There’s no rush to get to Mount Rushmore, not because it isn’t worth the visit, it is. It’s pretty amazing to come face to face with four presidents carved in stone. It is hard to imagine how sculptor, Gutzon Borglum, could have envisioned such a masterpiece as he first faced the mountain. The memorial rises up from the Black Hills and breathes in the fresh pine air. It can be seen and photographed for miles away if you are in the right spot.
I had heard from others who had visited that they were disappointed in it, because they imagined it to be much larger than it actually was. Knowing that the root of disappointment is failed expectations, I kept my preconceptions in check and I wasn’t disappointed.
So, why the blog title? The park is currently being renovated and parts of it are not accessible including the Avenue of Flags, which is a walkway lined with the flags of all 50 states that leads to a close-up view of the memorial.
This construction is slated to be completed in early next year. So if you want a 2020 vision of Mount Rushmore without a construction fence in your path, you’ve got to wait. In the meantime, it is possible to take photos that don’t include the fence, so your photographic vacation memories don’t have to be a reminder of everything that was actually there.
P.S. Lesson learned? Always check the national park website for current alerts for the park you plan to visit to avoid the “Clark Griswold arriving to Walley World” feeling.
Retired Girl in a Beautiful World 