Roam With Friends

Author: RoamWithFriends

Campground Review: Monster Lake Ranch, Cody, Wyoming

Monster Lake Ranch Cody, Wyoming

Dates of Stay: Monday May 29-Wednesday May 31, 2017

Six miles south of Cody, Wyoming on Highway 120 with the Absaroka Mountain Range to the west and the still visable Big Horn Mountains to the west sits a relatively small 10,000 acre Wyoming ranch called Monster Lake Ranch. The name of the ranch comes from it’s namesake a nearly 200 acre lake on the property that is stocked with it’s namesake monster sized trout fish of all breeds. Monster Lake is a world class flat water fly-fishing destination to avid fishermen and even hunters.

While the word may be out about the fishing at Monster Lake, their little unknown secret is the plethora of lodging options from traditional teepee’s to cowboy camps, from glamping tents to brick and morter lodging cabins, to four full service RV hookup sites. We looked at our other RV options for our stay in Cody. They included a KOA and two local campgrounds. We selected to stay at Monster Lake Ranch because this location offered us a quiet alternative at a cheaper rate than any of the other options. Based on our experience during our visit here, we would book this campground again and again.

Check In and The RV Sites:

Mid Afternoon the caravan of travelers pulled into Monster Lake. The office manager was on her first week of employment and still figuring things out. She told us we were the only guest on the ranch, welcomed us to explore the ranch as much as we were interested (she only requested that we shut the gates after we went through them), directed us to the RV sites and sent us on our way.

The sites are a short walk to Quick Lake, the second lake on the property and near the homes the ranch staff live in. We found 30 and 50 amp service as well as sewer and fresh water. The sites are graveled. In the interest of full disclosure, the sites themselves were nothing fancy. In fact, they resembled a gravel parking lot. We lined up three in a row and set up our camp.

The Rest of the Ranch

Of course there is the namesake lake, Monster Lake on property. It actually sits to the east of the main office and needs to be driven to. In addition to that lake there is also a second smaller lake, Quick Lake, closer to the entrance of the ranch. The men were advised to use sinking line on their rods and they were able to get some practice casting in at Quick Lake before their big day of fishing.

We know there is a restaurant and a bar on the ranch, which I believe are called the Bliss Restaurant and The Cutthroat Saloon but I am not totally positive of that. They provide guest the opportunity for a meal or a cocktail without having to go into Cody. Unfortunately, both were closed during our stay. Sadly, there is no outside signage to indicate its existence nor were we handed any type of information on Ranch amenities upon our check in. We did camp next to two staff who work in the restaurant who did confirm there was a restaurant and we did see an outdoor cooking area so I am assuming some of the food served is cooked over a large open flame. It seems as if we started our vacation about four days too early of that magical June 1 summer start.

Very much like fishing, hunting experiences are also available on Monster Lake Ranch. Bird Hunting as well as a pistol shooting range and a rifle shooting range are available on property. The pistol range is by the office and near the restaurant. The rifle shooting range is some distance away but you can actually see some of the targets from the main area of the ranch. No one was on property shooting while we were there. I do imagine there would be a chance you could hear the short range shooting from the RV sites but the wind does carry sound differently so I am not sure.

Several of the ranches different types of lodging are located near Quick Lake. Five total traditional teepee’s, two one bedroom cabins, two three bedrooms, as well as a cowboy camps. The cowboy camp is a remote rustic wooden cabin. They also have canvas wall tents on platforms around the property. As many of the lodging is rustic there is a shower house close to the main office. Members of our group did visit the shower house and reported that it was clean and nice.

What would a ranch be without animals? Well, thankfully we really don’t have to find out because this ranch has animals; both wild and domestic. Quick Lake had geese on it; even babies. The ranch has llama’s and horses. The male horses were separated from the mare’s and colts. The kids loved watching the horses. We also saw plenty of wild animals: antelope, mule deer, pheasants, prairie dogs, meadowlarks, rabbits, and magpies. The ranch also has two, three or four hour trail riding adventures available.

As we roamed the ranch, it became very clear to us. We had come to this place to fish but each of us were having a great moment on a ranch in Wyoming. Speaking for myself it was nice to feel small. The ranch maybe small for Wyoming standards, it felt huge to me. The wide open range allows you to see forever in almost every direction you turn. Even though it is a working ranch we hardly saw any people. Knowing that our next stop on this vacation is Yellowstone National Park and the crowds that attracts, we enjoyed the seclusion Monster Lake Ranch afforded us.

The Local Area:

On our second day at Monster Lake Ranch, we said good luck to Wayne as he went to fly fish on Monster Lake. The rest of us headed into Cody to catch up on laundry at the local laundromat and lunch at a local restaurant: Millstone Pizza Company. We enjoyed pizza and sandwiches, cold drinks, and the kids enjoyed playing in the arcade. That afternoon, each family selected a different activity and we went their separate ways with the plan to meet back together for our first community meal that evening. We had planned for three community meals during our two week vacation and the first of those was happening at Monster Lake Ranch.

Our Ranch Experiences:

As the day began to settle and we started finding our way back to the ranch from our afternoon of sightseeing, we noticed the clouds were building and the sky was darkening. We were able to enjoy a quick Wyoming rain shower. The clouds were impressive and so was the rainbow. Wayne’s fishing guide for the afternoon, Mike, offered to take us to see a site he said would knock our socks off. As he escorted us to parts of the ranch we would not have visited by ourselves, he did warn us that we had to be cautious of rattle snakes Mike escorted us to Cowboy Camp and carefully walked us to the edge of a rocky bluff carefully avoiding all snakes as we went. During our trip, Mike told us that the some of rock on the ranch has petroglyphs from Native Americans but we would surely encounter snakes so he would not recommend us exploring alone.

After our ranch tour, we were able to enjoy a campfire as the ranch hands had come by and made us a fire ring and supplied us with firewood. We enjoyed a community meal of hot dogs, chili, all the fixin’s, and ended it with s’mores and board games.

