The map at the top of this post represents our travels from August 11 through August 16.
We did so much on today, August 15, that it will take five posts to cover it all.
Our travels today took us through a range of terrains - everything from the dark pine forests and the rocky cliffs of the Black Hills, through verdant prairie grasslands and sandstone canyons; dry short-grass cattle ranches and rangeland and on to arid desert and watelands; and finally to fertile cropland dotted with prairie potholes and and dairy farms.
We began in South Dakota's Black Hills National Forest where we visited Mt. Rushmore. We didn't take the tour, since the place was mobbed. We just took some photos and headed back down the mountain. Mt. Rushmore is truly awe inspiring - what an accomplishment. Right near the parking area, we came across a nanny mountain goat and her kid! (They are shown in Post 5).
The National Park Serivce website says about Mt. Rushmore.
Carved into the Black Hills of South Dakota are the faces of four former presidents of the United States--George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. These men were chosen to represent the first 150 years of American history and America’s cultural heritage.
The idea came from Doane Robinson to promote tourism in South Dakota and his idea was wildly successful--the park attracts almost 3 million park visitors every year. Gutzon Borglum designed the sculpture. Though he passed away before its completion, over 400 workers helped bring his vision to life.
On the way to see Mt. Rushmore, we passed the Crazy Horse Memorial, which is a mountain monument under construction in the form of Crazy Horse, an Oglala Lakota warrior, riding a horse and pointing into the distance.
Then we went to Rapid City and stopped at Bear Country USA, a drive-through wildlife park. (Post 2 of 5). After that, we visited part of the Buffalo Gap National Grasslands and drove through the Badlands Loop, a 20+ section of Badlands National Park. (Post 3 of 5)
We then drove the entire width of South Dakota, ending our day at a campground just across the Minnesota border. (Post 4 of 5)
Post No. 5 is a few recent wildlife photos.
More in Parts 2-5
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