The 605 team got cozy in our Sprinter Van for this year’s annual road trip to Lemmon for the Hugh Glass Rendezvous. The event celebrates the legendary story of the “mountain man” who survived a mauling by a grizzly bear, was abandoned by his traveling partners, and crawled over 200 miles to safety.
The August rendezvous takes attendees back to the 1800s with primitive mountain man camping, black powder shootouts, live demonstrations, a prairie church service, and more.
Our team had never made the trek to Lemmon before, so we were excited to explore everything the town had to offer.
A WARM WELCOME
After a seven-hour drive, we pulled into Lemmon, eager to stretch our legs and fill our growling stomachs. Our first stop to kick off our road trip was Powderhorn Family Restaurant, a pizza shop that also specializes in various other meals and treats.
Owner Corey Deutscher welcomed us with open arms and prepared to serve us a full table of food.
We met Lemmon Chamber of Commerce’s marketing director, Abbie Hulm, and tried our hand at the multiple arcade games located within the eatery.
After winning a couple of ducks from the claw machine, we sat down to enjoy our pizza. The team decided to try the fan-favorite specialty pizzas, Pesto Chicken and Powderhorn Special.
The local eatery also offers burgers, sandwiches, basket meals, wings, and salads. For a sweet treat, choose between soft-serve ice cream, sundaes, or a Dough Boy—a deep-fried dough topped with butter and cinnamon sugar, served with caramel.
DID YOU KNOW
Lemmon was founded in 1907 and is known as “The Cowboy Capital.”
FOOD, FOOD… AND EVEN MORE FOOD
Shortly after, we visited Lisa Donohue, owner of Saint Larry’s BBQ & Catering, at her food truck behind the Kokomo Gallery.
As if we weren’t full enough, we sure would be after munching on their Smoked Pork Street Tacos, Sweet Sriracha Smoked Pork Belly, and The Saint Larry Smash Burger.
Inspired by the patron saint of BBQ, Donohue and her best friend, Michael Van Beek, take their spin on the classic, rustic, wood-fired food with a simple menu.
Customers can pair their meal with a soda or an ice-cold beer from Lost Cabin Beer Co. and enjoy the sights of the John Lopez Sculpture Garden. I know we sure did.
Before we knew it, it was dinner time and we made our way down Main Street to the Chinese Garden. The eatery offers a serene setting for locals and visitors to enjoy traditional Chinese cuisine.
The staff welcomed us and served us a large spread of their favorite family-style appetizers and dishes including Crab Rangoons, Egg Rolls, Chicken Lo Mein, and Pepper Steak, to mention a few.
Satisfied and bloated, we packed our belongings and waddled away with two bags full of leftovers.
A GALLERY AND A GARDEN
A hop, skip, and a jump away was our last destination of the day: The John Lopez Sculpture Garden and the Kokomo Gallery.
John Lopez, a South Dakota native, specializes in creating infamous sculptures from bronze and scrap metal.
Lopez’s work is featured across the world, but his most notable works are situated in his hometown, including Boss Cowman Square, Tree of Life, and Hugh Glass.
The team moved into the gallery and took a peek at his gift shop. It should come as no surprise that 605 founders Alana and John Snyder snagged some goodies.
As our day was coming to an end, we checked into the Branded Inn before winding down for the night.
GRUB AND A GEOGRAPHICAL MARVEL
The second day of our trip started bright and early for some breakfast at Red Barn Bakery.
The local bakery and flower shop serves up everything from sandwiches, specialty coffees, ice cream, pastries, smash burgers, soups, and salads.
Owner Shari Smith decided to serve us the Ultimate French Toast, the Barn Club, an Iced Caramel Latte, and their signature Tornado—a frozen treat made up of half smoothie and half-soft serve ice cream.
With energy from caffeinated beverages and some homestyle cooking, the team headed to our next stop, the Petrified Wood Park & Museum.
Occupying nearly a full city block, the Petrified Wood Park is a geological and archaeological curiosity. The outdoor park boasts towers up to 20 feet tall and a castle comprised of petrified wood, dinosaur, and mammoth bones.
Inside the free, on-site museum is a plethora of historical artifacts and features, with a knowledgeable and friendly staff ready to guide you.
NEW DIGS
After our exploratory adventures, we sat down at Olive Branch Eatery to grab some nosh.
