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'Crazy
Horse Volksmarch'
First Weekend
in June |
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Hike
up Crazy Horse carving held first full weekend in June |
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Held now for more than two
decades, the annual Crazy Horse Volksmarch (an organized hike) is a 10K
(6.2-mile) woodlands ramble to the world's largest mountain carving in progress.
This event is the
most popular of its kind in the U.S., drawing up to 15,000 participants. It is
the only time each year (weather permitting) the public can walk to the mountain
carving in the southern Black Hills of South Dakota.
The hike’s
turn-around point is on the outstretched arm directly in front of the carved
face of Crazy Horse. Hikers get an up-close view of the mountain work that is
blocking out the 22-story-high horse's head.
Crazy Horse
Memorial, home of the world’s largest mountain sculpture in progress, is in
the Black Hills of South Dakota on U.S. Highway 16/385 just 17 miles southwest
of Mount Rushmore.
Sculptor
Korczak Ziolkowski began the project in 1948 at the request of Lakota Chief
Henry Standing Bear and other Native American elders. Korczak died in 1982. His
wife, Ruth, and some members of their family continue the project, working with
the nonprofit Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation.
The
Memorial's visitor complex includes the 40,000 square foot Welcome
Center and theaters, the Indian
Museum of North America, the Native
American Educational & Cultural Center, the sculptor’s log home studio
and workshop, indoor and outdoor galleries, museum gift shop, restaurant and
snack bar areas and expansive viewing veranda.
Many Native
American artists and crafts people create their artwork and visit with guests at
the Memorial during the summer season.
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