Tour of the American Northwest, Summer 2012

During the summer of 2012, my wife and I decided to take a trip to Glacier National Park, Montana. Starting from northern Virginia, just outside Washington DC, the trip required driving 2,400 miles one-way.

The first two days of our drive was mostly uneventful, passing through Maryland, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin; all states we have lived in or visited the past. There were a few new sites on our second day of travel worth noting however. Traveling through Indiana on Interstate 65, we passed through the Benton County Wind Farm, consisting of 87 wind turbines. Passing through Wisconsin westbound on Interstate 94, we stopped at the Mars Cheese Castle to get a taste of Wisconsin’s reputation for cheese-making; our lunch lived up to that reputation.



In the late afternoon on our second day of travel, we achieved a milestone in our travel experiences; we crossed the Mississippi River, the symbolic boundary to the west in American popular history and culture, via Interstate 94 westbound.

The following morning, we crossed the border into North Dakota via Interstate 94 westbound. The physical and cultural landscape began to dramatically change from that found east of the Mississippi River. Gently rolling hills become the norm and trees become increasingly sparse, gradually replaced by grasses and scrub. Human settlement also becomes less frequent; space between towns and cities grow wider to the point it seemed we would never reach the next town. These physical and cultural characteristics of the landscape combined create the impression of vastness.

We pulled off on the side of I-94 and climbed up the side of a hill to view of the vast openness of the Great Plains, North Dakota.

Continuing through North Dakota along Interstate 94, we encountered several points of interest that we were unaware of. The first stop was at the National Buffalo Museum, located in Jamestown and home of the world’s largest buffalo sculpture. About four hours later, we made another unplanned exit off Interstate 94 onto The Enchanted Highway, a 32-mile stretch of highway that has seven of the world’s largest metal sculptures. The drive along the Enchanted Highway is very pleasant and the sculptures are impressive. A few of the sculptures can be seen from miles away in the vast openness of North Dakota.

The 27-foot buffalo sculpture at the National Buffalo Museum, ND.

"Geese in Flight" on the Enchanted Highway, ND, just off I-94.

"Grasshoppers in the Field" on the Enchanted Highway, ND.

If one wanted to get a “feel” for the west, but could only drive through one state, I would recommend a round-trip drive through Montana. I have yet to see such a variety of landscapes. We drove through grassland, desert scrub with rolling hills, Pine forests, and snow covered mountain peaks in excess of 8,000 feet.

After driving through the plains of Montana all day, the Rocky Mountains slowly began to appear on the distant horizon. By 7:30 pm, the Rocky Mountains were clearly visible, contrasting dramatically with the flat, mostly treeless region we were still passing through. We still had to pass through the mountains, including the Flathead National Forest along U.S. 2, a two-lane highway at night. The mountains and wilderness are beautiful, but it is no fun driving through such environments at night. We were very relieved to reach Kalispell around 11:00 pm.

Driving through the Missouri Plateau, part of the Great Plains, eastern Montana.

Driving through the Missouri Plateau, Montana, the traffic was so lite, my wife and I stopped for a picture in the middle of the highway. The average town was about 75 to 100 miles apart.

Passing through the Little Belt Mountains, Montana.

Approaching the Rocky Mountains from the east in the early evening.

The following morning we arrived at a goat farm about one half hour outside Kalispell, positioned about 6,000 feet upon the side of a mountain. We were supposed to stay for two days, exchanging work on the farm for room and board. We were immediately greeted by the farm’s two dogs, followed shortly by two goats that were allowed to roam the farm freely. Having grown up and lived in developed areas our whole lives, being greeted by these goats was quite a novelty for us. Within a few minutes, we met our host. After exchanging introductions and receiving a tour of the farm, we set to work on our major task at the goat farm: cutting and splitting wood for the coming winter. After several hours of engaging in this activity, we stopped for the day. In the early evening we had the opportunity to meet a local couple nearby and learn more about life in the mountains. At night we had the chance to view the night sky and witnessed what is impossible at our urban home due to “light pollution”: the Milky Way Galaxy and thousands of surrounding stars. 

We were greeted by goats at the goat farm.

A great view of the goat farm with the mountains in the background. The farm was located about 6,000 feet up.

