Vacation Post 13 - Mt. Rushmore

So here we are at Mt. Rushmore. It's been a good 22 years since my bride and I were in these parts as I mentioned in the Crazy Horse post. 

That being said, I was stunned at how many changes had been made to this national monument in those years! 

The whole parking lot structure has changed now including a multilevel ramp. And as far as the viewing platform/gift shop area in the past, there wasn't much to see, as I recall.  I remember a building that you sort of walked around the left side of, and you could go into the building from there or keep going directly to the viewing platform, that was simply a big flat cemented area with some pay binoculars.

Not so much anymore...

When you first come out of the parking ramp, this is what you see.  The big concrete areas in front are where they have the bathrooms, on one side and the gift shop/welcome center on the other side.  Once past that, you pass thru the hall of flags which contains the flag for all 50 states and a small carved stone saying when they were admitted into the Union.  Once thru there, then you got to the viewing platforms.

The inimitable Aunt Molly.

The Mobile Chaos Unit preparing to enter the hall of flags.

Two cute varmints... not sure what the one in the purple is up too...

And the view looking the opposite direction from the stone faces...  We would be hiking over "there" in about 1 hour.