A Monumental Finale: Our Visit to Mount Rushmore

To wrap up our Summer 2024 Road Trip through Wyoming and Montana, we a stop at one of the most iconic stops in South Dakota: Mount Rushmore National Memorial in the Black Hills of South Dakota. After weeks of seeing nature’s grandeur in places like Yellowstone, seeing this masterpiece of human engineering was a powerful way to close the chapter on our trip.

The Avenue of Flags

The experience began before we even reached the main viewing platform. Walking down the Avenue of Flags was a highlight in itself. Flanked by the colorful flags of all 50 states, one commonwealth, three territories, and the District of Columbia, the walkway creates a dramatic frame for the monument ahead. Finding our home state’s flag among them was a fun moment for the kids, and striding down that corridor gave us a real sense of connection to the country as a whole.

Faces in the Stone

When we reached the Grand View Terrace, the scale of the sculpture finally hit us. Seeing the 60-foot faces of Washington, Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Lincoln carved directly into the granite face of the mountain is something you have to see to believe. Pictures really don't capture the texture of the rock or the determination in their expressions. It is amazing to think about the workers hanging off the side of that cliff in the 1920s and 30s to carve something this massive.

A Sense of Pride and American Spirit

Standing there, looking up at those four giants of history, we felt a genuine surge of American pride. It’s a place that commands respect, not just for the presidents depicted, but for the sheer ambition of the memorial itself. It felt like a celebration of the American spirit; bold, large-scale, and enduring.

The Perfect Ending

Mount Rushmore was the exclamation point on our summer. We left the Black Hills feeling inspired, having seen one of the most recognizable landmarks in the world. It was the perfect patriotic sign-off to an incredible family journey.

South Dakota Destinations

Badlands National Park

Crazy Horse Monument

Mount Rushmore National Memorial

Wind Cave National Park