Black Hills (SD) Part 3

7/31/24 - A day enjoying our RV spot and surrounds.

I went for a 4-mile walk in the National Forest land that is connected to our RV Park (Big Pine Campground)

I saw 1 deer, lots of butterflies, and zero people. 😊

In the evening, Pat grilled the humongous steaks I bought...

...and we enjoyed a campfire. We saw a doe and 2 fawns nearby.

8/1/24 - We entered Custer State Park and drove the Needles Highway.

Pat enjoyed navigating the hairpin turns...

...and several 1-lane tunnels.

We parked near Sylvan Lake and completed an 8-mile round-trip hike to the top of Black Elk Peak.

A view of our destination: The fire lookout built by the CCC in 1939.

The view from the top. At 7242 ft, this peak is the highest point east of the Rocky Mountains and west of the Pyrenees in Europe.

These spires (or needles) are all over Custer SP

Our next stop was Mount Rushmore, where we watched a brief movie and walked around the grounds.

Mount Rushmore was sculpted 1927-1941

We had dinner in Custer again.

The sight and rumble of Harleys is everywhere!!