2024 Northern Migration + Devils Tower
“What do you think about selling the Scamp?” I asked Kate when we were making plans to leave Tucson for the season.
Kate’s dad had gone into assisted living in March and the bulk of the responsibilities would fall to her when we reached the Twin Cities. We’d have to schedule an estate sale and prepare the condo for selling. There wouldn’t be much time for camping.
“It’s up to you, but it makes sense. Maybe we could check out Class Bs when we’re ready.”
I’d placed my Scamp order in 2021 when I was single. It was small and wasn’t something we had chosen together.
I listed the Scamp on Facebook Marketplace the beginning of April. It didn’t get any action. The RV market has definitely softened since my 18-month wait for delivery in August 2022.
Finally, a guy called and wanted to look at it.
We went to the storage lot, pulled off the protective cover, and opened her up. Then we saw the map on the door with the 13 states we’ve visited…and missed our Scamping adventures.
Turns out the guy was over six feet tall and had to turn his head sideways inside the Scamp.
We were relieved he wasn’t interested.
We started making plans and reservations for our trip north. Instead of a quick three-day driving trip, we planned a fourth day to enjoy Devils Tower National Monument in Wyoming.
Packed, loaded, and ready to roll.
In the past, we’ve taken the southern I-10 route through Las Cruces, New Mexico. The freeway is so chewed up with all the truck traffic, this time we opted for the northern route through Flagstaff. What an enjoyable difference. The roads were much better and the scenery stellar.
Our favorite place to fuel up is the Love’s Travel Stops. With the Loves Connect App, we get ten cents off every gallon of gas.
You see all kinds of things on the road. This was an interesting rig with a Freightliner cab and ~53 feet of living space…likely a touring celebrity. The driver was using the dump station.
Northern Arizona is gorgeous…and the route definitely beats the southern truck route.
We spent our first night at Grants KOA Journey in Grants, New Mexico. Just off the freeway, this KOA has 37 pull-through sites, 5 back-in sites, and 3 cabins. The staff was super friendly with a restaurant that delivered a hot meal to our site. It appeared most campers were passing through. We’d definitely stay here again.
Hello Colorado Rockies…
Our second night was spent at the Colorado Springs KOA Holiday in Fountain, Colorado. With 239 RV sites and 38 cabins along Fountain Creek, it appeared many RVs spent months there. We’d opt for a different campground when passing through again.
The next morning, we drove through Denver then headed north into Wyoming.
Ride along with us in the wide-open spaces of Wyoming.
In Northeastern Wyoming, the Devils Tower KOA didn’t open up until May 1st, so we stayed at the Devils Tower View RV Park, landing as the sun was beginning to set. The family-owned campground offers tent and RV camping with electrical hookups and an onsite restaurant…
and is only three miles from Devils Tower, where we’re headed in the morning.
Devils Tower in the early morning light.
Getting up close and personal. There isn’t a lot of parking around the monument, so it was the perfect day and time to be there with very little traffic before peak tourist season. Fewer visitors on the trail made for a pleasant two-mile hike along the base on the Devils Tower Trail.
The Devils Tower National Monument stands 867 feet from its base to the summit. The summit is about the size of a football field.
Devils Tower is sacred to the Native American community and prayer flags can be found along the trail.
The view looking west from the Devils Tower Trail.
Climbers must register with the Visitor Center. Between 5,000-6,000 people climb Devils Tower every year. The average time it takes to climb is four to six hours. The fastest time was eighteen minutes.
There are three climbers in this photo…around the 8 o’clock position in the center are two climbers, then up and to the right is the third climber.
To get a sense of what it’s like to climb Devil’s Tower, visit this 3D model.
There are four different theories on how Devils Tower was formed. Column formations occur only in igneous rocks. Devils Tower is the largest example of this geological feature.
Below is the section called “The Window,” where years ago columns broke away to expose the columns underneath. Rock climbers apparently avoid this route because of the difficulty scaling the roof of the window.
We really enjoyed visiting and viewing this geological marvel. One last look before we leave.
If you’d like to virtually experience the area, visit the Devils Tower webcams.
After visiting Devils Tower, we hooked up the Scamp and headed for North Dakota where we dropped it before heading to the Twin Cities.
We added two more states to our map (Colorado and Wyoming), bringing our total to 15.
We’re looking forward to adding several more when we head east at the end of the summer before traveling back to Tucson for the winter.
Gorgeous views of your road trip back to the Midwest. Hope you're feeling better! That Scamp is so darn cute. Betcha you'll have no problem selling it in the Twin Cities.
Love it, Deb. The Wyoming video was the perfect touch!