After dinner, Wayne decided to organize and put away his fishing gear. He also thought it was a good time to flush our black tank. So with water running into our black tank, he wondered away from the water to his fishing gear. The rest of us were completely pre-occupied with the campfire until two things started happening simultaneously. Wayne started yelling at The Boy to pull the black tank lever and we noticed water coming off the awning. Wayne had literally left the water running, which filled up the black tank, filled up the toilet, and with no other place for the water to go was coming out the vent on the roof of the camper! The Boy pulled the black tank valve and water poured out of the hose. Everyone was quick to assist us but no one wanted to open either door to the camper. I think each of us feared the camper was full of water.

Thankfully we had minimal water in the camper. Just a small area around the bathroom. Weeks after the vacation is over, we are still teasing Wayne about his method for flushing the black tank. I do hope he has learned to not walk away or try and multi-task during this chore.

Disaster adverted, mess soaked up, we spent the rest of our last night at Monster Ranch around the campfire and enjoying the stars. There is very little ambient light to interfere with stargazing out on the ranch.

Recommendations:

We left Monster Ranch with only a few recommendations. We loved the seclusion and the ample space available at Monster Lake Ranch, and I am not sure referring to the RV sites but to the feel of the entire ranch. The RV sites are located right next to staff housing, which was not problematic but it did feel as if the RV sites were an after thought. Like, we have this extra staff housing that we are not using so we can rent it out to the public. Monster Lake Ranch has taken a lot of care to make other parts of the ranch a meaningful experience and it would be nice if they put that same thought into the RV sites.

Throughout our planning and visit with Monster Lake Ranch, we could not help but notice that the staff in the office at Monster Lake Ranch changed frequently. The person who confirmed our reservations was not the same person who checked us in. The office manager who checked us in told us she was brand new and had no idea we were coming until we were in her office. Thankfully she was able to find our reservations and was able to seamlessly provide us with service. Sadly, when we called back a few weeks ago, there is another brand new office manager. Obviously we consumers don’t necessarily need to know the inner workings as long as the workings keep working but in the mean time, make sure you make reservations, keep the documentation, and confirm your appointments.

Monster Lake Ranch has made one massive change since we made our visit in May 2018 and that is their web presence. We have noticed they have updated their website. The new website is easy to navigate, is appealing, extensively offers information on all of the services available at the ranch.

Conclusion:

We spent two nights and a few days on the ranch. Sadly Wayne had little lunch in the fishing department but we found a place of solitude. We found a place where the animals still roam. We found a place where the wild pheasants woke us in the morning and the meadowlarks sang to us every evening. We found a place with beautiful views both during the day and the night.

If you are interested in fly fishing or bird hunting then this is the place for you. While Wayne did not have much luck he still hopes for a chance to return and catch one of those monster trout that swim in monster lake.

If you are like us, passing through Cody on your way to or from Yellowstone National Park, Monster Lake Ranch offers you a haven from the hustle and bustle and the crowds. A peaceful place to stay before or after a visit to the national park offers that balance we often seek during our vacations. At $35 a night, Monster Lake offers you something no other campground in Cody offers; wide open space.

August 4, 2017
The Adventures of Betty, Roxie, and The Rockwood: That’s WY!

Do you ever hear a song that speaks to your soul? The one you turn up a little louder every time you hear it. You catch yourself humming along to it even when it is not playing. This summer that song for me is Highway Vagabond by Miranda Lambert. I can’t get it out of my ears…

I wanna go somewhere where nobody knows
I wanna know somewhere where nobody goes
Following gold lines on the ground, northbound, southbound
There’s something ’bout the way I feel when the wheels go round and round and round

Highway vagabonds, living like hippies
Moving right along to the next big city
Okay, jump off the exit
Truck stop, rest stop, next stop Texas
Caravan like a wild west show
I don’t care, man, as long as we go
My way
Get off one and get on the other
Highway, vagabonds

For us, the next stop is not Texas. It is Cody, Wyoming and I did feel like we were caravaning like a wild west show. Partially because we were caravaning. Three big trucks pulling three big travel trailers down Highway 16, also knows as Cloud Peak Skyway Scenic Byway, that goes up and over Bighorn National Forest. Partially because we were heading west to a town made famous by a man who made wild west shows famous. Partially because we were on no time table and we found ourselves leisurely wandering from one destination to the next; just like a vagabond.

We took one highway to the next winding our way to Monster Lake Ranch just outside of Cody, Wyoming. Pulling into Monster Lake, I did feel like we were somewhere where nobody knows and we had found a place that nobody goes. But, that really isn’t true. People do go to Monster Lake. It is known for its world-class fly fishing and bird hunting, which is exactly how we ended up landing there. But, in the moment of being there (the only guest on property) it did feel like we were in a secret location. A place just like Miranda sings about.

Fishing at Monster Lake has been on my husband’s bucket list for a couple of decades. His father and uncle have raved about the monster trout they caught on their trips out there and he wanted his own shot. We offered to let the group go ahead of us and we would meet up but they all decided that Cody had enough things to keep everyone entertained and when we found out they had RV sites we quickly made plans to stay three days/two nights at Monster Lake, 8 miles south of Cody, Wyoming.

On our only full day at Monster Lake Ranch, we each went a different direction and experienced different things. So, go find that Miranda Lambert song, turn up the radio, and follow along as we walk you through our time in Cody, Wyoming.

Monster Lake Ranch (Wayne’s Cody Experience):

Visiting the wild west sounds fun, but for some of us, visiting it is simply not enough. If you want an activity a little more hands on for a chance to call victory of the wild in the west then Monster Lake Ranch is where you should go. If your bucket list includes bird hunting, fishing, trail riding, pistol or rifle shooting on a beautiful, scenic ranch surrounded by mountains, then this is the place to visit.

Monster Lake Ranch is a 10,000 acre working ranch with a nearly 200 acre lake stocked with monster sized cutthroat, rainbow, and brown trout. When I say monster size, I mean easily 6 pounds, often over ten pounds, 15 inches or more girth, and shy of two feet long. These are the type of fish you dream of catching. Monster Lake is a private lake. The price to fish here is steep: a half day rod fee is $150 and a full day is $200. Guided trips are available starting off around $450 for a half day. You can bring your own personal water craft, rent one from Monster Lake, or the guide will take you out on a drift boat.

