Relaxed Nature Tours

SD WY ND MT

Mt. Rushmore/Spearfish Canyon/Devils Tower/Theodore Roosevelt Library/Theodore Roosevelt National Park

October 7-14, 2027

Bradford/Ezerins

 

This is a multistate, relaxed nature tour that offer us plenty of scenery, Mt. Rushmore National Memorial, Crazy Horse Memorial, Spearfish Canyon, Devils Tower National Monument, Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library, Theodore Roosevelt National Park, and as we travel from SD to ND, we will briefly pass through Montana for our fourth state. We will fly into Rapid City, SD and out of Bismark, ND. This way we do not have to backtrack. Our longest drive will be from Spearfish, SD to Medora, ND. However, we will break up the drive with several scenery stops and of course some bird stops. I just did this route in October of 2026.

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Our first night will be in Rapid City allowing us a quick visit to Mt. Rushmore National Memorial and Crazy Horse Memorial, then we will start working our way north to Spearfish Canyon for three nights in Spearfish Canyon Lodge in the heart of the canyon.

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At this time of year, the aspen, birch, and cottonwoods leaves should be displaying their fall colors. From our lodge in Spearfish Canyon, we will be within easy driving distance of Devils Tower National Monument in Wyoming. The massive structure is made of igneous rock that is harder than the surrounding sedimentary rock that has eroded away over time leaving the 867-foot-tall rock structure protruding from the desert floor. This massive formation is a remarkable sight that we plan to view from a distance at first then take the 1.3-mile hike around the base of the monolith. If it is open, we will stop in the visitor center and see about some shopping.

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We plan to drive the Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway enjoying the scenery, waterfalls and hoping for an American Dipper in the river and mountain goats on the side of the road. Possible hikes while in the canyon include Roughlock Falls and Spearfish Falls. The Spearfish Falls trail starts right next to the Latchstring Restaurant where we will eat at least one dinner. We hope to spend some time in Deadwood visiting Mt. Moriah Cemetery to view the grave sites of Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane. In Deadwood we might take an hour to walk Mainstreet taking in the sights and enjoying some local shopping. This is a quaint little town reminiscent of Estes Park in Colorado. After Spearfish Canyon we will make the long drive to Medora, ND where we will spend two nights.

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While in Medora we will visit Theodore Roosevelt National Park, a large and remote national park that holds the same beauty and ruggedness of many of the more highly visited parks. Here we should experience “the road less traveled.” We will spend three nights in the small, frontier town of Medora allowing us access to the north and south units of the park. After a stop at the Painted Canyon Visitor Center in the south unit, we will drive the scenic loop looking for prairie dogs, mule deer, large numbers of bison, geologic wonders, and outstanding scenery. There are several short, uncrowded hikes in the south unit that we could take like the half mile Wind Canyon Trail, three quarters of a mile Coal Vein Trail, as well as the short Buck Hill Trail that leads to the highest point in the south unit with a sweeping panoramic view of the park.

 We will also visit the more remote and rugged north unit with its remarkable badlands and wonderful geology. Here we will drive the out and back, fourteen-mile scenic drive with stops at River Bend Overlook and at the road’s end for the Oxbow Overlook allowing us to appreciate the beauty of the North Dakota Badlands. The hikes in the north unit are a bit more challenging, but we plan to take the relatively easy Little Mo Trail within the colorful cottonwoods.

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Behind the south unit visitor center is the Theodore Roosevelt’s Maltese Cross Cabin dating back to 1883 when he first came west to North Dakota. Though the logs are the original ponderosa pine logs, other parts of the cabin have been restored with material from the period. It is at this cabin that Roosevelt felt he acquired skills needed to become the 26th President of the United States and where he recovered from the deaths of his mother and wife who died on the same day. While in Medora we will visit the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library that opened on July fourth, 2026. One could spend three hours walking through this remarkable facility. I look forward to a return visit.

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Eventually, we will drive to Bismark, ND for a one night stay and flights home the following morning.

Like on other relaxed nature tours, we start a little bit later in the morning, enjoy scenery, nature, geology, and learn a little history, as we travel through North Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, and South Dakota. One highlight of this tour is the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library. Of course, if there are birds in the area we will stop and look to see what we can find.

 

Fee: The cost of the tour for double occupancy is $3,500 and includes meals, BUT NOT ALCOHOL. Single occupancy is an additional $750 per person. Meals are no longer a major production, but more relaxed casual affairs sometimes taken in the hotel lobby other times in restaurants.

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Deposit: A deposit of $500 is needed to hold a spot on this tour. Deposit checks can be mailed to David Bradford 18046 Green Hazel Dr. Houston, TX. 77084    281 744 6486 leave message or text.