Catch the color and character of S.D. by using Hwy 44 instead of I-90
One of the major accomplishments of the Eisenhower administration in the 1950's was the creation and funding of the Interstate Highway System, which connects all 48 contiguous states into a network that promotes fast and efficient travel across our country.
In the postwar era, the Interstates quickly replaced railroads as America's preferred means of transportation. Middle-class American families discovered the joy and ease of road trips, and a culture grew up around these four lane highways that allow cars and semi trucks to move efficiently to thousands of destinations.
Here in South Dakota, Interstate 90 helped tourism to advance to a whole new level. Millions of visitors from states to the east of us are able to travel across our great state, stopping to see Mount Rushmore (and maybe even the Badlands) on their way to Yellowstone and other major attractions to the west. I-90 is a major national artery that crosses the country from Boston to Seattle, and our state is an integral part of it.
But maybe there's a downside to this efficient mode of transportation. In general, Interstates flatten out the terrain, and after a while everything looks the same. A network of truck stops, giant gas stations and convenience stores spring up at most exits, and suburban developments stretch out of cities (including Sioux Falls and Rapid City) as the Interstate provides a quick commute to work.
If you travel across South Dakota on a regular basis, you may have grown weary of I-90 and the predictable journey of 340 miles between our two major cities. How many times do you have to see the same billboards, promoting Wall Drug and the Firehouse Brewing Company?
Of course, the journey across the state on I-90 does have its moments. Crossing the Missouri River at Chamberlain offers a dramatic view, which has been heightened by Dale Lamphere's iconic Dignity Statue at the roadside rest area. Visitors who have not been here frequently are appropriately impressed. If they don't have time to drive through Badlands National Park and truly appreciate its magnificent scenery, they can at least catch a glimpse of the Badlands to the south as they cruise by at 80 miles per hour.
It's worth pointing out that there is an alternative route across South Dakota, and that is State Highway 44. If you're traveling west from Sioux Falls, you can take Interstate 29 south, and get off at either exit 64 or 68 and come west through the town of Lennox. At that point, get on Highway 44 and prepare yourself for a treat. This two-lane road will take you clear across the state, going through P-towns (Parker, Parkston, Platte) east of the river and W-towns (Winner, Witten, Wood, White RIver, Wanblee) west of the river.
If you are coming east from Rapid City, just go out to the airport and keep on going, following Highway 44 all the way east. Yes, these communities have gas stations and cafes in case you get hungry or your gas tank gets low. As you get out into the Pine Ridge reservation, you will enjoy spectacular Badlands scenery.
The Missouri River crossing on the Platte-Winner bridge is at least as intriguing as its I-90 counterpart, and you will also enjoy crossing the Vermillion, James, Little White, White and Cheyenne Rivers and seeing the natural terrain. There will be considerably less traffic than on the Interstate. The physical features along your journey will be more spectacular, and easier to contemplate and enjoy.
If you're not in a huge hurry, you will probably conclude that the scenic and more relaxed journey is well worth the extra 90 minutes that you spent coming across South Dakota.
Jay Davis is a retired Rapid City attorney
Photo: Interior, SD. The structure is roughly a century old, public domain, wikimedia commons
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