Fun Things in Route to the Black Hills

It took us 5 driving days to get to our first multi-night stay destination of Hill City, South Dakota in the Black Hills. About 1300 miles & about 20 hours of driving without stops.

Our first night stay was at Exit 210 Saloon which is a Harvest Host in Oakdale, Illinois near the Kickapoo Rail Trail. 

Exit 210 Saloon Harvest Host

Kickapoo Rail Trail

Our next night stay was at another Harvest Host in West Branch, Iowa. On our way there we stopped at the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library. The Harvest Host was at Frerichs Alpaca Farm & the owner gave us a great tour of her family farm. 

Herbert Hoover Presidential Library.

Herbert Hoover Boyhood Home

Frerichs Alpaca farm

Frerichs Alpaca farm

Steve getting the tour

Frerichs Alpaca farm Harvest Host

Our next stay was at the Jackson, Minnesota KOA because proper showers & full hook-ups are a great thing when on the road. 

Jackson, Minnesota KOA

Night 4 was spent at another Harvest Host in Murdo, South Dakota at the Pioneer Auto Museum. This place had an eclectic array of artifacts from old cars, farm equipment, old motors, computers, games, you name it.

Pioneer Auto Museum Harvest Host

Sammie with Jar Jar

Fun mirror!

Dolly (RIP) Pin Ball Machine

One of many old cars

This place was massive

Day 5 brought us to the Black Hills of South Dakota. Our first multi day stop on our multi week trip.  In route to the Hill City KOA we made a stop at Wall Drug to see what it was all about. What a tourist trap but has a good origin story. 

Giddy Up!

Riding the Jackalope

Another Dolly Artifact 

Petting the fluffy cow

5 cent coffee & maple donut

Wall Drug

Random sunrise stop along the way

Since we had some time to kill before we could check into our campsite, we made another stop at Mount Rushmore National Monument. 

Mount Rushmore

Our home on the road

Avenue of Flags

We got to the Hill City KOA by mid-afternoon. We had a good end site which is alway a bonus for the pups. 

Hill City KOA

We spent 11 additional nights in South Dakota which I will share in another post.