09/13/21 Monday Mt. Rushmore Trip Day 13 Beaver Lake Campground

09/13/21 Monday Mt. Rushmore Trip Day 13

Beaver Lake Campground 

Custer, SD

Site I

Wind Cave National Park was our destination today. It's about a 30 minute drive southeast of Custer. It was a nice drive and beautiful country. 

Right before we turned off to the visitor center, we saw a buffalo sitting about 75 yards off the road. We stopped and took photos. He was huge and I would not want that guy moving toward me. They can jump 6’ high and run 35 mph. Too fast for me. He was a handsome fellow. 

We arrived at the visitor center and the parking lot was packed. I worried we would not get tickets. Their website states they sell out for each tour about 2 hours prior or sooner. They only sell 40 tickets per tour. We quickly got in line and there were about 20 people ahead of us. When it was our turn, we were able to get the 1:00PM tour for the Natural Entrance Tour. We had about 2 hours to kill so we walked the museum and had a “very tasty” lunch out of the vending machines! We didn’t plan lunch very well. 

The Natural Entrance Tour lasted 1¼ hours. Most of the 300 stairs along this route are down. It’s a moderately strenuous 2/3-mile tour. At the end of the tour, you take an elevator back to the top…thank goodness.

If your ever in this area, I would recommend visiting. It is an incredible tour, and Ranger Abby was very entertaining. Since I’m only 5’2” I didn’t have to duck very much. There was a woman behind Barry that said the same thing but there were a few spots that I decided to duck any way. Some of the areas were wet from water seeping through and dripping down the different cave formations. 

On our way back to Custer we saw buffalo but they were to far away to take photos. We viewed them for about 10 or 15 minutes through our binoculars. I think they are such a cool looking animal. Glad we got to see them even if it was through binoculars. 

Natural cave entrance. And no this is not 

how we entered the cave. 

Copyright © 2021 by Jacqueline Threet Henderson, Jacqueline's Jaunts. All rights reserved.

09/12/21 Sunday Mt. Rushmore Trip Day 12 Beaver Lake Campground

09-12-21 Sunday Mt. Rushmore Trip Day 12

Beaver Lake Campground

Casper, SD

Site I

Today was a camp utility day. I did laundry and Barry had a few things he wanted to get done, mainly installing the new RViBrake3 on the jeep. We need this done before we leave on Tuesday. He also worked on the kitchen leaky water line (it was only leaking a little), and the wiring on the jeep so the interior light goes on. While I did the laundry I wrote and published one of my blogs since I’m a few days behind. 

We had a late lunch of leftovers. Then we left for town. I wanted to do some shopping and take pictures of all the buffalo statues on each street corner. They are so cool. I only took pictures of the ones I like. The buffalos are painted in different designs. 

My Favorite

     

After a bit of shopping and an awesome Root Beer Float, we headed out to Needles Highway. It’s a very windy road.  Below is a description from different sites I found on Google. We drove through the Needles Eye tunnel. What an experience. The tunnel is 8' 9" wide by 9’8" high tunnel (it feels a lot narrower when driving through).

The Needles Highway is more than a 14-mile road—it’s a spectacular drive through pine and spruce forests, meadows surrounded by birch and aspen, and rugged granite mountains. The road’s name comes from the needlelike granite formations that seem to pierce the horizon along the highway.

The roadway was carefully planned by former South Dakota Governor Peter Norbeck, who marked the entire course on foot and by horseback. Construction was completed in 1922.

The drive was so beautiful. The rock formations are like nothing I have ever seen. I loved all the birch trees. I’ve never seen so many, and they are beautiful when there are hundreds in an area, just unbelievable. We also saw many deer. I’ve never seen that many deer before. It truly was a breathtaking drive. If you ever decide to visit South Dakota, you must take this drive. 

We arrived back at the camp site around 8PM. Barry built another awesome fire. We had a few glasses of wine while reviewing the day. As stated before, there is nothing like ending a day with a campfire. 

Goodnight all. 

Copyright © 2021 by Jacqueline Threet Henderson, Jacqueline's Jaunts. All rights reserved.

09/11/21 Saturday Mt. Rushmore Trip Day 11 Beaver Lake Campground

09/11/21 Saturday Mt. Rushmore Trip Day 11

Beaver Lake Campground 

Custer, SD

Site I

Today was our wine tasting/dinner train ride on an 1880 steam train. It started in Hill City and went to Keystone. I reserved our tickets about a month before we left. We picked up our tickets at the train station around 12:30 then walked over to the Mangy Moose Saloon for a snack before we boarded the train. They were packed and not prepared for the crowd. They were outta fries and that's what we wanted. We ended up talking to some folks from Pennsylvania and a couple that lived in Hill City. Both were fun to talk to and we learned about the Buffalo Roundup that happens every year about the 3rd week of September. It's a big celebration and it also marks the end of tourists season. 

We finally were served our food and had enough time to eat and walk back to the train station before the train boarded. This tour was sold out and from talking to a woman while standing in line for the restroom I learned this sells out every time they do it. A lot of locals do this and everyone on the train had a great time. I know our car did. They also do a beer one in the spring. 

Our server was very entertaining. He said he was 70 years old and having a great time. This was fun for him. The wine pours were great and surprisingly good but nothing compared to our California wines. 

                                     

                                                                                                                            

    

Each course was served in it's own little clamshell take out box and not that difficult to eat from...well maybe a little challenging.

We stopped in Keystone long enough for a quick bio break and maybe a gift shop purchase. The ride back was just as enjoyable. The scenery was so green and beautiful. We went by many homes and if people were out in their yards they waved. At one point we passed a church camp and all the kids waved at us as we went by. We saw deer in the trees but by the time I noticed them it was too late for a photo. 

