An early breakfast over the fire and we were off for another day of exploring the beautiful Black Hills of S. Dakota. We couldn't pass up stopping by Ken's Mineral Shop in Custer; filled with some of the coolest Native American carved arrowheads and stone blades I have ever seen, not to mention some pretty amazing skulls over 12K years old. It def. puts things into perspective!
Next up, the infamous Deadwood. Mainly filled with casino's so I have to be honest, I wasn't that impressed. Actually, the best shop there was a place called Chubby's Chocolate. I managed to score the #4 Black Bar made from the rare rediscovered Fortunato #4 from cacao beans of Peru and def worth the $11.99 it cost me! The truffles were pretty good too!
Time to take in a little bit of history with a stop at the iconic Mount Rushmore National Memorial. Finished in 1941 under the direction of Gutzon Borglum and his Lincoln, the 60-foot high granite hand-carved Presidential faces will leave you in awe. I was so happy to finally see this place in person. It doesn't take long, we were only there about 30 minutes, but it's worth the stop. Plus, it was another stamp in my Passport Book.
Our drive back to Custer State Park meant taking in the views and squeezing through the rock tunnels of Needles Highway. Fourteen miles of pine forests, birch and aspens, and towering granite rock formations that pierce the horizon. Peter Norbeck, a former governor of S. Dakota mapped the entire trail by foot and horseback and the highway was completed in 1922. Be sure to look for the Needle's Eye as you make your way. We ended the day with pork chops and hamburgers over an open fire, taking in the fresh air of the Black Hills.
Location: Deadwood, Devil's Bathtub Trail, Mount Rushmore, Needles Highway
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Shona
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