August 23 - August 30: Heading Back East

Thursday, August 23, we left the Elkhorn Ridge Resort to head east on I-90 for 81 miles to 24 Express Campground in Wasta, SD.  Our destination was a 10 site campground behind a gas station and military museum that we learned about on the internet.  It has long gravel pull-through sites with electric hookups, a dump station and available potable water for $10 per night. One site appears to be a long-term resident, possibly the campground overseer.

 No semi's are allowed. Despite being close to I-90, it's a quiet environment. Wasta is a very small town (population 82) and also has a post office, small motel and bar.

Friday, August 24, we drove 15 miles east to Wall, SD, home of the historic  Wall Drugstore which now includes many other tourist businesses.


Wall is just a few miles north of the Pinnacle Entrance to Badlands National Park where we spent a few hours enjoying the very different landscape. Our admission  was free thanks to our Lifetime Senior Pass.




We returned to the campground by driving west through the National Buffalo Grasslands ( no buffalo sightings), back to Rapid City for a grocery stop, then returned to 24 Express.

Saturday, August 25, we continued east on I-90 for 150 miles then turned north on Hwy. 47 to Left Tailrace Recreation Area Campground, near Fort Thompson, SD.  The campground has 81 electrical paved sites and non-electrical tent sites.  Our waterfront site faced the boat launch area and had a good view of the Missouri River to the left.



Hundreds of bird come and go on the rocky ledges on the  sides of the boat launch area.

We will be at Left Tailrace campground until Sept. 4, or until our tanks need empying, before heading farther east.