The best places to visit that AREN’T National Parks
These first two picture were taken at one of my favorite places I have ever been, which is a huge claim as I have been to the Grand Tetons. Had we not glanced at our National Parks service map we would have never found this place. This is Lincoln Boyhood National Historic Site. In Lincoln City, Indiana, this site can only be found with the help of Lola (our GPS) and those little brown signs on the side of the road.
Lincoln Boyhood NHS takes you back in time to the not-so-presidential homestead of one of the great American heroes. Hearing about that little log cabin in history class does not do it justice. Although it is not there anymore, the site has been replicated with stone works and is an amazing site to see. Also on the site is his mother’s grave. There are stacks of pennies lying at the headstone and it will give you chills to witness such an amazing part of history.
What can I possibly say about Harry Truman? Not much that’s for sure. When I pictured his boyhood home I pictured a cute, humble home that was well preserved from it’s original state. I did not picture a indiscrete home marked by a simple historic sign. Needless to say I was disappointed, but still glad that I got to see yet another Presidential home.
I’d imagine that Minuteman Missile National Historic Site would have been much cooler if we actually got to see the missile. Unfortunately, we were late and the building had closed. Our disappointment was short lived, as we were very excited to get to the Badlands. I’d imagine that it’d be a more eventful stop if the building was open, but if you are right there you might as well.
Mount Rushmore! The only worthwhile part is the lighting show in the evenings. It is kind of surreal to see this after learning about it your whole life. All I could think about was that Phineas and Ferb episode where Dr. Doof takes a lava pipe through Washington’s nose. It was also really cool to see because Teddy Roosevelt is my favorite historical figure and I got some cool socks with his face on it from the gift shop.
This was by far my favorite stop of our whole trip. Little Bighorn National Battlefield is truly sacred ground. I am a huge history buff and learning about Westward Expansion has always been fascinating to me. To learn about the atrocities that the United States government committed and got away with never fails to amaze me, in a bad way that is. Naturally, Custer’s Last Stand is a historical moment that has been of interest to me. To be able to stand where the doomed Custer stood was amazing. The empty field of rolling grass further take you back in time and remind you of what happened on that battlefield. The American Indian artwork is also beautiful in contrast to the bright blue sky. I would recommend visiting this site to anyone and everyone.
Another site that is absolutely magical. Hearing the stories about the giant bear climbing up the tower make perfect sense. It is much bigger than I imagined it to be as well, as you can see it for miles in the distance. It is a bit secluded from anything else, but well worth the drive. Make sure you get a picture of the tower through the puff of smoke pictured above.
Growing up driving the Blue Ridge Parkway, I am accustomed to winding roads of the sides of mountains, overlooking beautiful blue and green valleys. This parkway is something entirely different. I will say that it is amazing in a different way than my beloved Blue Ridge is (although the Blue Ridge will always be my favorite). Seeing the Teton Range looming in the distance puts to scale how vast those mountains really are.
Independence Rock! This hunk of stone is a long ways from civilization. We drove for 2 hours without seeing another car. But don’t worry, you will have plenty of pronghorn to keep you company! In the picture, you can see me and my little brother are both climbing it, but what you don’t see is that I eventually made it to the top. While up there I saw initials carved from the original settlers. I felt like a real pioneer that’s for sure. Luckily, none of us died of dysentery! Also, fair warning, make sure if you are making the drive to this site that you load up on gas before you leave, it’ll be awhile until you see another station.
