Mount Rushmore, SD and Devils Tower, WY

Tourism is South Dakota's second-largest industry, and Mount Rushmore is the state's top tourist attraction.  The memorial hosts nearly three million visitors a year.  The site attracts many visitors over the week of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.   

The monument has four 60 foot sculptures of presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln.   The mountain is named after a New York City Attorney (on a prospecting expedition), Charles E. Rushmore.

One is constantly warned to be "bear aware" in this area of the country!

Wyoming is the 10th most extensive, but the least populous of the 50 United States.  Cheyenne is the capital and the state mammal is the Bison.  The state nickname is The Cowboy State.

Devils Tower - an hour drive from Spearfish, SD (Spearfish is 15 mins away from Sturgis).

Devils Tower was the first declared United States National Monument, established on September 24, 1906, by President Theodore Roosevelt. Devils Tower is an igneous intrusion or laccolith in the Black Hills in northeastern Wyoming.  It rises dramatically 1,267 feet above the surrounding terrain and the summit is 5,114 feet above sea level. 

Max playing with a tennis ball in the dog park in Spearfish, SD

West Yellowstone, MT -to- Bowman, ND -to- Spearfish, SD

Leaving Yellowstone

Gas Stop

Pug rest stop

Lunch Stop

Wild T-Rex

Rest  break in South Dakota

South Dakota camp site

Not many states left to go

Salt Lake City -to- Yellowstone National Park

An old Tacoma picture left on the camera - Mt. Rainier is majestic in the background!

I'm sorry, are those BISON in the lane in front of us?

The Yellowstone Park bison herd is the oldest and largest public bison herd in the United States.

They are coming right for us!

Old Faithful

Most of the park rests atop a slumbering volcano that erupted half a million years ago and is showing signs of renewed activity. (Note: Scientists estimate an eruption every 600 million years, it has been 640 million since the last eruption - it's 40 thousand years overdue!)

Yellowstone volcanic steam vent (the water in here is quite warm)

Swans in Yellowstone

Early American settlers called bison “bufello” due to the similar appearance between the two animals, and the name "buffalo" stuck for the American variety. But that name is wrong.  The American bison lives only in North America, while the two main buffalo species reside in Africa and Asia.  Unlike any buffalo species, the American bison sports a large shoulder hump and a massive head.  They are also more hostile than buffalo.  So Buffalo Bill should really be Bison Bill.  The Buffalo Nickel should really be the Bison Nickel.  Buffalo, New York should really be Bison, New York.  Dances With Wolves was all about Bison, not Buffalo......you get the idea.

Incredible wildlife in the park - this is a pronghorn.

Amazing to see so many Bison just walking along the road!

Approximately 96% of the land area of Yellowstone National Park is located within the state of Wyoming. Another 3% is within Montana, with the remaining 1% in Idaho.

It normally costs $25 to enter the park, but due to the "sequestration" we got in for free (there were no services available in the park).

Bison crossing sign - an understatement to say the least.

Yellowstone is widely held to be the first National Park in the world (established in 1872).

There are more geysers and hot springs here than anywhere else on Earth.

The Yellowstone Caldera is the largest volcanic system in North America (50 miles by 35 miles). It has been termed a "supervolcano" because the caldera was formed by exceptionally large explosive eruptions.

Yellowstone is over 2 million acres in area, larger than the states of Rhode Island or Delaware.

Peering cautiously into the geyser vent....

The boys enjoyed the walk along the river

Pugs asleep in their car seats after the adventurous day (note the Bison behind the Jeep)