     

  

                                                                                                                                   My adorable husband!

Below are videos I took and one with the train whistle blowing. Love that sound. 

On the way back to camp we stopped by Mt. Rushmore Brewery in Custer to pick up a tee shirt for Adam and Barry decided he needed one too. Since we were there we had to have a beer. Then back to camp and a fire to relax by. Good night and sweet dreams everyone. 

               

Copyright © 2021 by Jacqueline Threet Henderson, Jacqueline's Jaunts. All rights reserved.

09/10/21 Friday Mt. Rushmore Trip Day 10 Beaver Lake Campground

09/10/21 Friday Mt. Rushmore Trip Day 10

Beaver Lake Campground 

Custer, SD

Site I

Woke up and my legs are so sore from those stone stairs that went on forever at Mt. Rushmore. But so worth it.  

Went back to Mt. Rushmore this morning to get my passport stamp from the Sculptor Studio. It was closed yesterday by the time we got to it during the hike/walk around the park. We stayed for the ranger talk about the working sculpture the artist Gutzon Borglum created to work from. When we left we walked up those same stone steps we did yesterday. A bit easier today. Went to the gift shop to pick up a few things and Barry stayed outside and people watched. He was very entertained. 

This is one of the harness chairs the men used 

to get to the top of the mountain 

Next stop was the Crazy Horse Monument., $30 to get in. Had lunch right away. Got my passport stamped even though this is not a National Monument. Very extensive museums, great movie, cultural center, dance performances from a local native american indian group. Beautiful Costumes. Took a bus ride to get closer to the monument. The driver was from one of the tribes and he gave us great information at a stop we were able to get at out and take photos. 

Crazy Horse has 1M+ visitors a year and Mt. Rushmore has 3M+ a year. The tribes feel they need to get the horses head done in the next 5 years to get more visitors. They started out with one bus and now have 6 running daily. He talked about the new tools they now have that makes the carving go much faster. While he was talking this guy took out a drone and flew it toward the monument. Barry and I could not believe it. There are signs posted everywhere and on the brochures "No Drones Allowed." Right away an official looking man appeared out of nowhere to shut him down and asked him for his drone footage. Idiot! The driver said he never had that happened before. 

Bus stop where some guy took out his drone.
I should of got a photo of him but I was in shock.

Had a few hours to kill before the Legends in Light laser light show on the monument so we watched the Rachel Maddow show in the jeep so we could sit in comfy seats. I posted this on facebook. Great to have technology. 

The light show was fabulous. I decided not to take pictures of the light show. I didn't want to miss any of it. Met some people from Texas that sat next to us and they paid the $125 a piece to be able to take a tour where you get to stand on the arm of Crazy Horse. She showed us some great photos they took. On our way out we picked out 2 stones from the display of granite you're allowed to take. The rocks are not too big and are from the rubble when they blast a section from the mountain. Again, if you have a chance to visit Crazy Horse please do so. There is much to see. 

Additional sculpture - stallions fighting

Loved this story behind this sculpture

Copyright © 2021 by Jacqueline Threet Henderson, Jacqueline's Jaunts. All rights reserved.

09/09/21 Thursday Mt. Rushmore Trip Day 9 Beaver Lake Campground

09/09/21 Thursday Mt. Rushmore Trip Day 9

Beaver Lake Campground 

Custer, SD

Site I

We left in the afternoon for Mt. Rushmore. As you get off the highway and deeper into the forest the landscape is just green and gorgeous. As you drive toward the monument, at some points you can see parts of it. There is one sign that tells you a pull out is ahead for a profile view. The profile of President Washington is what you see, a clear view above the trees. We drove right into the parking lot and there was no line. As you walk up the grand terrace to see the monument you walk through the hall of flags. The view is impressive when you look down the hall and see the monument. Just unbelievable. We rented a story wand. There is a trail you follow and stop along the way to listen to different stories and history of the presidents and the monument. The trail is easy with lots of stairs but it's worth it. The Sculpture Studio was closed so I couldn't get my National Park Passport stamped. I told Barry we have to come back tomorrow morning. Your ticket is good for a year which the website does not mention. When you leave the Sculpture Studio you take a path up A LOT of stairs back to the grand terrace. My legs are going to hurt tomorrow.  

Photos below are views from a few of the platforms on the trail walk

We left and drove to Keystone for a bite to eat before returning for the lighting ceremony that started at 8:00PM. The program is lead by one of the rangers but I can't remember her name. She talked about the monument, how it stands for freedom and a little genealogy about her family coming to the states from Italy. She is 3rd generation. It was very moving. We then watched a great movie and at the end we sang the Star Spangled Banner. After, the ranger asked all the veterans to come to the stage and help retire the American Flag. There must of been 50-60 veterans that joined her on stage. She choose a few that would take the flag from her and fold it. Very moving and you could hear a pin drop. If you get a chance to view this please do so. You come away feeling very positive about our nation.  We headed home and to bed. All those stairs made us tired. 

Amphitheater where the lighting ceremony takes place

Just a note about the area. There is a lot to do here for families; Reptile park, Bear park, toboggan ride, zip lining, some kind of coaster, helicopter flights, horseback riding, etc. But for us, we are enjoying the fresh mountain air, beautiful green trees, trees growing out of the rocks, warm breezes at times, large green meadows, driving nice roads that don't have potholes, a great beer here and there and of course Mt. Rushmore. We are very impressed by what this area offers. So glad we came here. 

Copyright © 2021 by Jacqueline Threet Henderson, Jacqueline's Jaunts. All rights reserved.