Day 14-16 Mount Rushmore Area

North America » United States » South Dakota » Black Hills National Forest
July 13th 2009

Published: July 13th 2009

On Wednesday July 8, we woke up in Gillette WY, and saw the "Devils Tower" National Monument , which is more properly called the Bear Lodge National Monument. All the Indian nations called it something like Bears Lodge, and the caucasian explorer just came up with his own name, but claimed Devils Tower was the Indian name. Devils Tower was the backdrop for the movie Close Encounters of the Th... Read Full Entry

Photos are below

Photos: 42, Displayed: 21

Inside Jewel Cave 2

This is a picture of Cave Bacon. This is a formation of deposits that resembles a huge piece of bacon. I had to get a picture of that.

Mount Rushmore

It is really very impressive. This is looking up from the boardwalk right below it.

Leaving Jewel Cave

Cray modeling all of his Junior Ranger Badges. This was our last National Park on the trip. He's ready to head home.

Mount Rushmore

Closeup view.

Mount Rushmore

Colleen and Cray walking up to the monument. There is a row of flags ahead of them. Every states flag is displayed there.

Mount Rushmore

Even closer. The detail that was put into this is incredible.

Mamoth Excavation Site

This is the skeleton of a mamoth found in Hot Springs Sout Dakota. There are hundreds of these skeletons found here.

Mamoth Excavation Site

This is the skull of one. Because of the way the sediments covered these animals, the bones never fossilized. Maybe they can extract DNA and have a zoo with Mamoths. Awesome!

Mount Rushmore

This is a shot taken after the lighting ceremony that they have every night. I think it looks more impressive then.

Mount Rushmore

We visited Mt. Rushmore twice and both nights we left during thunderstorms that had some large hail. It sounded as though our van was being shot at with machine guns.

Mamoth Excavation Site

More mamoth skeletons.

MR 7

In the same general area of South Dakota is a private undertaking. This is the carving of Crazy Horse. To get an idea of the scale, there is an excavator at the botom of the carving. Mt. Rushmore is the size of Crazy Horse's head.