McDonald Creek Hike

We arrived at the park by 8:30 to go to the Avalanche Lake Trail.  It was so crowded we couldn’t get a parking space. We then decided to go to John’s Lake Loop trail.  We encountered another couple heading down as we started our hike, and they told us a mother bear with two cubs was chilling.  I turned to Mitch, and in my eyes, he could see a nonverbal – Hell no! 

They suggested the Lake McDonald trail, which they had done the day before, and it did not disappoint.  This trek sent my senses ablaze.  The smell of pine wafted through the air, reminding me of an overpowering car deodorizer and my favorite time of the year – Christmas. The sound of the mighty rush of the water as it cascades down the river and its determination to overcome the boulders lying in its way was refreshing.  The sound of the water kept us company when the trail was parallel to the river, but as the trail veered off, the roar of the water faded, and the musical sound of birds took its place.  As we meandered down the well-worn trail path, there are areas where the treetops crown the sky and block the light giving it an ominous feeling of something out of a Grimm’s fairy tale. Turning a corner, the rays of the sun try to sneak their way into the small open space of the surrounding trees.  Green is not my favorite color, but like the various hues of green on a palette, they create a beautiful floor covering for the forest when melded together.  On our way back, we spotted a deer.  Mitch quickly took out his Go-Pro and started filming.  Ironically, the deer didn’t sprint off but slowly came closer to feed on some leaves.  Mitch was surprised he could get so close without the deer flinching away.   

As we left the trail, we both had a sense of gratitude.  This country offers so much beauty, and we are grateful to be on this journey.

Years ago, we had a family ski vacation at Big Mountain.  While there, we decided to explore the town of Whitefish and Glacier National Park.  We couldn’t go far into the park since the roads were closed due to snow.  We were able to peek inside the cottages, and I told Mitch, “We should come back here in the summer.” Here we are, and we couldn’t be more excited.

The town of Whitefish is as quaint as I remember it.  The streets offered specialty shops, restaurants, and beautiful hanging baskets of flowers.  The view of Big Mountain and its ski trails is visible from this quaint town. Huckleberry seems to be the in-thing in this neck of the country. Everything from shakes, jams, honey to licorice is in huckleberry.  Mitch’s enjoyment was the shake. Every Tuesday, starting at 5, the farmers market occupied the town square. Tents and food trucks were plenty, and crowds of people walking and picnicking on the grass was a welcomed sight.  We visited a delightful wine bar, and the guitar entertainment paired well with the Malbec.

The Farmhouse Inn and Café was a charming little white house where we had breakfast on the morning of our departure.  There was a patio in the front and the back for seating.  The big bonus for me was the offering of gluten-free options.  Breakfast was leisurely and delicious.

Glacier National Park was everything we hoped for and more.  We enjoyed four full days in the park and decided to do a blog on each day.  The videos don’t do the park justice, but we didn’t want to skimp and put all the videos in one blog.  This park should be on everyone’s bucket list.

The next day we headed to check off one on my bucket list – Mount Rushmore.  We arrived at the park at 6:30 am, and as we had hoped, there weren’t many early risers and could take photos and walk the Presidential Trail at a leisurely pace.  It is surreal to view a monument up close and in person after many years of seeing it in books and TV. 

We then headed toward the Black Hills and took a 5 ½ mile hike.  Thankfully, it was still early, and the heat of the day was at the end of the hike.  It has been unseasonable warm with temperatures in the 90’s.  We have tried to follow the 70’s, but that has not worked out too well.  Upon our return to the dispersed campsite, we saw a wildlife sighting of a longhorn sheep walking across the gravel road right beside our trailer.  We enjoyed our stay at the site immensely except for the one day when there were 50 mph gusts of wind that shook our 40 ft 5^th wheel about like a rinse cycle in a washing machine.  We were thankful we weren’t there the week before.  One of the campers we met, told us the previous week there were 100 mph gusts.  That’s when you get the heck out of dodge. I don’t even want to think about being in the trailer during that storm.  So long, South Dakota.  We will be back and look forward to hiking more of the trails in the Black Hills.

This area has been on Mitch’s bucket list ever since he watched a video on it.  Offering dispersed camping on a cliff overlooking the Badlands National Park.  It did not disappoint, and we had an incredible view.  We visited the Badlands and took its #1 hike- Notch Trail.  Not a long trek, but one has to climb a ladder to get to the top.  Coming down the ladder was a different story.  We were fascinated by the birds in the canyon as they flew about and then went back to a tiny circular abode lining the cliff. It looked like a multitude of small bird condos. This national park won’t take more than a day to cover and explore.  The scenic road allows you to tour the park and offers viewpoint stops of the Badlands.  The colored lines are beautiful, and the origin of these lines is too scientific to explain. 

When you visit this area, everyone tells you a stop at Wall Drugs is a must.  For us Floridan’s, this is equivalent to Webbs in downtown St. Petersburg years ago.  Two hundred miles before you get to Walls, South Dakota, you start seeing multiple signs touting this as a not-to-miss stop.  We went, we saw, we left.  It is a tourist attraction with numerous theme stores within one building.  It was very crowded, and many waited in line to get their famous doughnuts and five-cent coffee.  For us, it was a one-and-done experience, and we found the story of the store more attractive.  In 1931, Ted and Dorothy decided to buy a drug store in Walls, South Dakota, a town of 326 people- impoverished people.  They struggled and gave themselves a five-year commitment.  At four and half years on a sweltering day, Dorothy could hear all the cars traveling along Route 16A and came up with an idea to get travelers to visit their store. She knew they would be weary from the heat and traveling across the prairie, and the one thing they would want was ice-cold water.  Ted put up signs along the highway offering FREE ice water, and before you know it, travelers were stopping by for water, and why not get an ice cream cone as well.  By the following summer, they had to hire eight girls to serve all the customers.  Today, they give away 5,000 glasses of ice water every day, and the store has expanded to a whole block.