Custer, Rushmore, and Crazy Horse

On Wednesday, we headed back to Denver Airport for what I jokingly called the “hostage exchange”—dropping off Mary Ann and picking up GG. After quick goodbyes and hellos, we set off for the next phase of our trip: Custer State Park in South Dakota. Annie had never been, but I remembered it vividly.

As a kid, about 30 years ago, my family stayed at The State Game Lodge in cabins right next to the lodge. I remember playing in the fields in front of the cabins with my cousins. Amazingly, it looked exactly the same! This time, we stayed in the same complex but in a more updated cabin—Cabin 4 instead of Cabin 33—right around the corner by a beautiful creek. Annie and I loved falling asleep to the sound of the water each night.

Just like at the other parks, the wildlife seemed to welcome us as soon as we arrived. After unpacking, we walked to the lodge for dinner. On the way, a massive male buffalo crossed the path right in front of us—way too close for comfort. We named him “Barf,” though we later learned the locals call him Bill. He’s an older bull who had been exiled from the herd. Even in his later years, he was still an intimidating sight. Let’s just say our walk back in the dark that night was… alert and cautious.

Our first full day was spent exploring the northern part of the park and the monuments just outside of it. We drove Iron Mountain Road, one of the most memorable drives of the trip. With its pigtail turns, narrow tunnels, and scenic bridges, it rivaled the Pacific Coast Highway, Route 66, the drive from Durango to Silverton, and the Alpine Drive in Rocky Mountain National Park—both in beauty and in white-knuckle moments.

Iron Mountain Road ends at Mount Rushmore. The monument itself looked the same, of course, but the visitor center, trails, and café had all changed since my last visit. Faith, at 12, had the same reaction I did at her age: “This is stupid.” Still, we managed to pull her through the visitor center, the theater, the trail, and up to the base of the mountain. Lainey loved the history, the views, and chatting with a Lakota guide. Marley’s highlight was simply the teepee.

Next, we headed to Crazy Horse—a stop I skipped last time. Annie was amazed at how much the site had changed. While the mountain now had an arm and hand added to the sculpture, the biggest difference was in the expanded visitor facilities. I enjoyed the entire experience.

We took the Needles Highway back, making plenty of stops for overlooks before grabbing dinner in the town of Custer, which was packed with motorcycles thanks to the nearby Sturgis Bike Rally.

In less than 24 hours, we had explored for hours, driven miles, and seen once-in-a-lifetime sights. And we still had days to go. We turned in early that night, ready to wake up for the Wildlife Loop the next day.