South Dakota

South Dakota was a bit of a surprise packet to be honest - we really really liked it. The countryside was great to drive along, and there was lots to see and do there as well. Mt Rushmore was an obvious highlight, but the Badlands National Park was an amazing sight with very cool colours and rock formations.



Badlands National Park

Mt Rushmore (note the spectacular day we had!) - we arrived just after a Greenpeace banner was unfurled next to Lincoln's face! The protesters were arrested....and taken away in cuffs and one even in leg irons. The drama!! From left, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, Abraham Lincoln

The model that the carvings were based upon, and how they were supposed to look when finished (the sculptor died before this could happen). The scale was 1":1'

After the banner was removed

Crazy Horse Memorial - whereas the faces of each President is 60 feet tall, Crazy Horse's face is 81 feet tall. This memorial receives no outside funding, and so is not progressing as quickly as the sculptors would like. In the bottom right hand part of the rock the outline of Crazy Horse's horse can be seen: it is here that the next part of the carving is happening. The history of the memorial and of Crazy Horse is very complex - I've just read a bit more about it on Wikipedia and rather than get the story wrong here, would recommend you check it out there if you're interested!

Custer State Park - Harney Peak Lookout

Harney Peak Lookout - this is the highest point in the US east of the Rocky Mountains and west of the Pyrenees in Europe!! We are at 2207m elevation (7242 feet).

Custer State Park