Carved into a granite mountain, the sculpture of Crazy Horse, a Lakota Warrior. The sculpture, which aspires to be the largest in the world, began in 1947. and still continues to this day.
We visited the Crazy Horse Memorial during our Summer Road Trip to the Black Hills and Mount Rushmore! I had friends tell me that they enjoyed Crazy Horse, and it’s incredible history, just as much as Mount Rushmore, and we were very excited to see it for ourselves!
While the monument and visitors center is open during the day, and they offer tour rides to both the base and the top of the mountain, we visited at night to see the laser light show! A ticket to Crazy Horse Monument is good for 2 days, and our plan was to visit again the next morning, to see it during the day and take a tour, but we didn’t get to do it. The next time we visit it will definitely be one of the first things we do!
The museum is filled with Lakota Indian artifacts and history of the people.
There is also quite a bit of history about Chief Standing Bear, a cousin of Crazy Horse, who worked diligently to create the monument! The sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski began working on the monument in 1947 and along with his wife and their children, continued to work on it until his death at 74 in 1982. He is buried at the base of the monument.
The vision of what the sculpture will one day look when completed.
One of the main things on my Mount Rushmore Bucket List was a Native American Taco at Laughing Water! Made from Indian fry bread, they add ground meat, refried bean, lettuce, cheese and it’s delicious! We arrived just as they were closing, and I mean we ran inside from the parking lot! The people were so nice that they made me one to go just as they were closing, and it was amazing!
My DFW friends who can’t make a trip to South Dakota but want to try one, visit the Dallas Indian United Methodist Church, which makes Native American Tacos from scratch on select days!
As we settled down to watch the light show, I took a few pictures to show the beautiful setting and then put away the camera to listen to the narrator and watch the amazing laser light show that lit up the mountain. It really was an inspirational visit, and one I hope you can make, too!
Things To Do in the Black Hills
Play
Badlands National Park was an amazing experience, with a drive around loop, hiking trails and much more!
Wall Drug Store is a must visit in the Black Hills!
We had a fun time in the drive through Bear Country USA where you can see bears, as well as a lot of other animals!
Stay
We stayed at Custer State Park Resort in nearby Custer, which has cabins, RV and tent camping and lodges, and was very central in all the nearby things to do.
Crazy Horse Memorial
12151 Ave of the Chiefs, Crazy Horse SD
Click HERE to visit their website.
Keep Having Fun in the Texas Sun!
Michelle
Having Fun in the TEXAS Sun is on PINTEREST! Use it as a quick resource to find activities in different Texas towns! Click HERE!
© Having Fun in the Texas Sun, 2018. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Having Fun in the Texas Sun with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
