Road Trip through the Cowboy States

Wyoming, South Dakota, Montana, Colorado — 2012

If you've visited California, seen the Grand Canyon, Las Vegas and the giant redwoods, the Cowboy States should be your next US destination. We spent 15 days based in Colorado before driving through South Dakota, Wyoming and Montana. Our three "must-sees" were Yellowstone National Park, the Black Hills area, and southern Montana.

First Stop: Black Hills, South Dakota (2–3 days)

It's about a 6-hour drive from Denver to Hot Springs in the southern Black Hills. The area is fascinating on many levels: you can visit Mammoth Site where over 30 intact male mammoths have been found in an area the size of a handball court. Heading north, the scenery is spectacular: Wind Cave National Park, Custer State Park, Mount Rushmore, and the Crazy Horse Memorial — where the Ziolkowski family has been carving an entire mountain into a giant Native American figure on horseback since 1948.

On the Way to Montana: Devils Tower

Driving west from Spearfish, you'll pass Devils Tower — a volcanic core 50 million years old, its surrounding rock long since eroded away. There are marked hiking trails and camping facilities. Continue west and you can overnight in the rodeo town of Cody, about 6 hours from Spearfish.

Prairie dogs are a highlight near Devils Tower — sit quietly for half an hour and they'll emerge from their burrows so you can watch them up close.

Rodeo in Cody

Cody is a genuine rodeo town, hosting shows almost every evening through summer. It's a couple of hours of great entertainment — and it is NOT a performance.

Horseback Riding in the Rocky Mountains (4 days)

If you want to ride horses in the Rockies, there are plenty of options. We chose a small family operation where you ride with the owner. Starting in Cooke City — a small town at the northern edge of Yellowstone Park — we rode into the Beartooth Mountains in southern Montana within Custer National Forest.

It was the two of us — Carl and Karin — plus our guide Matt and five mules carrying all the supplies in bear-proof boxes. The first day we rode up to Mutt Lake at around 3,000 metres altitude. Despite it being midsummer, temperatures dropped to −5 to −10 °C overnight. We saw no bears, but plenty of marmots and caribou grazing around our tent in the mornings.

Neither of us had ridden before, and it was no problem at all. The cowboy saddle is very comfortable, and the horses respond to the lightest signals. It's a wonderfully unique way to experience nature up close.

Yellowstone National Park (4+ days)

Yellowstone is of course a must-see. We tried to stay inside the park itself to avoid long daily drives. Large herds of bison and elk graze on the great plains. It's not unusual for a herd of bison to walk along — or directly on — the road, bringing all traffic to a standstill until they decide to move on.

The entire park is saturated with volcanic activity — the ground feels alive. Steam rises from holes everywhere, and there are approximately 10,000 thermal features in the park, including around 3,000 geysers — similar to those Iceland is famous for.

Once the sun is well up, it's time to explore the volcanic features. The white deposits in the images are minerals left behind as water evaporates — a world in constant change.

Return to Denver (approx. 8 hours)

Denver is a great city — well worth a day or two for shopping before heading home. In summary: 2 weeks of concentrated experiences and just 3 driving days.