We drove past Mount Rushmore around 10:15 pm. Many cars were in the process of leaving the parking area as the park was getting ready to close, and for a brief minute, we could see the monument illuminated by lights.
Mount Rushmore disappeared as quickly as it appeared as we dropped down to the opposite side of the mountain, looking for the hotel we had reserved for the night. It has been a long day driving from Logan, Utah, across the plains and roughly following the Oregon Trail.
Most of our trip included parts of the country I had never seen before:
We stopped briefly at the Fossil Butte National Monument, where according to the marketing department, "everything is dead."
We sped past South Pass, one of the significant landmarks of the Oregon Trail, before stopping to use the restroom at Sweetwater Station.
We took a longer break at Martin's Cove and The Devil's Gate.
Just long enough for our hearts to pour out for the pioneers who were caught here by an October snow storm; however, not long enough to take the short 2-mile hike to the site.
Hamburgers held us over until we pulled into the hotel for the night. Linda and I slept like a rock, highly unusual for me in a strange new place. We woke early with another long drive ahead of us but not before heading back and spending some time at Mount Rushmore. Our hotel concierge recommended an early start to beat the rush and take the short "Presidential hike" that follows beneath the ridgeline and forms a loop toward the artist's studio.
The morning air is fantastic, and the temperature is remarkable in the black mountains as we park our truck and walk the short distance through flags toward an optimal view of the carvings. At a distance, the carvings appear more undersized than I had envisioned; however, the scale is deceiving as we hike along the trail.
Linda hiking the Presidential Trail. BrickBarnBlog2022
The Presidential trail is a raised path that includes stairs, handrailing, and points of interest. A guided audio tour recording is available; however, we skipped the detailed recording to speed things along. The crowds are minimal, and we thank our concierge for the early viewing recommendation. Mesmerized, we follow the path and take more pictures as each viewpoint highlights a specific president and a unique view of the mountainside.
The trail leads to the artist studio, which we peer inside, but do not enter as our time is running out and the crowds are growing thick. Finally, a path leads back to the parking garage, and we opt to hike the lonely way instead of walking through the visitor center again.
Back on the road again, I'm excited for our short time at Mount Rushmore. Frankly, an hour is probably long enough to appreciate the National Monument unless one needs to explore the history and details of construction; then, a decade or two probably isn't long enough.
Visited: July 10, 2022
Written: July 12, 2022