The Fox Adventure

As Andrew and I were walking into Mt. Rushmore National Park, we overheard a young girl telling her mother, “It’s just a rock.” After spending over an hour surrounded by this rock, let me tell you it’s more than “just a rock.”

After standing in awe of our first view of Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, and Lincoln – Andrew and I decided to start walking the Presidential Trail. This is a paved 0.6 mile loop around the park, that included walking up and down 422 stairs. Walking around on the trail there are designated stopping points to read about each of these presidents combined with a vantage point that allowed you to see only one face at a time. After sweating in 96-degree weather for about two hours, taking countless selfies with the presidents, and eating TJ’s vanilla ice-cream it was time to say goodbye to this beautiful site.

Here are some fun facts we learned about the construction of Mt. Rushmore and the presidents that were chosen:

• Each face is 60 feet tall, so the next time you drive past a 6 story building just imagine it’s George Washington’s face staring at you.
• Ninety percent of the carving was done with dynamite, blasting over 450,000 tons of rock off of the mountain.
• It was originally intended for the carvings to be from head to waist, but a lack of funding combined with World War II put an end to that dream.
• Mt. Rushmore is often referred to as “A shine of democracy.”
• Washington was an uncontested first choice, as the father of the democracy, and the leader for our nation in its new independence.
• The choice of Lincoln was without controversy. He was a man who held the country together during its greatest trial – and is one who some believe truly understood the tenets of democracy.
• The third choice was Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence. He was the president who had the foresight to acquire new territories, by the purchase of the Louisiana Territory in 1803. Jefferson faces west, because he always yearned to see the west.
• Originally, there were only going to be three presidents but when a model was created it was founded that there was space to add another president. Some said he was too recent to be venerated in such a lasting way – the test of his presidency has not been tried by time. In the end, Roosevelt was selected due to the fact that he was the first president who had actively worked to protect the rights of the working man.
• There were four presidents selected who were leaders during four important formative periods of American history. Those men helped shape our country, spread out over the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries – the life of the nation so far.

“The noble countenance emerges from Rushmore as though the spirit of the mountain had heard a human prayer and itself became a human countenance” – Frank Lloyd

Custer State Park

After exploring Mt. Rushmore, we decided to take the boys to Custer State Park and drive the 18 mile Wildlife Loop. The drive to Custer State Park was just as breathtaking as the state park. US 16a, often referred to as Iron Mountain Road runs between Mt. Rushmore and Custer State Park. Along the highway, there are pigtail bridges, magnificent Black Hills scenery and tunnels that frame Mt. Rushmore. During this drive, Andrew wasn’t able to go over 35 MPH due to the winding roads. Custer State Park is home of a herd of 1,300 wild buffalos, and we got within 50 yards of the herd. Andrew and I wished we had an extra day to explore Custer State Park, there are so many different activities it has to offer, such as: buffalo safari jeep tour, horseback riding, rock climbing, and tons of hiking trails (all pet-friendly).

It was a busy day but a good, good day.

xx katie