Alaskan RV Adventure: Rapid City, South Dakota to Yellowstone, Wyoming (23-25 May)

     As you know if you're reading the posts to this blog - Ed and Kay had to abort the trip due to health issues. Kathy and I regret that but we are too far in now to turn back. Ed and Kay gave us the inspiration to do this.....I remember telling Ed that our big trip this year was gonna be to Yellowstone and he said "heck, why stop there, let's go to Alaska". From that conversation on I have been planning it.

We really miss them and hope that Kay's health improves quickly....and we are thankful that it didn't happen far from home.

May 23 (Rest and maintenance)

Another day of temps mild overnight 50's & beautiful sunny daytime high around 75

     After the Harney Peak hike we were so late getting in and so tired that we declared a rest day along with laundry and other maintenance related items around the camp. We spent the day in the campground (Rapid City RV Park) except for a run to Walmart to replenish supplies....an overdue visit. We've been running wide open to this point.

     So, our original plans for the 23rd (Badlands National Park and the Minuteman Missile Site) were cancelled and will have to see them on another day. Really regret not making it to the Badlands but since we have a reservation in Yellowstone beginning the 25th we didn't have the luxury of extending a day in Rapid City.

May 24 (on the road to Yellowstone)
     We departed Rapid City heading west with tentative plans to stop somewhere in the vicinity of the town of Buffalo, Wyoming or the Big Horn National Forest in one of their campgrounds. Since we prefer the State and Federal parks we were hoping for the National Forest and my google engineer/co-pilot worked on that as we traveled.

     As we entered Wyoming on I-90 we stopped at their welcome center which was nice and the lady working there was very helpful. We got directions from her on getting to the Devils Tower National Monument Park. We detoured off I-90 for a visit there and were happy to be able to use our Annual National Park pass for admission. We went in the visitor's center and walked some of the paths up to the tower but did not do the hike around it because of time constraints. Interesting spot and nice break from the highway.

     The helpful lady at the welcome center also provided us with information about camping in Big Horn National Forest....she said most of the campgrounds were closed (hadn't opened for the season yet) and she said that was a good thing because you could pull in and camp for free......she recommended the Sitting Bull Campground.

     As we drove into the National Forest we were climbing over a mountain range that still had snow on the ground and plenty of snow visible in the higher elevations. Our phone and internet reception went to zero. As we reached the campground we were undecided about continuing on in the direction of Cody, Wyoming or staying there but it was nearing 4:00 and I was a little tired so we set up camp.

     We were in a campground that was closed and there is only one other camper but no signs of life there so far. There is no water or electric. We are camped right on the edge of the woods next to a beautiful meadow with a snow covered mountain as the back drop. All of that is really nice but soon after getting set up (oh yeah 41 degrees and dropping fast) it started raining and thundering.......then turned to snow (big flakes) mixed with rain. My co-pilot seems excited and a little nervous with the whole arrangement but I think it's cool!

May 25th (Check in at Yellowstone)
     We woke up very early in Big Horn National Forest....another camper or two had joined us in that park for the night. We woke up to find snow on the ground....not much and not completely covered but enough to make it exciting for us.

     We were underway heading for Yellowstone pretty early.....heading down the west side of Big Horn Forest was a big downhill run with great views.

     We made it to Cody, Wyoming just before noon and believing that would likely be our last Walmart visit in a week, we stocked up on some additional supplies and headed west for the 77 miles to Fishing Bridge Campground in Yellowstone. We were greeted by more snow (flurries mixed with rain) but got set up okay.

     We were both pretty tired but too excited about being here to rest (yet) so we set out with our iPhone app called "Just Ahead" with the Yellowstone guided tour. We only went a short distance before returning for dinner and hopefully a good night's rest..... but in that short time we saw some spectacular views and sighted some bison, elk, big horn sheep, and a grizzly bear so far away that I had to take someone's word that's what it was. Looking forward to seeing the remainder of the park in the coming days.

A few photos from the last few days below: