Wind Cave National Park

We visited Wind Cave National Park again; the previous time, back in 2023, the elevator to the cave was broken, so we were unable to do a tour (but the surface stuff is good too).

This time we were able to do a cave tour: the Garden of Eden tour. This is a one-hour, quarter mile tour (their easiest option), featuring boxwork, frostwork, flowstone and cave popcorn.

Visitor Center

Cave tours:

Cave tours

Cave map:

Cave map

Heading into the elevator, about seven people at a time:

Heading into the elevator

Waiting for everyone in an airlock at the bottom of the elevator:

Airlock at the bottom of the elevator

Exploring the cave:

Wind Cave

Exploring the cave

Wind Cave

Back to the elevator:

Back to the elevator

Model of the cave tours in the visitor center:

Model of the cave tours in the visitor center

Conditions at the cave mouth; neglegible wind:

Conditions at cave mouth; neglegible wind

The little hole of wind:

The little hole of wind

Not the most impressive cave, but still more interesting than Mammoth Cave.

Gordon Stockade

Our campground is near an entrance of Custer State Park. Just before the entrance is the historic area of Gordon Stockade.

Stockade

Info signs:

Info sign

Stockade

Iron Mountain and Needles drive

We did one of our all-time favorite scenic drives, along Iron Mountain and Needles Highway.

An interactive map of our route, starting from the campground, and going counter-clockwise:

A buffalo on the road:

A buffalo on the road

Tunnel clearances:

Tunnel clearances

Scovel Johnson Tunnel:

Scovel Johnson Tunnel

A peek of Mount Rushmore through the trees:

A peek of Mount Rushmore through the trees

More tunnels:

More tunnels

Tunnel to spiral bridge:

Tunnel to spiral bridge

Another tunnel:

Another tunnel

Another peek of Mount Rushmore from the tunnel:

Another peek of Mount Rushmore from the tunnel

Another pigtail spiral bridge:

A pigtail spiral bridge

Passing Mount Rushmore:

Passing Mount Rushmore

Mount Rushmore side view:

Mount Rushmore side view

Interesting rocks:

Interesting rocks

Hood Tunnel:

Hood Tunnel

Sylvan Lake:

Sylvan Lake

Popular jumping spot for kids:

Sylvan Lake

Needle Eye:

Needle Eye

Needle Eye Tunnel:

Needle Eye Tunnel

Sun over rocks:

Sun over rocks

Another tunnel:

Another tunnel

Such a fun drive.

Completed visiting all contiguous National Parks

With our visit to Voyageurs National Park in Minnesota, we have now visited all 52 of the National Parks in the contiguous US and the US Virgin Islands! Quite an achievement.

The only remaining parks are in Hawaii, Alaska, and American Samoa. Those ones are harder, but we’ll get to them in due course.

Here are the stickers on the side of our coach:

National Park stickers on slide of motorhome

Voyageurs National Park: Rainy Lake Grand Tour

We visited the Rainy Lake visitor center, and did the Grand Tour guided boat trip in Voyageurs National Park in Minnesota.

Rainy Lake Visitor Center

Our boat:

Our boat

Rainy Lake tour

A stop at Little American Island, a former mining area:

Little American Island

Mine:

Mine

Little American Island

Back on the boat:

Rainy Lake tour

There are a number of houseboats that people can rent; a fun way to explore the lake:

Houseboat

Exhibits handed around:

Exhibits

Rainy Lake tour

Bald eagle:

Bald eagle

A houseboat docked:

Houseboat docked

Rainy Lake tour

Back at the visitor center, Jenn with her last passport page of parks in the contiguous 48 states:

Jenn with her last passport page

Exhibits:

Exhibits

Voyageurs National Park: Lake Kabetogama and Ash River

We visited the Lake Kabetogama and Ash River visitor centers in Voyageurs National Park in Minnesota. Our last National Park in the contiguous US!

The Lake Kabetogama Visitor Center:

Lake Kabetogama Visitor Center

Jenn got her passport stamp:

Jenn got her passport stamp

Exhibits:

Lake Kabetogama Visitor Center

Ash River Visitor Center:

Ash River Visitor Center

Lilies:

Flower

Flowers

A short walk along Beaver Pond Overlook Trail:

Beaver Pond Overlook Trail

Isle Royale National Park

We visited Isle Royale National Park in Michigan, journeying there and back on a small floatplane; much faster than a boat.

An interactive map of the Rock Harbor area is Isle Royale:

Float plane:

Float plane

Isle Royale:

Isle Royale

Lunch at the cafe:

Cafe

Burger and chips

Seating and harbor:

Seating and harbor

We did a hike on Stoll Trail:

Stoll Trail

A post-hike snack:

Snack

Loons:

Loons

Back to the float plane for the return journey:

Float plane

Indiana Dunes National Park

We visited Indiana Dunes National Park in Indiana. Perhaps one of the least interesting parks we’ve visited… it really should have remained a National Lakeshore.

To be fair, we were recovering from Covid at the time, so weren’t feeling up for climbing dunes or even walking along the beach… which is pretty much all there is to do there.

Here’s a map of the park; click or tap for a larger edition:

Indiana Dunes National Park

Bison out front of the visitor center:

Bison

Flowchart of options:

Flowchart of options

Map:

Map

Visitor center:

Visitor center

An art:

An art

Beach access to Lake Michigan:

Beach access to Lake Michigan

Century of Progress historic homes:

Century of Progress historic homes

Century of Progress historic home

A dune:

Dune

Yawn.

USS Constitution

We explored the USS Constitution, aka “Old Ironsides”, the oldest commissioned ship in the United States Navy. It is operated by the Navy in partnership with Boston National Historical Park.

USS Constitution