2017 National Parks
Rocky Mountains, Black Hills and Grasslands
July 9-19, 2017
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July 9, 10, 11 in Colorado

Rocky Mountain National
Park is a United States national park located approximately 76 mi northwest of Denver
International Airport in north-central Colorado, within the Front Range of the
Rocky Mountains.
Staying at Maryslake Lodge (image on left from Web source)
 
 
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Visiting
Bear Lake in RMNP with friends Don Musselman and Ella Blume
 
 
  Sprague
Lake / famous fishing camp
   
  
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Visiting
Grand Lake
   
 
Elk
sighting on return trip

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July 12 off to Nebraska
  
 
Scotts Bluff National
Monument in western Nebraska includes an important 19th-century landmark on the
Oregon Trail and Mormon Trail. The National Monument contains multiple bluffs
located on the south side of the North Platte River; it is named for one
prominent bluff called Scotts Bluff,
 
  
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July 13-14 off to South Dakota
Crazy Horse Memorial Monument
The Crazy Horse Memorial
is a mountain monument under
construction on privately held land in the Black Hills, in Custer County,
South Dakota, United States. It will depict the Oglala Lakota warrior, Crazy
Horse, riding a horse and pointing into the distance.
   
 
(image on left from postcard)  
 
  
(image on left from wall
display; image on right of sculpture model)
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Mount Rushmore National
Memorial is a sculpture carved into the granite face of Mount Rushmore,
 a batholith in the Black Hills in Keystone,
South Dakota.
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Arrival and walking Presidential Trail
 
 
 
  
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The Black Hills Central
Railroad is a heritage railroad that operates in South Dakota, United States.

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July 15-16 off to North Dakota

Theodore Roosevelt
National Park is a United States National Park comprising three geographically
 separated areas of badlands in western North
Dakota.
   
 
(two
images above from postcards; cabin was used by TR in 1883)
TRNP South Unit Amazing views and many wild animals.
 
  
 
 
  
TRNP North Unit more rustic; less animals; important geology
  
  
 
  
 
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July 17-18 return to South Dakota
 
 
 
  
  
 
Last animal viewing:
Longhorns and Prairie Dogs
  
 
 
   

Geology: unusual layers of three colors: gray, red and yellow
 
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Most
images were from Dianne and Don. Thank you for sharing.
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The End
Additional Travel Photos
at
http://www.retkuprof.com/TravelPhotos.html