Crazy Horse Monument

A Mountain in the Making: The Crazy Horse Memorial

Just a short drive from Mount Rushmore, near the very end of our Summer 2024 Road Trip, we visited a monument that is not just history, but history in the making: the Crazy Horse Memorial. While our stop was brief, it left a lasting impression on us because, unlike other monuments, this one is still coming to life.

Witnessing the Progress

I had seen photos of the mountain from years ago, but standing there and seeing the current state of the carving was incredible. The face of the Lakota warrior Crazy Horse is complete and striking, staring out over the lands, and you can now clearly see the work progressing on his outstretched arm and the horse's mane. It was amazing to witness the sheer scale of the project, it is poised to be the world's largest mountain carving when finished (all four heads of Mount Rushmore could fit inside Crazy Horse’s head!). Seeing the heavy machinery up on the ridge, looking like tiny toys, really put the magnitude of the effort into perspective.

A Tradition Begun

We decided to start a new family tradition right then and there. We took a family photo with the mountain in the background, freezing this moment in time. The plan is simple: the next time we find ourselves in the Black Hills, we’ll stop and take the exact same photo. It will be fascinating to compare the pictures side-by-side and see not just how much the kids have grown, but how much the mountain has changed, too.

A Piece of the Mountain

Before we left, we discovered one of the coolest souvenirs we’ve ever found. The memorial allows visitors to pick out free chunks of granite to take home. These aren't just random rocks; they are actual blast fragments from the carving process. The kids loved digging through the pile to find their "perfect" piece. We left with a literal piece of the mountain in our pockets, a tangible connection to a project that will continue for generations.