“My lands are where my dead lie buried”: Crazy Horse 1877

Crazy Horse, age 34, was killed at Fort Robinson by an American soldier on September 6, 1877, while under a flag of truce. He was killed trying to defend his Sioux people and their way of life. He took up arms only after he saw the presidential signed Treaty of 1868 broken, only after he saw his leader Conquering Bear exterminated by treachery, only after he saw the failure of the government to bring forth treaty guarantees, and only after he saw his people’s lives and way of life ravaged and destroyed. The Crazy Horse memorial continues to be built with private funds with the goal to showcase all Native Americans. The Crazy Horse Monument Foundation has refused government money so that they can narrate the story without government censorship.

Badlands National Park is famous for dramatic landscapes, fossils and crazy weather

This park is a geological wonder in South Dakota, with eroded buttes, spires and layered rock formations in hues of red and gold at sunrise and sunset. The park is also a haven for fossils, preserving one of the richest fossil beds in the world. The weather is dramatic and harsh here, and conditions can change on a dime with thunderstorms rolling in at a moment’s notice. Over three days here, temperatures varied from a low of 51 to a high of 95, and from sunshine to torrential rains and lightning.

Roosevelt National Park and the American Bison

Theodore (Teddy) Roosevelt Jr., our 26th president, was a pioneering conservationist, establishing five national parks, 150 national forests, 51 bird reserves, and 18 national monuments. His efforts led to the protection of over 230 million acres of public land to preserve America’s beauty. He signed the Antiquities Act, empowering presidents to safeguard our natural treasures. Interesting family fact, my grandfather, Frank Milton Conklin, accompanied Teddy Roosevelt and the Roughriders during the Spanish-American War in Cuba.

Grasslands National Park; Chief Sitting Bull sought sanctuary here after the Battle of Little Bighorn

After the Battle of Little Bighorn in 1876, Chief Sitting Bull and 4,000 Lakota Sioux sought sanctuary in Canada. They camped at five waterways (including the Frenchman River) in what is now Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan. The legendary Will James later homesteaded here in 1911 at the famous 76 Ranch, one of the oldest and largest ranches in Canada, to learn the cowboy way of life. He would become the popular author and illustrator of 25 books on the west. Grasslands National Park represents the northernmost range of the Prairie Dog and is now again home to the native bison.

 

One of the largest dark sky preserves in Canada

Cyprus Hills Interprovincial Park is among the largest dark sky preserves in Canada. Located near the southern border of Alberta and Saskatchewan, the park is comprised of two units, one in Alberta and one in Saskatchewan. The eastern unit has a large telescope used for public star gazing. The nearby town of Maple Creek, with its old western flavor, is a great place to grab a coffee or dinner. 

Less frequented Siyeh Pass in Glacier National Park, Montana

This is a great hike on a much less frequented trail in Glacier National Park. The Siyeh Pass trail passes through alpine meadows and higher up through the famous glacially carved Preston Park as the trail ascends up to the pass at elevation 8,800 ft-msl. There are great vista views of Matahpi Peak and Mount Siyeh. I also added photos of nearby St. Mary and Baring Falls we caught on another day.
 

Along the 49th Parallel at Waterton Lakes National Park

In 1932, an agreement between Canada and the U.S. led to the joining of Glacier National Park and Waterton Lakes National Park as Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park. The U.S. and Canada compromised in 1846 and agreed to the 49th parallel as the international border. The two parks are separated by a 40-foot zone that is kept cleared, with no wall (yet) between the two nations. I have never seen such a perfect lake reflection as the one I captured in the first photo.