Left Tailrace COE South Dakota

Left Tailrace Campground, our next stop, is a US Army Corps of Engineers park located on the shore of the Missouri River just below Big Bend Dam near the town of Fort Thompson SD. Upstream is Lake Sharpe a very popular recreation area which was made possible by the creation of Big Bend Dam in 1966.

The campground has a total of 81 electrical sites and 12 dry tent campsites. There are water fill areas and a dump station nearby. The comfort stations have the best showers that I have encountered in a campground. This campground caters very much to the fishing person.

Big Bend Dam

Two Bridges that span the Missouri River in the town of Chamberlain

Dignity of Earth and Sky is a sculpture on the bluff overlooking the Missouri River near the town of Chamberlain, South Dakota. The 15.24 meter or 50 foot high stainless steel statue was designed to honor the cultures of the Lakota and Dakota people.

 

Dignity wears a garment patterned after a traditional two-hide dress of the 1850s. The statue’s most striking features is her outstretched star quilt — a symbol of respect, honor and admiration in Native American culture. The quilt’s 128 stainless steel diamonds feature color-changing pieces that glitter in the sun and move with the wind, creating a rippling effect. At night, LED lights cause the diamonds to illuminate the dark sky, casting a peaceful glow that’s easily visible from the interstate. The statue is easily accessible at the rest stop on 1-90 in Chamberlain SD.

Dignity: Earth and Sky

Pipestone National Monument - Pipestone Minnesota

Pipestone National Monument is home of the historic pipestone quarries and tallgrass prairies. For over 3,000 years, Indigenous people have quarried the red stone at this site to make pipes used in prayer and ceremony - a tradition that continues to this day and makes this site sacred to many people. Many believe  the pipe's smoke carries one's prayer to the Great Spirit.

Pipestone National Monument was established in August 1937 and is located in southwestern Minnesota. The monument encompasses 301 acres or 1.2 square kilometers. Pipestone NM protects the right of any Native American enrolled in a federally recognized Tribe to quarry the soft red stone also called pipestone. 

Along the entrance road to the park are large granite boulders known as the Three Maidens. These rocks were carrier here from further north by a glacier and left behind when the ice melted. They are called erratics. These boulders are considered sacred by Native Indians.

The visitor center is always a great place to start a tour,  Pipestone National Monument is no different. The amazing 22 minute film explained the cultural significance of this land.

Within the visitors center are great displays of petroglyphs and pipestone pipes.

The Circle Trail is a 3/4-mile long paved path. It cuts through a Tallgrass Prairie, follows a creek, meanders past a waterfall, and finally traverses ancient quarries still used by Native Americans today. The first stop is the exhibit quarry where the layers of Sioux Quartzite and a layer of exposed pipestone are visible.

Tailings from quarries past

Below is "The Oracle" a profile of a face in the rocks surrounded by cottonwood trees. The story told is of quarriers leaving offerings in exchange for wisdom. It remains a sacred site today. 

A crevasse filled with rock

Winnewissa Falls

In downtown Pipestone the worlds largest pipestone pipe is on display at the historical center.

Pikes Peak SP & Effigy Mounds National Monument - McGregor Iowa

  

Atop a 500 foot bluff (1,130 foot elevation) is a breathtaking view and the confluence of the Wisconsin and Mississippi rivers. Pikes Peak SP is named after Lieutenant Zebulon Pike, whom was sent by the government in 1805 to select a site for a military fort. Pike chose this site but the government built the fort across the river. Pikes Peak officially became a state park in 1936.

A half-mile wooden boardwalk guides one down to Bridal Veil Falls. On the way to the fall, there is a Bear Mound on the left side. This effigy was built by ancient American Indians of the Woodland Culture, who inhabited the area from 800-1200 A.D. There are 63 mounds in the park, most of them conical or linear in shape. More on this later

Our campsite with W/E/S

Confluence of the Mississippi and Wisconsin Rivers

Bridal Veil Falls

Effigy Mounds National Monument was established as a National Monument in October 1949. Located at the park entrance, the visitors center contains museum exhibits and a book store. The park has 14 miles of hiking trails. There are no paved public access roads in the park.

