One Dusty View across the Decades: Badlands National Park
The Badlands with five kids — the Loop Road overlooks, the sharp light, and a landscape that holds children’s attention.
The Cave that Slipped through the Cracks: Wind Cave National Park
Wind Cave National Park with five kids — boxwork formations underground, bison and prairie above, and no crowds at all.
A Prehistoric Surprise: The Mammoth Site of Hot Springs, South Dakota
The largest mammoth deposit in North America, bones still lying where they fell — the Hot Springs, South Dakota dig that held five kids longer than any museum.
Granite Faces in the Black Hills: Mount Rushmore and the Crazy Horse Memorial
Two granite monuments in the Black Hills, half an hour apart — how they compare, and how long to allow for each with children.