Continuing my South Dakota journey took me to Custer, SD and surrounding environs. My first major site here was Mt Rushmore. I went in the evening which meant way less crowding. I expected to have a major ‘Wow’ moment when I saw Mt Rushmore. I’m not saying that it isn’t a magnificent work of art, but rather that pictures I’ve seen of this memorial are so real and all encompassing that it didn’t feel different in real life. It was a nicely done monument with a very good film and museum. The museum explained in detail how each of the Presidents were chosen to be one of the four. I really enjoyed the promenade lined with the flags from each state. This promenade framed the carvings perfectly. More enjoyable were times when I saw Mt Rushmore from another vantage point that was unexpected. These views were mostly as I drove the Iron Mountain road that twisted and turned with very sharp switchbacks. There are 3 one-lane tunnels on the road. 2 of these tunnels framed a scene of Mt Rushmore perfectly as you drove through the tunnel. Ever tried to take a picture while driving through a tunnel? Not so easy! There was also a distant view of Mt Rushmore at Norbeck Overlook on this same road. For some reason those unexpected views of Mt Rushmore made more of an impression on me. Speaking of the Iron Mountain road, it was designed in the 1920’s and is an engineering marvel. Besides the 3 very narrow tunnels, there is a section called the Pigtail Bridges. As you are coming down the mountain side, the road corkscrews (like a pigs tail) around and underneath itself. There are 3 or 4 of these corkscrews on the way down. Almost like a roller coaster ride, only very slow!
Custer State Park is the largest state park in the United States. It has a number of scenic drives and encompasses multiple eco-systems. The wildlife loop drive included a large amount of prairie grassland. This is where you would usually find Bison, Big horn sheep, etc. What I did find were wild Burro’s. Wild might be a stretch since they wander down to the parking lot to be fed by the tourists. The herd I saw had about 15-20 Burros, some being very young. I did not have any food in the car so spent my time taking pictures as others fed them. I was glad I wasn’t feeding them as some became quite bossy and pushy to get food. If you left the windows down in your car, they would come stick their head in for a visit. It was a kick watching all the hubbub of Burros and tourists mingling together. The Burros were about the only ‘Wild’ life I saw on the Wildlife Loop Rd!
If I had to pick a favorite part of the park it would be the Needles Highway! Another curvy, winding road but instead of Mt Rushmore views every turn was met with huge rock formations sticking up like needles and fins. Nature’s artwork has truly taken form here and it’s hard to describe the feeling of awesomeness that accompanies this entire drive. The fact that it was after Labor Day helped with the amount of cars on the road. There were still lots of cars, however I was able to find parking at almost every pullout. I can see how this might be difficult in the height of summer season. This highway also has a one-lane tunnel. Before you start on this highway there are big signs of warning about the height and width of this tunnel… only 8 feet wide and 9.5 feet high. No RV’s allowed on this road. When I reached the tunnel, it was surrounded by skyscraper sized boulders. I must have spent a half hour taking pictures of the rocks and views before actually driving through. Even with my little Honda, it felt like a tight squeeze!
Sylvan Lake is the centerpiece of Custer State Park. Maybe ‘Masterpiece’ would be a better choice of words. Beautiful blue water and skies with Paul Bunyan sized boulders creating a wall at the far end of the lake. I spent a morning kayaking this lake and once done I walked the 1 mile loop trail around the lake. This was so fascinating because the trail goes behind those giant boulders making up the wall holding in the lake water. So you are walking well below the level of the lake on the backside. Where the outlet of the lake used to be, a dike or dam has been installed. Only when the lake level is high enough does water spill over the top of the dam. This was definitely one of those perfect days where I felt like singing at the end of it. Such stunning beauty everywhere. Oh, did I mention the hordes of people at this lake? What was so great is that every person was smiling and having a great time climbing on rocks and taking pictures. Yes, a perfect day!
CUSTER – The Town
I stayed at a great boondocking spot just about 8 miles from Custer, SD. It was up on a hill overlooking ranch land and rolling hills covered with pines. Like many of the small towns in the area, Custer caters mostly to the tourists. It did, however, feel much more like a real town than many others. In the downtown area, each intersection has a statue of a Bison with a unique picture or art of some kind. It was fun looking at the different ideas they came up with to decorate each Bison. Unlike the other small towns, Custer didn’t have any gambling but had quite a few quaint shops and restaurants. My fave restaurants were the Bakery (that also did a good breakfast – but coffee cake was to die for) and the Sage Creek Grill where I had the scrumptious Pot Roast Sandwich. As much as I enjoyed walking about town, I equally enjoyed driving the back roads that led past private homes or cabins on land of green with rocky outcroppings and stands of pine scattered about. This is absolutely beautiful country. If it wasn’t for the towns being so small I could see myself living here. OK, maybe not in the winter.
I took a day to drive South to Hot Springs, SD where I visited the Mammoth Site. First, Hot Springs was a beautiful town. The historic buildings were built using local red sandstone blocks. That made it very unique from the other towns. It was fairly spread out snaking through a narrow valley. The Fall River flowed through town as well giving it a cool feel, even though Hot Springs is supposedly the warmest town in South Dakota.
The Mammoth Site in Hot Springs was discovered in 1974 when a developer was bulldozing land to build houses. The bulldozer hit a mammoth tusk and that was the beginning of decades of paleontology excavation. The dig site has a building surrounding it and, although it is still an active dig site, it has been made into a museum. At the very beginning the decision was made to leave many of the bones ‘in situ’ so that the public could experience them in their natural setting as they were found. What an incredible place! It has been determined that originally this site was a sinkhole filled with warm spring water (uh, that was 190,000 to 140,000 years ago). The warmth of the water and surrounding vegetation led young Columbian Mammoths to the hole. The sides being very steep and slippery, the poor Mammoths would fall in and drown. So far there have been 61 Mammoths found at this site… 59 Columbian Mammoths and 2 Woolly Mammoths. One of the paleontologists was on site to answer questions which was super neat and interesting! Someone asked if he had any ambition to take DNA and created a real Mammoth. No, he said, there is no DNA left so he wouldn’t be creating a Jurassic Park!
I did so many things in this area, and there was still so much to see and do. But other lands beckon me, so after 10 days in this area I headed for Badlands National Park
Super entertaining read! Your descriptions and details really help me to envision your every experience!
Thanks for your wonderful comments. Makes me feel all fuzzy and warm inside!