Summer White House of Calvin Coolidge
We’re going to spend 5 nights here in Custer State Park but because we had to cancel our original reservations we arrived here and just hoped for a spot. There are 7 different campgrounds in this 71,000 acre park and the best they could do was have us move around to 4 of the different campgrounds. Oh well, at least we’re in and this way we get the full feel of the park.
One of 1300 buffalo thriving in the park.
You can just make out the faces staring at you as you exit the tunnel.
Our first night was at Grace Coolidge campground, site of the Summer White House of Calvin Coolidge in 1927. From there we drove the scenic Iron Mountain Road north, seeing buffalo grazing on the side of the road and pronghorn in the grassy fields. We passed through 3 narrow one lane tunnels and over 2 pigtail bridges built by the CCC in the 1930’s. As we came out of the first tunnel, we suddenly realized that there were faces on the far mountain wall. Mt. Rushmore from a totally different perspective.
Mount Rushmore as seen from an opposing mountain.
We had a lovely lunch at Thirstys in downtown Rapid City before heading back and relocating to our next campground at Sylvan Lake.
Sun and Sand Travelers 
Yay!! I’m so happy you are finally there. It’s too bad you have to move Trixie so much, but you will see a lot. Did you have a meal at the State Game Lodge? I do not recall much about Sylvan Lake. If you head down the road to Blue Bell, try out a buffalo burger or the stew. Cheers
We had breakfast at State Game Lodge and Leonard had a buffalo burger when we were in Rapid City. Very tasty. We will try out Blue Bell sometime in the next few days. It’s gorgeous here, very green and lush.