Before I even went, I got some advice from my uncle and my dad who had fished Monster Lake before me. They recommended a five or six weight rod, full sinking line, and 2X leader and tippet. My Uncle Dave even gave me a large box of flies that I have never fished with before. I was also able to purchase an “old” fishing raft hat he had previously used at Monster Lake.

The night we arrived, three of us spent a few hours casting into Quick Lake, which is significantly smaller and at the entrance to the property. We found ourselves casting the full sinking line into the wind, which proved to be a game changer for my fishing buddies and I soon found myself the solo fisherman the next day.

I started off deciding to do the full day unguided trip. I took my all made over for monster sized trout rods and my “new to me” inflatable fishing raft with foot flippers to maneuver the lake. The guide, Mike, met me early that morning and actually repeated all the advice my uncle had given me. Mike then gave me a few top water flies, a quick Monster Lake entomology lesson (that is life cycle of bugs in case you wondered), a quick layout of the lake, a few specific casting techniques for this area, he even told me what birds to look for, and sent me on my way.

I started casting. I started to notice a few of the signs Mike had told me to look for. I saw a few insects and I mean a few. I saw a few of the birds he mentioned. But the birds could not find the few insects that showed up. Which also meant there were no fish showing up. I kept casting.

Around lunch time, my wife called to check in. I was feeling pretty discouraged. I was not sure if I was missing the signs or they were not there to see or if my technique was off. My wife could not give me any advice on the fishing but she did one of the most important things ever; she told me to call Mike and hire him as a guide.

By early afternoon, Mike was back. I was out of the inflatable raft and in his drift boat. He took me all over Monster Lake. He had confirmed that my technique was right on. Man, that was a relief! A few hours later I threw a dry fly (afternoon fishing the insects come back and lay eggs) close to one of the few rising fish we had seen that day. I saw him take the fly so I set the hook. This was my moment. After nearly a full day of discouragement I was so ready for this!. As soon as he took the fly, it felt like I snagged a log. He took the fly straight down, shook his head twice, and I felt the line go slack. I stripped the line to check my fly and I was surprised to see it was still there. But then on closer inspection I could see that my hook was nearly straight. Total defeat. Fisherman 0 Trout 1.

Shortly after this near miss, Mike and I called it quits. Mike was super discouraged that the insects had failed to show up that he volunteered to take me back out the next morning. I went back to the RV to ice my now sore arm. Mike felt pretty badly I had a crappy day of fishing so he graciously offered to show my family around Monster Lake. He took us back to Cowboy Camp. We walked up to a huge cliff and watched a storm move in. A giant rainbow appeared over Monster Lake Ranch that evening. I had hoped that would mean a better day of fishing in the morning.

The next morning, Mike and I hit the lake fairly early. We only had a half day to fish because we were packing up and heading to Yellowstone. I wish I could say that our second morning was more successful than our first. The weather was perfect; sunny, hot, not a cloud in the sky, with little to no wind. The rest of the group called it perfect, the first nice day of our vacation. But those perfect days make the worst days for trout fishing. I am pretty sure I am the only person who has ever come to Monster Lake with the hopes of catching a monster trout and who walked away with nothing but a sore arm from all that casting.

Buffalo Bill Center of the West (The Master’s Cody Experience)

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We decided to tour The Buffalo Bill Center of the West while in Cody. The cost of admission was pricey ($19 for adults and $12 for children ages 6-17) but the admission covers two consecutive days to the museum. This museum is huge and you could definitely use two days to explore the entire thing. The Buffalo Bill Center of the West houses six different museums in one building: Buffalo Bill Museum, Draper Natural History Museum, Whitney Western Art Museum, Plains Indian Museum, Cody Firearms Museum, and McCracken Research Library, as well as special time limited exhibits. We explored all of the museums but not the library. The exhibit was closed for set-up during our visit. I’m embarrassed to admit, but as we entered the center it dawned on me that this was the first real museum the kids had ever ever really been in. Our biggest worry was what the kids would think and how they would behave. We were pleasantly surprised – they were both well behaved and they both LOVED it. When I asked the kids what their favorite part was they simply said “all of it!”

We started our exploration in the Whitney Western Art Museum. Each painting was tied to a number and you had access to headphones and recorder that provided a recorded information on the artist and the painting. The kids loved this – they walked around the entire art area typing in the numbers and listening. We loved looking at the paintings of Yellowstone knowing that was the next stop on our road trip.

After the art museum we explored the Cody Firearms Museum. This was amazing; truly a sight to see. Sadly I didn’t take any pictures of the guns because there was just so many it was almost overwhelming. There were guns of all shapes and kinds. Guns from years and years ago to present. My husband and I really enjoyed this area. During our time here, we kept thinking about our loved ones not on this trip with us. I know my father-in-law would have also been fascinated.

Next we journeyed through the Plains Indian Museum, which was probably my second favorite area. Looking at the items the Indian people made and the details in these items were fascinating. My girl loved the baby carriers the Indian people made and transported their babies in. My boy enjoyed learning about the Bison and all the things the Indian people used from the Bison. Bison have become his new favorite animals.

Next we explored the Buffalo Bill Museum. We traveled through this section very quickly because the kids were anxious to get to the Draper Natural History Museum. There were many interesting things I never know about Buffalo Bill and his life; he was really quite accomplished. The Natural History Museum was probably where we spent the most of our time. There was an area you could see the animal habitat and see what they eat, touch their horn or antlers, and touch their hides. There were all sorts of animals in this area from chipmunks to elks, to bears. The kids really like this.

Overall we really like Buffalo Bill Center of the West. There was a great deal to see and I’m sure we missed plenty in our short visit. If I had the opportunity to go again I would and I would want want to explore my two favorite areas more thoroughly – the Plains Indian Museum and the Cody Firearms Museum.

Old Trail Town (The Taylor’s Minus Wayne’s Cody Experience)

During our visit we got to help Old Trail Town celebrate it’s 50th anniversary of being in business. They gave us a gold sticker to wear around for the day. We even left our anniversary sticker on after we left. Old Trail Town is more than a collection of historic buildings. Although it is exactly that; a collection of old buildings. You will also find relics throughout the restored buildings that give you a glimpse of what life was like for early western settlers. My ancestors were not western settlers but I recognized several antiques that my great grandparents had in their homes.

