The Road Less Traveled: From East to West (S. Dakota Parks)

In your lifetime, if you ever get the chance to drive across the country, don't pass it up! Although we didn't drive across the entire country, we covered about 90% of it during our move from Pennsylvania to Montana a few weeks ago. We set aside 6 days for our 40+ hour drive from Stroudsburg, PA to Lakeside, MT. It was hard to decide on which route to take because there are so many good options. Our route was mainly influenced by trying to make stops where we could visit friends who lived along the way. Our first two stops brought us to Pittsburg and Chicago where we stayed with great friends that we hadn't seen in a few years. But after Chicago, we were on our own to explore the vast central plains before making it to the Rocky Mountains on the other side.

One of the highlights from our road trip (besides quality time with friends and each other) was our stop in the Badlands National Park in South Dakota. We had heard nothing but great things about the park, and decided to set aside a day of our trip to check it out for ourselves. The park is a vast 242,755 acres of colorful rock formations, drastic cliffs, deep valleys, and the United States's largest undisturbed mix grass prairie that draws you in and begs you to stay and explore. We drove along the Badlands Loop Scenic Byway, one of the best roads to see the variety of geography if you only have one day to explore. Along with the incredible landscape, you'll also certainly come across some adorable wildlife. Our favorite were the prairie dogs who you'll find digging thousands of holes in the vast yellow plains in the middle of the park.

After the Badlands, we ventured to another one of South Dakota's treasures, the Black Hills National Forrest. We spent the afternoon driving through the pine covered hilltops, stopping to see Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse. We also drove along the famous road called Needles Highway, where the deep green canopy cover the winding roads that twist and turn, leading you deeper into the heart of this beautiful national forrest. There, you'll find the stunning collections of rock pillars that jut up out of the hills forming unique structures from years of erosion.

After a long day of exploring, we spent the night in a small town at the northern end of the forrest called Deadwood, SD. Our stay there was incredible, complete with a delicious dinner at the Deadwood Social Club and a relaxing stay at the adorable 1899 Inn bed and breakfast. Both places are a must see if you ever find yourself near Deadwood.

Finally, the snow-capped Rocky Mountains were a sight for weary eyes as we crossed the plains of Eastern Montana in early April. We were welcomed with a stunning sunset that night as we arrived in the Flathead Valley in Western Montana. As we climbed the stairs to our new lakeside apartment, the cool mountain air swept across our faces carrying refreshing scents of spring. After we unloaded our car we collapsed into bed. We finally had made it to our new home!