Kansas rocks

While staying at Lake Scott State Park, we took a drive around some local scenery, including Battle of Punished Woman’s Fork, Monument Rocks, Little Jerusalem Badlands State Park, and Lake Scott itself, including an El Cuartelejo pueblo.

An interactive map of our route:

We started heading south from our campsite, visiting the El Cuartelejo pueblo, the northernmost and easternmost pueblo in the country:

Monument

 El Cuartelejo pueblo

 El Cuartelejo pueblo

 El Cuartelejo pueblo

 El Cuartelejo pueblo

 El Cuartelejo pueblo

 El Cuartelejo pueblo

DAR marker

Steele House museum:

Steele House museum

Steele House museum

Road

Monument of the Battle of Punished Woman’s Fork, the site of the last battle between Indians and the United States Army in the state of Kansas:

Monument

Battle Canyon:

Battle Canyon

Battle Canyon

Battle Canyon

An interesting canyon along the road:

Road

Monument Rocks, some impressive chalk formations:

Monument Rocks

Monument Rocks

Monument Rocks

Monument Rocks

Monument Rocks

Monument Rocks

Monument Rocks

Monument Rocks

Monument Rocks

Monument Rocks

Monument Rocks

Monument Rocks

Monument Rocks

Monument Rocks

Monument Rocks

Monument Rocks

Monument Rocks

Monument Rocks

Monument Rocks

Little Jerusalem Badlands State Park:

Little Jerusalem Badlands State Park

Little Jerusalem Badlands State Park

Little Jerusalem Badlands State Park

Little Jerusalem Badlands State Park

We walked along the quarter mile overlook trail, instead of the longer trail, since it was almost 100°F:

Little Jerusalem Badlands State Park

Little Jerusalem Badlands State Park

Little Jerusalem Badlands State Park

Little Jerusalem Badlands State Park

Little Jerusalem Badlands State Park

Little Jerusalem Badlands State Park

Little Jerusalem Badlands State Park

Little Jerusalem Badlands State Park

Little Pyramids rocks:

Little Pyramids

Back to Lake Scott State Park; here’s the lake overflow area (it is an artificial lake):

Lake Scott State Park

A view across the lake towards our campground:

Lake Scott State Park

A peek of the rear of our coach:

Our coach

Lake Scott State Park

Lake Scott State Park

Lake Scott State Park

Lake Scott State Park

Lake Scott State Park

Lake Scott State Park

Lake Scott State Park

An interesting drive. Who knew Kansas had such scenery?!

Circle Drive Campground, Lake Scott State Park

We stayed in the Circle Drive Campground of Lake Scott State Park near Scott City, Kansas. (Campground Reviews listing.)

A pleasant oasis by a lake.

Dates:

  • Check in: 2023-09-26
  • Check out: 2023-10-01
  • 5 nights

Weather:

  • Sunny
  • High temps ranging between 86-93°F, lows around 55-68°F
  • Some wind most days, gusts up to 37 MPH

Noise:

  • No road noise
  • No train noise
  • Negligible neighbor noise; more so when it filled up more on the weekend

Site:

  • #40, back in, gravel
  • Needed to disconnect toad; parked in front of coach
  • Somewhat level, a little side-to-side slope
  • Gravel driveway about 55 feet long by about 8 feet wide
  • Grass between sites about 40 feet wide
  • Big trees
  • Picnic table
  • Some minor trash in the site
  • Lots of biting flies and gnats

Utilities:

  • 50 amp power, conveniently located
  • 50 PSI water, conveniently located
  • Too recessed sewer connection, conveniently located (1 10-foot pipe needed)

Internet (in usage priority order):

  • Starlink: 7-101 Mbps down, 5-10 Mbps up, 30 ms ping
  • Verizon: 27 Mbps down, 11-21 Mbps up, 50 ms ping
  • T-Mobile: 31 Mbps down, 16-25 Mbps up, 65 ms ping, unreliable
  • AT&T: no or negligible service
  • Campground Wi-Fi: none

Amenities:

  • Lake
  • Garbage dumpsters in central (inconvenient) location
  • Historic park

Our review on Campground Reviews:

Hidden oasis in the prairie

This park is a hidden gem amongst the rolling prairie of western Kansas. The lake was lovely, and there was plenty to see and do in the area. We had a back-in site close to the water in the Circle Drive campground with full hookups, which was a definite bonus. The only downside to our stay was the multitude of biting insects, so come prepared with repellent. We would definitely stay here again. We camped at Lake Scott State Park in a Motorhome.