Old Trail Town collection has 27 buildings, which date from 1879-1901, one hundred horse drawn vehicles, as well as extensive memorabilia from the Wyoming frontier and Indian artifacts. Some of the homes can be entered and others you can’t. Several homes had beds in them. We can’t help but wonder, were people really that small? My husband and I have a king sized bed and when I am looking at the beds in these homes, I am shocked at how small they look! Have we supersized our entire lives?

Three of the buildings located at Old Trail Town are buildings used by “The Hole in the Wall Gang” which Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid were apart of. You will still find bullet holes in the door of the saloon. I think I need to do more research on my wild west villains. I kinda need to admit I thought Butch Cassidy was a good guy, maybe because Robert Redford was in the movie and he can’t possibly be a bad guy, right?

In addition to the buildings and relics, several historical figures are buried at Old Trail Town including Jeremiah “Liver Eating” Johnston. Maybe you have seen a movie also starring Robert Redford? Jeremiah Johnson? It is one of my favorite western movies. I think I just realized how infatuated I am with Robert Redford. Anyway, after the release of the movie, Jeremiah Johnston was relocated from his pauper’s grave in California to Old Trail Town. Robert Redford even served as a pallbearer in the largest burial service in the history of Wyoming.

Ticket prices to visit this attraction are $8.00 for adults and $5.00 for kids 6-12 years of age. My parents took me to Old Trail Town on my first visit to Cody. I would not say much has changed. It remains a place where the wild west lives. Even if it is contained to two acres.

Buffalo Bill Dam (The Todd’s Cody Experience)

The Shoshone River runs right through Cody, Wyoming. Six miles west of town, on the way to Yellowstone, you will drive through a series of tunnels and then pass the Buffalo Bill Dam. It was built in 1910 and was the highest dam in the world, at that time. We also found it interesting that the dam was originally built with no reinforcing rebar.

We found ample large space parking in the parking area just west of the dam and visitor center. We were greeted by a man driving a golf cart who offered us a ride up to the visitor center. He told us after the 9/11 bombings they put up barricades and no longer allow parking close to the dam. We would not have minded the walk, but the gentleman driving us was a treat to spend time with.

On the way into the visitor center we learned that the water level was as low as it has been in the past 20 years. At the visitor center, we wandered around outside. The sound of the water rushing through the spillway is loud. The sun bounces off the falling water and created rainbows. The water on the other side of dam is calm and quiet. We lingered outside to enjoy the views.

Inside the visitor center we watched a movie about the making of the dam. Our daughter was fascinated by the number of people injured or even killed during the building. I think the movie made a huge impact on her. We got our national passports stamped and walked back to our truck. There are a few artifacts on the way to/from the parking lot to the visitor center; namely a ball plug and a hydraulic valve.

Sadly, we were in Cody just days before the start of their summer season which meant that the nightly rodeo’s Cody is known for had yet to start. I do wish we had been able to attend a rodeo but we picked our dates to beat the large summer tourist season at Yellowstone National Park. Life is certainty about balancing choices.

We spent two nights and a few days in and around Cody. We enjoyed the “down” time before our next stop. Thanks so much to the staff at Monster Lake for helping make our time in Cody what we had hoped it would be.

July 30, 2017
Campground Review: Smithville Lake Loop C Read This Before You Book!

This post was updated on 7/18/2017 to reflect a change in the Clay County Reservation website. Scroll to the bottom for the update.

Smithville Lake is located just outside Smithville, Missouri in Clay County. It is a 7,200 acre lake created by the Army Corp of Engineers and is managed by Clay County government. There are three total campgrounds at Smithville Lake. Two of them (Crows Creek and Camp Branch) are on the 5,000 acres of public land and managed by Clay County. The third is Smiths Fork campground which sits on and is managed by the city of Smithville. We have reviewed Smiths Fork Campground before.

With 175 miles of shoreline, 777 campgrounds, 2 swim beaches, miles of biking/walking trails all just minutes from downtown Kansas City, Smithville Lake is a popular weekend destination. Camp Branch has nearly 330 unimproved sites and has 34 electric sites (30 amp service). Crows Creek is a little larger than Camp Branch, it has 415 total camping sites. Crows Creek has more electric sites than unimproved sites. Both Camp Branch and Crows Creek are organized into loops. There are several individual sites per loop.

This year, Clay County upgraded one entire loop, Loop C, at Crows Creek to have 50 amp electric service as well as water hookups at every site. This was a welcome upgrade to those who frequent Smithville Lake! The sites in Loop C cost $35/night, which is ten dollars more than their electric only sites.

We were invited to Smithville Lake for a Father’s Day Weekend camping trip with a few friends. We could not get into the loop they were in so we decided it would be a good time to try out the newly remodeled Loop C. I got on their website and found several sites to chose from; we booked site number 194. As you can see from the maps below, the site we booked appears to be individual sites. You can imagine our shock when we arrived and found that we were on a shared site. A shared site has one entry from the main road with space for two camping units. There are two picnic tables, two fire pits, and two electric boxes. The empty one below resembles a “y” with each RV having a space.

In fact, most of Loop C is shared sites. Shared sites are very nice when you are camping with friends/family/someone you know. It allows two camping groups to be close together. But when you are on a shared site with a total stranger, well, it feels intimate. Too intimate in fact. It is like that moment when someone steps into your bubble space and you want to step back but you can’t, so you divert your eyes to create the sense of space.

Let me just paint you a picture of how close we were to this complete stranger. Our fire pit was behind his camper. Our picnic table was behind ours. Our awning extended to just mere inches from his camper and covered his utility pole. The area behind us (opposite of our front door) was grassy and large but then we get into the old question: where does my site end and the neighbors site begin? While we were setting up our camper, our neighbor decided it was time to come out and do work on his camper, so he was literally standing in our space where we were setting up.

Thankfully for us, our friends were in another loop with ample space. So we spent the entirety of our waking time at their campsite or in the lake. Any time we spent at our campsite was spent inside the camper; mostly sleeping.

