Devil's Tower

The first declared United States National Monument is Devil's Tower in northeastern Wyoming. Located by the Belle Fourche River in the Bear Lodge Mountains (part of the Black Hills), it is 1,267 tall. 

Many Native American tribes had cultural and geographic ties to Devil's Tower. Nearly all of them had bear-related names for the monolith such as "Bear's House," "Bear's Lair," and "Bear's Tipi."  During an exploring expedition in 1875, an interpreter misinterpreted the Indian's name for it as "Bad God's Tower" and it then became known to the white man as Devil's Tower.

Many Native American tribes consider this place to be sacred.

Rock, Paper, Scissors

In Gillete, Wyoming on 2nd Street is a statue of the decision-making paradigm Rock, Paper, Scissors. It was created by Warren Cullar and Kevin Box and put on display in 2011. 

Why did Lil Dude stop to get his picture taken with it? Because it's there, of course!

Fort Phil Kearny

Fort Phil Kearny was constructed in 1866 along the Bozeman Trail on the eastern side of the Bighorn Mountains in Wyoming. The fort was one of 3 established to protect miners and travelers passing through Indian Territory on their way to the gold fields of Montana.

The historic fort played a major role in the Indian Wars around the area and was the post where Captain Fetterman and 80 other men rode from before being wiped out in what became known at the Fetterman Massacre. 

The fort, known as "the hated post on the Little Piney," was abandoned by the Army in 1868 when the railroad reached far enough west to enable the travelers to reach the Montana gold fields by riding the rails through Idaho and making the dangerous Bozeman Trail obsolete. The Indians burned it as soon as the soldiers left.

Today at this historic site, some of the buildings have been restored and there is a visitor center with videos and exhibits, a book store, and self-guided tours of the grounds. Not exactly worth a long trip just to see it, but if you are in the area like Lil Dude Troll was, it's worth a stop!

Fetterman Site

The discovery of gold in 1863 in Montana led to thousands of miners and settlers passing through one of the last unspoiled hunting grounds of the Sioux Indians in Wyoming. The U.S. government had signed a treaty with the Indians giving them the territory, but the travelers and settlers began competing for the dwindling resources of the land and the Indians responded by attacking the wagon trains and stealing livestock. In response, the government established 3 forts for the protection of the people the Indians thought of as trespassers.

In December, 1866, a detachment of 79 soldiers and 4 civilians pursued a handful of Indians on their ponies over a ridge on this field. They rode straight into an ambush laid by more than 2,000 warriors. Within a few minutes, all were dead. It was the Army's worst defeat in the war against the Indians until Little Big Horn 10 years later.   

The monument states, "On this field on the 21st day of December, 1866, three commissioned officers and seventy-six privates of the 18th U.S. Infantry and of the 2nd U.S. Cavalry and four civilians under the command of Captain Brevet Lieutenant Colonel William J. Fetterman were killed by an overwhelming force of Sioux under the command of Red Cloud. There were no survivors."

Shell Falls, Wyoming

11 miles northeast of Shell, Wyoming on the Bighorn Scenic Byway (Highway 14) is the famous Shell Falls. At an elevation of 6,400' above sea level, Shell Creek crashes down 120 feet over steeply pitched granite and then returns to being a gentle running creek below the falls. During the spring runoff (the time Lil Dude Troll visited and took these pictures), the water drops at the rate of 3,600 gallons per second. 

Cody, Wyoming

One of the most interesting places to stay in Cody is
the haunted Irma Hotel. Built and operated by
Buffalo Bill Cody himself, your chances of
encountering a ghost are good! For the story
of our stay in the Irma, go to Irma ghosts.

The town of Cody, Wyoming was founded in the mid-1890's by Buffalo Bill Cody and was incorporated in 1901. It is located just 52 miles from the east entrance to Yellowstone National Park (check out the Troll family in Yellowstone) and for a town of a little fewer than 10,000 residents, has some of the most extraordinary museums and historical attractions available anywhere.

Lil Dude Troll definitely enjoyed his stay in Cody and is ready to go back anytime!

Inside the old, but nicely maintained Irma Hotel. 

Don't miss the excellent Buffalo Bill Historical Center.
5 museums in one, you can spend several days
exploring them. 

Life-sized statue of Buffalo Bill

Indian statue on the grounds of the Historical Center

Buffalo statue on the grounds of the Historical Center

Stuffed bear inside the Historical Center

Buffalo Bill's boyhood home which you can walk
through is on the grounds of the Historical Center 

If you have a hunger for Mexican food, Zapata's serves
huge portions of good food at reasonable prices.

For good hamburgers or drinks after a day of adventure
in Cody, you might want to try the famous
Silver Dollar Bar.  

Troll Kidnap Attempt Foiled!

Lil Dude at the prairie dog town before the
troll-knap attempt.

Prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) are related to the squirrel family and very cute, but as Lil Dude Troll found out, they can be dastardly little troll-nappers!

