**note: quite a few pictures, long download time for dial-ups. Go get yourself a cup o joe or something**

Day 7:

Niobrara State Park NE to Badlands South Dakota to Wall Drug to Custer State Park

Total Miles: 2801 (correction from 2885)
States covered: SD
Time Zones: 1 (mountain), 3 time zones total

 

Woke up to cold and snow. The fog had everything socked in again today too. Didn't bother me much as everything still looked beautiful. Probably the only 2 letdowns due to the fog were the views (or lack there of) from Harney Peak and my pictures being all washed out and flat. The other letdown was the trail that goes down to the base of Rushmore was closed for some unknown reason. First stop was Mt. Rushmore. Been there before but it's still amazing. Also seems much smaller in person than it seems on TV or in pictures. I then drove down to Sylvan Lake and did the Harney Peak hike. Was about 6.5miles round trip from where I started. Only came across 1 person the whole time who was sitting at the top. I think she was offering her banana to the gods too for some clear skies. Didn't work. Was a great hike, very quite, snowy, with some great views of the spires and needles. After Harney I drove the Needles Highway. No decent pictures of the Needles to show you. And most of my tunnel pics were too blurry. Did lots of driving today on the main Blackhills/Custer roads and other random roads.

Interesting Factoid: Harney Peak at 7242 ft above sea level is the highest point east of the Rockies and west of the Pyrannies (sp?) in Europe.

 

Mt. Rushmore from the parking lot:

Mountain Goat in the parking lot:

Mt. Rushmore from closer:

It actually got to 27 degrees at Mt. Rushmore:

Harney Peak Hike, starts at Sylvan Lake:

Starting the hike (find the deer):

Views on the hike:

Interesting man-made spiral staircase (entrance):

First view from the peak:

The best view:

Burrrr (from the top of the fire lookout):

Needles Highway - tunnel around the bend:

Entering the tunnel:

Tunnel exit:

Another tunnel exit onto a bridge that then wraps around under itself:

Random Blackhills picture:

Beware of Guard.. uh.. Buffalo!! (yes it's blurry)

Buffalo:

The backside of buffalo:

Bighorn:

Lions and tigers and donkeys, oh my!! (pack of donkey out in the field, these 2 begging for food)

You want more?!?!...

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