No paper map; here’s an interactive map; we were in the Circle Drive Campground:

Some side-to-side slope before leveling:

Slope

Our site:

Our site

Our site

Our site

Our site

Picnic table and our griddle:

Picnic table and griddle

We added Kansas to the state stickers on our coach:

Added Kansas to state stickers

A playground behind our site (a little distance away):

Playground

A smoker at a picnic area:

Smoker at picnic area

U-shaped picnic table:

U-shaped picnic table

The lake:

Lake

Lake selfie

Lake

Lake

Beach House, closed for the season:

Beach House

Lake

Swimming beach:

Swimming beach

Swimming beach

Sunset:

Sunset

Old playground:

Old playground

Old playground

Sunset

Docks:

Docks

Lake

Lake

Tent area:

Tent area

Lake

Monument

Lake

Tent area

Tent area

“Even good dogs must be on a leash”:

Even good dogs must be on a leash

Self-pay station and map:

Self-pay station

Map

Other sites

Full moon:

Full moon

A nice state park (and very affordable). We’d be happy to stay here again.

Iron Mountain Road

Another very scenic and curvy road is Iron Mountain Road, that connects the Mount Rushmore area and Custer State Park.

An interactive map:

Bison:

Bison

Bison

Bison

Bison

Bison

Bison

Bison

There are three narrow tunnels on this road:

Tunnel

Tunnel

Tunnel

One-way road:

One-way road

Another tunnel:

Tunnel

Tunnels

Tunnel

Pigtail loop road:

Pigtail loop road

Low narrow tunnel:

Low narrow tunnel

The third tunnel:

Tunnel

This tunnel has a view of Mount Rushmore:

Tunnel with view of Mount Rushmore

Pigtail loop road:

Pigtail loop road

Pigtail loop road

Pigtail loop road

Peeks

Pigtail loop road

Pigtail loop road

Pigtail loop road

One-way roads:

One-way roads

Mount Rushmore view:

Mount Rushmore view

Mount Rushmore view

Mount Rushmore view

A fun drive.

Custer State Park

Perhaps our all-time favorite state park (so far) is Custer State Park in the Black Hills of South Dakota.

A map:

Map

Entrance sign

Tunnel:

Tunnel

Tunnel

We had lunch at Sylvan Lake, then did an impromptu hike around the lake:

Sylvan Lake lunch

Sylvan Lake:

Sylvan Lake

Sylvan Lake

Sylvan Lake

Sylvan Lake

Sylvan Lake

Sylvan Lake

Sylvan Lake

GIF of a hidden waterfall behind the lake:

Sylvan Lake

Sylvan Lake

Sylvan Lake

Sylvan Lake

Sylvan Lake

Sylvan Lake

Sylvan Lake

Sylvan Lake

Sylvan Lake

Custer State Park

Another tunnel:

Custer State Park

Tunnel

Custer State Park

Custer State Park

Tunnel

Tunnel

Custer State Park

Custer State Park

Custer State Park

Custer State Park

Bison Center:

Bison Center

Bison Center

Bison Center

Bison Center

Bison Center

Bison Center

Wildlife Station Visitor Center:

Wildlife Station Visitor Center

Wildlife Station Visitor Center

Wildlife Station Visitor Center

Wildlife Station Visitor Center

Bison:

Bison

Bison

Bison

Bison

Bison

Bison

Pronghorn:

Big horn sheep

Prairie dog:

Prairie dog

Bison

Visitor Center:

Visitor Center

Visitor Center

Visitor Center

Visitor Center

“Bison Poo” snack:

Biso Poo

The Needles Eye:

The Needles Eye

The Needles Eye

The Needles Eye

The Needles Eye

The Needles Eye

The Needles Eye

The Needles Eye

The Needles Eye

The Needles Eye

The Needles Eye

Custer State Park

Custer State Park

Custer State Park

Cathedral Spires Trail hike:

