Mt. Rushmore (http://www.nps.gov/moru) is only a short drive from Badlands. Our route went from Interstate 90 entrance through the park and exited on the northwestern side leading toward Rapid City.
South of Rapid City we toured through Custer State Park (http://www.sdgfp.info/Parks/Regions/Custer/custersp.htm). This is a great diversion. One of the largest herds of buffalo in the United States roam within the park. The lodge here is supposed to be first rate - it has housed many Presidents - but we did not stay there.
We then went through the needles highway toward Mr. Rushmore. This is a great way to approach. The highway is very scenic and an engineering marvel with some corkscrew turns and manmade tunnels. The last couple of these manmade tunnels "frame" Mt. Rushmore perfectly as you are headed through the tunnel - a nice intro to the monument.
It is a fascinating feat of man's creativity. The story behind the carving is equally fascinating. Gutzon Borglund, originally behind the Stone Mountain Carving near Atlanta, abandonded Stone Mountain and raced to South Dakota. The "rest of the story" is here: (http://www.nps.gov/archive/moru/park_history/carving_hist/carving_history.htm)
It is a fascinating feat of man's creativity. The story behind the carving is equally fascinating. Gutzon Borglund, originally behind the Stone Mountain Carving near Atlanta, abandonded Stone Mountain and raced to South Dakota. The "rest of the story" is here: (http://www.nps.gov/archive/moru/park_history/carving_hist/carving_history.htm)
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