Effigy Mounds National Monument contains 206 known prehistoric mounds of which 31 are in the form of animal effigies. Others include conical, linear, or compound mounds. Dome shaped conical mounds were built by the Woodland Indians about 2,500 years ago. By 1,400 years ago in the Late Woodland period area Indians built effigy mounds for possibly religious reasons or clan symbols. Around 850 years ago the building of effigy mounds ceased maybe due to the transitioning into larger permanent villages.

Three conical mounds

Bear Mound located in Pikes Peak SP

Fisherman's Corner Recreation Area - Hampton Illinois

Fisherman's Corner Recreation Area was the first stop after staying in Goshen at the annual Forest River Rally for 6 nights. The campground is operated by the US Army Corp of Engineers and is located along the mighty Mississippi River providing an impressive view of the river and dam. It has a total of 51 sites with 30/50 amp electrical plus 5 tent only sites for a total of 56. There is a dump station, water fill spigots throughout the park, very clean bathrooms, and extremely friendly people. 

A perfect view of the Mississippi River, barges, and dam

Mississippi River Barge

One of many dams along the Mississippi River

These look like American lotus lilies 

Beautiful sunset on the Mississippi River

Ocracoke Island

I am always looking for new adventures. So when making winter plans I included Cape Hatteras NS and Ocracoke Island as part of our travels. Part of this adventure requires taking a 1 hour ferry ride from Hatteras to Ocracoke Island for our 2 night stay in the Orcacoke Campground where there are no hookups.

Waiting for the ferry

Identical ferry like the one we are on

Our site at Ocracoke Campground 

Very few people in the campground

The Orcacoke Lighthouse is the oldest operating lighthouse in North Carolina. In 1798 a 54 foot wooden tower was built on Ocracoke Inlet Point. With constant shifting of the inlet the lighthouse became obsolete. It was replaced by a light vessel in 1820 but it to became obsolete in 1822 due to the shifting channel. The present whitewashed tower was completed in 1823 and stands 75 feet tall. The beam is still operational and can be seen 14 miles out to sea.

Ocracoke Lighthouse

The Ocracoke Keepers' Quarters was built in 1823 and expanded in 1929. For over 200 years the building has faced mother natures violent hurricanes and Nor'easters. In 2019 Hurricane Dorian brought record storm surges to Ocracoke Island. The Keepers' Quarters was flooded with 18 inches of water causing severe damage. Over the next 12 months at a cost of $3.6 million the Keepers' Quarters will be raised and repaired along with several other buildings.

The undeveloped, natural shoreline of Ocracoke Island spans 16 miles of beautiful beaches. However, they do not call these waters the graveyard of the Atlantic for no reason. The rough surf and rip tides can be extremely dangerous.

The Ocracoke ponies also called "Banker" horses have been documented on the island since the first Europeans arrived in 1730. Legend has it they were left behind by shipwrecked explorers in the 16th and 17th century.

As tourist began to increase, these free roaming horses were becoming victims of vehicles crashes. So the NPS developed the now Ocracoke Pony Pen to help keep them safe. The historical herd size stand between 9 to 20 horses with the last foal being born in 2018. There are currently no plans of expanding the herd.

After two days of beautiful but very windy weather we left the island the same way we came, on a much larger ferry at the south end of the island. This one cost us $45 and took roughly 2-1/2 hours to cross to the mainland of Cedar Point NC. We had 4-5 foot swells but the ferry ride was very smooth with only a little bit of rocking and rolling. Chalk it up to another wonderful experience.

