Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Devil's Gulch

(By Stix Douglas)

As the wind gusted it was blowing large drops of water into my face and leaving spots on my safety glasses making it even more difficult to see. My two Wise Guy buddies and I had been riding on an extended two lane alternative/scenic route to the Mecca of motorcycling (Sturgis). We were just coming to the end of our first full day of riding. It was nearly dusk and we were desperately in need of a place to spend the night. Hopefully one that was dry.

We were like a posse riding hard all day, and now trying to stay ahead of a storm. The rain had been falling on us for the previous 20 mile and although we had heard several reports on the radio, we knew the worst was heading in our direction. We desperately wanted to avoid it. It was right upon us. We were in need of shelter or a place to hide out from it and to be able to bunk for the night.

Our original plans were to spend the night at a Palisades State Park, which is located in the most southeastern corner of South Dakota only a short distance from the Minnesota state line. When we arrived there we had been informed by the Park Ranger that there were no vacancies and it was suggested to us to continue on Hwy 11 to Split Rock Park a few miles further and on the northern side of the town of Garretson near a place called Devils Gulch.

Following the directions we were given we turned off the Hwy onto a small paved road that led us to the entrance of Split Rock Park. Just before we turned into the park we noticed another sign for Devil's Gulch that continued on up ahead. We had been on many an expedition before but for the time being we were just looking to get a roof over our heads.


The single lane road leading into the park was nothing more than a path of loose pee gravel that made it extremely difficult to ride on with a motorcycle.

At the end was a cul-de-sac where we parked under several large Cedar trees. They reminded me a lot of the ones back home in Missouri. At least now we were able to remain out of the rain for the most part while we unloaded the gear from our bikes and set up our bed rows for the night under a pavilion nearby.

A short distance away you could see and hear the delightful sound of a waterfall from a dam as it rushed over a stair step of Cut Granite Rock.



That night the water sounds were like listening to a lullaby for us weary and tired travelers. We were worn from the days hard ridden miles as we slept soundly almost unscaved from the fierce storm as it passed through during the night..

The next morning we headed back into the small town of Garretson. There was no diner, but it did have a small local grocery store that had a place for customers to buy breakfast that came complete with tables and chairs for its customers to enjoy their meal.
As we drank coffee an ate breakfast we struck up conversations with the locals. Trading stories and founding out that it was other Missourians Frank and Jesse James to be exact that made the area a novelty with the Historical site, which was now a Municipal State Park, called Devil's Gulch.
Marked on the road Atlas and forever in the history books from an incident that happened there dating back to September 7th 1876. When we finished we thanked everyone for their hospitality and the story and we decided to have a look at this Devils Gulch for ourselves.

According to the documentation the facts were that during that time the notorious outlaws Frank & Jesse James had been involved with the Youngers in a Bank Robbery in Northfield, Minnesota, that had gone dreadfully bad. Several of the Youngers had been killed along with some townsfolk.



Many people were angered by the killings and went after Jesse and his brother. The two had separated near Split Rock Creek. Frank heading alongside the creek to the north while Jesse headed south taking the posse with him in hot pursuit

According to Frank in an interview in 1870 many years after the fact and without any other way of knowing other than by his account of the events Jesse had either trained his horse prior or forced it to jump a 18 to 20 foot Gourge. . Leaving the posse behind, unable and or unwilling to attempt to do the same.


I had a hard time understanding the signifigance and was captured by the magic of this location. Its hard to put into words realizing we were at the place where this had actually happened. A place where myth meets legend.

Was this planned or was it just plain luck of the draw? We may never know for certain but in either case I felt more in touch with my Missouri roots and a alittle more comradely with my outlaw side after having been there.
This was where there was more to the story than what mets the eye.

As my Wise Guy buddies and I pulled out on our Harleys heading to our mecca that morning I couldn't help but know in my mind that I'll always remember this place. The fact we mirrored trying to excape and were from Missouri makes it sort of ironic. We could have passed it up and missed it but I am so much more impressed that we took the time, and investigated it for ourselves.

It wasn't just another night out on the road to Sturgis, with my Wise Guy buddies. Instead it was a tremendous experience. It felt as if we were a part of history and it was another notch in our travels on the journey to our ultimate destination.
We often collect the memories and remember the thrills it is that makes us Legends and that's why we continue on....

You can find out more by clicking up the words " Devil's Gulch " on your search engine of your computer about this special place in South Dakota and or I suggest you go to these web sites for more information. Its one way to know, but its nothing like actually having been there.

http://www.trailsandgrasslands.org/gulch.html
http://www.uwsp.edu/geo/projects/geoweb/participants/dutch/VTrips/DevilsGulchSD.HTM
http://www.outdoorplaces.com/Destination/secret/garretson/index.htm