You are here

All Photos

A "Throwback" To Fort Spokane In 1905, Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area

Here's a throwback to circa 1905 or thereabout. Before becoming Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area, there was a military fort. According to the National Park Service, "Fort Spokane and the surrounding landscape hold great historic significance. For thousands of years, the area was a gathering place for native tribes fishing the rapids of the Spokane River. In 1880, the U.S. Army established a fort above the confluence of the Spokane and Columbia Rivers. In 1898, the military fort was closed. The buildings were then used as an Indian boarding school and tuberculosis hospital.

National Park Service
bootstrap

The Crumbly Landscape Of Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument

It may look arid and the landscape is crumbly, but according to the National Park Service, "During the Pliocene, this place looked quite different. Lush wetlands, forests, and grasslands provided excellent habitat for a variety of animals. From fascinating, now-extinct creatures like the saber-toothed cat, mastodon, and ground sloth, to more familiar animals like horses, beavers, and birds, the scientific study of Pliocene fossils is the key to Hagerman."

National Park Service
bootstrap

"Delivered Worldwide In Thirty Minutes Or Less," Minuteman Missile National Historic Site

What you see in this image is an eight-ton metal door that opens (and closes) on the Delta-01 Launch Control Center 31 feet underground once operated by two missileers who controlled 10 Minuteman II missiles armed with nuclear warheads.

Rebecca Latson
bootstrap

Boxwork On The Ceiling Of Wind Cave At Wind Cave National Park

Boxwork is a type of speleothem (cave formation) made of thin blades of calcite that project from cave walls and ceilings, forming a honeycomb pattern. The fins intersect one another at various angles, forming "boxes" on all cave surfaces. Boxwork is largely confined to dolomite layers in the middle and lower levels of Wind Cave. As a matter of fact, ninety-five percent of the world's boxwork is found in Wind Cave.

Rebecca Latson
bootstrap

Slow Down At The Bison Crossing, Wind Cave National Park

According to the National Park Service, "There are 400-450 bison in Wind Cave National Park. They are grazers and usually found on the grasslands. There are several good places to see bison along U.S. 385, S.D. 87, and primitive roads N.P.S. 5 & 6. Since the bison roam as they eat, they are never in one place for very long."

Rebecca Latson
bootstrap

The "Target Room," Jewel Cave National Monument

Reserve a spot on the Discovery Tour at Jewel Cave National Monument in South Dakota, and you'll be able to explore the cavernous target room during this 20-minute, accessible tour of a portion of Jewel Cave. According to the National Park Service, "During the Discovery Tour, you will see two types of calcite crystals commonly named nailhead spar and dogtooth spar, which are the "jewels" of Jewel Cave. You will also see manganese and paleofill, which are not cave formations, but are important to the geology of Jewel Cave.

Rebecca Latson
bootstrap

The Delta-09 Missile Silo Exhibit, Minuteman Missile National Historic Site

Located just off of Exit 116 along Interstate 90 near Wall, South Dakota and surrounded by short grass prairie sits the Delta-09 missile silo, where "from 1963 until the early 1990s, the missile silo at Delta-09 contained a fully operational Minuteman Missile, bearing a 1.2 megaton nuclear warhead. The Delta-09 missile silo was one of 150 spread across western South Dakota. In total there were 1,000 Minuteman missiles deployed from the 1960's into the early 1990's. Visitors can now tour the site daily."

Rebecca Latson
bootstrap

INN Member

The easiest way to explore RV-friendly National Park campgrounds.

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

Here’s the definitive guide to National Park System campgrounds where RVers can park their rigs.

Our app is packed with RVing- specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 national parks.

You’ll also find stories about RVing in the parks, tips helpful if you’ve just recently become an RVer, and useful planning suggestions.

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

FREE for iPhones and Android phones.