After our great experiences in Theodore Roosevelt National Park, we departed North Dakota and headed south to Rapid City, South Dakota. Rapid City served as our basecamp for several days and four destinations in the area: Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Crazy Horse Memorial, Wind Cave National Park and Badlands National Park. Each of the four of those locations was between 45 and 60 minutes from our campsite on the eastern outskirts of Rapid City.
Mount Rushmore
First on the agenda was Mount Rushmore. Both Kristy and I have seen this National Memorial before, but it has been quite some time. This was, of course, Owen’s first time here. Entry to the memorial is free, but they do charge for parking. We arrived early in the day, so we were able to snag a great parking spot, and there were very few people present. There is a small complex in the main viewing area, but most of the shops and restaurants were closed. The main path that runs from the viewing area to the base of the monument was also closed for construction, however some of the other hiking trails were open.
The National Park Service had an information tent open though, and Owen was successfully sworn in as a Junior Ranger. The Park Ranger seemed somewhat impressed that Owen was able to recite from memory the names of all the presidents on the monument :)
The scale of this memorial is hard to imagine if you haven’t seen it, and there are many interesting facts to be learned about the conception and construction of the memorial. It is definitely worth visiting if you are in the region, however the main area is relatively touristy. The surrounding Black Hills forest is beautiful, and there are lots of great campgrounds and hiking trails to explore.
Crazy Horse
After leaving Mount Rushmore, we continued on to the Crazy Horse Memorial, which is about 30 minutes away. This memorial has a very different feel than Mount Rushmore. For one, the memorial is still under construction. The memorial is described as “a monument honoring North American Indians” and consists of the under construction stone monument, as well as a museum and university. Construction is funded primarily by donations, and when completed, the monument is expected to be the largest of its kind.
Visiting the memorial had a strong impact on both Kristy and I, and hopefully Owen as well. It was a good reminder of the storied history of our nation and the impact that settlement across the U.S. had on the land’s indigenous peoples. Additionally, learning about the construction plans and timelines, and watching that unfold in real-time is fascinating. In a world where we expect instant gratification, thinking about a project that has taken decades already, and likely will not conclude for decades to come, provides a new perspective on time and tenacity.
If you are in the area, or are planning a trip to Rushmore, make it a point to visit Crazy Horse Memorial.
Wind Cave National Park
Wind Cave National Park is unique in many ways. The scenery in the park is beautiful, as is most of the land in this area. There are herds of bison roaming the park along with other wildlife like elk, pronghorn and apparently ferrets, cougars and bobcats. The highlight of the park is an extensive underground cave system that is one of the largest and longest in the world. It is still being explored and mapped to this day. This is also the first cave system to be designated a National Park, anywhere in the world. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, entry to the cave system was closed, although I’m not sure Kristy would have gone in even if it was open…something about feeling claustrophobic. Nonetheless, we would love to revisit this park in the future to see the caves.
Due to the closure of the underground caves, attendance at this park was extremely light. We saw a couple rangers, and just a few other visitors while we were there. Even with the caves closed, we were still able to see one of the main highlights of the park, which was a short hike to the “natural entrance” of the cave system. The natural entrance is a small opening (roughly one square foot) in the rock face that “breathes” air in and out. To the Lakota (Sioux) Native American Tribe this area was considered sacred. The first documented encounter with the cave entrance was in 1881. Brothers Tom and Jesse Bingham heard an unusual sound when passing by the area, and when Tom looked into the opening, the wind coming from the cave entrance blew the hat off his head.
Owen was enthralled with both the cave, and its history, and snagged himself another Junior Ranger badge by telling a Park Ranger how the wind blew Tom’s hat “right off his head!”
The “wind” that blows from the natural entrance is the result of differences in barometric pressure inside and outside of the cave system, and it can change substantially over the course of the day. Depending on weather, there can be a wide variation in the “strength” of the wind. However, the knowledge of the scientific explanation doesn’t diminish the incredible experience of standing at the entrance and feeling our earth breathe.
Even with the main cave system closed, we are grateful we were able to experience the natural entrance, and look forward to seeing more of this park in the future.
Badlands National Park
And last but not least, Badlands National Park. Badlands was the last stop on this leg of our journey, and in retrospect it deserved much more time to experience it all on it’s own. The landscape at Badlands is otherworldly. It is incredible to be driving along what seems like an ordinary grassland, only to turn a corner and discover you are on a 500 foot cliff. The erosion carved cliff faces expose a rainbow of unexpected colors and patterns, which continue to erode “rapidly” at the pace of around an inch per year.
The geology of this area is the obvious highlight, and there are a number of scenic roads and hikes to experience in this park. For this trip, we only visited the North Unit, entering at the Pinnacles entrance. We came through the city of Wall which is the home of Wall Drug.
Quick side note, Wall Drug is a city-like retail complex that is advertised for literally miles around. It’s not a particularly good destination in the time of COVID, but we did mask up and stop long enough to get a donut. Kristy stated that it ranked near the top of her all time favorite donuts, and I would have to agree.
Enjoying our Wall Drug donuts
After finishing our donuts, we drove the Badlands loop road to the East, stopping at several of the overlooks to take in the unbelievable views. The Pinnacles Overlook was probably the most photogenic, but each was unique in it’s own way. We continued on to the Ben Reifel Visitor Center which is where Owen earned himself another Junior Ranger badge at the Ranger tent out front. We exited the park at the Northeast Entrance to head back to Rapid City.
This drive through the park was incredible, and worth experiencing even if you don’t stop along the way. It showcases many of the different landscapes of the park. That said, we would definitely like to return in the future to experience some of the hiking trails and the gems found off the loop road.
Bonus: Stratobowl
In addition to the famous parks and landmarks above, we also took the time to do a short hike to the Stratobowl. This was a mild hike, at the end of which we were rewarded with an impressive view of the bowl. There were several high altitude balloon flights launched from this site in the 1930’s, and it is regarded as the birthplace of the space age. I particularly enjoyed this history given my involvement in the Geek Squad Icarus Project.
