Cave bacon

It was on our list of places to see in the Black Hills, so we traveled to the Crazy Horse Memorial just north of Custer.

It is a mammoth undertaking that began in 1948. Sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski was born in Boston of Polish descent. He died in 1982 but his wife, Ruth (1926 - 2014), and six of their children and some grandchildren, are carrying on.

From the Viewing Veranda we could see the continuing work. We were told that the entire Mt. Rushmore carvings could fit on the face of Crazy Horse.

On the Viewing Veranda is a 1/34th scale model that weighs 16 ton.

West of Custer is Jewel Cave, the third longest cave in the world, with over 170 miles of known cave, perhaps just 5% of the total length. We purchased tickets for the Scenic Tour, a 1/2 - mile, 1 1/4 - hour loop tour with an elevator ride into the cave. 

This is our tour leader, Ranger Robert.

We followed a paved, lighted path and climbed up and down over 700 stairs.

Here is some boxwork in Jewel. There is not much in this cave, the majority of known boxwork,  90%, is in Wind Cave. At the top of the picture is some of the calcite crystals,  the "jewels" of Jewel Cave, that are extensive throughout the cave.

Here Robert is showing us the stalactites on the cave ceiling. 

A calcite crystal "city" on the floor of the cave.

This long ribbon of calcite (20 feet) with brownish and whitish alternating strips of color, resembles a strip of bacon. 

Colorful "jewels" with some stalactites.

Calcite flow-stone.

Vivid colors in the walls of the cave.

After enjoying Jewel Cave we decided to hike the 3.5 mile Canyons Trail.

We traveled through Lithograph and Hell Canyon.

In 2000 there was a fire that consumed 90% of the trees at Jewel Cave National Monument.

Halfway along the trail we encountered a group of female Rocky Mountain Big Horn Sheep -this is only one. The rest wouldn't stand still for a picture.

3/4 of the way along the Canyons Trail we came upon the Historic Entrance.

Just at the entrance are some calcite "jewels".

An historic, restored, ranger cabin at the Historic Area.