So, here is the bottom line. When you are at Smithville Lake you will find a sign outside Loop C that says most of the sites in the loop are shared. That information is not helpful to those of us who make advanced reservations using the website. No where on the website can you tell which sites are shared and which site is not. Even the map they pass out upon check in indicates that all sites in Loop C are individual sites. It is very misleading to customers and is a concern that I hope Clay County remedies soon.

Specifically, I would like to see Clay County update their website and their maps to indicate the shared sites. However, considering how long Clay County government took to allow online advanced reservations, I have no faith that a solution to this problem will be timely. So, before we left Loop C we drove around and took note of which sites were shared and which sites are not. We also noticed that in the shared sites there is a “better” side. So, if you are headed to Smithville Lake and Loop C with water and electricity sound good, please refer back here and check before you book. If you don’t you might end up diverting your eyes all weekend as you are uncomfortably close to a stranger.

On the map above; I have marked every shared site with a blue circle. I have marked the “better” of the two sites with a red star. If you want to be in the water/electric loop and all the single sites are full aim for the ones with the star; other than having someone at your backside you will have the better hand.

UPDATE as of 7/18/2017:

I heard this morning that perhaps the website had been updated. So, here is a video of me walking through it.

What do you think? Is it enough? I think the dropdown box under Select Spot Type that list all of the shared sites is confusing. I appreciate the popup box that tells me that loop C “has many double sites” is good but it only pops up if I scroll my cursor over that paragraph. If I have my cursor on the photo, no warning pops up. The map is still not updated, nor is the legend. If a consumer overlooks the shared site statement under the amenities they will still inadvertently stumble into a shared site. I am afraid that it is still a “BUYER BEWARE” situation on this website.

July 16, 2017
Campground Review: Devils Tower KOA

Devils Tower KOA, Devils Tower, Wyoming

Date of Stay: Sunday, May 28, 2017

In the summer of 2016, Meeghan and I watched and listened as Kerri Cox with Travels with Birdy headed west. She documented her trip on her blog and made campground recommendations on the podcast RVFTA Campground of the Week. We booked this campground back in the height of winter and had been anticipating our time there for a long time.

Devils Tower KOA is literally located at the entrance to Devils Tower National Monument. The KOA has approximately 90 RV sites, a dozen cabins, and several designated tent areas . They have a pool (which was not open during our stay), a playground, volleyball and basketball courts, as well as general store, a cafe, and a gift shop. Amenities aside, we selected this campground for our third night on the road due to the proximity to Devils Tower and given we could not be any closer and have full hook ups for the RV’s.

We booked the premium RV sites; sites number 67, 68, and 69. We learned from Kerri’s review that these sites had the best view of Devils Tower. KOA’s website even says these sites offer the best views in the campground and are on a quiet, less traveled part of the campground.

We can attest that we had AWH-MAZING views of Devils Tower. What we failed to realize is that our premium sites were grass sites. I am not sure if we overlooked that or if we were not told. Either way, we had grass sites, We also had no picnic table but we ended up snagging a table from site 70 as it was vacant during our stay.

Campfires are not allowed at grass sites or at RV sites. Central campfire pits are provided. The tent sites are given fire rings and since we were camping right next to tent campers, we left feeling a little envious that we did not have a fire ring, especially considering how chilly it was in the evening and how amazing the view was in front of us.

For the moments that you are not out exploring Devils Tower National Monument, the campground has a few activities. From June 1 to September 1, as weather permits, they have a hayride through a historic ranch. They also have a heated swimming pool to help you rest and relax. The other activity this campground has is a nightly showing of the movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind. This movie was filmed onsite at this campground back in the late 1970’s. We thought we would miss all the extra activities as we were there before June 1. However, they actually started showing the movie prior to June 1. We did not realize the movie was being shown until we were on our way back to the campers from the playground. By that time it was beyond chilly and we were ready to be warm.

Our stay here was short and quick. We arrived early afternoon and were back on the road by 9:00 a.m. the next morning. In conclusion, this was by far one of our favorite stops and we felt like royalty with the best seats in the house. In this case, it was a direct, unobstructed view of the tower.

July 11, 2017
The Adventures of Betty, Roxie, and The Rockwood Part III: See Ya Later, South Dakota

As we hopped back onto I-90 West on day three of our vacation the mood of the group was relaxed and playful for many reasons. First it was the first time we felt we were some place other than “here”. Then, we had spent an amazing night at Badlands National Park and we had spent the morning exploring Wall Drug Store. And finally, we had a short drive to our next destination (Devils Tower) and we made a decision to take an impromptu side trip to Sturgis, South Dakota. One of the great things about vacationing is the ability to slow down and enjoy moments differently than you do when you are rushing to get to a job you work at all day long more days than not. Deviating from the plan to take in a side trip is one of those small vacation wins.

I should probably pause here and make a full disclosure admission to you all. Our vacation group is full of former bikers/current bikers. In his younger days, Allen had a bike. Wayne had a bike right up till The Short Chick joined our lives and the Masters family still bikes. The Master’s have been to bike week in South Dakota numerous times and going to bike week use to occupy a space on my bucket list, (I took it off my list after attending Bikes, Blues and BBQ in Arkansas and seeing how crowded the third largest rally in the US was, I knew I had changed my mind about the largest rally.) Still, I thought a visit to Sturgis not during bike week sounded fun. So did everyone else.

A quick 90 minutes after we left Wall, South Dakota, we pulled into Sturgis, South Dakota. The town was quiet. There was no traffic. We pulled into the old Full Throttle Saloon and looked around the charred remains on a former Sturgis powerhouse. We purchased t-shirts, took photos, drank a beer and spent time chatting with old bikers who still linger at The Full Throttle. The bikers recommended we lunch in town at Rosco’s and highly recommended we take a scenic route over to Devil’s Tower. Again, we are on vacation and we can afford to be leisurely so we took them up on both recommendations. I ordered the steak salad and Allen ordered the steak tips. We would recommend both if you are visiting Rosco’s Steak House in Sturgis.

We took Highway 34 to Belle Fourche and then we entered Wyoming by following Highway 24 to Devils Tower. The scenic route was wide, had good shoulders for pulling over (which we did not need to do), and a beautiful view the entire 90 minute trip from Sturgis. Coming from the Midwest, we are usually pretty hesitant to take the back roads. But we found this alternate route, as well as all other routes we would find ourselves on during this road tip, to be very friendly to travelers; even those who tow big campers.

