, you can find shells pretty easily. If you head out there as the tide is going out you will be able to see so many just sitting there.

Shackleford Banks

Shackleford Banks is one of the islands that make up the seashore. This island is ideal for fishing and swimming. The eastern side is protected from the ocean by Cape Lookout. Because of this, the water around it is pretty shallow and you can walk out to the many sand bars surrounding it. This island has the largest maritime forest in the world.

As great as all of that stuff is, the reason why people go to Shackleford Banks is the herd of wild horses that live here. The are over 100 horses in the herd. Nobody knows where these horses came from, but there are some great theories out there. Some say they were shipwrecked and swam to shore, others say they were thrown overboard to lighten the load. No matter where these horses came from, they have been here for centuries and have found a way to survive in some rough conditions. We can’t get over how they get by with all of the hurricanes that come through this area.

If you get a chance to stop by Shackleford Banks, remember to give the horses some room. They are not domesticated, so be careful!

Camping

You can camp on the beach at Cape Lookout National Seashore. You don’t even need a permit to do it. Now, there are no designated camp sites. All of the camping is anywhere you can find along the beach. Also, all of the camping is primitive. No water, no facilities, just you and your loved ones in nature. This might not be the place for people who are new to camping, but if you are seasoned what better way to enjoy camping than out on an island with no light anywhere near you?

Visit A Village

Cape Lookout National Seashore has multiple uninhabited villages that take you back in time. These are fishing, shipping, and lifesaving villages that were once important places in the life of coastal North Carolina. As other towns and ports sprung up, these places lost their status, but they still stand today reminding visitors of a time long gone.

The most famous of these villages is Portsmouth Village. This area is only accessible by the Ocracoke Ferry (or private boat). Once in the village you can visit the general store, post office, some historical homes, and the local church. The village is open seasonally, so check the times and dates on the National Park page.

Make Sure You Know These Things

Come Prepared

You are allowed a couple of personal items each on the ferry to the barrier islands. If you are going to be out there for any amount of time make sure you take advantage of this. We always bring all of our beach equipment like our chairs, coolers, toys, and games. We never know what we will end up doing so it is good to come prepared.

No matter what though make sure you bring plenty of food and water. Once you get to the barrier islands you are pretty much on your own. We typically bring a couple of gallons of water and more than enough snacks. You will not be upset if you do this.

Facilities

There are not a ton of facilities once you get to the barrier islands. Most of the major points of interests have bathroom facilities and water fountains. Besides that, you are on your own. Make sure you come prepared.

At the Cape Lookout Lighthouse area there is a small shop where you can purchase beach equipment, water, souvenirs, and snacks. We would not recommend counting on that being open, it can be hit or miss.

Hiking

There are no hiking trails on the barrier islands (there are two trails through the forest by the Harkers Island Visitor’s Center). However, you can hike for hours and hours along the beach. There are some really cool places that you can get to as well – whether that is an old fishing village or lifesaving station. Make sure you have plenty of water and good hiking shoes.

Shuttle Service

The islands of Cape Lookout are pretty large. There are no roads, so if you are trying to get to one end or another you will have a long walk ahead of you (unless you have your own off-road vehicle).

There is one shuttle service that we know of on the island. The shuttle is at the Cape Lookout Lighthouse area and takes you to the northern end of the island where the shelling is especially good. There is a fee for this service, so bring some cash.

Places To Stay

In addition to the primitive camping at Cape Lookout there are a couple of places that you can stay on the islands. Great Island Cabin Camp is located on the South Core Banks and has a little over 20 cabins. These cabins are wired for generators – need to bring your own, and have bathrooms inside. These can house between 4 and 12 people and prices range from $80-$180 per night. Not bad for your own place right on the ocean.

Long Point Cabin Camp is located on North Core Banks and has 10 units. These are duplexes that can hold 6 per half or 12 for the whole building. Much like Great Island Camp, Long Point Cabin Camp is pretty primitive but provides some good place for families to fish or hit the beach.

There it is – all you need to know for your next trip to Cape Lookout National Seashore. Have you ever been? What are your favorite places to go when you are there?

Planning a trip to other North Carolina beaches? Check out our posts on the Outer Banks National Parks, 8 Inner Banks Towns You Must Visit, Fort Fisher and Carolina Beach,

Want to hit up another National Seashore? Check out our Getaway to Canaveral National Seashore.

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The post Everything You Need To Know For Cape Lookout National Seashore first appeared on Go The Adventure Way.

Where Is Pipestone National Monument?

Pipestone National Monument is located in Pipestone, Minnesota in the southwest corner of the state. It is about a 30 minute drive north of I-90. If you are in the east and heading to the South Dakota or Wyoming parks, it could seem like too long of a detour. We thought it was worth it.

