Mount Rushmore

[J&G garage]

X2 On Custer State Park. It's a real jewel. Would love to stay in Custer Park when we go back. We also stayed at Crooked Creek in Hill City. Good location to operate from.

[Lizardqing]

Sitting at Custer State Park right now. Went to Rushmore today, it was not as fulfilling as you get lead to believe. Must be because you see so many pics and hear about it so much. Definitely was not really worth the $10 parking. See it from the roads around it, just as good.
The loop from Custer SP though around the Rushmore and back down past Crazy Horse is a beautiful ride. One to take after you drop the camper, it's not only pretty twisty but the tunnels would probably prevent it anyway. We won't be able to drive the Needles unfortunately, still closed from snow.
We rode the Wildlife Loop in the park earlier. Beautiful and lots of wildlife. Would imagine it would be hell in busy times with the traffic just being familiar with how Cades Cove gets back home in be Smokies.

[JCZhome]

Mt. Rushmore is the only National Park that your handicapped or senior pass will not get you in to, in the nation. They said that they're not charging you to enter the park......they're simply charging you to park. The hook is that there's no place else to park where you can walk in, so if you're not being dropped off.....you're paying if you want to go in regardless of your pass.

[J&G garage]

Ya but parking is only $10/year. 😉

[Lizardqing]

Ya but parking is only $10/year. [emoji6]

Wonder how many passes actually get used more than once.

[J&G garage]

Probably more than you might imagine. Everyone that visits us wants to go wine tasting or drive over the Golden Gate Bridge. I'm sure there are folks in the Mount Rushmore area that get visitors too. Point is it's pretty cheap. Especially when you show up in an $80K trailer.

[Lizardqing]

So much talk about the monuments but don't miss the drive through The Needles.

We wanted to be able to turn onto it a few minutes ago when passed by it, but closed. We may get lucky and they open it up if the warm temps today melt the snow.

[dmagnus]

We have reservations 5/26 - 6/2 at the KOA Custer. Looks like some like it and some don't. We'll report back in June.
I have never been to Mt. Rushmore. I flew close by the faces every time I arrived at or left Rapid City in my airplane when on business trips. Used to be pretty easy to talk ATC into a close flyby.
But I've never seen any of that stuff as a tourist so we are going to try to do as many attractions as we can.

[nwminnesota]

We will be staying at Stockade Lake North campground the week of July 23rd. Looking forward to the Trip. The last time I was out there was on a motorcycle. Iron mtn. road was my favorite. I wish I could take the motorcycle along with but doesn't work to well with a wife and two kids. I am looking into renting a Polaris slingshot if you don't need a motorcycle endorsement this way the wife and I could each have one so the kids could come along. I also have a night planned in the badlands for camping.

[lawdes]

Rushmore used to be very rustic...redwood observation decks and wood buildings. Now it’s all granite multilevel decks, big amphitheater, concrete, columns and big multilevel parking lots all of which tend to over power the faces. Used to live just across the border in Nebraska and have been there far more times than I can count. Love the black hills and the history there but they turned Rushmore into a Washington DC type place. Too bad but if you can ignore that...Rushmore must be seen! Enjoy s great trip!