The Wildcat Hills area is just south of Scottsbluff, NE. The campground wasn’t terrific, but there was a trail that left from it that was supposed to be good for mountain biking. We were skeptical (mountain biking in Nebraska?) but the visitor center told us that all the trails were great for riding. The trails would be great single track if they were rode more often, but they were overgrown and loose. There was also a bridge out that made the trail more difficult.
Scottsbluff National Monument, NE
We headed into Scottsbluff and found a city campgound along the Platte River within view of Scottsbluff National Monument. It was very hot, over 100 every day that we were there. We had only planned to stop for a day, but there was so much history to explore that we spent a week. We went to the monument and utilized their shuttle service to the top. Since no one else was around, we got a personalized tour from a ranger. The views from the top were good, but the amazing part was seeing the remains of the trail going off in the distance. You can still see the imprint of the trail in several places. We went back down and walked along parts of it. Imagining people walking this trail in the heat and dust and blind hope of finding a better life was humbling. I am not sure I would have had the courage to set off for a new life that required months and months of walking with no guarantee you would make it.
We spent an afternoon in the Platte Valley Museum. There was so much to see, they had to kick us out at closing. It was one of the best museums we’ve been to. We found Scottsbluff to be a very pleasant small town. I loved the items for sale in the grocery stores, especially the bulk selection of Pimento Cheese. Walmart may be everywhere, but the selection does vary by region.
We headed north out of Scottsbluff up into the Black Hills of South Dakota. We had spent a week there about ten years
Cold Brook Resevoir, SD
before. We were hoping to track down a warm lake we had stayed at before. We remembered it as being quiet, warm, and possibly just outside the town of Hot Springs, SD. We were in luck and found it with no problem. Cold Brook Resevoir is one of those hidden gems that you aren’t sure you want to tell anyone about. It is a Corp of Engineers lake that is only $5 a night and never busy. It is small with no power boats making it perfect for swimming. Most of the RV’ers are at the full hookup places in town, so we had it to ourselves except for a few locals and the campground host. It was still hot, but we cooled off in the lake several times a day.
Sylvan Lake in Custer State Park, SD
We next headed to Custer State Park. Custer was at least ten degrees cooler and much greener. It felt terrific after the 100+ temps we had been enduring. We stayed at Center Lake Campground for two weeks, twice as long as originally planned. It made a great base camp to see the Black Hills and the swimming was sublime. The wildlife in the park included bison, turkeys, bighorn sheep, & lots of deer. There was a mountain bike trail directly out of the camprgound that had 11 stream crossings, very pleasant on a hot day. Gambling in the Deadwood casinos killed another afternoon along with our bank account. We also went for a hike amongst the spires off the Needles Highway and drove through the famous pig-tail bridges and tunnels that line up with Mount Rushmore. The Mickelson Trail is a rails to trails bike path that runs 110 miles from north to south. We didn’t get a chance to ride any of it, but will be back at some point to try it out. The week before the Sturgis rally, the entire area started filling up with Harleys. We headed out before it got too crazy.
We drove to Guernsey Resevoir in Wyoming. We had purchased a Wyoming State Camping Pass earlier in the year, so we could stay for free. It was crowded and hot. To escape the crowds, we camped away from the shoreline. We took advantage of the clear, dark skies to enjoy the Persoid Meteor Showers happening that week.
Guernsey is best known for the Oregon Trail ruts that are still visible in the rocks. We had seen them years ago, but
Dan standing in Oregon Trail Ruts in Guernsey, WY
went again. Interpretive signs and a walking path have been added to the site and it was well worth another visit. Fort Laramie, an important military outpost on the Oregon Trail, is just down the road.
The birding was good at Guernsey. In addition to the typical riparian bird species, we saw our first Cedar Waxwing, which excited us both. The major downside was the heat. Due to the 100 degree days and Dan needing to do some work in Redstone, CO, we decided we would spend some time in the mountains next. We headed back to Boulder for some more appointments and meetings and then headed for the high country.
