My favorite vacation I have ever been on was my family’s trip through South Dakota and Wyoming. We went when I was six years old and while we were there we traveled to some of the largest visitation points offered in the states by RV.
Devil’s Tower
Devil’s Tower is one of the most unique rock features found in the US. Surrounded by relatively flat earth, this large pillar of rock extends from the ground for what seems to be a random area. The tower also represents a slice of Native American culture. Native Americans used the tower as a clear marker of their location and as a meeting point. There are legends that state the tower served as protection from large threats such as a bear. The legend goes that a group of girls had the ground raised beneath them to protect them from a bear attack. The marks all over the tower are said to resemble the claw marks from the bears. Visiting this place was a surreal experience because of its staggering appearance. We were driving on pretty flat roads and then from miles away we could see the tower slowly getting larger until we arrived.
Badlands National Park
This is my favorite national park that I have been to. It may be because of my young age, making the experience much more spectacular in a child’s mind, but the park’s glory has been preserved in my mind. The park is full of layered rock formations that compose an array of small canyons. The best part of this park for me was being able to just wander through the vast area and find small fossils throughout. It felt like I was on a different planet. I am not sure if it is as open to exploration as it was when I went, but I would definitely like to go back.
Old Faithful
Old faithful is a geyser in Wyoming that offers a common attraction for people to visit due to its consistency. The geyser has erupted every forty-four minutes to two hours since 2000, so if you go, you can witness an eruption with little effort. Whenever we went, we saw two eruptions that were a little over an hour apart. To my young mind, it looked like the water shot a mile up into the sky. If you go to visit this geyser, you should also take the time to go visit the hot springs that surround it.
I always thought that Devil’s Tower wasn’t real. I’ve seen in in films but It’s amazing that you actually got to visit this landmark. I really appreciate you adding your perception of each of these landmarks from your youth. Children have the most creative perspectives. I wonder what these parks would be like if you went back there today? Would they be as cool to you as they were in your childhood?
Wow. I’m not the biggest fan of travel posts, but that was very interesting. I love how you touched on the folklore and mythology of the landmark as I am always in favor of a quirky anecdote. By combining your fantastic visual description with these legends, it made this area I’ve never visited come to life on the page. I look forward to living vicariously through your adventures.