Custer, SD & Mt Rushmore & Devil’s Tower & Wind Cave National Park (July 5, 6, 7, 2023)

​The second month of this trip was supposed to be about visiting friends which guided the locations I was visiting.  All that changed overnight when plans got canceled.  Within 2 days I replanned the second month of the trip. 
I left Monument, CO and drove through Wyoming to Custer, SD; arriving in Big Pine Campground on the edge of the city of Custer about 5pm.  The drive was through spectacular scenery of rolling green hills, ranches, plenty of cows, and even some cowboys in trucks and on horseback.  I arrived at the campground in 56-degree weather then during the night hours went down to 45 degrees.  The campground owner could not have been nicer or more accommodating. 
I used the GuideAlong app for the three tours of national parks in the Black Hills area.  The first day was the Devils Tower Loop.  On the way to Devils Tower the first stop was the Black Hills Visitor center to gather information from the Rangers.  Then I turned on the GuideAlong app.  It took me past Crazy Horse – I chose not to stop based on recommendation from my sister.  The drive then took me through Hill City, a cute touristy town with shops and restaurants.  There was also a giant carved Smokey the Bear right in town.  The next stop was Deadwood, an historic town of the west with old world charm that is now a casino and tourist trap.  I drove above the town to the cemetery to look down on the view.     
It was on to Lead, an artist town with mining on the fringe of town.  I continued to Spearfish Canyon.  The scenic drive was winding and beautiful with waterfalls; The Bridel Veil Falls, and souring rock walls with trees growing out of the rocks.  Exiting the Spearfish Canyon put me in the town of Spearfish.  I continued to travel west toward Wyoming toward Devil’s Tower.  I found the Wyoming Visitor Center on the state border with amazing views and wide-open spaces.  Devil’s Tower was just a bit further. 
Devil’s Tower is a Native American historic and sacred location.  Along the over 1-mile trail around the base of the tower were prayer rags tied to trees left by the Native Americans who came for sacred ceremonies.  We were told to not take pictures or touch the prayer rags.  It was a bit spin chilling to observe a number of prayer rags left that looked just like my Dad’s handkerchiefs.  The stormy weather predicted in the afternoon at Devil’s Tower did not manifest itself, so maybe there is something to the prayer rags?!?
I was sorry I did not drive directly to Devil’s Tower first thing in the morning and work my way back.  I arrived mid-day and it was extremely crowded.  This caused me to make other decisions about where to start the next day.
The second day was the loop that covered Mt Rushmore, Custer State Park, Wildlife Loop, and Wind Cave National Park.  To beat the crowds, I started at Mt Rushmore.  Mt Rushmore was originally designed as a means of bringing tourists to this area of South Dakota.  The museum was full of pictures, information, and artifacts from the people that designed and carved the mountain. The workmanship was amazing.  But the overall presentation and layout of the park was very commercialized, much more than any other national park. 
I continued following the GuideAlong app as it took me to Custer State Park.  The scenic drive: Needles Road, took me through three tunnels through the mountains, the most noteworthy, narrow, and awesome being “The Needles Tunnel”.  The vistas were souring, and the Rock structures allowed for amazing pictures.  Although the roads were narrow and busy, people were respectful and accommodating.  The scenic drive continued to the Wildlife loop.  It was still part of the Custer State Park, so having the park ticket in view was necessary.  As I was entering the Wildlife loop there was a herd of Big Horned Sheep who looked a bit under nourished and were licking the salt on the roads which held up traffic.  Along the scenic drive through the Wildlife loop, I saw Prairie Dogs, Antelope, and Bison.  This area of Custer State Park was green rolling hills and open prairie, rather than mountainous along the Needles Road. 
I moved on to Wind Cave National Park.  Unfortunately, the elevators into the cave system were broken, so I had to learn about the national park through the museum installation and the Ranger nature walk talk to the Natural Entrance of the cave.  The Ranger talk covered the geology of the cave and the Lakota Emergence Story passed down through the generations. 
Before driving back to camp, I drove to Hot Springs, SD and attended the farmer’s market (evening market) and met a lovely lady (a reformed accountant, LOL) selling delicious baked goods.