Take the Presidential Trail for a closer look

The trail is a loop, so you have a choice between two starting points. The path to the left (as you face Rushmore) is much easier on the way up. The path to the right is a steep walk with 422 stairs, but it’s paved and shaded most of the way. Much better walk this side of the loop on the way down.

Stop by the Sculptor’s Studio

The presidents had bodies in the original plan? Once inside the studio, you can’t miss the 1/12 scale model of Mount Rushmore. This is the place where sculptor Guzton Borglum worked from 1939 to 1941.

The Space Between the Rocks

We snapped this picture while on the Presidential Trail. We crawled into a space between two large rocks and looked up to see this.

Be sure to see the Crazy Horse Memorial

Down the road from the presidents, you’ll find another memorial–this one dedicated to the Lakota leader Crazy Horse. It’s a work in progress and much larger than Mount Rushmore. In fact, the presidents’ four heads could fit on Crazy Horse’s outstretched arm.

Test your driving skills (and nerves) on the Needles Highway

Jokes aside, this is one of the most beautiful drives we’ve ever experienced. It took about an hour or so. The environment in Custer State Park is just phenomenal. Get out and explore at stops along the way. But be ready, the road gets very narrow with a couple of one-way tunnels that really tested this Illinoisan’s nerve. Iron Creek Tunnel is about 9′ wide and 11” tall.