The Belle Fourche Campground is the only campground inside of the Devils Tower National Monument. While it only sports 50 campsites, we had no trouble acquiring our own site that evening. Each site is well spaced from the others and very level. RVers as well as tent campers can find convenient shady spots with hints of Devils tower through the trees. Best of all: the bathrooms have running water.
I burned my hand this morning. It was an amateur mistake. It didn't need hospitalization, but it looks like I'll have a dime sized scar on my palm.
I couldn't sleep last night. I was too hot. I was too cold. My shoulder hurt. My other shoulder hurt. By 4:30 AM I had pretty much given up. That, and my driver woke up. We looked at each other. "You want to get some pictures?" I nodded.
I feel like some Judie Bloom high schooler when I write that today was the best day ever. But it was really awesome. After a couple days of travel, we rolled through Yellowstone to our campsite in the Grand Tetons. In the course of the day, we saw a bald eagle, buffalo, elk, and moose. The only thing left on our Yellowstone bingo card is "bear." My preference would be a black bear, but I wouldn't want to be considered "picky." There certainly is an unhinged part of me that wants to see a grizzly bear in the wild.
There are more popular campsites in Olympic National Park, but we couldn't be more pleased with the magical atmosphere of Heart O'the Hills Campground. It is the perfect balance of beauty, seclusion, and accessibility. Not only could we roll in on a Saturday afternoon and get a spot but we still had cell access where we could set up a hotspot and work.
There is something in the car. It scurries around the boxes underneath our bed platform. I can hear it thump and scrabble its way on top of hollow plastic boxes and scratch at the material that I hope is holding up. I imagine it tearing at the bed rug to make a nest and defecating in corners that we won't discover until months later.
With the fire behind us but on our mind, we were extra conscientious campers today. We headed due west for Mendocino. The drive spanned the temperature gamut: from 100 degree golden rolling hills, spotted with oak, to 56 degrees in the Redwoods, overlooking Fort Bragg. Our destination was Russian Gulch campground. Apparently, it was the destination of many, because the grounds were filled by the time we arrive. Fortunately, the ranger not only advised us on where to go instead but called ahead and arranged for the last spot to be held for us. We arrived in MacKerricher State Park campground 15 minutes later and happily paid for out camp site.
It's hard to believe that just a few days ago we were sweating it out in Death Valley. Now, we are perched above June Lake, with a view that takes reservations to procure, and a smug sense of satisfaction. The only down side with the picturesque Oh! Ridge Campground, though, is the wind. It sweeps over the lake and hits us with a ferocity that I though was reserved for a response to the dozens. I haven't said anything mean about June Lake's mama, but the wind is certainly fierce.
After our hike, we were exhausted. Fortunately, I had already done the preparation work for tonight's dinner that morning. Now, with my dogs barking and my calves screaming, it was time to set up the fire and sit down to chop apples for another round of experiments in campfire cooking.
I've never reserved a camp site in advance before, but I am a convert now. After our agonizing experience searching for a camping site near Arches at 5PM, I went ahead and booked our campsites for this trip. Tonight, we lounge in the most remote site within Big Pine Creek Campground—flanked by the titular big pines and less than ten feet from the creek. It is private and enjoys the delightful comfort of white noise from the creek.