Day 53 - Midland, SD to Mt. Rushmore, SD
- Mike Mladenoff
- May 24, 2016
- 2 min read
We ate a morning snack and then toured the Minuteman Missile Historic Site while learning about the history of the atomic bomb development.
There was more to learn here than we had time for, but it was a neat experience.
Before entering, I really did not know much at all about the Badlands National Park. The place is full of these great rock formations with many different stopping points to get out and hike or take pictures.
There are places to camp and prepare for a longer stay, but today, this park was merely a drive-through experience for us.
There was one last viewing area at the west end of the park so we got out to take one last look.
We parked the RV and walked down some wooden steps to the viewing platform. where this sign was posted. We did not see any rattlesnakes, but we pertaining did hear them rattling under the steps and in the tall grass.
We had never heard of it before, but there were signs everywhere before entering and after exiting the Badlands that stated "you have to visit the world famous Wall Drug Store. " So we made a stop to check it out. Similar to Niagara Falls, the store area was actual several interconnected stores that sold souvenirs as well as groceries and there was even a restaurant.
The RV was really grinding hard through the Black Hills. Just as we crested the last hill, Mt. Rushmore!
There is a long flag lined procession leading up to the main viewing areas.
We managed to get a nice family picture just before it started to rain.
We walked the grounds for a while and toured some of the studious where scale models have been built showing a larger sculptural vision that was never realized. Once it started to rain, Kristen and Rachel headed back to the main store while the boys and I continued around the loop for a closer look at the faces.
Mr. Washington peeking through a crack in the rocks.
As we left Mt. Rushmore the rain was increasing driving through the Black Hills, but luckily the KOA Resort, the largest and most amenity filled campsite we had been to yet was just about 10 minutes down the road. After checking in, the rain began to let up revealing this mammatus cloud sunset.
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