The next morning I woke up and immediately became very ill, likely from unpasteurized goat milk I sampled the previous night. As a result, we left the goat farm immediately and booked a hotel room in Kalispell where I hoped to recover without having to cancel the remainder of the trip.

After recovering from my illness by the late afternoon, we took a drive along U.S. 2, toward Glacier National Park to see what we could find to fill the rest of the day. Along the way we found the House of Mystery, home to the alleged Montana vortex, that according to the operators “...is a genuine quantum, or gravitational anomaly that may re-define the laws of physics and nature.” From there we went to the Hungry Horse Dam, located near the town of Hungry Horse, the “Best dam town in the west,” as its slogan asserts. At 564 feet, the dam is the largest in Montana and the 11th highest in the United States. Walking across the dam, we had great views of the Rocky Mountain rage across the Hungry Horse Reservoir. On the opposite side, we viewed the Flathead River 564 feet below.

The 564 foot tall Hungry Horse Dam.

The next morning we began our three-day tour of Glacier National Park. With its snow-covered mountain peaks, crystal-clear rivers, pristine glacial lakes and several of the few remaining glaciers, Glacier National Park is one of the most beautiful national parks in the United States. It also surpassed all our expectations.

Touring the famous Going-to-the-Sun Road, a 50-mile stretch of road through the park’s wild interior, was one of the highlights on our itinerary. Entering the through the west gate at the town of West Glacier, our first stop was Lake McDonald Valley and Lake McDonald. At ten miles long and 500 feet deep, Lake McDonald is the direct result of glacial carving and melting. The lake is crystal clear, and offers an unobstructed view of the beautiful mountain peaks in the distance. To really experience the lake and get even better views of the mountain peaks, we rented a outboard motor boat to cruise Lake McDonald. Nearby, we stopped off for a delicious lunch at Lake McDonald Lodge, an elegant Swiss-style hunting lodge located at Apgar Village.

We entered the park through the west gate at the town of West Glacier. A bustling little town, West Glacier is the more popular entrance.

Lake McDonald.

Continuing eastbound on the Going-to-the-Sun Road, we took in  the scale and beauty our natural surroundings. About 10 miles along our route heading east is McDonald Creek Overlook. The overlook is accessed by a short trail leading to a wooden bridge that spans the rushing creek. We were also able to get up close to the creek by walking along the exposed rock-bed since the water was low enough.

McDonald Creek Overlook, just of the Going-to-the-Sun Road.

From McDonald Creek Overlook we made our way up the road to Avalanche Creek and Trail of the Cedars. This spot is one of the most visited in the park, so we had to park some distance from the trailhead. Trail of the Cedars is  a ADA accessible nature loop that winds through a dense, old growth cedar-hemlock forest. The trail was pleasant and the smell of pine was very pervasive. From Trail of the Cedars we linked up with the Avalanche Creek Trail, a more rugged, 4-mile trail with an elevation gain of 500 feet. Along this trail we witnessed the thundering gorge being feed by melt-water from the mountain peak ahead. The water appeared to move at a hundred miles per hour as it raced through the narrow, polished rock gorge. The sound of the water crashing against the rock walls at such speed could be heard for some distance. After hiking for approximately 90 minutes, we reached Avalanche Lake, located in a spectacular U-shaped valley with old-growth pine forest and mountain peaks with many narrow waterfalls. 

Avalanche Lake and the surrounding mountain peaks, accessed via the Avalanche Creek Trail.

Continuing along, We stopped at Logan Pass, situated 6,646 feet on the Continental Divide, and the highest point reached by vehicle. We viewed wild mountain goats foraging nearby and took a brief walk among the wildflowers, tall grasses and pine that covers the hanging valley floor. While walking the hanging valley at Logan Pass, we had a constant view of the dominating, sharp-pointed Reynolds Mountain peak. Our Going-to-the-Sun Road tour ended with viewing St. Mary Lake, with its tiny Wild Goose Island, one the most photographed spots in the park. Standing before the St. Mary Lake at the overlook, it easy to understand why that is the case.

One of the many spectacular views while traveling the Going-to-the-Sun Road.

Reynolds Mountain peak at Logan Pass.

A hanging valley at Logan Pass. Our path can be seen on the bottom left.

St. Mary Lake and Wild Goose Island, located near the eastern end of the Going-to-the-Sun Road.