Cape Hatteras National Seashore

Visited: 8 - 11 November 2024

Nights: 3

Campground: Oregon Inlet

Cape Hatteras National Seashore is made up of barrier islands covering 30,00 acres extending from South Nags Head to Ocracoke Island some 70 miles (110 km). On January 12, 1953 Cape Hatteras National Seashore was established. Over thousands of years the forces of water, wind, and storms have shaped these barrier islands which include Bodie Island, Hatteras Island, and Ocracoke Island.

Our campsite C-15 with electric & water

Beautiful beach just over the dunes from our site

The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse was constructed in 1870 on a hill 1,500 feet from the shore. It remains the tallest brick lighthouse in the United States standing at 198.49 feet. This lighthouse stood tall and fast but the island around it moved. Sand is carrier across the island from east to west due to wind and water causing the island to move westward. By the mid 1990's sand migration reduced the width of the beach in front of the lighthouse down to 150 feet. In 1999, after years of studies and debates, the Cape Hatteras Light Station was moved to its present location. The lighthouse started it's move on 17 June 1999 at a cost of $11.8 million dollar. The light station moved 2,900 feet taking 23 days and now lies 1,500 feet from the seashore, its original distance from the sea. A relighting ceremony took place on 13 November 1999 to celebrate the successful relocation.

After 150 years the lighthouse has withstood numerous hurricanes, nor'easters, earthquakes, and millions of visitors. That being said the tall giant is undertaking a $20 million renovation to repair damage, restore historical features, and repaint to former glory. This renovation has started and is scheduled to take 18 months. So if you are wanting to climb this lighthouse...you have to wait.

Located south of Nags Head NC, Bodie Island Lighthouse was completed in 1872 and stands 150 feet high. It was partly built from leftover material of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. The first-order Fresnel lens flashes and can be seen 19 miles away. The lighthouse was not open for climbing which is unfortunate but I had the opportunity to climb it many years ago.

While on the Outer Banks we will be visiting the Wright Brothers National Memorial and Fort Raleigh National Historic Site which I hope to blog on next.

Assateague Island National Seashore

Visited: 5 - 8 November 2024

Nights Stayed: 3

Assateague Island National Seashore is located along the Atlantic Ocean in Maryland and Virginia. The 37 mile(60 km) long barrier island has over 41,300 acres of land and water within it's boundaries. The island was founded as a National Seashore in September 1965 and is divided into three areas, Assateague Island NS is managed by the National Parks Service, Assateague State Park is managed by Maryland Parks Service, and Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge is managed by US Fish and Wildlife Service. There is no vehicle access between the Maryland and Virginia districts on the national seashore.

The Maryland side is where we camped for three nights. The park is open year round and  includes a total of 148 campsites all with no hookups. We came prepared with a generator and our camper has a solar panel.

The main goal of coming to the island was to see the wild horses of Assateague Island. These horses are feral animals and are managed as a wildlife population. They have survived the scorching summer heat, brutal wintery storms, horrible mosquitoes, and poor food quality. Where did these horses come from, well there are no known records. Two stories exist, one they are the survivors of a shipwreck off the coast and the second they are the descendants of horses that were brought to Assateague in the late 17th century by mainland owners to avoid laws and taxation on livestock. Which ever one is true they are here to stay.

The horses roam the pine forests, salt marshes, and the beaches of Assateague Island. However, a fence divides the two herds at the Maryland and Virginia state line. The Maryland horses with a population of 80-100 are managed by the National Park Service and are free to roam. While the Virginia herd is owned and managed by the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company with a population of 150 animals. They are corralled in a 14,000 acre pen.

Our campsite

On the Maryland side the horses are free to roam throughout the campground

Travelling around the island one does not have to look very far to see how harsh it can be. The salt marshes, wind, and lack of grasses possess difficult living conditions. However, other wildlife also survive on this island.

I rescued this little guy from being hit by vehicles

Sitka Deer

Visitors Center at Chincoteague - Virginia

The Assateague Lighthouse circa 1867

Corralled horses on Chincoteague

More horses of Assateague Island...I never got tired of watching and photographing them.

A horse traffic jam...it's all about them not us