On the Road South Dakota

Sioux Falls, SD Overview of falls from observation tower. Because of the heavy rains, the falls were more spectacular.

Close-up Falls from observation platform.

Upstream rapids

Corn Palace Located in Mitchell, SD. All decorative aspects are made entirely of ears of corn.

Outside Murals As ears deteriorate, they are replaced. Otherwise murals remain untouched.

Inside Murals Inside murals were all done by a Lakota Sioux native from the nearby reservation.

The First Cornstalk This Indian tale says that the sun shone on the buffalo on the hill, and a drop of milk was produced and it rolled down the hill. A corn kernel was germinated with the moisture and the first cornstalk was produced.

Badlands Eastern entrance to the Badlands.

Multi colored rock caused by erosion, and grasslands used by farmers for open range grazing.

Erosion is primarily caused by rainfall. The rocks are soluble and it is estimated that all formations will be leveled in about 5000 years.

Weathered rocks showing bands of color.

Large outcropping. Different area show different formations.

Prairie Dog Part of the grasslands are inhabited by prairie dog towns.

Mount Rushmore This famous sculpture was never completed as conceived by the artist. The busts were meant to be down to the waists. Federal funds were never reinstated to complete the wok.

Crazy Horse Work on the sculpture is slow as it is financed entirely through donations. Neither the artist nor the Indians wished to have th Federal government invlved.

Crazy Horse Original artist’s conception of the sculpture. I will be so huge that Mount Rushmore would fit on the head of Crazy Horse.

Mammoth Museum Located near Hot Springs, SD in the southwest corner of South Dakota, is the Mammoth Museum with ongoing excavation. This is a nearly complete fossil of a mammoth.

This is the largest concentration of wooly and Columbian mammoths in the U.S. Bones of animals other than mammoths have also been found.

A large sinkhole filled with warm water from heated springs formed a lake. Lush grass grew on the edge and herbivores came to eat. If they fell into the lake, it was not easy to get out as the walls were steep.

Skeleton of a mammoth

Skeleton of a great bear. Definitely one of the most interesting sights in South Dakota.