June 18, 2025 (Wed.) - Travel day - Custer's gulch RV park
Finally hit the road! We pulled out of Box Elder at 11 AM and arrived at Custer’s Gulch RV Park around 1 PM, a short and easy 45-mile drive. The route via 79S > 36W > 16W seemed straightforward, but Lynn had some anxiety after reading that RVs should avoid 16A due to tight turns, low clearances, and narrow roads. The signs near 36W did switch to 16A, which didn’t help the nerves—but Kirk stayed calm, trusted the RV Life (app) route, and all was smooth sailing. We made sure to avoid the Iron Mountain detours, where our rig definitely wouldn’t have fit.
Once in Custer, the weather was perfect—about 10° cooler than Box Elder with blue skies and no wind. The RV park itself is a dream: lush grass, fire pits, a covered picnic table, and enough room to stretch out the patio. At $91/night, it’s double our rate at America’s Mailbox, but honestly… totally worth it for the next 2½ weeks. Note to self : not a fan of the pull-through sites due to its proximity to the road, the site at the end of the cul-de-sac is prime.
We spent the afternoon exploring downtown Custer—snapped some photos, browsed a few shops, and decided to try Calamity Jane’s for dinner. Closed out the evening unwinding by the campfire with wine and soaking in the peaceful surroundings.
Weather – High of 75*, Low 46*. No wind!!!
Traffic – None.
Notable – Custer’s Gulch RV Park
Food – Calamity Jane’s – not very good except for the Miner’s Tips.
food : Calamity Jane's
We had dinner at Calamity Jane’s as Kirk saw ribs on the menu in the window so we checked it out. The Miner’s Tips were good for an appetizer. Despite the server’s praises that the ribs were freshly cooked, it was definitely not up to par as they were extremely dry. Lynn had chicken fried steak of course. It was large but not that great. Kirk shared her meal as the ribs were not bearable to finish. The potato wasn’t fully cooked either. We’re not usually one to voice complaints to the staff but we did tell them the ribs were dry and not edible. They said ‘sorry’ and that was it.