Last year Kerri Cox with Travels with Birdy went west and recommended the Devil’s Tower KOA. We booked our sites at Devils Tower based upon her recommendation. As we got settled into our premium sites we noticed the rock climbers on the tower. We were so excited and ready to explore Devils Tower National Monument that within an hour of our arrival we were off and headed to the park.

The entrance to Devils Tower is literally a few hundred paces from the entrance to Devils Tower KOA. Upon arriving, the littles immediately set about becoming Junior Rangers while we got our national park passports purchased and stamped. A rain shower moved in so we huddled under a canopy as the soon-to-be Junior Rangers finished their workbooks. We passed the time watching rock climbers and other tourist. As I watched a tourist carry out large pieces of deadwood, the men watched in awe as a rock climber fell. He was safely caught by all the safety mechanisms but it provided a moment of adrenaline for those who witnessed it (and I am sure for the climber).

The rain did not stick around for long so with four newly sworn in Junior Rangers, we sat out to hike the Tower Trail. Tower Trail is a little over a mile paved trail that circles the base of the tower. We passed by pine trees and boulders. There are a few scenic overlooks, one of which we could see our campers waiting for us down below.

Devils Tower is considered a holy place to Native Americans and they come here to pray. For each prayer they leave behind a physical representation of their prayer and that is called a prayer cloth. We noticed several different types of prayer cloths. Some were little bundles tied to the tree. Some were strips of materials. Others even multiple smaller strips tied to a larger piece of material. The park rangers told us the bundles hold offerings like tobacco with their prayer. The smaller strips tied to a larger piece of material are multiple individual prayers. The prayer cloths will stay on the trees until they either decompose or the family who placed them come back and replace these cloths with new prayers.

As we exited the park that evening, we passed right by Prairie Dog Town for the second time. Meeghan had let us know we missed spotting them on the way in and we were determined to see these rodents. As we approached their area, we were shocked to see so many. I am not sure how we missed them on the way in other than to say, sometimes when you are looking at the forest you miss a tree. And trust me, there are a lot of trees in the forest or in this case, there are a lot of prairie dogs in Prairie Dog Town.

As night settled in the temperature dropped. We had considered going back to the park for an evening ranger program but it was chilly enough that we wanted to be inside with the heater on. Tomorrow we move further west to Cody, Wyoming where we will linger a few days before heading into Yellowstone National Park.

July 11, 2017
Campground Review: Arrow Campground Wall, South Dakota

Arrow Campground, Wall, South Dakota

Dates of Stay: May 27, 2017

We rolled into Arrow Campground around 3:30 local time. After a long day of fighting the wind on I-90 we were dusty, weary and ready to unhitch. We were visiting just prior to the summer rush so the park was not crowded. Quiet might be a good word to use to describe our experience at Arrow Campground.

Arrow Campground is located on the west side of Wall, South Dakota and easily accessed using the Exit 109 exit from I-90. This exit provides an easy uncrowded access to the campground with no lights, no stop signs, just a few right turns and one left turn.

The park has 20, 30, and 50 amp sites with water but no sewer connections. They do have a dump station. Our sites were all back in but they also had some pull through sites. The campground also offers free wifi and we did not have any connectivity issues during our stay. The sites were a little close together but given that we were traveling with two other families we did not mind being close together. It is also a Good Sam campground, so we enjoyed a 10% discount during our stay.

We found the shower rooms and public restrooms to be clean; several of the men used the shower facilities while we were there. The one thing that most of our group commented on was the doors to both the showers and restrooms. They were not actual doors but rather curtains. While we maybe use to curtains being used as doors in the shower stalls we are not accustom to that in the bathrooms and I think many in our group found it to be not their thing.

The campground is simple. They have grassy areas for tent campers, gravel pads for RV’s and they even have motels for all other types. There is a pool but it was not open during our stay. The owners/managers/host were very nice. In fact, Connie told us she was a Park Ranger at the local national park and she was able to provide us with several hiking recommendations for our short visit to the park.

To compensate for its simpleness, this campground has proximity. The campground is two blocks away from Wall Drug Store, 2 miles to the National Grassland Visitor Center/Buffalo Gap National Grassland, 8 miles from Badlands National Park, 22 miles from the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site, and less than 55 miles from Rapid City, South Dakota. We were able to easily visit Badlands National Park and Wall Drug in our short overnight stay. We were not able to get tickets to the Minuteman Missile Silo because we did not plan far enough in advance. It seems they are only staffed to run a few tours a day so they fill up quickly. If you would like to visit this attraction, plan ahead; they were running at least three weeks out on reservations when I called.

The other insider tip that may make your life easier is that Arrow Campground has an 11:00 checkout time. However, if you want to make a side trip to visit a local attraction, you can move your trailer over to a holding area. This allows you to go visit but not have to tow your RV around with you and leave it safe at the campground without occupying a camping spot another weary traveler ready to rest a bit.

We would recommend this campground. It is a great pass through space in close proximity to all the super cool activities in Wall, South Dakota.

June 27, 2017
Part II: The Adventures of Betty, Roxie, and The Rockwood: Wall, South Dakota

Trip planning is tedious work. You try to balance a long day of driving with a short day. You try to offset a full day of site seeing with a leisure day. (I should confess that I have never fully mastered that one! Anyone traveling with me knows that struggle is real!) By the time we reached Wall, South Dakota we had traveled nearly 650 miles and we were ready for a slower pace.

Day 2: Wall, South Dakota

We checked into Arrow Campground, unhitched, and set up. Even though we opted for an early dinner, we were still operating on Central Time, it did not feel so early to us newly transplanted Mountain Time zone vacationers. We had hoped to reach Ben Reifel Visitor Center before it closed for the evening to get our National Park Passports stamped but the campground host, Connie, told us the national park was not in summer hours just yet (those started in two days time) and we had missed their off season hours. To ease our look of disappointment, she informed us she was a Park Ranger at Badlands and she would be happy to mail us our stamps. She also gave us suggestions for activities and hikes we would want to see.

