Himavad Gopalaswamy Betta, Karnataka, India

Himavad Gopalaswamy Betta, is a hill (betta in Kannada) located in the Chamarajanagar district of the state of Karnataka, at a height of 1450m India and is extensively wooded.

The gopuram of the temple is single-tiered and rests on the compound wall of the enclosure.

It is the highest peak in the Bandipur National Park.  The place is also known for its picturesque views of the surrounding hills, valleys and visitors may also see the spectacular sunrise and sunset from the top.

It lies in the core area of the Bandipur National Park and is frequented by wild life including elephants (Elephas maximus). 

Dense fog predominates and covers the hills round the year and thus gets the prefix Himavad (in the native language of Kannada) and the temple of Venugopalaswamy (Lord Krishna) gives the full name of Himavad Gopalaswamy Betta.

Cloud cover is present most of the times due to the altitude.

 Detailed and intricate design is present on temple.

The top of the temple is painted in golden yellow color.

Cheetal or Spotted Deer (Axis axis) resting near the temple.

Links:

1. Official website of the temple
2. Wikipedia

Custer State Park, Black Hills, South Dakota

Custer State Park is a state park and wildlife reserve in the Black Hills of southwestern South Dakota, USA. The park is South Dakota's largest and first state park, named after Lt. Colonel George Armstrong Custer. The area originally started out as sixteen sections, but was later changed into one block of land because of the challenges of the terrain. The park began to grow rapidly in the 1920s and gained new land. During the 1930s the Civilian Conservation Corps built miles of roads, laid out parks and campgrounds, and built three dams that set up a future of water recreation at the park. In 1964 an additional 22,900 acres (93 km2) were added to the park. (Ref: Wikipedia)

The park covers an area of over 71,000 acres (287 km2) of hilly terrain and is home to many wild animals. The park is home to a famous herd of 1500 free roaming bison. Elk, mule deer, white tailed deer, mountain goats, bighorn sheep, pronghorn, mountain lions, and feral burros also inhabit the park. The park is famous for its scenery, its scenic drives (Needles Highway and the wildlife loop), with views of the bison herd and prairie dog towns. This park is easily accessible by road from Rapid City. Other nearby attractions are Wind Cave National Park, Mount Rushmore, Jewel Cave National Monument, Crazy Horse Memorial, and Badlands National Park. (Ref: Wikipedia)

The popularity of the park grew in 1927, when U.S. President Calvin Coolidge made it his "summer White House" and announced from the Black Hills that he would not seek a second full term in office in the election of 1928. (Ref: Wikipedia)

Mount Rushmore National Memorial

Mount Rushmore National Memorial is the sculpted faces of 4 United States Presidents: George Washington (1732-1799), Thomas Jefferson (1742-1826), Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919), and last but not least Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865). "The purpose of the memorial is to communicate the founding, expansion, preservation, and unification of the United States with colossal statues of Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt." ~ Gutzon Borglum, sculptor. George Washington represents the founding of the United States. Thomas Jefferson represents the expansion of the United States through the Louisiana Purchase. Theodore Roosevelt represents the preservation of United States because of his push to form National Parks. Abraham Lincoln represents the unification of United States because of his role in the American Civil War. [Ref: Wikipedia, National Park Service]

A walkway with all the states' flags leading to the amphitheater...

The Mount Rushmore amphitheater.

A silhouette of Mount Rushmore.

A ceremony of recognition for veterans and armed forces service personnel.

Mount Rushmore at night.

Wind Cave National Park, South Dakota

Wind Cave National Park is a United States national park 10 miles (16 km) north of the town of Hot Springs in western South Dakota. Established in 1903 by President Theodore Roosevelt, it was the seventh U.S. National Park and the first cave to be designated a national park anywhere in the world.

 The cave is also considered a three-dimensional maze cave, recognized as the densest (most passage volume per cubic mile) cave system in the world. The cave is currently the sixth-longest in the world with 140.47 miles (226.06 km) of explored cave passageways, with an average of four new miles of cave being discovered each year.

A short demonstration on why the Wind Cave was given it's name. Because of the high pressure inside the cave and the low pressure outside the cave, the air flows out.

 The cave is notable for its displays of the calcite formation known as "box work". Approximately 95 percent of the world's discovered box work formations are found in Wind Cave.

Wind Cave is also known for its "frost work".

 Above ground, the park includes the largest remaining natural mixed-grass prairie in the United States.

Click here to check Plants and Animals observed in Wind Cave National Park

Badlands National Park, South Dakota

A badlands (also badland) is/are a type of dry terrain where softer sedimentary rocks and clay-rich soils have been extensively eroded by wind and water.[Ref Wikipedia]

Badlands National Park is a national park in southwestern South Dakota that protects 242,756 acres of sharply eroded buttes, pinnacles, and spires blended with the largest undisturbed mixed grass prairie in the United States. [Ref: Wikipedia]

Popcorn rock formations

Ridges at sunset.

Sunset at the Pinnacle Point

Click here to check Plants and Animals observed in Barlands National Park