Mount Rushmore National Memorial

I recall my first visit to Mount Rushmore National Memorial in 1979. My first impression was of being underwhelmed by it.

It wasn’t that I failed to appreciate the magnitude of the work.  Rather, I think it was more due to having seen so many photos, mostly close-ups, which had planted an image in my brain that the carving was much larger than it was in reality. Of course, it is also viewed from a distance at the visitor center, which may have contributed to the impression that it was smaller than expected.

This was now my third visit to the monument, so I knew what to expect. Apart from gazing upon the four presidents hanging on the mountainside, there isn’t too much else to see here.  We weren’t planning to take any of the hikes around the area and weren’t going to stay until dark for any nighttime light show.

The parking lot and grounds open very early, and we were staying just two miles up the road in Keystone, so we arrived before 8:00 and before the crowds got too big.  I took several photos from different locations and at different zoom levels, after which we ventured down to the visitor center (it is down a staircase from, and thus underneath, the main viewing deck).

Here we watched a short film on the construction of the monument. I am amazed at the ability to use dynamite in these large carvings, dislodging just the right amount of stone. One mistake and the carving could be ruined, and unlike a normal sculpture, you can’t just start over on another mountain.

We had hoped to grab a quick breakfast in the restaurants within the monument grounds. They had a sign in front advertising a hearty breakfast offering starting at 8:00, but a walk inside at 8:30 found nothing open.  We stopped by the gift shop briefly before departing, grabbing breakfast in Rapid City a short time later.

Steve