Today promised the possibility of bison and near certainty of seeing prairie dogs in Wind Cave National Park, followed by the Crazy Horse monument and Mount Rushmore. To get there, we steadily climbed beginning right out of Hot Springs, through Wind Cave, dropped down a bit to the towns of Pringle and Custer, and then steadily climbed again to Rushmore. The weather began sunny, darkened and spit a little water through the middle, and became sunny again as we left Rushmore.
A lone bison. The herd was across the highway.Prairie dog keeping an eye on the lone bison.Crazy Horse monument todayAnd in 2004. The biggest difference I noticed was the trees to the left having grown to the point of screening the view from the highway.Horse Thief Lake, on the road approaching Mount Rushmore from the west.The back side of Mount RushmoreThe first glimpse of Mount Rushmore is from the side to the south. That’s President Washington.From the viewing area. Once remodeling completes, we’ll be able to walk further to get an even closer loo.For now, we just crop the image
