Crazy Horse Memorial

Crazy Horse Memorial is one of the most ambitious sculptural projects in human history — an ongoing carving of the Lakota warrior Crazy Horse into a granite mountain in the Black Hills of South Dakota, begun in 1948 by sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski at the invitation of Lakota chiefs as a response to and counterbalance to Mount Rushmore. When complete, the carving will stand 563 feet tall and 641 feet long.

Only the face — 87 feet tall — has been completed and unveiled, in 1998, and work continues on the figure’s outstretched arm and horse. The memorial is privately funded and charges no federal money, relying on admission. The Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation also operates on-site Native American cultural programs, museums, a cultural center, and scholarship programs. A mountain of granite being transformed into a monument to indigenous heritage and the spirit of the people, Crazy Horse Memorial is a remarkable and deeply significant icon of South Dakota.

Visitors view the carving from the orientation complex and viewing deck below, visit the Indian Museum of North America, the Native American Educational and Cultural Center, and the sculptor’s home and studio (now a museum), and watch orientation films about the project and the life of Korczak Ziolkowski. Laser light shows run on summer evenings. Occasional ‘Volksmarch’ events allow visitors to walk up to the carving itself. Viewing the enormous scale of the ongoing carving, learning about Crazy Horse and the Lakota, and exploring the cultural center are the signature draws. The memorial is as much a cultural and living experience as a scenic one.

Summer is the peak season, with full programming, the laser light show, and good weather for viewing the carving against the mountain — the carving catches the afternoon light beautifully. Late spring and fall are pleasant and less crowded, while winter offers a stark, quiet view of the mountain. The carving is striking in early morning light and at sunset. Summer for the full experience and the evening laser show, and the shoulder seasons for quieter, reflective visits, are the highlights — come on a clear day for the best view of the face across the valley.

In 1939, Chief Henry Standing Bear and other Lakota leaders invited sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski to create a monument in the Black Hills to honor the Native American peoples — choosing the warrior Crazy Horse (Tašunke Witko), who never allowed himself to be photographed and whose likeness had to be imagined. Ziolkowski began blasting in 1948 and worked on the mountain until his death in 1982; his family and the Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation have continued ever since. The face was unveiled in 1998. The project is privately funded and entirely non-governmental. Crazy Horse Memorial is a living monument to Lakota heritage and the spirit of a people.

Crazy Horse Memorial is being carved into Thunderhead Mountain — a mass of ancient Black Hills granite, the same billion-year-old rock that forms the rest of the Black Hills’ granite core. The sculptors remove granite by blasting and surface removal, working from the top down and outside in to reveal the figure within the mountain. The durable, hard granite makes the carving exceptionally challenging and also ensures its longevity. The ancient Black Hills granite, its scale and hardness, and the vision of carving an entire mountain make this one of the most extraordinary sculptural projects ever undertaken.

The granite mountain and surrounding Black Hills forest around Crazy Horse Memorial host mule and white-tailed deer, wild turkeys, mountain goats on the higher rocks, chipmunks, squirrels and various birds in the ponderosa pine. The surrounding Black Hills are rich in wildlife. While the memorial is visited for its cultural and sculptural significance, the Black Hills setting offers glimpses of the region’s wildlife and the dramatic granite landscape that the carving emerges from.

Crazy Horse Memorial sits within the ponderosa-pine and granite ecosystem of the central Black Hills, a landscape of forested granite hills and the mountain being transformed into sculpture. The ongoing blasting and construction are managed to minimize impacts, and the memorial grounds are maintained. The forest, the granite and the wildlife form the backdrop of this remarkable human endeavor. Protecting the surrounding forest and respecting the Black Hills environment sustains both the setting and the significance of this extraordinary ongoing monument.

Crazy Horse Memorial holds a profound and unique place among the cultural and natural icons of South Dakota — a privately funded, family-continued mountain carving honoring the Lakota warrior Crazy Horse, conceived by Lakota chiefs as a living monument to indigenous culture and heritage, being built entirely without federal support as a statement of independence and self-determination. The Indian Museum of North America, the educational center and the scholarship programs make it a living cultural institution as much as a monument. Crazy Horse Memorial is a deeply significant icon of South Dakota and of Native American heritage.

Crazy Horse Memorial is in the central Black Hills of South Dakota, about 5 miles north of Custer off U.S. 16/385, about 25 minutes from Mount Rushmore and an hour from Rapid City. An admission fee is charged. The complex includes the visitor and orientation building, the Indian Museum of North America, the sculptor’s home and studio, a restaurant and gift shop, a cultural center, and the laser light show venue. The evening laser light show runs in summer. Some close-up access to the mountain is available on special Volksmarch events. Check the Crazy Horse Memorial for hours, fees and event schedules before visiting.

The Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation, entirely privately funded, sustains and builds the memorial and its programs. Visitors help by respecting the deep cultural and spiritual significance of the memorial and its honoree, following all site rules, supporting the foundation and its programs (which fund both the carving and Native American education and scholarships), and treating the Indian Museum of North America and the cultural center with respect. The memorial is a living institution. Supporting it and honoring its purpose sustains both the ongoing carving and the cultural mission of Crazy Horse Memorial.

The memorial complex is a developed site with paved paths, buildings and an orientation deck; it is generally safe and accessible. The laser light show is held outdoors in summer evenings — bring a layer as evenings in the Black Hills can be cool. Special Volksmarch events that allow walking up to the carving involve a significant hike on the mountain; wear sturdy shoes and be prepared for the elevation and terrain. Drive carefully on U.S. 16/385 and the mountain road. Respect any safety barriers around the active carving areas.

Admission is charged; fees support the foundation and its programs. Stay within the visitor complex and on designated paths; the mountain and carving area are not open for general access (except during special Volksmarch events). Do not climb on or attempt to approach the carving outside of sanctioned events. Respect the cultural and spiritual significance of the site. Photography is welcome. Pets should be kept under control. Follow all posted rules and instructions from staff. Check the Crazy Horse Memorial for hours, fees, special events and current rules before visiting.

The town of Custer, Mount Rushmore about 25 minutes away, the Needles Highway and Custer State Park, Wind Cave National Park, Jewel Cave National Monument, and the rest of the Black Hills lie near the memorial. The Black Hills define the region. Crazy Horse Memorial is a centerpiece of the Black Hills cultural-and-scenery experience, easily combined with Mount Rushmore, Custer State Park, the Needles Highway, Wind Cave and Jewel Cave on a Black Hills circuit.

Allow at least 90 minutes at the complex — visit the Indian Museum of North America and the cultural center, watch the orientation film, and take in the carving from the main viewing deck (binoculars help). Come in the late afternoon for the best light on the face, and if you’re there in summer, stay for the evening laser light show on the mountain. Check the calendar for Volksmarch events if you want to walk up to the carving. Combine your visit with nearby Mount Rushmore, Custer State Park and the Needles Highway for a full Black Hills day.