Mount Rushmore

I have always wanted to see Mount Rushmore but we've never been "in the area".  So when Scott said we might be able to see it on this trip I was so excited.  There were a few moments of doubt when our friends told us the weather had turned sour.  And had we been here last week we probably would have not gone - the weather up there was -22° F.  I was so pleased to see this historic monument!  It really is amazing.

The trail is a set of steps, I think the sign said 250.  We went the wrong way...up, instead of down.  I guess it was good though because we worked off some of all this food we've been eating.

 

Taken from a crack in a cave on the trail.

Our kids like the Jr. Ranger Program with the National Parks while we were on deputation so we have continued it as a tradition.  Bethany, Adeline, Nehemiah, Isabel and Simeon all earned their badges for Mt. Rushmore.

Brandon has some grand aspirations.

We drove through the Wildlife loop in the Custer State Park.  It was so cool to be just a few feet from wild buffalo.  Let me tell you they are HUGE!  This guy walked in front of the van and then stood off to the driver's side.  I couldn't see the top of his back from my seat.  Our van is 7 foot 2 inches.

After we left the park we were still driving through the Black Hills and saw a sign that said "Danger Large Wildlife May Be in the Road" .  It was a good thing he had to slow down for a curve or he would have had a mighty big insurance claim as there was a HUGE buffalo standing in our lane.