November 6–9, 2025 | Nebraska, South Dakota

 November 6–9, 2025 | Nebraska, South Dakota

On Thursday, November 6th, I hit the road to North Platte, Nebraska, for a business trip to attend a conference. I spent the day working and later joined a large group for dinner at a Cuban restaurant called El Mojito. It was a lovely night, meeting new people, sharing stories, and learning from their life experiences.

The next day, Friday, November 7th, after wrapping up the conference, I decided to drive toward Chimney Rock, Nebraska, about a two-hour and 33-minute drive. The route took me through Windlass Hill and across the Platte River on US Highway 26. As I approached Bridgeport, the sun was setting, painting the sky with glowing colors as usual.

I arrived at the Chimney Rock trailhead at 4:52 p.m., just after the sun had fully set. It was a beautiful, quiet evening, and I had the place all to myself. Instead of taking the main trail to the rock, I wandered along the Ethel S. Abbott Foundation Trail since it was getting dark. I still got close enough to take a few photos and enjoy the cool night breeze during a peaceful walk.

Chimney Rock, located in western Nebraska, is an iconic geological formation rising over 300 feet above the North Platte River Valley. It served as a crucial landmark for 19th-century pioneers traveling along the Oregon, California, and Mormon Trails. Managed as a National Historic Site by History Nebraska and the National Park Service, it features a visitor center, exhibits on westward expansion, walking trails, and remains a powerful symbol of the American West, recognizable from miles away.

After that, I drove to Scottsbluff for the night and stayed at the Holiday Inn Express & Suites. Dinner was at Backaracks Steakhouse and Grill. The place was packed, and it took almost an hour and a half for my food to arrive, but I didn’t mind. I enjoyed a few beers, chatted with people at the bar, and watched sports on TV.

The next morning, Saturday, November 8th, the weather was cold, windy, dusty, and cloudy. After grabbing coffee from the breakfast area, I drove toward Alliance, Nebraska, to visit Carhenge: one of the many spots I had marked on my Google Maps. I arrived around 9:30 a.m.; only one other visitor was there, and the gift shop was closed. The wind was intense, blowing dust everywhere, but I still enjoyed learning about the history and effort behind this unique project.

Carhenge is a replica of England’s Stonehenge, located near Alliance in Nebraska’s High Plains. Instead of stones, it’s built from vintage American automobiles. It was created by Jim Reinders, who studied Stonehenge while living in England and carefully replicated its shape, proportions, and size. I was genuinely impressed by this landmark and loved the artistic paintings on the cars; it’s absolutely a must-see if you’re driving nearby.

Next on my itinerary was Toadstool Geological Park, about an hour and a half away. I had originally planned to camp there, but forgot that it was November, weather denial at its finest.

While driving from Carhenge back to the main highway, my GPS routed me onto a dirt road for several miles. It was already dusty, but I sped up and passed a truck, which I’m pretty sure annoyed the driver. For nearly a mile, all I could see behind me was dust. The truck kept honking, and I kept driving; bad decision, but honestly, kind of fun 😊

After passing through Crawford, I turned left toward Toadstool Geological Park and drove another 17 miles on dirt roads. The weather was fascinating, cold, cloudy, and dusty. Driving through the High Plains and the Oglala National Grassland felt unlike any other natural experience I’ve had in Nebraska. This area is truly beautiful.

Oglala National Grassland encompasses approximately 94,500 acres of remote mixed-grass prairie and rugged badlands, characterized by vast open horizons and unique geological formations.

I arrived at the park around 11 a.m., once again completely alone, clearly off-season. The first thing that caught my attention was an exhibit sign that read “Africa in Nebraska.” Learning about the geological history of the Great Plains, going back 35 million years, was absolutely mind-blowing.

I hiked nearly two miles through the badlands, enjoying the eerie silence. Other than the sound of wind, the place was incredibly quiet; a hidden gem with an otherworldly landscape, unusual rock formations, wide-open views, and deep solitude. It felt perfect for hiking, photography, and stargazing, and the remoteness truly made me appreciate the escape and natural beauty it offers.

