George Washington Carver National Monument

George Washington Carver National Monument – Entrance Sign

Final full day of adventure and starting to make my way north towards home. I have crossed over from Arkansas to Oklahoma and now into Missouri, and the next stop at George Washington Carver National Monument has been on my list for quite some time as I find his life and accomplishments both impressive and … Read more

Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument – Abó

Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument - Abó Mission

Starting my return home now after enjoying a week with my family. I decided to head north and visit a few sites I didn’t have time for on the outbound trip. First stop was at Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument in Abó, New Mexico. This national monument consists of three separate locations with remnants of … Read more

Cascade Falls

Cascade Falls - View of falls from small platform above

It was a chilly morning commute in the high 30’s as I left camp down in the canyon but I am not complaining. The sun is a fantastic golden blaze and skies are clear with a bit of haze offering a vivid glow to anything the light touches. I’m taking a short drive down state … Read more

Pipestone National Monument

Pipestone National Monument - Old Stone Face rock formation

Thus far on my road trip I’ve basically been making up plans as I go along. But my main goal for sticking around in this area was to visit Pipestone National Monument in Pipestone, Minnesota. I’ve had this on my “to do” list now for a few years and it never came together but happily … Read more

Devil’s Gulch

Devil's Gulch - Rocky parts of the trail require some creativity to find a path

Just down the road from Split Rock park is another local park called Devil’s Gulch. I didn’t know what to expect at first, but the attraction here is a large gulch (or ravine), a waterfall perhaps, and some Wild West history if you believe the stories. Not shown in this post is a small visitor … Read more

Split Rock Park

Split Rock Park - Wide angle view of the area near the dam

Today seems like “do everything interesting in Garretson, South Dakota” day but it wasn’t really by plan. As it often happens, I was freestyle cruising Google Maps and came across a couple parks not far away from camp. So I headed just a couple miles down the road and first stopped at Split Rock Park. … Read more

Palisades State Park

Palisades State Park - Views of Split Rock Creek looking downstream from the cliffs above

My first out-of-state camping stop on this journey was at Palisades State Park in Garretson, South Dakota. I arrived well after dark and mostly just went to sleep, but the next morning I did some quick exploring. There are a couple trails here the run along the Split Rock Creek. I considered hiking them but … Read more

Big Spring Creek (2022)

Big Spring Creek - Spring water cascading down the rocks

My turkey hunt was going nowhere fast today. After striking out at Governor Dodge State Park I fueled up, took a short midday nap, and drove around in search of new public lands with favorable terrain. Along the way I ended up at a familiar destination at Big Springs Fishery Area in Highland, Wisconsin. Here’s … Read more

Osceola Bedrock Glades Falls

Osceola Bedrock Glades Falls - Looking downstream standing next to main stretch of falls/rapids

Trying to squeeze in one last stop today as the sun was falling low on the horizon, I stopped at the trailhead for the Ridge View Trail: Osceola Loop in Osceola, Wisconsin. This is easy to find on River Road / County S and there is a small parking lot that holds maybe 10 vehicles. … Read more

Buttermilk Falls

Buttermilk Falls - Zoomed view through trees from a distance

After having little to no plan for the day, I found the winds of adventure carried me back to Osceola, Wisconsin with a chance to find a falls I missed in the past. That begins at the Standing Cedars Buffalo Skull Tract, part of the Standing Cedars Community Land Conservancy. Last visit I was concerned … Read more