Theodore Roosevelt National Park: Painted Canyon

Panoramic canyon views and hiking trails are found at Theodore Roosevelt National Park’s Painted Canyon Visitor’s Center. Located just right off of Interstate 94 at Exit 32 is the Painted Canyon Visitor Center and Overlook. This was our first chance to see Theodore Roosevelt National Park. This summer, I am detailing our road trip to the Dakotas and Mount Rushmore as a series for a…

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Seeing Mount Rushmore and Exploring the Black Hills

Staring up at the iconic presidents carved in stone was a day at Mount Rushmore National Memorial about 30 minutes south of Rapid City, S.D. Mount Rushmore National Memorial features 60-foot sculptures of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. Designed by sculptor Gutzon Borglum, the memorial covers 1.278.45 acres and sits 5,725 feet above sea level. Carving started in 1927. Completed in…

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Badlands National Park: West Side Hiking and Driving Tour

At Badlands National Park we took short hikes along the Loop Road checking out fossils and going up into the Badlands along a trail. We also stopped at the many overlooks for different views of the canyons and spires we drove by. This summer, I am detailing our road trip to the Dakotas and Mount Rushmore as a series for a family adventure you might…

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Badlands National Park: East Side Hiking

Badlands National Park has unusual rock formations and canyons with vibrant colors and plenty of hiking trails to explore. There are two areas of trails in the park on the east side. The first area includes the Door, Window, and Noth trails, which our family explored. Then we went down the road to the Cliff Shelf Trail which included far-off views. These hiking trails are…

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Driving to the Highest Point in Iowa

Surrounded by cornfields on a windswept hill stands Hawkeye Point, the highest natural point in Iowa at 1,670 feet. This summer, I am detailing our road trip to the Dakotas, which for us includes seeing Badlands National Park, Mount Rushmore, Theodore Roosevelt National Park, and Devils Tower National Monument in Wyoming. This is a family adventure you might want to do! We live in the…

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Hiking at the Audubon Center at the Riverlands

You can learn about birds and then hike in wetlands searching for them when you spend a day at the Audubon Center at the Riverlands. Visiting the Audubon Center In the center, you can learn about what birds eat such as from a forest, prairie, or the nearby Mississippi and Missouri rivers and wetlands. Exhibits are on different varieties of birds and what they eat,…

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Victoria Glades Hike

In spring Victoria Glades Conservation’s flowering plants and trees give it a technicolor feel with reds, purples, and white flowers everywhere. It is a place to explore open grassy glades and small forests along hills. Victoria Glades Conservation Area Trail The Victoria Glades Trail is a 2.3-mile loop that goes through woods and open fields. A sign in the parking lot pointed out that the…

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Urban Walk Around Busch Stadium

Having a ballpark hotdog, walking around Busch Stadium, and even buying some authentic baseball memorabilia was my hike in downtown St. Louis. I walked 1.4-miles around Ballpark Village and Busch Stadium to check out the Cardinal-related sights and see the historic Field House Museum. Parking I parked at Ball Park Village which is free for three hours on non-game days with validation from a restaurant….

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