Crazy Horse Memorial
On our last day in Rapid City, we headed off to see the Crazy Horse Memorial, a mountain monument under construction in the Black Hills. It will depict the Oglala Lakota warrior Crazy Horse riding a horse and pointing to his tribal land. The memorial was commissioned by Henry Standing Bear, a Lakota elder, to be sculpted by Korczak Ziolkowski. It is operated by the Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation, a nonprofit organization.
The master plan includes the mountain carving monument, a Native American Museum and a cultural center. The monument is being carved out of Thunderhead Mountain, on land considered sacred by some Lakota, on land roughly 17 miles from Mount Rushmore. The sculpture’s final dimensions are planned to be 641 feet long and 563 feet high. The face of Crazy Horse, completed in 1998, is 87 feet high; the Presidents at Mount Rushmore are 60 feet high.
Needles Highway
The Needles Highway is a 14 mile scenic drive within Custer State Park, featuring dramatic granite spires, narrow tunnels, and hairpin turns. Completed in 1922, thee highway is part of the peter Norbeck Scenic Byway and is known for its winding course and the stunning beauty of the Black Hills. Key features include granite formations, tunnels, curves and bridges, wildlife and Sylvan Lake.
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