Around noon, I left the park and drove toward Wind Cave National Park. I stopped in Hot Springs, South Dakota, for food and a drink, and by 1 p.m. I arrived at Wind Cave. Since cave tours were closed due to the government shutdown, I decided to do a few hikes before sunset.

My first hike was the Rankin Ridge Trail, hoping to reach the top tower, but it was closed. Still, I enjoyed the high-point views and took a few 15-minute naps while being the only visitor on the trail. By now, the mountain weather was surprisingly pleasant.

Next, I drove the Wildlife Loop Road and saw countless prairie dogs, pronghorn, and bison. Wind Cave National Park protects one of the largest remaining mixed-grass prairies in the U.S. and is home to wildlife such as bison, prairie dogs, pronghorn, elk, deer, coyotes, foxes, badgers, and even black-footed ferrets.

I spent about an hour at the Prairie Dog Town, attempting time-lapse shots. After setting up my camera near one of their burrows, I quickly realized how strong their warning system is; they appeared briefly and disappeared the moment they noticed my phone. Amazing creatures.

After sunset, I exited the park via Lame Johnny Road toward SD-79, heading to Rapid City. I arrived downtown around 6:30 p.m., greeted by Christmas lights everywhere. There was a big music event in town, and most hotels were booked, but I managed to find a room at Elevation Inn & Suites. After checking in, I went to Paddy O’Neill’s Irish Pub & Grill for food and drinks. It was a lovely place, and I enjoyed chatting with a local couple celebrating their daughter’s birthday. Before heading back, I stopped at a pharmacy for sleeping pills; I haven’t been sleeping well lately. Welcome to adulthood.

On Sunday, November 9th, I woke up around 7 a.m. At breakfast, the kind kitchen staff asked everyone where they were visiting from. People had traveled from all over for the country music concert.

I then drove toward Black Elk Peak, formerly known as Harney Peak. At the Gas station, I talked to a local man, and I told him that I was driving to Black Elk Peak; he was almost upset about why I called it Black Peak; he said it is Harney Peak, not Black Peak, and the name was changed due to politics. I had no idea; but as I am writing this blog I googled it and found this “Harney Peak was renamed Black Elk Peak in 2016 by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names (USBGN) to honor Lakota spiritual leader Black Elk and remove the offensive name of General William S. Harney, who led a massacre of Native Americans, including women and children, in 1855. The change recognized the mountain as a sacred site for Native Americans, who found Harney's legacy deeply derogatory, aligning with the USBGN's mandate to avoid offensive names, despite some initial state-level opposition.”

I was nervous about the weather, but it turned into a perfect morning. I had wanted to hike Black Elk Peak since 2018, and this felt like the right day. At 7,242 feet, it’s the highest point in South Dakota. I started the hike from Sylvan Lake at 9:15 a.m. About a mile in, I spotted a mountain goat climbing granite cliffs; an incredible sight that I chose to simply enjoy in the moment and did not take any photos.

I reached the summit around 10:30 a.m. Everything was cold, icy, and white: trees, rocks, even the prayer flags. A sea of clouds blanketed the forest below, while blue skies stretched endlessly above. I felt incredibly lucky to exist at that moment. I spent about 30 minutes near the lookout, snacking, resting, and chatting with fellow hikers. I returned to the parking lot by 12:30 p.m. after nearly eight miles of hiking.

Before heading home, I drove the Needles Highway and through the Needles Eye Tunnel, surprisingly still open for the season. The drive was stunning, winding through towering granite spires and breathtaking Black Hills scenery.

The drive back to Lincoln, Nebraska, took about eight hours and twenty minutes. After entering Nebraska, I followed Highway 385 to Alliance, then Highway 2 east through the Sandhills and the Nebraska National Forest. The BNSF railroad ran alongside the road all the way to Grand Island. I passed through countless towns, Hemingford, Hyannis, Mullen, Broken Bow, Ravenna, Cairo, and many more.

This drive completely changed my perspective on Nebraska. The Sandhills, Crescent Lake National Wildlife Refuge area, and the vast openness were stunning. With almost no cars on the road, I drove as the sun folded into the horizon, listening to Turkish music and capturing videos of the glowing sunset. I arrived home around 9 p.m., tired, grateful, and full of memories.