Mount Rushmore

[Chadtuba]

As the wife and I prepare for the move from Colorado to North Dakota we've been mapping out our route with a little side trip to Mount Rushmore. Have any of you ever been there and might be able to help with some hwy suggestions? There are a couple of different ways to get there coming from the south (Chadron, NE) with one being a US hwy going through the black hills and one being a state hwy. I'll be driving a Budget rental truck towing my car behind so I'm looking for the easiest route, but willing to take the more scenic route if it's not too funky of a mountain drive.

Thanks.

[Brassdad]

Wish I could help (so why am I posting?). We went there back in 1977 when my dad retired from the Marine Corps. We came in from the west (California to Ohio via the most northern route possible - including some Canada miles). I believe we did travel the US route through the black hills at some point. Dad was driving a ford maverick



He was towing an Apache tent trailer (largest one they made at the time), and there were 6 of us in the car. THe youngest being my 12 year old kid sister. The other kids were 19, 17, and 15.

Probably not as bulky as your driving rig, but easily as entertaining for the driver.

Anyway - the stop was FANTASTIC!!!

[eupher61]

I can't really give advice from that direction, I've only been there from Rapid City. BUT....if you can get there at night, at the time of the lighting ceremony..DO IT. It's simply amazing to see that sucker at night. And, being there when the lights come on is fun, but hey, you see lights come on all the time, right? Not like this!

There is a route through Custer State Park that I wouldn't recommend in a moving van typa thing. But, in a car, it's fantastic...you circle around a couple of hills, come up through a cave sort of thing (probably an underpass of the road above, I'm not sure--it was dark!!) and suddenly there are the faces right in front of you. At night, with the faces lit, it was absolutely the most amazing thing I've ever seen.

Oh, run down and climb up from the bottom of the faces. The rangers love seeing people do that.



PS....NO! DO NOT TRY TO CLIMB THE FACES!!!!!!

[davet]

Ah yes, the Iron Mountain Road has (I think) 3 tunnels that "frame" Mt. Rushmore as you are driving to see a reminder of how the U. S. government defined "in perpetuity," that is, they "gave" the land to the Native Americans in perpetuity (which seemed to mean "until gold is discovered"), at which point the land was taken back. Then, in this sacred land, a mountaintop was destroyed so that 4 white guys could be carved into it. Enjoy! The foregoing may or may not be historically accurate, but it's the story that has taken up residence in my head.

Be sure that your tow vehicle will fit through the tunnels if you take this route. They aren't very big.

I've been there twice, but there are so many natural things to enjoy in the Black Hills that Rushmore and Crazy Horse are short side stops on the way to the really beautiful parts of the Black Hills. I recommend both Wind and Jewel caves and the drive though Spearfish Canyon. If you are lucky you can see an actual bison stampede in Custer!!!! The Mammoth Site is amazing.

[Chadtuba]

[quote="davet"]Ah yes, the Iron Mountain Road has (I think) 3 tunnels that "frame" Mt. Rushmore as you are driving

Be sure that your tow vehicle will fit through the tunnels if you take this route. They aren't very big.mquote]

Not ignoring the rest of what you said, I just know nothing about that so. . .

Do you know which hwy has the tunnels that I might try to avoid it with the moving truck and trailer? thanks.

[eupher61]

We didn't pay to get into Custer, but yeah, that wouldn't work with a moving van. Or towing anything very big. Pretty tight turns and a few hills combined with turns.

But, if you can ditch the truck for a bit and drive it...

[Chadtuba]

Well we made it to Rushmore and then through the Badlands loop and it was all beautiful. Had a little bit of trouble with the truck heading into Keystone when the truck almost decided that the hill was too big but we made it up however slowely. We had planned to untrailer the car at some point but we ended up having to pack the car full in addition to the truck so it just wasn't in the cards.

Tubaphore, SD is a very beautiful state. We ended up spending the night just up the road from you in Huron, but because of the limited mileage we have on the rental truck we won't actually make it into Brookings. If I ever make it done the highway from Grand Forks (or if you make it up to Grand Forks) I'd love to meet up with a fellow Tubeneter and buy you a cup of coffee (or a beer, or whatever your poisen might be )

Been a long couple of days and still have about 4 or 5 hours to drive and then unload and begin to unpack so I guess I better hit the sack.

[eupher61]

no political comment intended, it's just funny, esp given this thread