A brief but memorable stop at the Crazy Horse Memorial followed by a rainy, eye‑opening visit to Tatanka: Story of the Bison.
The next stop on my 2011 National Monuments and Parks tour was the Crazy Horse Memorial, a mountain monument still under construction in the Black Hills of South Dakota. When completed, it will depict the Oglala Lakota warrior Crazy Horse riding a horse and pointing into the distance. Even unfinished, it is an extraordinary sight.
Crazy Horse Memorial.
When we arrived, we were given only ninety minutes to explore, and we weren’t allowed any closer to the mountain than the visitor centre. I would have loved more time there. Guided tours do take visitors right up to the monument, and if I ever return, I’ll make sure to book one so I can see the carving up close.
We had visited Mount Rushmore the previous day, and our guide explained that if the two monuments stood side by side, Crazy Horse would tower over it. The scale is astonishing. We were also told that the U.S. government had offered funding to help complete the project, but the Lakota people refused, choosing to finish it themselves and retain full control.
I walked the flag‑lined path from the visitor centre to the viewing area, took a few photos, and then headed back to look around the exhibits. It was a short visit, but a memorable one, and I left wishing I’d had more time.
Tatanka: Story of the Bison.
After leaving Crazy Horse, we visited Tatanka: Story of the Bison. The visitor centre had several exhibits, and there were Native American guides on hand to share their history and explain the cultural importance of the bison.
It rained the entire time we were there, but it didn’t spoil the experience. I was fortunate to speak with one of the young Native American staff members, who talked openly about the challenges of alcoholism within some Indigenous communities. He shared personal stories about his mother and relatives, and it was eye‑opening to hear the reality behind something I had always assumed was a stereotype from old cowboy films.
If you’re in the area and have an hour or two to spare, Tatanka is well worth a visit. Exhibits include a bronze sculpture of fourteen bison pursued by three Native American riders, the Northern Plains Peoples Educational Interpretive Centre, a Native American gift shop, the Sweetgrass Grill snack bar, and costumes from the film Dances with Wolves.
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