As one of the newer restaurants in town, Olive Branch Eatery has quickly become a favorite among locals, specializing in lunch specials from Monday to Saturday with an aesthetically pleasing environment.
While Alana and I ordered the Olive Branch sandwich, John decided on a classic BLT, and Greta sipped on some Strawberry Lemonade. Customers have the option to choose from chips, a side salad, cottage cheese, soup, or a daily special as their side.
For us, the daily special included a Southwest Pasta Salad and a Ranch Pasta Salad.
The Olive Branch also serves daily breakfast with favorites such as the Breakfast Burrito, French Toast, the Ultimate Breakfast Sandwich, and goodies like muffins, tarts, fruit pizza, and fruit Danishes.
TRICERA-TOP THAT!
Our next stop was the Grand Prairie Museum—an institution that is home to exhibits featuring ranching, dinosaur fossils, Native American history, Hugh Glass, and more.
Upon our arrival, we were greeted with excitement from owner Stuart Schmidt. Our tour began with the Hugh Glass display.
Featuring John Lopez’s sculpture, a large poster of The Revenant—the 2016 motion picture inspired by the frontiersman’s story—photographs, and article clippings retell the story.
One of the museum’s standout exhibits is a life-size Pachycephalosaurus skull, which was excavated from the Schmidt ranch.
Schmidt challenged Greta and me to pick up other dinosaur bones that were on display. After that, all I can say is to never underestimate the weight of a bone.
After our fascinating and educational visit, the crew stopped by Grandma’s Chocolates for an afternoon pick-me-up.
TRAVELING BACK IN TIME
It was finally time to head to Hugh Glass Rendezvous, but before our trek there we met up with the event organizer and our guide, LaQuita Shockley.
The Hugh Glass Rendezvous’s goal is to recognize the work of early frontiersmen who contributed to the rich history of Northwest South Dakota.
We made our way to Shadehill Recreation Area to get an insight into the historical event.
Canvas Wedge Tents lined the pasture with attendees dressed to the nines with various 18th-century goods. Patrons across the nation travel to Lemmon every year to celebrate the rendezvous, some attending for as long as 15 years.
After chatting with event-goers, John wanted to join in on the black powder shootouts, while Greta tried her hand at axe throwing.
“LEMmon is continuing to grow because of the strong sense of community & welcoming nature of its residents. people here are incredibly friendly, & anyone who decides to move to this small town is embraced with open arms.”
-Abbie hulm, Lemmon Chamber of Commerce
LET’S FEAST
It was time to head back to the 21st century for our dinner at R Bar Steakhouse. We met back up with Shari Smith, who was also the owner of R Bar at the time (it has since been sold to Rayna Bergin).
We sat for a bit, chatting with Smith and local customers, and sipped on some cocktails before getting back to work. Like the 605 team always says, “The camera eats first.”
Our table was filled with the Western Burger, Walleye, BBQ Chicken Wings, and Ribeye.
The team decided it wasn’t time to end the night yet. We decided to check out the Lemmon Legion Club Post 66 after hearing countless times to do so.
Throughout our time there, Greta and I picked some songs out to play on the Jukebox and recapped our time in the town.
SNACKY SENDOFF
The final stop of our road trip was back at Red Barn Bakery to grab some fuel.
After thanking Smith for everything, we had coffee and breakfast sandwiches in hand, ready to head back to Sioux Falls.
The team got situated in their seats, preparing for the long journey home.
ROAD TRIP ITINERARY
Recreate 605’s road trip! Check out our activities below.
Powderhorn Family Restaurant
facebook.com // (605) 374-5148
Saint Larry’s BBQ & Catering
facebook.com // (701) 388-0372
Chinese Garden
(605) 374-7705
Kokomo Studio &
Sculpture Gallery
johnlopezstudio.com // (605) 209-0954
Red Barn Bakery
facebook.com // (605) 374-2253
Petrified Wood Park & Museum
lemmonsd.com // (605) 374-3964
Olive Branch Eatery
facebook.com // (605) 374-1791
Grand River Museum
thegrandrivermuseum.com // (605) 769-4006
Grandma’s Chocolates
facebook.com
Hugh Glass Rendezvous
facebook.com // (605) 393-5832
R Bar Steakhouse
facebook.com // (605) 374-7227
Lemmon Legion Club Post 66
facebook.com // (605) 391-2307
