VDR Trip, Day 17: Banff, CA - W. Glacier, MT

Banff National Park, AB, Canada - Glacier National Park, W. Glacier, MT

262 mi, 5 hrs
Appx fuel costs: $ 92
Adm. Fees: $ 22
Camping Fees: $ 20/night

Today's plan is to leave Banff National Park, AB, Canada and head down to one of America's greatest areas, Glacier National Park, West Glacier, MT via the Cowboy Trail (aka Alberta #22)

We might make a brief stop at Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump for some interpretive center activities.  Admission is $22 for a family of 2 adults and 2 children ages 7 - 17.

Another stop I'm looking at will be in the town of Pincher. From there, we'll head on in to Glacier National Park for a night or two.

If we stay only one day, we'll definitely be driving the Going to the Sun road and probably take a walking tour in the park's headquarters.  It's till unknown whether we'll do a bus tour.  There are also horseback rides and rafting available here.

Glacier Nat'l Park Fees:
$25 per car
Bus tours are $40 - $75

VDR Trip, Day 10-16: The Hat to Banff National Park, Banff, Alberta Canada

Medicine Hat - Banff National Park

259 mi, 4 hrs, 45 min
Appx fuel costs: $ 91
Adm. Fees: $ 20 per carload per day into the park alone
Additional Adm. fees vary but lots of free activities!
Camping Fees: $ up to 38 per night

I honestly haven't figured out yet how many days I would spend in Medicine Hat since I really want to go on to Banff and start the sightseeing up thataway.  I might even consider leaving the girls with their big sister and Hunny and I go on to Banff for a few days alone.  I haven't figured it out yet. 

Here are the activities we're considering in Banff whether or not we have the girls with us.

#1 - Visit Sunshine Meadows for some awesome summer wildflowers

#2 - Horseback Riding. ($80 per person)

#3 - Water trip down a river. ($100/adult - $50/kids)

#4 - View and walk on a glacier ($80/adult - $45/kids)

#5 - Take a gondola ride.  ($34/Adult - $15/kids)

#6 - Helicopter Tours ($120/adult - kids 1/2 price with 2 adults pd)

And that's about all I have planned for Banff National Park.  Doesn't it look absolutely beautiful!?  We definitely will park the camper there for a couple of nights also and maybe just do some short day hikes and stuff and spend off time instead of structured time.  We'll see.

VDR Trip, Day 9: Hardin, MT - Medicine Hat, AB Canada

From Hardin MT to Medicine Hat, AB Canada

424 mi, 8 hrs, 20 min
Appx fuel costs: $ 135
Adm. Fees: $ 7
Camping Fees: $ 40

Heading out of town and up to Medicine Hat, Alberta Canada.  But before we get too far, I want to stop and see a bit of William Clark's handiwork.

#1 - Pompey’s Pillar, $7 day per vehicle

#2 - We MIGHT stop at Lewistown, MT to see the World's Fastest Gun monument.  Judging from pics I've seen on the net, it may not be worth the time since it's a pretty small monument.

#3 - Then, once we reach Havre, MT, I just HAVE to stop and take a tour of the town underneath the town.

#4 - Medicine Hat, AB Canada - World's Largest Teepee

We'll plan to stay at Gas City Campground on the edge of town. 

We will probably stay a day or so and then move on to Banff National Park for a few days.

VDR Trip, Day 8: Custer, SD - Hardin, MT

Custer, SD – Hardin, MT

300 mi, 4 hrs, 46 min
Appx fuel costs: $ 96
Adm. Fees: $ 44
Camping Fees: $28

#1 - Jewel Cave National Monument 

#2 - Crook County Museum in Sundance, WY

Admission is FREE

#3 - Devil's Tower National Monument

$10 per vehicle

#4 - Little Bighorn Battlefield

$10 per vehicle

Camp at Grandview Campground in Hardin, MT

$23 - $29/night

And that's the plan for Day 8.

VDR Trip, Day 7: Interior, SD - Custer, SD

Interior, SD - Custer SP
128 mi, 2 hr, 22 min
Appx fuel costs: $ 41
Adm. Fees: $ 79
Camping Fees: $ 25

Planning to wake up real early and watch the world around us awaken.  Then heading out to visit some national historic sites.  I've looked at several things to explore and everything is determined by the clock.

#1 - Minute Man Missile where we'll also log a few Virtual geocaches and EarthCaches.  While in this town of Wall, SD I'll also look for the famous Jackalope and get a picture with him.

#2 - Crazy Horse Memorial -  I'm not too crazy about seeing this.  Mainly because it isn't finished.  I understand it's a huge undertaking and all that but IT IS NOT FINISHED!  That being said, I'm putting it on my optional list.

