It was another early morning start to try and beat the heat! We went into Badlands one more time to do our last two treks. The first was one we stopped briefly at yesterday call the Fossil Exhibit Trail. This trail had a short out-and-back boardwalk with displays of the different fossils they have found here.
The second was the very popular Notch Trailhead, which starts a short distance from the Window and Door Trailheads that we did yesterday (it's easy to do all 3 trails from the same parking lot).
Notch Trail
The Notch Trailhead is a 1.5 mile out-and-back trek that starts with a walk through a wide canyon before arriving at a wooden log ladder, which is why it's probably one of the most popular hikes in the park. After climbing the ladder, there's a narrow cliff ledge that goes up to see incredible views of the White River Valley below. It was beautiful, and the wind coming through was a welcome bonus to the hot day!
As we headed back, we explored a bit more of the canyon, seeing the rock formations and visible signs where water has flowed, which has embedded itself through the rocks. When we returned to the ladder, we had to wait a while as it only allows for one-way traffic. Lisette descended first, although at some point going down, it makes sense to stop using the ladder as you end up in a horizontal position. Lisette started to walk down, but she had jelly legs from the ladder, which didn't help in the slightest running down the gravelly path (Lisette slipped on her butt a couple of times while everyone just gawked, ergh). Besides this literal slip up, however, it was a really fun hike and we can see why people flock to this trailhead.
Minuteman Missile National Historic Site
During the Cold War, there were more than 1,000 nuclear missiles in the Great Plains states of Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming. These areas were chosen for their vast, sparsely populated landscapes, which was ideal for missile silos. While many of the missiles were taken out of commission, there are still hundreds that remain in this area.
The Minuteman Missile Visitor Center goes into more detail of the Cold War and the nuclear missile threats between the US and the USSR, how the number of missiles increased dramatically over time as global tensions rose, and how the world came close to being obliterated during the Cuban Missile Crisis. It also interviews local farmers who lived next to these nuclear weapons, and how they felt about being so close to them. Given the continued tensions around the world, unfortunately this visit felt less like a historic one and more of a reminder of how scary it could be if a couple of powerful countries agitate each other so much that they decide to go to war.
1880 Town
We did get to step back even further in time when we went to 1880 Town in South Dakota, where we walked into an Old West village showing frontier life. There are more than 30 historic buildings, including a barber shop & bath, saloon, blacksmith, schoolhouse, doctor’s office, general store, town hall, national bank, jewelry store, lawyer's office, and even a rodeo bull! In each building there are thousands of actual relics from that era. There's also an old train, a windmill and other outdoor furnishings that give it that authenticity, and people that work there are also dressed in clothing from that era.
It cost $14 per adult and pets are allowed, but an outdoor mock Wild West gunfight was about to start outside, so Lisette and Sheila took cover inside the museum (which was also nice and cool) while Michael watched it. The museum is pretty interesting, with props from the movie "Dances with Wolves" (which was filmed in South Dakota).
Entering Central Time Zone!
South Dakota spans two time zones, and it wasn't long after we left 1880 Town that we saw a sign on the I-90 highway that we'd now entered the Central Time Zone, an additional hour ahead, which we haven't been on yet during this trip. We still were truly in rural South Dakota, with nothing but plains along the straight highway, and herds of cows dotting the landscape. It was so incredibly hot though, we often saw that the poor cows were taking shelter under the billboards, or were hanging around or in a lake, if there was water around!
Dignity of Earth and Sky Monument
After driving for over an hour, we arrived at the Dignity of Earth and Sky, a 15 meter (50 foot) tall, stainless steel statue of a Native American woman, which honors the cultures of the Lakota and Dakota people. The woman wears a garment patterned after a traditional two-hide dress of the 1850s. In her hands she holds out a star quilt, which has 128 stainless steel diamonds. These have LED lights that glow brightly at night. The statue is located at a rest stop, and it was about 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit), another scorcher of a day, so it was a brief opportunity to stretch out our legs before taking refuge inside again!
The World's Only Corn Palace
We love quirky and unique attractions, and The World's Only Corn Palace definitely met the criteria! It started in 1892 to show the region's fertile soil, and there were actually multiple corn palaces back in the day. Today, it's not only a museum that details the corn palace's history, but is also a bit of an entertainment center that hosts everything from concerts, basketball games, and even weddings.
Every year, the corn palace has a theme and they use different varieties of corn to create pictures depicting the theme. This year, the theme is 2025 Wonders of the World, and the Sydney Opera House is featured at the front! It's free admission to go in and read more about it, and enter the auditorium where there was a gift shop at the time, but also huge, painstakingly constructed images constructed entirely of corn. And of course, there's some corn products to purchase (Sheila found places were there was popcorn on the floor and was happily vacuuming these up).
When we didn't think it could get hotter, it was an unbearable 43 degrees Celsius (109.4 degrees Fahrenheit) outside the Corn Palace! We took a couple of photos at the front, but it was standing outside was like having a furnace blow full force at us. Unbearably, uncomfortably, and unendingly hot.
A Scorcher in Sioux Falls
Another hour's drive away is Sioux Falls, the most populous city in South Dakota (population: 219,588). The temperatures hadn't dropped at all, so we had dinner at Monk's Ale House, which we chose because they allow dogs outside AND inside the restaurant and bar. We both ordered pizzas which were delicious, and Michael also really enjoyed his cider. On the way we passed by Arc of Dreams, a stainless steel sculpture spanning the Big Sioux River with a gap in the middle, representing a leap of faith. The sculpture was also made by the same person who did Dignity of Earth and Sky, Dale Claude Lamphere, a South Dakotan artists who has made many other public art sculptures around the country.
But then it was back into the fire! We found a nearby public park where we could stay for the evening, but at 10.30pm, it was still unbearable inside and outside. But we had to sleep, so it was a cold shower to try and cool down, and sleeping and sweating through the night. We were most worried about Sheila, as we didn't want her to have heatstroke. Michael slept next to her on the sofa, because she was panting rapidly and was clearly uncomfortable, and he tried his best to keep her cool with cool water on her towel, water, and the like. At one point he was really worried, because it seemed like she had stopped breathing... Our RV is simply not able to handle this heat, and allow the inside to cool. When morning came, we decided that if we have a day and night with these temperatures again, the best option would be to check into a motel.
Route Map
