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Gorgeous Summer Road Trips to Take in Rural America [1]
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Date: 2024-07-18
Maple Creemee Trail, Vermont
Vermont leads the nation in maple syrup production and is widely known as a dairy state, but the marriage of the two isn’t often talked about. The “maple creemee,” a uniquely Vermont version of ice cream made with both of the state’s specialties, is stiffer than a soft serve but served in the familiar swirl. Both locals and visitors can sample 14 of the best maple creemees on Vermont Fresh Network’s Maple Creemee Trail.
“It is perfectly natural that during sugaring season, every family in Vermont buys a gallon of maple syrup from a sugar house,” said Tara Pereira, Vermont Fresh Network’s executive director. “Maple creemees celebrate Vermont’s agricultural heritage.”
The trail has 14 featured stops spread throughout the state, most of which are open seasonally from early spring to mid fall. The trail is set up as an interactive map, where road trippers can choose their own adventure, planning to stop for one creemee near other activities in Vermont, or visiting all as a creemee-themed multi-day road trip. The farthest north stop to the farthest south stop is about a five-hour drive through rural scenery, mountains, lakes, and farms.
Each location takes pride in its own special recipe, some with more maple, some heavier on cream. They range from walk-up roadside stands to family maple farms. Silloway Maple is in the heart of Vermont, just off of I-89. A family-owned maple sugaring operation, Silloway offers visitors a peek into their wood-fired syrup process via an impromptu tour and views of the working evaporator.
Silloway Maple turns some of the maple syrup it produces into creemees. (Photo from Vermont Fresh Network)
Silloway dishes up more than a tasty creemee; guests can order a sundae, a dusting of coffee or pumpkin spice maple sugar, or a topping of habanero or bourbon infused maple syrup. There’s also a doggie dish-sized treat for canine companions. Creativity abounds at Yates Family Orchard, whose Dreamee features maple creemee on a warm apple cider donut, and Canteen Creemee, featuring the Maple Madness Sundae in a cone topped with maple cotton candy.
“When traveling in Vermont, all roads begin at the farm,” said Pereira about the state’s abundance of agritourism opportunities. Traveling on the Maple Creemee Trail, mingling with locals and visitors alike, it all offers a pretty sweet immersion experience.
Hooked on creemees? The Vermont Agency of Agriculture created this interactive map with over 50 shops across the state.
Native American National Scenic Byway, South Dakota
South Dakota contains more than 300 miles of the Native American National Scenic Byway, going south to north through the lands of the Yankton, Crow Creek, Lower Brule, Cheyenne River, and Standing Rock Sioux tribes. Monuments, museums, and sacred sites along the byway commemorate the heritage of each tribe.
Driving parallel to the Missouri River, travelers pass through vast prairies and rolling hills, and find themselves alongside limestone cliffs. The landscape is full of native wildlife, with chances to see bison, prairie dogs, elk, and pronghorn. Near the southern terminus, Running Water, look for bald eagles, sacred to Native Americans.
Farther north, the city of Chamberlain has two important locations to visit. The Akta Lakota Museum & Cultural Center, located on the campus of St. Joseph’s Indian School, has been honoring the culture and history of the Northern Plains Indigenous people since 1991. At the museum, timeline exhibits share about life on the Great Plains, the arrival of missionaries and traders, the trail of broken promises, and Indigenous people, lifestyles, and rituals today. The Collector’s Gallery sells works by local Dakota, Nakota, and Lakota artists. Also in Chamberlain, overlooking the Missouri River, the Dignity of Earth and Sky statue stands 50 feet tall. It depicts a Native woman wearing a traditional dress, wrapped in a blue star quilt. Her moccasins alone are over six feet long.
The Dignity of Earth and Sky Statue along South Dakota’s Native American National Scenic Byway is 50 feet tall. (Photo from Travel South Dakota)
Continuing northward, Eagle Butte hosts the RedCan Graffiti Jam in July, fusing modern and native traditions. The public art event inspires Cheyenne River Sioux youth to explore their identities, and spurs revitalization of the Lakota culture. Visitors are welcome to experience four days of mural-making, self-expression, and community meals. In a more traditional vein, the Cheyenne River Sioux also host powwows throughout the year.
A series of murals painted by well-known Native American artist Oscar Howe are on display in Mobridge, South Dakota. Created in the 1940s as part of the Works Projects Administration, they have traditional and modern themes of the Wiwanyang Wacipi (sun dance), hunting, a Christian prayer service, and a treaty signing. Two monuments rest just outside of town on Standing Rock Indian Reservation overlooking the Missouri River. The tribute to Sacajawea, made famous by the Lewis and Clark expedition, was created with funds raised by Mobridge school children in the 1920s. The legendary Sitting Bull’s monument was created by Korczak Ziolkowski, a Polish-American designer and sculptor who also crafted the Crazy Horse Memorial in the Black Hills.
