Summer Recap Pt. 6 – Finale: Tongue River Canyon and HOME!

Continuing our journey towards home we dropped down into Wyoming to find a place to work remotely for a few days. I found a couple of promising boondocking spots not too far off of I-90 near Sheridan, WY. The first spot was alright, but a little too close to town and not much shade. My second spot was a little more remote, so we ventured up the gravel road to see if I had phone/internet service for working. To our delight I had great service! And the 7 camp spots in the Tongue River Canyon were stunningly beautiful and available! We found a great spot right next to the Tongue River complete with a little sandy beach and swimming hole.

Tongue River Canyon camp spot.

The local rangers checked in with us and we chatted up the area with them. This spot sits at the base of the Big Horn Mountains and is home to mountain lions, rattlesnakes, bears, and many other animals. While the wildlife was something to be aware of, the vegetation also posed a potential problem. There was a plethora of poison ivy everywhere. Careful where you step!

It was also extremely dry when we were there. Signs were posted and campfires of any kind were not allowed. Easy for us, as we cooked meals in our van and were too wore out by the time dark-thirty came around anyway. Unfortunately, not all the campers in the area could read or chose not to abide. The rangers lived in the area and would make frequent visits for this reason. We were grateful to have the dedicated rangers to oversee and care for this beautiful area as well as watch out for our safety.

As I worked during the day, my travel partner Marty, scouted upstream along the Tongue River. To our delight, this section of river looked like a lot of fun! The crystal clear river traversed down the canyon through several boulder gardens and features. The backdrop of the Big Horn Mountains rising up with gorgeous rock formations added even more to the A++ scenery. Along with scouting the river, Marty also met our camp neighbor up the road. Teresa, was a full time van dweller who was enjoying this beautiful area and making her way towards UT/AZ. We struck up a conversation with her and shared van tours. We asked if she would kindly help us with a shuttle so we could run the river. Without hesitation she agreed and was thrilled to help us.

We drove up the canyon road as far it went to a parking and trailhead area. We unloaded our boats and gear and Teresa drove our van back to our campsite (our take out point). Huge thank you to Teresa for helping us with the shuttle!! From the parking area, we carried up the trail a ways to a spot we could access the river. From here is was boulder gardens, a couple deeper spots for stern squirts, and soaking in the gorgeous scenery. All smiles, we paddled our way to our river side camp spot take out. Definitely a section of river and an experience we will remember! Ahhh, so good!

The Tongue River.

The next day, we continued east towards South Dakota. Knowing that the Sturgis Rally was coming up, we made it a big driving day to get well past that area to hopefully avoid the potential traffic congestion. We of course did some sight seeing from the road along the way. We stopped for a whirlwind tour of Mount Rushmore. There is so much more to discover in the Black Hills National Forest. We will have to commit another time to explore that area. We also drove the scenic road along the Badlands. Wow! This is another truly spectacular area. If you haven’t seen it yet, go! Nearing dusk we settled into a boondocking spot along the Missouri River for the night.

Mount Rushmore.

The Badlands.

The next morning we made the final push for home, IOWA! Checking the gauge, it looked like we were going to be able to catch the last water remnants at our home spot. We made it to Chuck Town and enjoyed a beautiful summer afternoon on the wave. Happy to be home! The next morning, Sunday, the wave dropped out at Charles City. It was now a fun, foamy little wave. A group of University of Nebraska students also arrived for a day of kayaking at the park. We introduced ourselves, struck up a convo, then grabbed our playboats and held an impromptu rolling/skills clinic with the NE group. So good to be home and enjoying the river!

New mural at Charles City, IA.

Thanks to all along our journey! We loved the time we spent with you and appreciate your warm hospitality. We boated/surfed 7 new to us rivers and traveled through 11 different states on our trip. I have a new appreciation for winter and will not complain about being cold! It was sooo hot on some portions of our trip, over 100 degrees for several days. So much more to see, hope we can make another trip soon!

Home.

-Hannah RayJ

Embed youtube video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dTlhD3QKj0
Boating on the Tongue River.