Memorial Walkway, visible on the right is the NC flag
The Memorial Walkway is a nice entrance to the Grand Terrace which offers a spectacular vista of the entire carved mountainside. This is quite impressive.
Mount Rushmore Memorial from the Grand Terrace
The Presidential Trail is a 0.6 mile loop that starts and ends at the Grand View terrace. It's an easy walk which includes 422 steps conveniently getting you as close as possible under the Presidential sculptures. Photo stops built into the walk afford many opportunities to get the faces at every conceivable angle.
Some of the 422 steps can be seen here making the walk up (or down) the mountain an easy walk.
Lookouts along the trail provide many opportunities to lookup and admire the sculptures up close.
On the way down we passed the old generator room and compressors used to power the jack hammers and lifts to the mountain. Of particular interest is the Sculptors Studio which exhibits a variety of sculpting tools and the original scale model used for the carving. The figures were supposed to be carved from the waist up wearing coats but time and money stopped this effort resulting in what we have today.
Scale Model showing the Sculptors Original Intent of sculptures from the waist up
These plaster face masks were created in order to check the exact dimensions of the carving on the mountain.
Plaster Masks used to measure stone carving accuracy
We enjoyed lunch outside on the patio. The Mount Rushmore Memorial can be seen here reflected in the mirrored glass of the Visitor Center.
Dining Patio of Mount Rushmore Visitor Center with Mount Rushmore reflected in the mirrored glass
Outside the Park it's quite stunning to drive around one of the mountains that make up the Black Hills and see the carved head of George Washington.
George Washington Bust Visible outside the Park
