Road Trip! The Dakotas

Its been awhile since we took a longish road trip (we'd mostly been cruising for the past few years). This trip has been in the planning for a few years. As a fan of Teddy Roosevelt, and Medora, we've been watching the construction of the new TR Presidential Library. It opened officially on July 1, 2026. So that's the main objective of this trip. We have reservations at the Rough Rider Hotel and tickets to the library.

As long as we're out that way we'll dip south to the Black Hills and spend a few days exploring there; Custer State Park, Badlands National Park, Crazy Horse Monument and more. 

In both directions, we'll pass through Yellowstone National Park.

Monday September 14 Craters to Rexburg

 Perfect weather for the first day of our trip! We said goodbye to the cat and left at 9:00AM sharp. First stop, as every time we head east on the freeway, was the Boise Stage truck stop for breakfast.

Then across on Route 20 to one of our favorite places, Craters of the Moon National Monument. My goal for today was to hike to the top of Inferno Cone. I've done it several times over the years, but I was thwarted when my knees went bad. Now that I've had both knees replaced, I'm ready to make the climb!

The climb was "easy"! As usual, gale force winds at the top but the views are spectacular. There are lots of yellow Rabbit Brush in bloom making for some good photo ops.

We arrived in Rexburg at the usual Best Western motel about 6:00PM. Nice dinner at a place called Fresco. Like most places in Idaho, Rexburg seems to be booming! New commercial construction everywhere! And, it looks like they're getting a SECOND LDS temple?

Tuesday September 15 Yellowstone

Another beautiful day for the drive from Rexburg to Yellowstone. When we got to West Yellowstone traffic going to the park entrance was backed up all way into town! We finally got through and drove on to Madison Junction, turned right and headed south to the thermal areas. 

We stopped at Grand Prizmatic Spring, our favorite place in the park. It was mobbed! Once we found a place to park, we hiked up the boardwalk to the spring. WOW! It was as beautiful today as we've evere seen it. Not a cloud in the sky, temperature in the 50s and, as usual in this spot, very windy! Hold on to your hat!

By then it was well past lunch time, so we headed on down to the Old Faithful Inn for a great (but expensive) lunch in their dining room. What a magnificent building! Old Faithful erupted just we arrived at the front door!

After lunch we headed back north on our way to our ultimate destination, Gardiner, Montana. After a few stops we came through Mammoth Hot Springs then down the mountain to our hotel, the Antler Lodge, arriving about 6:30.

The hotel restaraunt had a long wait so we went back to our room and made a picnic from the cooler!

We were surprised how crowded Yellowstone was! After all, it was a Tuesday after Labor Day. Oh well, the park is big enough to hold everyone. One just has to be patient.

Very little in the way of wildlife today. We were stopped by a single, sad looking bison crossing the road and we saw a mignificent bull elk in Mammoth Hot Springs (they always hang out there). Just on herd of bison a long way off across the river.

Tomorrow we head east through Lamar Valley, up and over Beartooth Pass and into Red Lodge. Not sure where we'll end up.

Sept 16 Gardiner thru Y'Stone to Billings, MT

The Antler Lodge was a fine place to stay. After a quick coffee, we headed back up the hill to Mammoth Hot Springs. We thought we going to have a fast food breakfast at the Hotel's cafe, but it turns out they don't do that anymore? So, we had stuff from the cooler!

I have never seen Mammoth so busy! There was NO place to park along the hot springs boardwalk area. Unexplainable. It was suggested people are coming to see the park before it blows up next!

The weather is beautiful, once again. Driving through Lamar Valley we see bison by the thousands, along with a few pronghorns. After passing through the East Entrance and Cooke City, we head up the mountain on the Beartooth Scenic Byway. A beautiful drive with view points where you can see forever in all directions. We reach the summit at almost 11,000 feet. 

On the way down we stop at Rock Creek Vista and have fun watching the chipmunks eat nuts and popcorn left by the tourists. A great view from the overlook.

We reached Red Lodge around 5:00, then off to Billings where we found our hotel by 6:00. Nice dinner at Outback.

Four hours to Medora tomorrow. 

Thursday Sept 17 Billings to Medora

We spent our morning exploring Billings.....Wal Mart, etc.  Continuing on I-94 we stopped at Pompeys Pillar National Monument. We'd been there years ago on another trip. This is very cool little park which originated back when we celebrated the Lewis and Clark Trip of 1804-6. L & C enthusiasts would love it - see Clark's signature carved in the rock.

I climbed to the top of the Pillar for great views of the Yellowstone River. Unfortunately, my phone's battery had died, so no pictures.

We arrived in Medora at 6:00 and checked into the Rough Rider Hotel. Nice dinner in the hotel bar.

Tomorrow we'll visit the TRPL.

Friday, September 18 Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library

 The weatherman got today all wrong!! It was beautiful; sunny skies, temps in the upper 70s!

We went to the new TRP Library for our 11:00 ticket time. Before you even go in, the building is striking! I hope the architects win some awards! Its hard to describe - just look at the pictures. the most unique feature is the plains grass environment ON THE ROOF!

The first thing that happens when you get to the ticket taker is you are given a wooden token on a wrist band (which must have a chip in it, but you sure can't see it). Your are then directed to a camera where it takes a picture of your face and, supposedly, links it to your token. As you go throughout the library/museum you encounter interactive activities which link to your token. Then, we are told, we will recieve some stuff about our activities I am email.

Anyway, the Library/Museum is fantastic. Various rooms and displays following TR's life from childhood through his Presidency. High tech everywhere!

We completed our tour about 4:00 and spent the rest of the afternoon driving the loop around the National Park. Drive ended with a great sunset. We''ll do it again tomorrow and take some of the short hikes.

Great bar food dinner at the Boot Bar and Grill.

OK, how did they make those pictures?

The new Theordore Roosevelt Presidential Library has a fascinating interactive feature that defies explanation!

When you enter the museum you fill out a brief form with your name, email address, etc. Then, you stand in front of a camera to have your face’s photo taken. (Like the one at the DMV or the Airport). You are then given a wooden token or fob on a wristband

As you wind your way around the various exhibits, there are six stations where you place your fob on a button and it immediately shows a picture of YOU, in black and white, on a large screen, in a setting related to the subject of the exhibit. For example, if it’s about the time TR was Police Commissioner in New York, it shows you in a police uniform.  Or, at another post, you as a Rough Rider. People line up at these stations and get a real laugh out of what it shows.

When you return home, you find an email from the Library, thanking you for your visit and including links to those photos so you can add them to your vacation photo album. We later concluded that they would send you these six photos, whether or not you actually participated in their little “game”.

Then I, intrigued with the capabilities of AI, ask Chatgpt to colorize the photo. The results are amazing!

Here’s what’s really weird: all they have to work with is that single photo of your face. And, if you look closely at my photos, you’ll see a silver chain bracelet on my right wrist. That’s my bracelet! And, sometimes my rings are there, sometimes not. How do they do that??