Cathedral Spires Trail hike

Cathedral Spires Trail hike

Cathedral Spires Trail hike

Cathedral Spires Trail hike

Cathedral Spires Trail hike

Cathedral Spires Trail hike

Cathedral Spires Trail hike

Cathedral Spires Trail hike

Cathedral Spires Trail hike

Cathedral Spires Trail hike

Cathedral Spires Trail hike

Cathedral Spires Trail hike

Cathedral Spires Trail hike

Cathedral Spires Trail hike

Cathedral Spires Trail hike

Cathedral Spires Trail hike

Cathedral Spires Trail hike

Legion Lake Trail hike:

Legion Lake Trail hike

Legion Lake Trail hike

Legion Lake Trail hike

Legion Lake Trail hike

Custer State Park

Custer State Park

Tunnel

Bison

Bison

A most excellent park.

Wind Cave National Park

We visited Wind Cave National Park a few times. Unfortunately the caves themselves were closed because the elevator was out of order, so we weren’t able see them, but the surface was still enjoyable, with bison, hikes, and more.

Map:

Map

Entrance sign:

Entrance sign

Bison:

Bison

Visitor center:

Visitor center

Visitor center

Visitor center

Visitor center

Visitor center

Visitor center

Visitor center

Cave map:

Cave map

Bison:

Bison

Loop road:

Loop road

We went for a hike on Rankin Ridge Trail:

Rankin Ridge Trail

Rankin Ridge Trail

Rankin Ridge Trail

Rankin Ridge Trail

Rankin Ridge Trail

Rankin Ridge Trail

Lookout tower:

Lookout tower

Lookout tower

Lookout tower

Rankin Ridge Trail

A bison strolling along next to the road:

Bison

One-lane bridge:

One-lane bridge

One-lane bridge

One-lane bridge

We’ll have to visit again to see the caves!

Travel from Badlands to Hot Springs, South Dakota

We drove our coach 132 miles, about 2 hours of driving, from Badlands, South Dakota to Hot Springs, South Dakota.

Here’s the map route, heading west then south:

Route

An interactive map:

As mentioned yesterday, I added a mount for my 360 camera to the truck; it’s a magnetic mount, but I also secured it with three tethers, out of an abundance of caution:

Camera mount on truck

The camera mounted on the truck; I thought it would be fun to record the view from the truck on travel day:

Camera mounted on truck

The truck connected to the coach (aka toaded); ready to go:

Truck connected to coach

After leaving the campground, crossing White River:

White River

Badlands:

Badlands

Cowboy Corner in Interior, South Dakota:

Cowboy Corner

Badlands:

Badlands

A prairie dog town:

Prairiedog town

Bison:

Bison

Bison

Roadworks:

Roadworks

Roadworks

Roadworks

Roadworks

Roadworks

Roadworks

I caught a stowaway wasp:

Wasp

Badlands

Badlands

Leaving Badlands National Park; the Badlands was good:

Leaving Badlands

The roads were not so good (using my max-zoom technique to show the bumps):

Rough road

Big sunflower field going to seed:

Big sunflower field going to seed

Dinosaur:

Dinosaur

Road

Travel center lunch stop:

Travel center lunch stop

The camera was still there (I took it inside to secure and charge it during our lunch stop; check out today’s travel video for the fun footage):

Camera still there

Travel center lunch stop

Travel center lunch stop

Travel center lunch stop

Travel center lunch stop

Questionable food choices:

Questionable food choices

Onward:

SD-79

The Mammoth Site:

The Mammoth Site

The city of Hot Springs has some nice historic architecture:

Hot Springs

Hot Springs

Hot Springs

Our destination:

Our destination

Our site:

Our site

Our coach:

Our coach

Again, check out the travel video in the next post for a combination of the usual coach dash cam footage plus the 360 cam perspective from the truck. An unusual view!

(And if you haven’t yet subscribed to the Sinclair Trails YouTube channel, please do so. It doesn’t cost anything, but will help me build my channel, which will let me do more with it.)