The town of Pipestone is mainly a farming community but they have a great downtown area with shopping and dining. We ate lunch at Lange’s Cafe. This food was so good! Some really great comfort food that was made to order with some fresh ingredients. They also have a ginormous dessert menu with tons of pies. This was almost worth the detour in itself.

Around the corner from the downtown area sits Fort Pipestone. This is a replica of a fort from pioneer days that is free to explore. You can find American Indian crafts and souvenirs for sale here, including many that are made from pipestone (including ceremonial pipes). The fort is only open from May to October. The National Monument is literally right around the corner from fort, super convenient.

Why Go To Pipestone National Monument?

Pipestone really blew us away. We had no idea that this beautiful landscape was hiding inside the town. Matter of fact, the Park Ranger told us that a lot of people who live in and around the Park don’t even realize it’s there and don’t visit! For us, this truly is a hidden gem in Minnesota and the National Park System.

What is Pipestone anyway? As East Coast people, we had no idea! Pipestone is considered to be the the thick bedrock layers of ancient rock called Sioux Quartzite that are now exposed. Pipestone National Monument was founded in 1937 to preserve this sacred American Indian site. This is still an active quarry and the stones collected are still used to carve into their sacred pipes and other crafts.

The park may seen small and unassuming compared to some of the larger well known National Parks. But – the beautiful red and pink rock formations are something you don’t see everyday. Truly it is magnificent to see in person, to touch and explore. The park is really well laid out with a trail along the pipestone formations teaching you the history and importance along the way.

What is there to do in Pipestone National Monument?

Circle Trail

The Circle trail is a 3/4 mile trail that leads you through the park along each significant landmark. The trail is easy and paved with a few little spur trails or places to climb into the quarry to get a view. It may seem like this isn’t a big deal…but we thoroughly enjoyed it. There is so much to see and discover along the trail that we spent way more time than you think you would.

You walk through the Tall Grass Prairie, the Pipestone Rock Formations, climb to get a view up top and see the oracle, walk to Winnewissa Falls, follow the river path and see an active quarry. So much to see in less than a mile! This really is a great place for kids to run and explore. Don’t forget to get your junior ranger badge too!

Tall Grass Praire

We loved taking our time walking through the Tall Grass Prairie. Because of it’s protected status this native habitat is one of the only Tall Grass Prairie’s left in America. There are a lot of unique and rare plant species found here and even one that is endangered. The day we went it was really windy…which was awesome because it kept the bugs away! The many flowers and grasses were in bloom and it was stunning. Side note, you can also snowshoe along the trail of the Tall Grass Prairie during the winter if the weather allows for it! Don’t rush through this special landscape.

Pipestone Rock Formations

Once you pass through the Tall Grass Prairie the Rock Formations jump out of nowhere. They are truly incredible and the colors are stunning. It was almost as if you are transported to another part of the world it is so sudden. The trail takes you right up close and you are taken away as they keep going and going. We loved climbing up to get a view from the top. Honestly the rocks almost didn’t seem real they were so perfect.

Winnewassa Falls

This was a total surprise for us! We had no idea this park held such a beautiful waterfall. This is a super easy waterfall to get to…we are used to hiking up major mountains to get this kind of view. We spent a while just soaking up the refreshing spray and shade in this section of the trail. You can also climb to the top of the waterfall (super easy) for another angle. Probably the biggest surprise of the experience.

The 3 Maidens

This portion of the park is not located on the Circle Trail. You will pass the 3 Maidens as you enter the park and it’s easy to find. The 3 Maidens are a spiritually significant spot for Native Americans. They still bring offerings and honor this area so people are asked to not climb or sit on the rocks here. This is a granite boulder that was most likely brought here by a glacier at some point that has split into 3 separate pieces. There is a lot of history and stories surrounding these interesting and out of place rocks. The visitor center is a great place to discover more about these and also view some of the ancient petroglyph slabs that at one time surrounded them!

Active Quarries

One of the neat aspects of this park is that it is still used as an active Quarry. The quarrying of pipestone is a slow and difficult process. The American Indians still use many hand tools and long hours to extract this stone. You can view one of the quarry sites along the Circle Trail. Most quarrying is done in the fall. This is a skill and craft that only a small number of people still do.

Takeaways

Don’t overlook this special National Monument! We were so taken by it and would love to visit again one day. Don’t think you will just run in and out of this one. Really take some time to enjoy and appreciate all of the special aspects found in Pipestone! It was a special find for us!

Have you been to Pipestone National Monument? What did you think? What are some other smaller, lesser known National Park Sites that you have enjoyed! We would love to know!

PS! If you like visiting National Park Sites, check out our Guide to the National Parks of the Outer Banks, our 5 Yosemite Views you Must see or Visiting the Missions in San Antonio.

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