Stop for a famous piece of pie or souvenirs at roadhouse Al’s Oasis in Chamberlain.
Alaska Marine Highway All American Road, Alaska
Alaska has one-fifth of the land area of the lower 48 states, but not very many roads run through it. Those on a driving vacation do have at least one good option in the last frontier though, the Alaska Marine Highway, the only water-based national scenic byway.
Since 1963, residents of over 30 rural coastal communities, most of which don’t connect to the land-based highway system, have depended on state-run ferries to visit family, get deliveries, and see doctors. The ferry routes span 3,500 miles from Dutch Harbor in the Aleutian chain to Bellingham, Washington, and give access for visitors to some of the most beautiful wildlands in the United States.
The travel experience on the marine highway is part of the adventure. Four mainline ferries transport passengers and vehicles, offering amenities like sleeping berths, dining rooms, and observation lounges. Passengers can also bring sleeping bags to sleep in the covered solariums or in their own small tents, pitched on the upper decks. Public restrooms and showers are available.
Humpback whale watching near Juneau along the Alaska Marine Highway. (Photo courtesy of State of Alaska/Reinhard Pantke)
While the boats do not have all the amenities of a cruise ship, they sail the same Inside Passage waters as their more expensive counterparts. The U.S. Forest Service provides interpretive services on board, aiding visitors in identifying scenery and wildlife from the deck.
Over 20 years ago, I drove to Haines and hopped on the MV Columbia. I still have vivid memories of the soaring bald eagles, lounging sea lions, and friendly dolphin I saw. Our stops, Sitka and Juneau, were punctuation points amidst the wild scenery along most of the journey.
We walked along the coastal walking trail at Sitka National Historical Park to read the stories carved in the Tlingit and Haida totem poles and toured the restored Russian Bishop’s House, one of only four remaining Russian colonial structures in North America. Our humpback whale watching voyage out of Juneau was one of the most awe-inspiring wildlife encounters of my life. In a rare three-day window of sunshine, we also explored the glacial fingers visibly extending to near sea level from the 1,500 square mile Juneau Icefield.
Admiralty Island, also reached by the Alaska Marine Highway, is said to have the most dense bear population on Earth at almost one bear per square mile. Gustavus is a launching point for exploring Glacier Bay National Park, a deep fjord lined with 10 large tidewater glaciers.
Travelers can enjoy the awesome scenery from the deck, but getting off the boat in some of the rural communities along the way gives a taste of local culture and access to more remote adventures.
Want to explore the interior of the state on an off-road adventure? Try the 470-mile Alaska Railroad, a state scenic byway.
Rangeley Lakes National Scenic Byway, Maine
Western Maine might not be as well-known as its eastern coastal cousin, but visitors to the 52-mile Rangeley Lakes National Scenic Byway will gain appreciation for the Rangeley Lakes forested mountain and water landscape. Several overlooks offer birds-eye views. One of the most popular and expansive is Height of Land, near the southern end of the route. Whip Willow Farm overlook is rich with history and a good spot for watching storms roll in from the west. Quill Hill has an expansive, 360-degree view of everything.
Byway Ambassadors, sponsored by the Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust, are stationed at many of these pull outs to recommend some of the bountiful recreation opportunities. The Appalachian Trail crosses the byway twice, and visitors can hop on for a short – or long – hike. A number of waterfalls and adventures are accessible via other hikes from the byway. Fly Rod Crosby Trail, for instance, traverses a 90-foot gorge. Smalls Falls has bonus swimming holes to provide relief from the summer heat.
Overlooks along the Rangeley Lakes National Scenic byway offer vistas of the lake country, surrounded by forests and mountains. (Photo from the Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust)
A prime fishing area for generations, the Rangeley Lakes are a haven for 97% of the brook trout in the state of Maine. Mooselookmeguntic Lake is the largest naturally stocked lake in Maine. The region sits at the intersection of the boreal and Appalachian forests and is identified as a globally important birding area. Dark sky events are held monthly.
Two communities sit along the byway: the quaint hamlet of Oquossoc and the adventure town of Rangeley. Both host numerous summer festivals, and this year will be the first annual canoe rendezvous, a voyage on part of the Northern Forest Canoe Trail that runs through on its way from the Adirondacks to Quebec.
Visitors can stay in campgrounds in Rangeley State Park or Cupsuptic Lake. Much of the land surrounding the byway is under protection by the Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust or a state conservation easement. Those acres owned by timber management companies are open to public recreation, a sacred Maine tradition. While the trust celebrates the recreation opportunities along the route, it is trying to do more than just attract people to the region.
“We see the byway as a way to promote conservation,” said David Miller, executive director of Rangely Lakes Heritage Trust, in an interview. “Sharing what we value about this place and what we need to do to keep the landscape intact and resilient is more important than preserving the viewshed and a critical responsibility for being involved in a byway.”
Those who prefer indoor accommodations can check in to the historic Rangeley Inn & Tavern, welcoming visitors to the region since 1909.
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