Mt Rushmore at Night, and an Evening in the Black Hills

My family and I went up into the Black Hills last night and this morning for some much-needed family time.

We stayed at this little cabin up in the Hills that my kids were crazy over. They wanted us to leave behind our house in Rapid City and move into this little 2-room cabin. It was very nice and the atmosphere was great, but hey....

While we were up in the Hills messing about last night, we decided to pop in to Mount Rushmore and see it lit up. Most people have seen what Mt. Rushmore looks like in the daytime, even if in a picture, but it's a little different at night. I think the last time my wife and I were there at night was pre-children, which seems like a looooooooooooong time ago.

In the foreground here you see the parade of flags leading up to the terrace where you get your closest look at the monument (without walking the rail that leads along the base of the mountain right below it, that is). All the flags from the 50 states are displayed along this walkway, with four per column.


And here are the famous Faces themselves: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Teddy Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln.

The faces are lit by at least two (maybe four?) very powerful flood lights that sit on either end of the terrace and beam out onto the mountain.


Here is a closeup of George Washington, our first president.


And here is my ever-curious daughter Karissa looking through the binoculars for a closeup of the faces. Barely visible is my son Justin waiting patiently (or not) for his turn at the binocs, and my wife Konnie behind them both.

We had a great time last night and this morning!