The only photos I’d seen of Mount Rushmore were the faces up close. I had never seen the mountain from which they were carved. I wanted to make a photograph from a different perspective. In order to set the scene, I’ve also included images along the way as I traveled through Nebraska and the Oglala Grasslands.
Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, the only National Parkland in Nebraska. Around those two hills hundreds of dinosaur bones were found.
Nebraska doing its best Utah impression
The road across Oglala National Grassland
Abandoned building in South Dakota
A cat stretches as it awakens in the abandoned building
South Dakota sheep
Provo, South Dakota. Where old cars go to die
Old cars in Provo, South Dakota
The Crazy Horse Monument is going to be enormous
Mount Rushmore
The light was terrible, so I watched tourist for a long while waiting for it to change
Finally at sunset I made the image I wanted, showing the mountain in which the faces are carved
nomadruss in words and photos 
Excellent series!
Thanks Belinda!
Love all these photographs, especially the last one amazing work 🙂 x
Appreciate that!
I saw this when I was 10 years old as part of our family road trip from CA to IA and I still remember the immensity of that mountain! Then last year I watched a documentary on the making of it, pretty incredible! Thanks for sharing the pictures.
Thanks for stopping by, glad to remind you of a childhood memory.
Best views of Mt Rushmore that I have ever seen. Stunning.
Thanks Kris!
Great image of the Crazy Horse Monument. Your post has inspired me to learn about its (controversial) history. Thank you!
Yeah, a friend’s comment on how long it’s taking to complete has me wanting to learn more myself. Apparently they ran into some trouble due to the nature of the rock itself, among other issues.
Interesting. I was just reading that even though it was originally commissioned by a Lakota elder, relatives of Crazy Horse are not entirely in agreement with the way in which he’s being honored. Already a long and compelling history for an uncompleted project.
Can’t we all just get along 😁
Oh, those words of history. Simple, profound, rarely the reality.
Beautiful images. i have yet to visit Mount Rushmore…one day. I happen to be a fan of old abandoned buildings…love the lath and plaster!
Fabulous set! We finally made it to Mount Rushmore on one of our cross-country drives and I am so glad we did. It’s amazing to see. Your last image is especially stunning, Russ.
Thanks Jane!