August 2023
A Bonus, But Not In Michigan
Devils Tower
We often head out West for vacations because some of our children live out that way. It’s a long drive from Michigan, but I hate flying. Not because of any irrational fears, but because flying these days is such an unpleasant experience. I like the route, too. We usually take off through Wisconsin, Minnesota, South Dakota, and Wyoming, and I enjoy the wide stretches of road, especially once you hit the Badlands and the Black Hills.
We usually pick a location along the way where we can spend some time, and for this trip, I wanted to see Devils Tower. So, we decided to stop in Sundance and rented a room in a little motel along the way.
I’m ashamed to admit it, but I had no clue that the tiny town of Sundance was where the Sundance Kid got his moniker. He made a jailbreak here, and the rest is history. We learned this from the motel owner, who gave us all the local information we needed for our stay.
Naturally, the first thing we did was drive out to Devils Tower. We headed out early inthe evening because we’d read that it gets crowded during the day. There were still plenty of people around, but not so many that the visit was unpleasant. The drive itself was beautiful, and the tower gets more amazing the closer to it you get. The landscape was also unusually green for this time of year.
Despite theories to the contrary, Devils Tower, is a reminder of North America’s volcanic past. Geologists debate exactly how it formed, but whatever magic Mother Nature worked, it makes for a stunning sight. It gets bigger the closer you get, and several trails wind their way up and through the piles of scree left on the ground from falling rocks.
The town of Sundance is charming, too. There are a few restaurants, a nice coffee shop, and a well maintained museum with an impressive set of exhbits covering history, the flora and fauna, and the Sundance Kid. If you like nature, simplicity, and no frills, this is a good spot to stop and spend some time.