Road Trip 2023 – Not all who wander are lost!

North from Santa Fe

After a restful overnight stop in Santa Fe, we climbed back into Romin and continue our road trip for a long but exciting day on the road. Romin took us north through Colorado and into the wide-open spaces of Wyoming. Our destination was Devils Tower, tucked into the northeast corner of the state. This was high on our wish list ever since we first watched Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Seeing it rise dramatically from the landscape in person was every bit as impressive as we had hoped. It did not disappoint!

Devil’s Tower

Devils Tower is our country’s first National Monument, established by Teddy Roosevelt. Rising abruptly from an otherwise open, rolling landscape, the tower seems almost unreal at first glance: massive, solitary, and impossible to ignore. Its formation is complex, and if you’re interested, you can read about it here.

As we hiked the 2.75-mile rim trail around the base, the tower grew more impressive with every turn. From a distance, you notice its strange shape. Up close, you begin to grasp its sheer size, texture, and beauty. Spend a little time there, and it becomes easier to understand why this place is sacred to Indigenous people. The rim hike is detailed in the video link here. We could have lingered here for days, circling back for one more view, but eventually it was time to move on.

Custer, South Dakota

Our bad timing on this road trip added an extra layer of adventure. We arrived during the Sturgis motorcycle rally, which meant we were sharing every road, town, park, and viewpoint with what felt like an endless parade of motorcycles. They were everywhere—on every highway, around every curve, in every little town, and at every national park and monument. Everywhere! (Note to self: next time, check ahead for major events!)

We rolled into the little town of Custer, a charming western stop, hoping to grab lunch, but motorcycles filled nearly every corner and parking spot. After circling for a while, we finally squeezed into a spot and found lunch at a small counter tucked inside a gift shop. A hot dog, a beer, and a quick breather later, we were back on the road toward the next big view.

The Badlands

We had an overnight in Rapid City and an early morning drive over to The Badlands.

The morning greeted us with low clouds and a steady drizzle It was definitely not the dramatic Badlands backdrop we had been hoping for. This was the one day we really wanted blue skies and glowing light for photos, but Mother Nature had other plans. We did what travelers do best—we adjusted and enjoyed the moment anyway.

The Badlands had been on our wish list for a long time, and even under gray skies, driving through the park felt incredible. The landscape reminded us a bit of the Painted Desert, but with taller, sharper formations rising from the earth. It was a striking display of erosion at work, with wind and water carving through the land and revealing layer upon layer of ancient rock. 

We spent several hours following the 40-mile loop road, stopping often to take in the rugged views and explore what the park had to offer. Eventually, it was time to keep moving toward our next overnight stop in Sioux Falls, but first curiosity—and a relentless parade of billboards—pulled us into the ever-famous Wall Drug. Considering how much fanfare led up to it, we expected…well, something. What we found it felt less like a historic drug store and more like a maze-like shopping mall, with tiny room after tiny room packed with every imaginable souvenir. The food was awful and expensive. Some travelers love it, but for us it landed firmly in tourist-trap territory. If you’re curious, you can always Google it, but we didn’t feel inspired enough to give it a link.