We entered the park through the Northeast Entrance and found ourselves gazing at the beauty of the odd rock formations in no time. We were excited and ready to stretch our legs so we set off on the Notch Trail. The Notch Trail is a 1.5 mile round trip trail that takes up to 2 hours. The trail climbs a log ladder and follows a ledge to “The Notch” for a a beautiful view of the White River Valley. The trail is not for the faint of heart or those with aversions to heights. After talking to everyone in the group, I quickly decided I was the one person who would struggle with this hike the most and I was determined to put aside my fears and do it. Connie, being the diligent Park Ranger even after hours, did inform me that if I got up the ladder and could not get down, helicopters would be called to come and get me and I would be billed for it.

That log ladder came faster on the trail than I was prepared for. I read that the ladder gets wobbly if it has too many people on it at one time, so we went up one at a time. I took the anchor position so I would not hold anyone up and I could have my freak out moment all to myself. We all made it up, and later made it down, as safe as we could. The hiking above the ladder was a little step at times. There isn’t really a path marked other than a long white marker stretched here and there to keep you going in the general direction. Finally we reached an area that we concluded was The Notch because after that point was a significant sheer drop and stretched out before us was a view that no photo can ever do justice.

Feeling accomplished, we wandered back to the trucks. We did two additional hikes that night; Cliff Shelf was a short half mile loop Connie had suggested we might see animals at and then Fossil Exhibit Trail that featured fossil replicas and exhibits of extinct animals that use to roam the Badlands. We also drove the scenic Badlands Loop Road. Every turn of the road brought a new site for us to awe over. At one point it felt like the Badlands went from growing up to the sky to something sunk into the ground. Daylight quickly ran out and we found ourselves watching the rock formations turn from white to stripes of pink to dark.

As the sun set on this beautiful place, the temperatures dropped and we watched a storm begin to move in. We exited the park through the Pinnacles Entrance and found ourselves back in Wall in less than 10 miles. Sleep came easy that night and I don’t think I was the only one dreaming about the wild west and all those who have attempted to tame a part of it.

Day 3: Wall Drug Store

The moment we left Onawa, Iowa the day before we started seeing billboards for Wall Drug Store. If we had not been planning to stop there anyway, the power of advertising would have pulled us in. The lure of 5 cent coffee, free ice water, homemade donuts, panning for gold, seeing a T-Rex, visiting the leather store, or riding a giant jackalope called to us even if we did not know it. Funny enough, I found a story about Ted Hustead, the founder of Wall Drug, who talked about how free ice water and a few 12×36 signs on I-90 made Wall Drug what it is today. Ted and his wife put a three year limit to turn a profit on the struggling drug store in the middle of no where. His wife was the first to suggest that travelers across the hot prairie would like ice water. So, Ted made some signs and put them up and the people came and have not stopped coming.

What can you actually say about this store that has not already been said before? It is huge. It is odd. There are so many things going on that it can be overwhelming. Yet, it can be silly and fun at the same time. We walked through the doors as a group and quickly got separated as we each were lured away by our varied interest. The kids found the toy store, I went to search out allergy medicine, my son got lost in the leather store, Wayne went to the camping store, and Allen got lost looking at the historical photos hanging on the wall. We would bump into each other in a random part of the store and then lose each other all over again. It was fun and a great way to start the third day of vacation and we left Wall, South Dakota feeling good!

Thanks for coming back for Part II of our story. Make sure you check back for Part III as we head to Devil’s Tower. If you missed Part I, check it out here.

Pamela

June 26, 2017
Campground Review On-Ur-Wa Campground Iowa

On-Ur-Wa Campground, Onawa Iowa

Date of Visit: Friday, May 26, 2017

This was a one night stay on our way to Wyoming for our summer vacation. We had hoped to avoid staying at the casino parking lot in Council Bluffs, Iowa when we found On-Ur-Wa RV Park. Located at the intersection of Interstate 29 and Iowa 175, at a cost of $35 a night ($38 for 50 amp) with a Good Sam’s Discount, we quickly selected this park as our first pit-stop. Our sites had water, electricity and sewer connections as well as excellent wifi. Our sites were gravel with a grass side yard and level, or really close to being level.

The owners of the RV park are the on-sight managers. They shared with us how they went full time in their Class A and then became a little less active than they planned so they purchased an RV park. They run the park from spring to fall and then head to warmer weather during the winter. The common areas of the park are very well maintained: the office/store (they even sell local Iowa wine), the bathrooms/shower houses are very clean. Oh and they have pets; lovable cuddly cats all around. I told one of the kitty’s I would leave by door open so he could come crawl into bed with me. Without missing a beat the owner told me in fact if I did that, the cat would indeed visit.

Check in was quick and simple. We were escorted to our sites under large beautiful shade trees. The RV park is just a few blocks off I-29 making it easy to access and maneuver. The road the campground is on turns to gravel but after the entrance to the park. We found the gravel road to be less traveled than the other roads, which made it good for getting a daily walk in.

We walked to dinner during our stay. Dairy Queen was a block away (Subway and McDonald’s were another block away but across a busy highway). After dinner, after our walk, we simply sat around and enjoyed the cool weather. The kids had a great time playing in the open space at the back of the campground. There was a wooden swing back there and the four of them sat in it just happy to be finished with school and finally on summer vacation. When The Short Chick came to for the night she asked if we could spend the next night there as well because she was not ready to say good bye.

If there is a .downside to this park, the impact of traffic would be it. I think the campground has done what it can to minimize the noise of traffic; tall trees and a large wooden fence, but it is there. When we were out walking the gravel road, that paralleled I-29, the noise was immense but once we entered the campground that noise did not penetrate into the campground. The noise that does penetrate into the campground does not come from the interstate but rather Highway 179 as people come/go from the town of Onawa. The speed limit must change further east on 179 but in front of the campground, you can hear those cars passing by. I think one other factor helped contribute to the vehicle traffic having an impact; the weather. Normally we would have the furnace on or the air conditioner running which would have drowned out the noise. But as it happened, we were there on a perfectly cool night, so we slept with the windows open. And unfortunately, I am a light sleeper.