During a visit to Devil's Tower National Monument in Wyoming, Lil Dude and his human family stopped to check out the prairie dog town just inside the monument's park boundaries. Wanting to take a souvenir picture of the occasion, Lil Dude was innocently standing next to a little post when two of the evil little creatures took notice and began sneaking up on him. While one kept a lookout, the other grabbed Lil Dude's arm and took off with him! Fortunately, just as the evil-doer reached his burrow and began to pull Lil Dude underground to never be seen again, human daddy quickly jumped to the ground, grabbed Lil Dude's other arm and pulled. A brief tug-of-war ensued and even though Lil Dude's favorite vest was torn, human daddy won the pull contest and Lil Dude was saved!

Nefarious prairie dog sneaking up on Lil Dude while his
accomplice keeps look-out.

Let this be a life-lesson - never trust a prairie dog. They may look all cute and sweet, but beware, they are just trying to deceive you! 

They have Lil Dude surrounded!

Oh no! Evil prairie dog about to grab Lil Dude while
his accomplice appears to threaten human daddy!

He's got him! Evil prairie dog grabs Lil Dude by the arm
and begins to run away with him back to his den!

Evil prairie dog foiled! Lil Dude after human daddy
miraculously saved him from a fate worse than
death! 

Yellowstone - Mammoth Area

Lil Dude Troll was here June 1st and it was still
very cold and there was still deep snow cover, but the
road was cleared. 

If you head north of the Canyon Area you will enter the high country. This is normally one of the last roads to be opened each season as there is usually deep snow cover into May and even June. It is also one of the most beautiful areas in the park. Plan to stop, stretch your legs and explore a bit at Dunraven Pass.

Further north you will come to Mammoth Hot Springs Junction. Like all the other area's within the park, there are many very interesting natural sites to see and explore here, but it is also the site of an old army post where soldiers lived when they guarded the park. It now is a small village with a visitor center, stores, and park offices. It is also the site of Mammoth Hot Springs Lodge. The lodge is one of the oldest buildings in the park, but it is well

maintained and a comfortable and convenient place to spend a few nights if you make reservations far enough ahead to get a room. Most of the guest rooms do not have a private bathroom (and the ones that do cost $40 more per night), but the large common bathrooms are kept very clean and sharing is not really a problem with doors and curtains enabling privacy. Moose and other animals do not seem to be afraid of humans and are seen wondering around the grounds at all hours. Just down the road is a cemetery containing many old graves and there are numerous ghost stories about the place (you can read several of them here and here and here), but Lil Dude Troll didn't encounter anything not explainable while staying there for 4 nights.

Heading into the town of Gardiner.

For a nice break one day, continue north past Mammoth Hot Springs to the park's north entrance and into the small town of Gardiner, Montana. Here you will find full services from gas stations and auto repair shops to grocery stores, restaurants, a book store and souvenir shops. On the way, you will pass the 45th parallel marking the half-way point between the equator and the north pole.

The Troll Family really enjoyed their visit to Yellowstone National Park and gives it their highest recommendation - it would be 2 thumbs up but trolls don't have thumbs so it's 2 little arms up!

Just after entering Montana, you will cross
the 45th Parallel

The famous North Entrance Arch coming
into Yellowstone National Park

The engraving at the top of the arch reads, "For the
benefit and enjoyment of all"

The town of Gardiner, Montana just outside the
North Entrance to Yellowstone

The Cowboy's Lodge & Grill is recommended for some
fine eats.  

Heading back into the park past the North Entrance

Grand Teton National Park

About 10 miles south of Yellowstone National Park in northwestern Wyoming lies the 40-mile-long mountain range known as the Grand Tetons. Encompassing the tallest peaks of the spectacularly beautiful range as well as the town and area known as Jackson Hole is the Grand Teton National Park. The park was first created in 1929 and only included the mountains, but the Jackson Hole town and valley was included in a 1950 expansion.

Rising over 7,000 feet in height, the majestic Grand Teton mountains are famous the world over for their rugged beauty. The park has many streams and small lakes located in pristine settings which can only be accessed by hiking some of the 200+ miles of trails, but the largest is 15-mile-long Jackson Lake which is easily accessible from the main road that traverses the park. Most people do not know that hidden in the deep recesses in the heights of the mountains are 12 different active glaciers. Rocks found in the park have been dated to be 2.7 billion years old, older than any other rocks found in any of the other national parks in America.

The Ranger on duty at the park entrance was happy
to meet Lil Dude Troll!

Much of the flora and fauna is the same as it was in prehistoric times. Over 1,000 species of plants, dozens of mammals and more than 300 species of birds can be found within the park's boundaries. 

Lil Dude Troll thoroughly enjoyed his visit to Grand Teton National Park and Jackson and he recommends it for anyone who enjoys and appreciates the beauty found in nature. Plan on spending at least a few days, bring your hiking shoes and warm clothing (even in the middle of summer it is cold and there is snow in the higher elevations!) and by all means, do not forget your camera!

Coming into the Grand Teton National Park

Grand Teton Mountains in the background

The historical Snake River

Park map in the Colter Bay
Visitor Center

Looking for souvenirs in the Colter Bay Gift Shop

Mixing in with the bones & fur available for kids to
touch in the Colter Bay Visitor Center exhibition

Colter Bay outside of the Visitor Center

Lake Jackson and the Tetons