We chose the Rocky Point Loop Trail for our last hike at Glacier National Park. The trail loop covers 2.2 miles with an elevation gain of 85 feet, which was ideal since at that point we were sunburned and sore from our previous explorations. The trail is located in the Lake McDonald Valley and is accessed by heading north along the gravel North Fork Road. As of this writing and for several years to come, the Rocky Point Loop Trail is a great opportunity to view the rebirth of a pine forest. In 2003, much of the pine forest covering Howe Ridge was destroyed by fire. Viewed from a distance, the barren landscape was initially an eerie and sad sight to my eyes. But as learned more and witnessed the area up close, my initial impressions were created out of ignorance. Naturally occurring fires, and the destruction they bring, are a critical part of forest regeneration. For example, some species of pine evolved to drop cones with seeds encased in resin; the resin requires temperatures only fire can produce to release the seeds. Fire also returns nitrogen to the soil, a vital component for future plant growth,  which was previously locked in existing plants. Hiking along the Rocky Point Loop Trail offered an opportunity to witness this natural regeneration first-hand; among the many dead tree trunks, the ground is covered in grasses, wildflowers and new pine ranging 3 - 6 feet in height. The hike was a great way to end our tour of Glacier National Park.

The pine forest is regrowing after a forest fire in 2003. Natural forest fires are important future pine growth.

A view of the Rocky Mountains near the east entrance of Glacier National Park.

With the end of our stay in Montana, it was time to make the 2,400-mile drive back east. But our adventures were far from over. Driving through the northeastern portion of Wyoming on Interstate 90, we skirted the Bighorn Mountains to the west. Like much of eastern Montana, the landscape started as mostly desert and grassland, part of the Missouri Plateau and the Great Plains. However, the Great Plains is not all flat land or rolling hills. The desert and grassland eventually gave way to pine and increasingly craggy mountains, with rock often vertically ascending nearly 90 degrees. These craggy mountains in the middle the Great Plains are the Black Hills; the highest mountains east of the Rockies and home to Mt. Rushmore and Crazy Horse memorial.

View of the western most edge of the Black Hills in Wyoming while driving eastbound on I-90.

Continuing on Interstate 90, we crossed into southwestern South Dakota, a region still dominated by the Black Hills. Reaching Rapid City, South Dakota, we took U.S. 16 to Rt. 244 toward Mt. Rushmore National Memorial.  We did not plan any hiking for the day, but as luck would have it, there was pull-off on the right side of Rt. 244 with an excellent, unobstructed view of the Mt. Rushmore sculpture. From there, we continued on our route, following the signs to the Crazy Horse Memorial about twenty minutes away. Overall the drive was pleasant and provided a great opportunity to view the Black Hills National Forest.

Mt. Rushmore National Memorial, South Dakota.

The still unfinished Crazy Horse Memorial, South Dakota.

After viewing the Crazy Horse Memorial, we continued south along U.S. 385/Rt. 89 until reaching the town of Custer, South Dakota. The town of Custer is conveniently located in between the Mt. Rushmore and Crazy Horse Memorials; as well as Black Hills and Wind Cave National Parks. This bustling town features a variety of shops and restaurants along the main street as well as a hot spot for bikers. It also has a “western” feel often portrayed in American popular culture. Custer’s streets are also lined with folk art buffalo sculptures beautifully hand painted by artists from around the region.

From Custer, we continued south along U.S. 385/Rt. 89, passing through Wind Cave National Park on our way to Hot Springs, South Dakota. Wind Cave National Park is home to a variety of plains wildlife, including prairie dogs, elk and bison. Beneath the rolling prairie is one the world’s longest caves. We did not have time to explore the caves, but we did see bison herds while passing through the park.

A wild buffalo at Wind Cave National Park, South Dakota.

We reached the town of Hot Springs in the early afternoon. The first characteristic of the town that stood out was the abundance of sandstone buildings. The sandstone buildings project an aura of permanency, a characteristic that was absent from many early western towns. Unfortunately, we arrived at Hot Springs on a Sunday; almost all stores and restaurants were closed for the entire day, and this would be are only day in town. I can only guess that it is reflective of the local culture of the Hot Springs area, given that closing business on Sundays is a religiously motivated tradition that has faded almost entirely in most regions of the United States. However, just outside of Hot Springs is the mammoth fossil dig site, home to one the greatest concentrations of mammoth fossils in the world. The site is enclosed indoors and is open year round for observation.

