Pennington – Granite Landscapes and History

The cultural landscape of Mount Rushmore National Memorial covers 1,278 acres in Pennington County. The memorial preserves a granite sculpture depicting George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. The cultural landscape is significant for its potential to yield prehistoric insights, its artistic value, and its association with historic figures and events. This places history and landscape alongside the sculpture at the center of the experience.

Mount Rushmore: Art and Landscape

The rugged topography helps explain the landscape: erosion of the overlying sedimentary rock exposes an underlying mass of granite. The ponderosa pine is the predominant tree species in the cultural landscape. Geology and forest add two more aspects to the view of the memorial, which visitors can take in together.

Weather permitting, a visit can include the 0.5-mile Presidential Trail. Ranger programs begin at the Grand View Terrace and are offered daily from June through September, as staffing allows. These involve different planning considerations: weather conditions matter for the trail, while the programs depend on the season and available staffing.

Delta-09: Missile Site and History

The Delta-09 missile silo is in Pennington County, on the south side of Interstate 90 Exit 116, about 0.5 miles south of the interstate on 239th Street. From 1963 until the early 1990s, the silo housed a fully operational Minuteman missile with a 1.2-megaton nuclear warhead. At Delta-09, visitors can see a deactivated Minuteman II missile through a viewing window.

The information distinguishes between a past period of operation and what can be seen at the site: at the time, the silo held a fully operational Minuteman missile; through the viewing window, visitors can see a deactivated Minuteman II. Thus, the same named site brings together its historic use and a view of a deactivated missile. Check road conditions before setting out.

A Route Through the Wider Region

In the wider region around Pennington County, the 70-mile Peter Norbeck National Scenic Byway runs through the area. Its distinctive road features include pigtail bridges, hairpin turns, and granite tunnels. The route includes Iron Mountain Road, Needles Highway, and the Wildlife Loop in Custer State Park. It passes through parts of Custer State Park and runs near Mount Rushmore National Memorial.

The byway therefore offers a different focus from the individual historic sites: its theme is shaped by road engineering features and the connection between different road sections. Some roads have seasonal restrictions. Take these into account when planning and check conditions before setting out. This lets you appreciate the route for its specific features rather than equating it with a single place to visit.

Discover more destinations: Rapid City, Kiston, Hill City, Lake County, Edmunds, Union, Hutchinson County, Fall River County.

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