After the Loop, we drove (very narrow dirt/gravel road that should have been one way, but wasn't) to the lookout on top of Mount Coolidge, with wonderful views from 6200 feet. Actually, wonderful views everywhere in this park.
1 Bill atop Mount Coolidge; 2 View north; 3 Closer up of the pentacles rock spires formation; 4 View east; 5 View south from lower on the mountain.
Drove the Wildlife Loop this morning -- saw a heard of buffalo grazing in the distance and a solitary male plodding along beside the road; as well as deer and prong horn antelope. Also saw people going crazy about the tame burros that roam the park. I'm pretty sure that Chetos, pretzels and marshmallows are not the recommended feed for burros.
And actually, we were that close to the buffalo. Just stuck the phone out of the window and snapped. VERY important to stay in the truck -- our chuck wagon singer told us ĺast night that 4 people have been injured ìn the last month because they got out and approached a buffalo to get a better picture. 2 had to be airlifted out. Really stupid. Those adult animals can weigh up to a ton, and they can run 35 mph. Don't look as though they are inclined to ignore annoyances or laugh them off, either. There are warning notices on every park brochure and signs everywhere.
Wind Cave is enormous-- just look at the picture of Bill standing next to a diagram of the reach of the cavern. We took a 1/2 mile tour through a very small portion of the very front of the cave, complete with 300 stair steps and lots of downward ramps with wet, slick handrails. The pic of Bill in the cave is at 265 feet below the surface. Just before we took the elevator back up. Really interesting, but I'd have liked a lot more geological details.
Got in late to Chadron State Park, partially because google took us to wrong address. Just pulled in, sat out and listened to night fall. This morning woke at 4:30 Mountain Time, showered (amazing how much hot water there is that early), watched a dozen little cotton tail bunnies dance and nibble grass, then took the scenic drive through the park. It's in the Pine Ridge area of Nebraska, a 4000+ high escarpment that has eroded to reveal buttes and canyons. Again, gorgeous, even with the evidence of destructive forest fires.
Photos- 1 Camping spot; 2 One bunny; 3 Very early morning photo of buttes; 4 View from the road
On to Chadron State Park via Scenic 61 past Lake McConaughy then through the Sandhills, a huge area of ancient sand dunes covering must of the northwest of Nebraska. They're covered with low prarie grasses. Really beautiful -- swooping hills, dry washes, little creeks and marshes. A few trees, mostly around ranch buildings. Lots of windmills and cattle. Views to forever that are impossible to capture with our cameras. A great drive.
Kansas and Nebraska, between them, have about 15 million acres planted in corn. I think we've seen a heck of a lot of it. From a rise, it's like looking at the world's largest, most immaculate lawn. Corn, horizon to horizon. Just saying, for sheer impressiveness, people would be better off seeing this corn growing than visiting Mt. Rushmore.
