Mammoth Site and Mount Rushmore

One day we split up and each family went their own way.  Mom and Dad came with us to Mammoth Site in Hot Springs, SD. We learned tons about the mammoths that used to live there and were preserved in a sink hole.

Tyler, Megan and Emily



The excavation site







The kids were able to do their own excavating.  They each had an assigned spot and then were given buckets and scoops to start excavating.  They really had to dig down to find their bone.





Tyler





Emily





Megan





The kids got custom-made t-shirts from the Black Hills as souvenirs







We ate at Golden Corral for dinner.  Emily and Megan being unicorns with their cotton candy cones



A few of us made it back up to Mount Rushmore to see it lit up at night.  The patriotic program before the lighting was fabulous, especially when they invited veterans to come down and be honored.

The Black HIlls

A group of us got up early to hike to Harney Peak (Greg, Nathanile, Megan, Olivia, Brooke, Kyle, Tyler, Tansy and Derek)



It was a beautiful hike







Megan



Kyle and Tyler



Olivia and Megan



Megan



We made it to the top!  It is the highest peak in North America east of the Rockies.

Megan, me, Tyler



Greg and Kyle in the lookout



Spectacular views






"Mountain goats"







Selfie "on top of the world" (and yes, we did play the Imagine Dragons song up there!)

Greg, me, Kyle, Derek and Tyler



Olivia and Kyle



Heading back down





Tyler



Megan



Kyle, Tyler and Olivia at the top and Nathaniel heading up



A real mountain goat





A cave-like area



Mount Rushmore as seen from Iron Mountain Road, right out of Custer State Park.  Their website boasts:

• 17 MILES
• 314 CURVES
• 14 SWITCHBACKS
• 3 PIGTAILS
• 3 TUNNELS
• 4 PRESIDENTS
• 2 SPLITS

And Mount Rushmore as seen up close and personal



Tyler, Megan, me and Emily