Wednesday, May 29 - Wednesday, June 5, 2024
We left Regent on Wednesday morning and went up the Enchanted Highway. The Enchanted Highway is the world's largest collection of scrap metal sculptures constructed by Gary Greff at intervals along a 32 mile stretch of two lane highway in the southwestern part of North Dakota. From Wikipedia gives the history: "Local artist Gary Greff conceived of the project and began building it in 1989, and continues to maintain the sculptures. He took inspiration from local wildlife and historical figures, including Theodore Roosevelt. Greff's intention was to revive his hometown of Regent, after decades of population and economy decline. In 2012, Greff opened a motel, The Enchanted Castle, in Regent, continuing the theme of the Enchanted Highway. The State of North Dakota provided $75,000 in its 2019-2020 budget to assist Greff in maintaining the sculptures; prior to that year, he had used his own money and donations to pay for upkeep. The highway attracts approximately 6,000 tourist cars per year."
Gary really did an amazing job with these sculptures. Here are a few.
We stopped in Dickinson to get fuel and go to Walmart, then drove to Theodore Roosevelt National Park South Unit. We stayed in Cottonwood Campground site #30 for two nights, which has no hookups and no dump station. It was only $7 a night with the senior pass and it was a nice campground. The south loop sites were really small, which we didn't realize until we were driving through it. So if you go stay to the north loop. The even numbered sites are first come, first serve; the odd numbered sites can be reserved.
On Thursday we took the 'loop road' that doesn't loop because of construction. It's a beautiful area and I'm so glad we went!
On Friday we drove to the North Unit and stayed for two nights in site #5 in Juniper Campground. It also was $7 per night with the senior pass. This campground doesn't have any hookups but does have a dump station. It is all first come first serve.
I actually liked the North Unit better than the South Unit. We saw many bison and the landscape was different. Neither unit was crowded, which was nice.
On Sunday, June 3 we went to Small Towne RV Park in Terry MT ($30 per night). There's not much available along I-94 and this was full hookups which we needed after dry camping for four days. It doesn't look like much but Mel, the owner, was amazing. When we pulled in he greeted us with a welcome mat to use and a little trash can to put our trash. He put a newspaper on our step the next morning, and in the evening offered some popsicles. We've stayed in some resorts and never been treated so well. It was right near the interstate but wasn't noisy at all. The water pressure wasn't very good so we had to use the water pump, and the water was a little brown (they must get it from the Yellowstone River, which is brown), but we would stay here again. Monday we drove the truck to Miles City to run errands. We got some meat from a Montana meat processing facility (we haven't tried it yet), got the truck washed (yay!), had lunch at Arby's, and did a Walmart run and Albertson's for my yogurt.
On Tuesday, June 5 we drove to the Red Shale Campground near Ashland, MT. It a forest service campground surrounded by ponderosa pines. I could spend a few days here.
We have been so blessed in our campsites. The Lord has provided the best site in the campgrounds, one that is big enough and most have a beautiful view. It's a blessing to be able to travel like this and see God's creation and our country.
John has said that the pictures and text on the posts aren't large enough, so I've made both larger. We'll see what it looks like.
Tomorrow we'll be Roving On...
"In the beginning
God created the heavens and the earth".
Genesis 1:1
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