#3 - Moving into to Keystone, we'll plan to visit the Big Thunder Gold Mine, but I'm not too sure about it. It looks more like a "tourist trap" but it also looks like a fun place for the girls.  We'll see.  Admission is $9.25 for Adults and $6.25 for kids and then you can get pans for Gold panning for an additional $7.25.

#4 - Mount Rushmore National Monument - There are no admission fees, but there IS an $11 parking fee.

There are also some geocaches about 1/2 a mile from here.

#5 - We'll move up into Rapid City for some other geocaching and touristy stuff.  First we'll stop at the 12th Century Replica Church.  I've read a couple of places that it is either a gift shop or located next door to one.  I just want to explore and  look at the architecture of it and goof off in the gift shop.  Then we'll drive around downtown RC and see if we can "meet" all of the street corner presidents.  Again, depends on time. 

#6 - We'll either finish today or start tomorrow with a stop at  Cosmos Mystery Area.  A tour here will only take about 30 minutes but it's a very interesting and intriguing place.  Adm is $9.50 for those who are 12 and older.  In our case, that's only 2 of us!

Then we'll camp at Custer State Park.  Hopefully, there will be enough time in the day for me to do a couple of short hikes to collect some geocaches.  If not, weeellll, I'll just have to pass it up .... but I won't like it!

VDR Trip, Day 6: Sioux City, IA - Interior, SD

Sioux City, IA – Interior, SD

358 mi, 6 hrs, 14 min
Appx fuel costs: $113.90
Adm. Fees: $ 64
Camping Fees: Elec sites $28/ Primitive on west end FREE

Today, we're leaving Iowa and heading into the Badlands of South Dakota.  I'm soooooo excited!  As we head into South Dakota, the first place we're gonna stop is at the National Music Museum.  After reading about this place, I'm stoked to stop by and spend some time there!!!

#1 - National Music Museum, Admission here is Adults/ $10 and Children are Free.  If we happend to arrive on a Friday then admission will be free due to their "Free Fridays" program.  Watch a video narrated by Tom Brokaw about this place.

#2 - In Yankton we MIGHT stop by the Dakota Territorial Museum where admission is FREE.  But we'll have to see how much time we have left after the Music Museum. 

#3 - After we leave the Territorial Museum, then we'll drive for a ways before we stop at Murdo, SD to see The Original 1880's town.  I'm hoping we have lots of daylight left for this one!  I'm looking forward to jumping in a time machine and going back 120 years!  Now, while visiting the 1880's town, admission fees are $12 for adults and $5 for kids PLUS you can rent costumes ($5) and walk around like you're one of the founding town council members to something.

#4 - and finally we're planning to end the day in the Badlands National Park.  If we "rough it" then camping is free.  I guess it'll depend on the weather what we decide to do.

VDR Trip, Day 5: Lawson, MO - Sioux City, IA

Lawson, MO – Sioux City, IA

277 mi, 4 hrs, 46 min

Appx fuel costs:  $88.13

Adm. Fees:  $ 24

Camping Fees:  $ 21

Leaving Lawson and slowly getting into Sioux City, IA

Stop #1: Western Historic Trails Center, Council Bluffs, IA ; Admission:  FREE

Stop #2:  Squirrel Cage Jail, Adm fees Adults $7 / Children $5

                                                                                                                                                                                             

Stop #3:  Union Pacific Railroad Museum, FREE admission

  Stop #4:  Golden Spike Monument, South 21^st Str and  9^th Avenue, Council Bluffs, IA

Stop #5: Steel Statue of War Eagle, Friend of the White man, Sioux City, IA   

       

 Sioux City, IA -  
Stop #6:  Big Monument to Lewis & Clark’s Only Fatality

There's 15 + geocaches around here!  I'm not gonna worry about looking for them because it's too time consuming for this stop.

                                  
Stop #7: Trinity Heights:  Giant Jesus and Mary

 

                                                                                                                                               

Camp at Stone State Park, Sioux City, IA $21/night

There are 4 EarthCaches here.  What’s an EarthCache?  An EarthCache is similar to a Virtual Cache in the way that there is no traditional cache container or a log book, but because of their purpose they differ greatly.  The purpose of an EarthCache is to share information about a particular geological feature of our planet Earth, and the object is to learn something about it. When you visit an EarthCache, you learn something interesting about the geology of the area. Usually the information is freely given but you have to do a bit of investigative work to answer proposed questions in order to claim the cache.

Whew!  That's a lot of little stops for one day. In fact, it's very possible that if we ever do get to go on this trip, I'll probably NOT stop at all of these.  I'll be really tired by the time we reach Sioux City and will be looking forward to some chill time at the state park. 

How about you?  Are you still with me on this trip or have you abandoned ship?  We're not even halfway there yet!  Hang on with me and let's go on some more adventures!  Stay tuned for tomorrow!