In case you have more time to spend in Onawa, I should let you know that the area does seem to have enough activity to support a longer stay. The town of Onawa, Iowa claims to have the widest main street in the USA, is also the gateway to the Loess Hills. A full-sized replica of a keel-boat can be seen at nearby Blue Lake and a few miles north is the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center in Sioux City. If you are willing to drive south an hour, you can visit the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha, Nebraska.

The best thing about this campground for us, is literally it was right on our way! So if you find yourself traveling north and are looking for a comfortable, friendly stop, give Un-Ur-Wa RV Park a shout out.

June 22, 2017
The Adventures of Betty, Roxie, and The Rockwood: The Road to Wall, South Dakota

Late Friday afternoon, on the brink of Memorial Day Weekend, just mere hours after school released children for the summer vacation, three families headed north to begin a grand adventure of exploring the wild west. In the weeks before departure, each family had carefully packed their 35 foot trailer to the max. Heading west in late May meant they could face a variety of temperatures: from snow to blazing heat; from sunshine to windy days. Their trip was well planned; for they had spent the last year researching and planning every leg of the trip, every pit-stop, every meal, and a multitude of activities to keep them busy during their sixteen days on the road. Betty (the Smith’s RV), Roxie (the Masters’ RV) and The Rockwood (the Todd’s RV) were off in grand fashion full of excitement for what laid ahead of them.

Day 1: Kansas City to Onawa, Iowa, 227 miles (3 1/2 hours)

Originally, the plan was to leave Kansas City early on the morning on Saturday of Memorial Day Weekend and make it to Chamberlain, South Dakota so we could camp on the banks of the Missouri River. But then we missed the mark and the RV parks were full for the Memorial Day Weekend. So, we decided to have our first stop be Wall, South Dakota which meant a longer drive from Kansas City than anyone really wanted to do in one day. Leaving after work on Friday, traveling the short 3 1/2 hours did not feel daunting and knowing it helped relieve some of the drive time for the next day made it a win.

We spent the first night at On-Ur-Wa Campground (get the cute play on the town name?). We will do a full campground review later but for now I will say: check in was quick. we even got escorted to our sites, and we were set up in no time. We walked to dinner that night, less than a block from the campground was a Dairy Queen. In hind sight it seems fitting that we started our vacation off with ice cream and we continued that trend through out the entire time we were away. Determined to get our daily walk in, Meeghan and I were able to follow the gravel road for a few miles. The road parallels I-29 and it was loud and dusty. However, the noise of I-29 did not penetrate the campground, so once we finished our walk, we were able to relax under the giant shade trees.

Day 2: Onawa, Iowa to Wall, South Dakota (412 miles/5 1/2 hours)

After a morning walk and breakfast, we departed Onawa by 9:30 a.m. just about an hour or so south of Sioux Falls, SD. We made our first “stretch our legs” stop in Mitchell, SD. If you don’t know, Mitchell, SD is home to The Corn Palace. Yes, it is a total tourist trap but it is free to enter, they had great bathrooms, we enjoyed a few corny jokes, and their parking lots were large enough for us to put the slides out and enjoy a picnic in our campers. What we did not know is the Corn Palace is an actual concert venue so their gift shop is on a gymnasium floor and everything is on wheels so it can be moved quickly. The only hiccup we had in visiting The Corn Palace is the street in front of the palace was all torn up due to a water main break and was under “corn-struction”.

The travel across South Dakota on I-90 was what we expected it to be; windy. We passed the time away playing traditional road trip games (Where is a Hawaii license plate when you need one?) and counting the number of Wall Drug Store billboards. Meeghan had given us heads up that as we approached Chamberlain we would be inspired by the view of the Missouri River. Traveling by road is interesting because the landscape changes gradually and if you are not careful you can miss the moment when it all stops looking familiar and starts to look different. For me, Chamberlain was that place. It sorta reminded me of driving west on I-70 and passing Gennessee and catching the first glimpse of the mountains. It is a moment that just says, “You are not in Kansas anymore, you are on an adventure!”

Feeling confident and capable, I offered to give the husband a break from driving as we left our gas stop in Chamberlain. As 4:00 p.m. approached Betty, Roxie, The Rockwood, and all of their passengers were getting tired of traveling. Crossing the line from Central Time Zone to Mountain Time Zone and gaining back an hour literally brought a round of cheers and applause. It was just the boost we needed! We arrived in Wall, South Dakota and Arrow Campground at 3:30 pm local time.

The excitement is different than last night. Last night we were excited because we were on our way. Tonight we are excited because we are somewhere exciting. We are heading out to explore Badlands National Park!

to be continued….

June 22, 2017
Tin Can Ice Cream

Nothing beats the heat of a Midwest summer than sweet creamy cold ice cream. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to bring that to a camping trip. Unless you have an RV with a fridge, keeping a gallon of ice cream from melting while camping can be a real challenge. Tin Can Ice Cream is a way of making ice cream any where with minimal equipment which makes it perfect activity for summer camping.

I learned to make tin can ice cream from my friend, Meeghan. Meeghan and I began camping together shortly after we met in graduate school. She always told me stories about how she grew up camping. Every time she reflects back on her childhood camping trips, tin can ice cream is there. She said she can’t remember a camping trip that her mom did not break out the tin cans and put Meeghan and her three siblings to work making ice cream. I think Meeghan’s mom was probably the smartest mom ever. She might have ended up with a cool afternoon treat but she also knew that making tin can ice cream would keep her four children entertained for a half hour (or so) and that they would likely meet other kids from the campground to play with during their stay. Meeghan reports that every time they made ice cream other kids would come by to see what they were doing, end up helping, and they ended up making new friends.

Making tin can ice cream is easy. There is no machine to carry around. No intricate parts to be washed afterwards. In fact, you don’t even need electricity. You simply need 2 different sized coffee cans; one large and one smaller to fit inside the large one. You will need ice and rock salt. Easy. The recipe is perfectly portioned, you will easily eat all the ice cream in one sitting and have no need to deal with leftovers. Of course, if you have a crowd, you might plan to make a couple of batches.

Meeghan says she has no idea where her mother got the recipe from or even how old she was when they started making it. We have made it a few times at on group camping trips and the kids love it. We hope you will as well.

May 24, 2017