We had lunch in Custer, then headed back toward Keystone, for what was going to be an evening of relaxing. We had decided to skip the visitors center at Crazy Horse, since someone had told us it was $20 each to get in. But it turned out to be only $20 per car, so we went in. There was a large display area, with thousands of photos and signs. Bonnie read every one of them. The native American elders contacted the sculpter and asked him to take on the project. He believed so much in a memorial to a native leader that he worked alone for years under difficult conditions.
It is an impressive work, started about 1948 and still going. Its all private, they have always refused governmant money so they can keep full control over the work. The sculptor that started it died in the 1980s but his family still runs the project.
This shot shows the model with the mountain in the background. It will be very impressive if it ever gets finished. The four heads from Rushmore would fit under Crazy Horse's ear to give you an idea of scale.
We returned to Keystone via the Needles. This is an amazing area of rock formations in tall, thin needles. Also a couple tunnels
We also passed this group of elk alongside the road.
