Crazy Horse South Dakota!

We arrived at Sunrise Ridge Campground in Hot Springs South Dakota on 4 September 2024. We were to be there four nights. Driving East to West across South Dakota we found the scenery beautiful with grassy plains, mountains, some tree covered patches and just big sky with defacement of the land by homes or businesses few and far between. We thoroughly enjoyed our time in South Dakota!

On our first day exploring from Hot Springs, 5 September, we went to Wind Cave National Park in Custer County South Dakota. The wind caves are closed until the end of November 2024, repairing an elevator that got stuck with a park ranger and several tourists earlier this Summer. We watched the park’s film on the caves and were fascinated by the miles and miles of caves that exist underground. So far 167 miles have been mapped out, but they haven’t found the end. I (Anita) wasn’t disappointed that the cave tours are closed. I feel somewhat claustrophobic in tight spaces above ground, so I’m sure I wouldn’t like crawling around underground. We did a couple of hikes in the park: the Prairie Vista Nature Trail and the Rankin Ridge Nature Trail. After eating our lunch, we opted to not hike anymore that day and instead drive out to Jewel Cave National Monument in Custer South Dakota. We weren’t interested in touring that cave, so we didn’t mind that tour tickets were sold out when we arrived. We watched the film on the Jewel Cave and again Anita was amazed at how people explore the caves deeper and farther without knowing where they go or where they end. Steve did the quarter mile Roof Trail outside the Jewel Cave Visitor Center. Anita was happy with 4 miles for the day with nursing muscle pain in one thigh.

Sunset at Sunrise Ridge Campground Hot Springs, SD 4 September 2024

Custer County South Dakota 5 Sept 2024

Wind Cave National Park Visitors Center - Custer County South Dakota 5 Sept 2024

Wind Cave National Park Visitors Center - Custer County South Dakota 5 Sept 2024

Anita was intrigued by the Prairie Dogs' intricate underground tunnels after seeing hundreds of them poke their bodies out of holes in the ground...

Wind Cave National Park Visitors Center - Custer County South Dakota 5 Sept 2024

Wind Cave National Park Visitors Center - Custer County South Dakota 5 Sept 2024

Cave Opening

Wind Cave National Park Visitors Center - Custer County South Dakota 5 Sept 2024

Wind Cave National Park Visitors Center - Custer County South Dakota 5 Sept 2024

Wind Cave National Park Visitors Center - Custer County South Dakota 5 Sept 2024

Wind Cave National Park Visitors Center - Custer County South Dakota 5 Sept 2024

Wind Cave National Park Visitors Center - Custer County South Dakota 5 Sept 2024

Wind Cave National Park Visitors Center - Custer County South Dakota 5 Sept 2024

Wind Cave National Park Visitors Center - Custer County South Dakota 5 Sept 2024

Prairie Vista Trail - Wind Cave National Park Visitors Center - 5 Sept 2024

Rankin Ridge Trail - Wind Cave National Park Visitors Center - 5 Sept 2024

Rankin Ridge Trail - Wind Cave National Park Visitors Center - 5 Sept 2024

Custer County South Dakota - 5 Sept 2024

Jewel Cave Visitor Center - Custer County South Dakota - 5 Sept 2024

Jewel Cave Visitor Center - Custer County South Dakota - 5 Sept 2024

Jewel Cave Visitor Center - Custer County South Dakota - 5 Sept 2024

Jewel Cave Visitor Center - Custer County South Dakota - 5 Sept 2024

Roof Trail View - Jewel Cave Visitor Center - Custer County South Dakota - 5 Sept 2024

On Friday we went to Crazy Horse National Monument in Crazy Horse SD. The carving in the mountain of the Native American, Crazy Horse is far from completed. The scale model of what it will look like is available, but the actual carving in the mountain will likely not be completed in my lifetime. The process is slow to begin with, but they also contend with patches of iron and lots of granite in the area they’re chiseling away at. Also, the project is completely funded by donations. The foundation overseeing the build turned down a multi-million dollar grant from the US Government early on. I can see why they don’t want US Government money. Korczak Ziolkowski and his wife, Ruth, had ten kids who worked on the mountain with them. The film says the boys helped with the heavy work on the mountain, and the girls helped Ruth with visitors. One daughter, Monique, went on to become a sculpting artist in her own right. The Crazy Horse National Monument is somewhat of a museum with several rooms and exhibits, as well as an optional bus ride to see up closer to the mountain. We were glad we took the bus up the mountain, as from there we could see the fingers and more than is visible from the ground.

After our lunch we went back to the camper to pick up the laundry. Anita did laundry in Hot Springs while Steve went to a Hot Springs soaking spa. After laundry and the spa, we explored Hot Springs and its surrounding area.