Returning to Custer State Park today, we drove the very scenic Needles Highway which is composed of 14 miles of hairpin turns, 3 narrow tunnels, and amazing views of granite formations reminiscent of needles, organ pipes, and spires. We were a little nervous driving through one of the tunnels in the truck because it was very close on the sides, but later we saw a tour bus on the highway – so it must have come through that tunnel, too. Unbelievable! We stopped at Cathedral Spires, really awesome rock formations, and watched 3 rock climbers on one of the spires. When we arrived at Sylvan Lake, we had lunch at the lodge which was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. Then we drove to Mount Rushmore to see the memorial of four presidents sculpted in the Black Hills under the guidance of Gutzon Borglum who, incidentally, began the Stone Mountain sculptures. Borglum selected the subjects for the memorial: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln representing the birth, growth, development, and preservation of the country. Despite having seen pictures of Mt. Rushmore for years, we found the memorial very powerful especially the profile view of George Washington which can be seen from a nearby highway. The visitors’ center was very informative, and we enjoyed the ranger walk along the Presidential Trail.
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