Mammoth fossils at the Hot Springs dig site, South Dakota.

After a day in the Black Hills region of South Dakota, we continued on our route eastbound on Interstate 90. As we drove, the rocky landscape once again gives way to rolling hills, which become increasingly smaller, eventually taking on the characteristics often associated with the Great Plains. Initially we anticipated the long drive back to northern Virginia, not expecting to stop at points of interest along the way. We were incorrect, making three more stops in South Dakota: Wall Drug, Badlands National Park, and the Corn Palace. The stops set us back a full day, but it was well worth it.

Wall Drug really is much more than a drugstore as their advertisements suggest. Wall Drug really is a unique place and a case study in businesses co-opting American popular history and culture to drive sales. Wall Drug has a foundation story that sounds familiar in American popular history: a tale of husband and wife who risked all and moved to the desolate American West to make a life for themselves. With religious conviction, hard work, and good old fashioned American business sense, Wall Drug evolved from a struggling drug store to the stunning success it is today.  All the elements of American popular history and culture are represented: the march west, willingness to take risks, resilience in the face of hardship, religious conviction, and shrewd business sense.

The town of Wall and its main street is centered around Wall Drug, and for good reason. Wall Drug features an ice cream parlor, several cafes, a court yard with a variety of novelties, an arcade, and an animatronic Tyrannosaurus Rex. The cafe dinning rooms are decorated with a distinctly American Western theme with stained glass ceilings, Winchester rifles hung on the walls and tree-trunk pillars carved into American Indian and cowboy figures. The alley of Wall Drug has been converted into a court yard. The court yard features a 10-foot Jackalope that visitors can climb for photo opportunities, a 6-foot rabbit, and cowboy sculptures celebrating the idealized American West. The other side of the court yard houses an arcade and the dreaded animatronic Tyrannosaurus Rex. Together, Wall Drug was a fun and unique experience.

After leaving the town of Wall, we realized that Badlands National Park was only a few miles away, so we decided to make another unplanned visit there. Formed by 69 million years of geological forces that continue today, the Badlands make the visitor feel like they have traveled to another planet. The grassland suddenly drops off, and opens up to a colorful system of sharply eroded buttes, pinnacles and spires. Entering from the west, the Badlands Loop Road will take visitors to the edge of the prairie, offering excellent views of the geological wonders of the Badlands and a chance to see wild bison, mule deer, bighorn sheep and prairie dogs. Continuing on the Badlands Loop Road heading eastbound, the road twists and turns downhill into the heart of the Badlands itself. The Badlands Loop Road eventually reconnects with Interstate 90. For travelers headed in either direction on Interstate 90 through South Dakota, a detour through the Badlands is one they will not regret.

The Badlands; Badlands National Park, South Dakota.

Behind this image is the expansive grassland of the plains. This image captures the sudden drop off into the Badlands.

One of the many views of the buttes and spires while driving through the Badlands.

A spectacular view of the Badlands, South Dakota.

The following day we were still in South Dakota on Interstate 90. Late in the morning we reached the city of Mitchell, situated in the southeastern region of South Dakota, home of the Corn Palace, and our last stop out west. The Corn Palace was built as a way to prove to the world that South Dakota had a healthy agricultural climate. The Corn Palace also serves as an example of a regional environment influencing the development of folk culture. The facade of the Corn Palace is decorated annually with naturally colored corn to form art depicting a chosen theme; this year the corn murals depicted individuals engaged in athletics. The interior of the Corn Palace houses a basketball arena. Like the outside, the walls are decorated with elaborate corn murals. When there are no sporting events taking place, the basketball court is used as a gift shop, featuring all things related to corn and things not related to corn but made to be so.

One of the many handmade, natural corn murals in the Corn Palace.

The facade of the Corn Palace, decorated with handmade corn murals.

Our visit to the Corn Palace marked the final stop on our 2,400 mile journey back to northern Virginia. After traveling through Minnesota and passing the outskirts of Minneapolis and St. Paul,  we crossed back over the Mississippi River heading eastbound. We left the American West behind. The scenery became increasingly familiar and towns and cities more frequent; we were now eager to be home. When we finally reached our street, the trip odometer read just over 6,200 miles. We were exhausted and a little sad that our trip had come to an end, but it will rank as an experience of a lifetime.