Mt Rushmore

I had seen the documentary about Mt. Rushmore years ago.  But watching on TV is not the same as seeing it in person.  I was aware of the history and the process, but we got to see all of this again in the museum.

I was impressed with how close you get.  I was under the false impression that I'd be viewing the sculpture from a mile away, but the experience is at the foot of the mountian amongst the giant boulders that were blown off the mountian.

We did the evening lighting ceremony.  It was nice, but I am not sure it was worth the wait (waiting for the sun to go down).

This stop falls into the category of "I'm glad we did it, I would not have wanted to miss it, but once is enough."

The drive over and back was an experience on the Peter Norbeck / Iron Mountian highway.  It was a creation in itself.  Switchbacks, corkscrew turns (back-to-back) in opposing directions, and 3 one-way tunnels (including 1 tunnel that perfectly frames the Mt. Rushmore).  Plus a stop on the way over for a fabulous scenic overlook.Read more