Day 25: Devils Tower, WY and South Dakota – Crazy Horse, Custer State Park, and Mt. Rushmore

Miles driven to-date: 6,962
States visited to-date: 22

This morning on our way out of Wyoming we stopped to see Devils Tower of “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” fame. We learned that the huge rock formation is actually the core of a volcano that has been exposed after millions of years of erosion. In 1906, Teddy Roosevelt named it the nation’s first national monument. Devils Tower has great significance to Native Americans and also has several hiking trails and great rock climbing, though we only saw it from the side of the road. It had a spooky feeling to it and we could see why it was chosen to play such a prominent role in the Spielberg movie.

As we entered the Black Hills of South Dakota (so named because of the dark color of the ponderosa pines from a distance) we again stopped by the side of the road, this time to see the Crazy Horse Memorial. The project began in 1947 and is now only half-finished so it will likely be completed by about 2050. It honors the famed Native American warrior and is so big that all four of the presidents’ heads on Mt. Rushmore could fit into the face of Crazy Horse. When complete, it will be the world’s largest sculpture.

We didn’t have enough time to actually visit the exhibits around the memorial, but it was neat to see the carving-in-progress if only from a distance. We then drove through Custer and stopped for a beer at an old-fashioned saloon. We entered through hinged doors and were greeted by dim lights and a sawdust-covered floor. There were several locals inside and it was the kind of place where the music seemed to stop as we Yankees strode in. We definitely felt like tourists but when in Rome . . . right?

Custer’s main street had lots of souvenir shops, many of them carrying merchandise related to the big motorcycle rally that takes place each August in nearby Sturgis (I thought of you often, Uncle Pete!). After a bit of wandering, we decided to save some money on food and ate a quintessential road trip lunch in the van: peanut butter on leftover hot dog buns (don’t worry, I washed it down with some Dairy Queen).

Soon after our gourmet lunch, we drove into Custer State Park and checked into the Blue Bell Lodge which was located right in the park. It was really fun to stay in a log cabin with a kitchenette, 2 double beds, and bunk beds:

We were amazed at the size and beauty of the park, and immediately wished we had more time to explore. There were a ton of activities within walking distance of our cabin and we were especially intrigued by the Lodge’s famous “hayride chuck wagon cookout.” This hayride takes tourists into a canyon for a feast complete with live country music. Sadly, we had already decided to be at Mt. Rushmore for the Illumination Ceremony during our one evening here, so we had to forgo the cookout. Next time!!

With a couple of hours of free time before we had to leave for Mt. Rushmore, Steve took a well-deserved rest while I went on a guided horseback ride with several other guests from the lodge. I had ridden a couple of times when I was very young but was a little nervous about the possibility of getting hurt so I took the stable’s suggestion and wore a helmet. Nervously, I climbed aboard my patient steed named Texas – don’t I look like a natural up there?

The hour-long excursion took us along beautiful trails and through a creek where we let our horses have a drink. I enjoyed the ride immensely, though next time I would wear jeans instead of shorts because there was a little chafing!

At one point we rounded a bend and saw a giant elk with a full rack of antlers looking down at us from the top of a nearby hill. It was incredibly beautiful and I wished I had been allowed to bring my camera along. We also saw some newborn deer with white spots on their backs. I was just starting to get the hang of riding and even letting the horse canter a bit when I heard a commotion near me. The horse that a six year-old boy was riding had stumbled on the rocky trail and had fallen onto its face; the boy (NOT wearing a helmet) had been thrown over the horse’s neck and head but miraculously landed on his feet. I saw most of the whole thing go down and it was really scary, but the boy was fine and the horse seemed alright though he was bleeding from his mouth during the rest of the trip. Our guide promised that the horse would get the day off tomorrow!

After dismounting and breathing a sigh of relief that I was in one piece, I met up with Steve and we drove along Custer State Park’s 18-mile Wildlife Loop Road. We saw many more buffalo (1,500 live here) and our first antelope:

Next we began the journey to Mt. Rushmore and soon realized that we were in for an interesting drive. The roads were incredibly curvy and at times it felt like we were winding our way through a tight parking garage in Boston. We had to be extra careful to avoid creating roadkill!

I didn’t have high expectations for Mt. Rushmore – it was a “must see” but I figured there wouldn’t be much to it and I anticipated large, annoying crowds (our guidebook said “Mt. Rushmore boasts the faces that launched a thousand minivans”). Thanks to Steve’s research, though, we arrived in time for the nightly Illumination Ceremony and we were both very impressed. The program began with a performance by a high school band and a speech by a representative from the local FFA (Future Farmers of America ~ this made us think of the movie “Napoleon Dynamite”). A video chronicled the lives of the four presidents whose faces adorn the mountain and was quite moving as it emphasized the freedoms these men and others had fought for. Then a ranger asked all veterans and those in active military duty to come to the stage. The people on stage said their names, where they’re from, and how long they have been in service. It was very patriotic and I left feeling reminded of what a great country we live in.

We also learned a bit about the history of Mt. Rushmore. The carving started in 1927 and wasn’t finished until 1941. The four presidents were chosen because they represent the history - as well as future - of our country. Washington symbolizes the birth of the nation; Jefferson represents expansion because he was largely responsible for the Louisiana Purchase in 1803 which doubled the size of the country; Lincoln represents preservation because of his role in keeping the country united during the Civil War; and Roosevelt symbolizes development because of his involvement with the construction of the Panama Canal. Their huge sculpted faces were very life-like and we were really glad to have seen the mountain in person.

Driving back to the lodge took awhile because of the windy roads and because our eyes were constantly drawn to a beautiful lightening storm taking place in the distance. When we eventually drove through Custer looking for some dinner, everything was closed so we enjoyed another meal of PB-and-hot dog buns at the cabin. Steve tested out the top bunk as he ate:

Looking back on the day’s activities, it felt like we had done a lot and seen many different kinds of sights. We both really liked the Custer area and were pleasantly surprised at the number of things to do nearby. It is yet another place we’d like to return to someday . . .