We set out early the morning we went to see Mt Rushmore. We were armed with a map of the area, and worked out a circular route that would take in the national memorial at Mt Rushmore, the Custer State Park and the Needle Highway – and the way home would take us past the beautiful Sylvan Lake.
After driving for a while, climbing all the time, we arrived at a viewpoint from which we could see the Mt Rushmore memorial. It was really impressive, and we wondered how anyone could have imagined that such a sculpture, blasted out of the solid rock, could even be possible, let alone actually achieving it! The enormous faces stare out over the centuries, stern and unsmiling, facing the future with unwavering resolve. 
Going back down the mountain, we arrived at the entrance to the Custer State Park, and decided to take the “animal loop”, where, we were told, there are buffalo, deer and wild donkeys that beg for food! We had just about given up hope of seeing anything – we had only spotted two deer in the distance – when we rounded a corner to find a row of cars stopped in the road. And there were the donkeys,
standing in the road, reluctant to move, and literally harassing the motorists! It took us quite some time to get past them, as they had no intention of giving way to the cars at all!
standing in the road, reluctant to move, and literally harassing the motorists! It took us quite some time to get past them, as they had no intention of giving way to the cars at all!
A few miles further along the road we at
last came upon the buffalo herd – what huge, ungainly creatures they are, and also totally undaunted by the attention of the passing traffic. We were delighted that we had seen them, and took some good photos before moving on.
last came upon the buffalo herd – what huge, ungainly creatures they are, and also totally undaunted by the attention of the passing traffic. We were delighted that we had seen them, and took some good photos before moving on.
Nothing we had seen on the map prepared us 
for the Needle Highway, an unbelievable feat of engineering genius. The engineer, Peter Norbeck, designed the road in 1919, and it was not completed until 1933.
The road winds upward into the most amazing scenery, around switchback hairpin bends and through tunnels that almost took the mirrors off our truck, with frequent pull-offs which allowed us to stop and gaze in awe at the breathtaking splendor of the mountain pass. 
Just when we thought that we would never reach the end of the pass, we rounded a corner and there before us lay Sylvan Lake, probably one of the most beautiful picnic spots we saw on our entire trip. We were fortunate to find a parking spot, and were able to walk along the lake and enjoy our lunch while soaking up the tranquil beauty of the lake and the surrounding mountains.We arrived back at our campsite that evening tired and sunburned, but well pleased with an outstanding day of sightseeing and exploring!
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