Denver – South Dakota return via Casper & Cheyenne

There is more than gold in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Above dense forests and pristine streams, it is a place surrounded by American history, where the names of Gutzon Borglum and Crazy Horse are still heard; where the buffalo once again run free in Custer State Park and the vision of the Keystone miners still cast a dim shadow on long deserted claims. The sculpture, mountains, amphitheater and visitor center are iconic and were on our bucket list for some time.

Heading back, we opted to travel through the whole eastern side (north-south) of Wyoming through the town of Casper to Cheyenne and into Colorado. Historic buildings, including a 1950s era movie theater and a courthouse that is over a century old, line Main Street Newcastle. From there, flat-topped buttes frame the landscape and vast swaths of land covered in scrubby sage line the road. The Bighorn National Forest runs adjacent to the road, and we saw pronghorn and mule deer ever so often. The plains turn into farmland (grassland) as the lusher parts of the drive continue past the North Platte and Powder rivers. Long way around, but all the wind and snow break along the way made it worth it. Where else will you see it?