Next up on our adventure was Mount Rushmore. We planned to stay one night (4/22/2022) at Holy Smoke Resort in Keystone, South Dakota, and then head on to Badlands National Park. Sometimes the weather has other plans, and you have to adjust. The day started great when we arrived in Keystone and got settled in at the empty RV park. Maybe the fact nobody else was there should have been our first clue? After a little bit, we headed off to Mount Rushmore National Memorial.

Mount Rushmore

The Avenue of Flags greets you as you walk into Mount Rushmore and see the famous mountain carving. The 56 flags represent the 50 states, one district, three territories, and two commonwealths of the United States of America. Faces of Presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt, each 60 feet tall, carved in Harney Peak Granite, and paying tribute to the leaders who shaped our country.

At the visitor center, we watched a movie about carving the sculpture read about the struggles and daily life of those who worked on this carving. The initial idea for this project started in 1923, and the goal was to bring tourists to the Black Hills. It evolved into a memorial to the ideals of democracy that was completed as WWII was beginning.

It was originally thought that the project would be completed in five years and cost $500,000. As with all projects, they take a lot longer and cost more than anticipated. Mount Rushmore took fourteen years and almost one million dollars to finish (about $20 million of today’s US dollars).

Every day the workers had to climb 700 stairs to reach the top. Can you image climbing 700 stairs to start your workday? There was a trolley to carry materials to the top, but that was only for supplies, not people. Eventually, they added a wooden cage to make the trolley safe for people, but many workers still continued to climb the stairs. They felt the trolley ride was dangerous. One day the A-frame collapsed, and the trolley bucket plunged to the bottom of the canyon. Remarkably no one died during the construction of Mount Rushmore.

After we finished at the visitor center, we walked the short half-mile Presidential Trail, which gives you a closer look at the mountain carving.

Dimensions

Each Face: 60 ft tall
Each Eye: 11 ft wide
Washington's Nose: 21 ft long
All other noses: 20 ft long
Washington’s Mouth: 18 feet

Facts

Carving Dates: 1927 - 1941
Number of Workers: 400
Cost: $989,992.32
The Rock: Harney Peak Granite
Main Tool: Dynamite
Drill: Jackhammer

Keystone, South Dakota

After Mount Rushmore, we decided to check out Keystone, South Dakota. We walked through downtown and checked out the shops. We stopped at the Red Garter Saloon and enjoyed a delicious drink as we sat outside and enjoyed the nice weather. We stopped at Turtle Town to get ice cream and chocolates to go. When we got back to the RV, the weather was still very nice, so we brought Tinkerbell out in her backpack so she could enjoy the sights and smells.

We headed to bed and planned on hitting the road to Wall, South Dakota, in the morning. Mother nature had a different plan for us. We woke up to inches of snow, and more snow and high winds were forecasted. We weren't going anywhere, so we extended our stay. Later in the afternoon, after the snow had melted a little bit, the entertainment came walking through the RV park. By entertainment, I mean the wild turkeys and deer traveling as a pack. It was hilarious to watch them run the RV park together. Who knew turkeys and deer were friends? They came through several times during our stay.

The bad weather continued, so we stayed an additional night and waited for the storm to blow through. There was no reason to push it and drive in poor conditions. By 4/25/2022, the weather and roads were clear, and it was time to head to the Badlands National Park.