Here's the last in the series of photos from my vacation last month. In this post I'm including photos from the Tri-State Museum and Center of the Nation monument in Belle Fourche; Devils Tower (just over the border in Wyoming); and Roughlock Falls in Spearfish Canyon.
The Center of the Nation monument marks the geographical center of the USA (including Alaska and Hawaii; the center of the lower 48 states is in Kansas). It sits behind the Tri-State Museum, which is full of items of local historical interest, along with quite a few oddities.
Devils Tower is quite impressive; if you've seen the movie "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" you'll recognize it right away. Its made of volcanic-type material, though they think it was just an upsurge of molten material and not part of an actual volcano. There's a nice trail that loops around the base; I was able to see several rock climbers making their way up the square columns.
On the way home from there, I drove down Spearfish Canyon, which is very beautiful: high canyon walls, heavily wooded, with a river and waterfalls flowing through it. The most visited falls is in Roughlock State Park - a series of cascades with a trail that goes down alongside it with several viewing areas. It was very cool and refreshing there.
Anyway, I hope you've enjoyed my travelog - maybe I've piqued your interest and you'll make a trip to South Dakota yourself! Enjoy.
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| Center of the Nation Monument. |
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At the Tri-State Museum:
an old 1930s permanent wave machine. |
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| Use an x-ray to fit your shoes! |
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| Ladies must ride side saddle - doesn't look too safe or comfortable. |
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| Devils Tower amid the fields and farmland. |
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| Native American prayer shawls - the site is sacred to the local tribes. |
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| Rock climbers way up high. |
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| Devils Tower in the rear view mirror... |
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| Beautiful Wyoming countryside. |
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| Spearfish Canyon. |
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| Roughlock Falls. |
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| Friendly native. |
