I’ll never forget the first time I went to the Black Hills of South Dakota  and saw Mount Rushmore. I was on a quest to visit all 50 states and I had three left- South Dakota, North Dakota and Hawaii.

I’ve heard a saying that you go to some famous places three times in your life: As a child, with your children and on a senior bus trip.... Read More

 
In the famed Lamar Valley … bison. In the middle of the two-lane road … bison. In the middle of the parking lot??? Yep, bison. Bison, buffalo … bah! Whatever you call them, they’re everywhere at Yellowstone National Park.

What a wondrous, diverse place – some parts composed of serene forest and lakes, other areas a roiling, boiling, bubbling muck of a landscape. 3,500 square miles teeming with animals and plants of all flavors, waterfalls that capture the imagination, a backcountry that’s larger than multiple U.S. states, and – oh yeah – the... Read More

Before my recent trip to Cody, Wyoming and Yellowstone, I decided to “road trip it” and see a few other things on my way.  One of the places I decided to stop was a little roadside attraction called Rocky Mountain National Park. It’s never been on my priority list of national parks, but it provided an unrivaled opportunity to see the Rockies in their natural, unspoiled state and a few hard lessons on altitude sickness.

First thing first- the altitude! My hometown has an elevation of an entire 705 feet. The Alpine Visitor’s Center in the park is at 11,796 feet. I’ve... Read More

Tourists on a loop through Yellowstone and the Black Hills generally treat Cody, Wyoming as a stopover en route to the main course of their trip. Cody is no mere appetizer, however - it rewards the traveler willing to devote 2 nights and a jam-packed day to delve into its authentic Western charms. Cody has an ideal Western climate – located on the eastern foothills of the Absaroka Range in the Bighorn Basin, the town is sheltered from extremes of heat, cold and snow accumulation.

It’s easy to underestimate a place based on simple infrastructure – a town of 9,200 surrounded by... Read More

Question: Sue asks: We are planning to drive from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, to Mount Rushmore and then to Yellowstone. I am finding that hotels at Yellowstone are already booked and wonder what other lodging recommendations are reasonably close. Is Cody too far away? Any insight on "must-see" areas would be appreciated.

Answer: Suzy Peterson, travel planner at the Sioux Falls AAA office says: Cody is approximately 115 miles and a 2 1/2 drive from Yellowstone. It is a great place to stay even though it’s a bit of a drive back and forth.
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