Mount Rushmore's July 3rd Celebration

Mount Rushmore celebrates Independence Day with fireworks and festivities on July 3rd. Chris started the morning by wearing out the shepherds so they would behave while we were away. He ran them down a county road, where they chased wild turkeys! We arrived in the Mount Rushmore area at 11 AM. I had read that you needed to be there early to get a space to park. We were not there early enough for the parking facilities and therefore, you park on the side of the road. The sign going down the hill said "trucks use lower gears, 10% grade". Two miles down that grade was our first opportunity to park! So we started our hike two miles back up the road to the entrance of Mount Rushmore :-) Luckily it was very cool and we had packed snacks. Caleb needed 3 snack breaks and we also took advantage of the Red Cross' free water station near the top of the climb. We decided that there really needs to be a shuttle service established! Approximately 30,000 people visit the memorial on the 3rd of July and the parking is not nearly adequate.

Once inside the memorial it was clear that we needed to stake our territory and find a viewing location for the fireworks at 9:15. The amphitheatre was already full as was the area surrounding it. We found a spot down by the sculptor's studio with a good view of the presidents. Unfortunately, there was no sound or video connected to the area to hear and view the special events of the day. So we camped on our spot all day and enjoyed the view and the cool weather. Caleb played in the woods with some other children.

As part of the festivities, there was a B-2 bomber, F-16, and B-1 bomber flyovers. Impressive to say the least. Although the park was crowded, little communities developed around your 'spot'. People played cards, struck up conversations, and went for ice-cream runs! The fireworks were well worth the wait! By far, that was the most spectacular display any of us have ever seen! The show was 40 minutes of breathtaking beauty! I've never seen so many red, white and blue fireworks. My camera was having technical difficulties, but I also was content sitting back and taking in the show! The experience is truly indescribable and I highly recommend making the journey to see this celebration. What we also learned was that arriving later in the day would be OK to find a good viewing spot down by the sculptor's studio, if you have a means of transportation to get to the front gates. Fortunately on the walk back down the hill, a New Yorker offered us a ride in their SUV down to our truck. So on the way down, we only hiked a bit over a mile. :-)

I will try to work out the technical difficulties and provide more pictures for all to enjoy!