Day eight was both brutal and wonderful! I really pushed the limits today by driving all the way from Medora, ND to Sioux Falls, SD…while still including multiple stops. We ended up driving a total of 10 hours and just shy of 700 miles. Unfortunately, that was the only way I could ensure we would have plenty of time for the last leg of our trip. It’s a good thing I am a night owl and not afraid to drive at night!
We started the day in Medora, ND and drove down the Theodore Roosevelt Expressway to the South Dakota border near Ludlow, SD. Along the way, we drove through Bowman, ND. This small town has a lot of personality! The welcome sign for this town not only has a colorful, eye-catching sign. It also has an old truck carrying a red, white, and blue missile…with a dummy strapped on top! It was a fun way to introduce visitors to this small town.
The priorities for today were visiting Mount Rushmore and making it to Sioux Falls by the end of the day. However, there were so many cool places to see along the way. We drove through Sturgis, SD on the way to Mount Rushmore. Sturgis is home to the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum. There were tons of riders on their Harley’s in this town. Definitely a great road trip destination for my biker friends.
When we finally arrived at Mount Rushmore, I was pleasantly surprised that there wasn’t a huge line or ordeal to get into the monument. However, I was a little surprised that our Fourth Graders Park Passes didn’t work here. Evidently the parking has been outsourced to a third party company that charges a $10 fee for parking. There isn’t a fee for actually entering the monument, but you have to park in order to get inside.
Once inside, I was just in awe of this masterpiece. I have been looking forward to this visit my entire life. Ever since elementary school when they showed us pictures of Mount Rushmore, I knew I wanted to see it in person. I was a little nervous that it would not live up to the hype, but I was not disappointed. Walking into the monument, you are greeted with the Avenue of Flags in front of the actual sculpture. It makes quite the statement to see the sculpture framed by all of the state flags.
The National Parks Service did a great job making Mount Rushmore kid friendly. In addition to seeing the monument and flags, there was a nice movie to watch describing how the sculpture was made as well as a kids’ interactive area closer to the monument. In the kids’ area, they could explore native American teepees, granite rocks from the sculpture, and various animal pelts. The kids were also able to complete the Junior Ranger program and earn another badge.
Next up on the agenda was the Crazy Horse Memorial, which was just 30 minutes away from Mount Rushmore. Again, it was a really easy entrance process. It cost $30 per carload to get into the park. This gives visitors access to the visitor’s center, museum exhibits, outside sculptures, and a side view of the Crazy Horse sculpture. Unfortunately, you cannot see the front of the sculpture without taking the bus ride to the base of the mountain, which was an extra $4 fee per person. Since we didn’t come all this way to just see the side of the sculpture, we took the bus ride. From the base of the mountain, you can see just how massive this sculpture is. According to our guide, Mount Rushmore could fit into the forehead area of the Crazy Horse sculpture. When it is finished, it is going to magnificent! It is already incredible with just the face completed. The Crazy Horse Memorial has a rich, extremely interesting history. I would highly recommend taking some time to learn about it before your visit. It will add to the experience and your appreciation of the sculpture.
After marking Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse off our list, we headed straight for Sioux Falls. It was another five and a half hours from the monuments. This didn’t leave us much time to explore the other exits along the way. However, we did make time to stop for dinner at Wall Drug in Wall, SD. Even though this is a small town, Wall Drug has a huge presence! What started as a stop for ice water back in the stage coach days has turned into a mega tourist stop along I-90 between Rapid City and Sioux Falls. Wall Drug provides visitors with a fun environment for dinner and shopping. We enjoyed their legendary roast beef sandwiches with mashed potatoes with a stop in the soda shoppe for ice cream. It was a nice pit stop in the middle of a long drive.
If you ever get a chance to drive along I-90 through South Dakota, I would recommend making time to stop by the mountain village in Keystone, the Badlands National Park, the 1880’s Town, and the Laura Ingalls Wilder Homestead. They are all on my list for our next visit to the area.
