Would you rate the rally pg or r?

We are researching coming to the rally but am hearing that it may be a bit wild? I did see some rather revealing photos of someone%26#39;s trip there, but is that typical? Would you call this a family event? Thanks!

Would you rate the rally pg or r?

It definitely is NOT a family event.

At night, within Sturgis and the big campground/concert venues (Buffalo Chip, Glencoe, Full Throttle) I would give the Rally at least an R. Nudity is perhaps not typical, but it also is not uncommon, and not necessarily something anyone wants to see. ';Naked Ned'; (written on his back in marker) riding his motorcycle nude comes to mind. I%26#39;ve seen women making equally poor choices with paint, pasties or fishnet as their sole items of clothing.

My 21 year old has never been to the Rally, other than seeing the much tamer crowds %26amp; cycles in Rapid City.

Would you rate the rally pg or r?

Thanks for the reply. This is kinda what I thought by my research, but I appreciate confirmation!

First time to SD - help please!

HI! Wow - you guys have a lot of great info here!!

We are heading out to see Mt. Rushmore in June %26amp; I would like some help with planning the activities since you guys are more familiar with what is actually %26#39;doable%26#39;.

We have one 8 yr old son %26amp; we are driving from CO - we should be there near noon on Weds %26amp; leave Sat or Sun.

1. any big recommendations on where to stay so we are sort of centralized? I just emailed Calamity Peak Lodge, but have also looked at a few places in Custer ... or maybe even Lodge at Palmer Gulch ... thoughts?

we want to see:

Mt Rushmore

Custer State Park (wildlife loop %26amp; swimming at either Sylvan Lake or Legions Lake - is this when we would also see Needles?)

Mammoth Site

Reptile Gardens

Bear Country USA

Badlands

Hadn%26#39;t planned on seeing but now think we need to see:

Jewel Cave

Everything Prehistoric

Cosmos

Panning for Gold (Suggestions)

I think we will just see Crazy Horse from a-far %26amp; we don%26#39;t plan on going to Deadwood or Devils tower during this trip.

Anything I am missing?

Any help is greatly appreciated!! THANKS :)

First time to SD - help please!

Hi,

You have a lot planned in a limited time. While I always say the best thing about the area is the close proximity of attractions, but be careful to not plan too much.

First and foremost, stay until Sunday. You will need the extra day to see what you have planned.

Second, I%26#39;d make a base in Keystone, Hill City or Custer. These are the most centrally located towns that will give you a great feel for the hills. It sounds like you prefer lodges over the more commercialized hotels? If so, you would probably enjoy staying in Custer SP. The options are endless.

I have personal experience at the Roosevelt Inn in Keystone if you like the more commercialized hotel. Their website is rosyinn.com. We were very pleaed with the hotel. They have family suites, an indoor pool, and a great pizzeria on site.

Ok..Let me give a whirl at a possibly itinerary for you:

Wed..Arrive by noon and check into lodging at Hill City, Keystone or Custer. See Mt. Rushmore by day and return for the lighting ceremony.

Thurs..daytrip to the Badlands (this will eat up most of day--so try to get an early start). Possibly stop at Wall Drug if you%26#39;re interested in seeing it. On the way back, you can stop at Reptile Gardens and Bear Country. This will be a full day, so you might opt to cut either Reptile or Bear depending on your stamina and operating hours of both attractions.

Friday..Custer SP..Sylvan Lake (swimming, weather permitting), Needles Hwy., head out through the town of Custer to Jewel Cave for the tour (Advance reservations recommended). Depending on where you stay, this could be your day for viewing Crazy Horse from afar.

Saturday...Once again, depending on where you stay, head for the Wildlife Loop via Iron Mountain Road, and then head down to Hot Springs. You can see the Mammoth site. On this day, you might also want to visit Wind Cave, as it joins the Wildlife Loop. After all this, you can do anything you can possibly fit in that you haven%26#39;t seen.

Sunday..head home

I personally think it will be tight to fit in all the activities you have mentioned. I would cut out the Cosmos if time runs out, along with Everything Prehistoric. I really liked Everything Prehistoric, but if you go to the Mammoth Site, there%26#39;s really much more of the dinosaur genre to see there.

If you get time for gold panning, Casa Azul, a regular poster on here, recommends Wade%26#39;s Gold Mill in Hill City. We didn%26#39;t pan for gold, but we did visit Big Thunder Gold Mine in Keystone. It was an interesting tour.

I just want to make one comment about Crazy Horse. I know you have a lot planned and wanted to view it from afar, but if you can find time, I would really recommend stopping. It should be seen once. The history of the monument is even more fascinating that Rushmore, IMO, and the Native American exhibits are worth the admission price alone.

As I mentioned before, the itinerary I posted is rough and is pretty packed. Once you get your lodging set, we can give it another attempt (and probably better!). There are others who may well have much better ideas!

Your son is at a perfect age for the area. He will love it, and so will you. Have fun planning, and stop back with more questions.

First time to SD - help please!

When going to Mt. Rushmore, consider your tolerance for crowds. It can get really busy there. You might want to go early in the a.m. Note that it charges no entrance fee, but there is a $10 charge to park in the ramp. If there was free parking there, I didn%26#39;t see it. My 8 year old liked the Jr. Ranger activities at Mt. Rushmore the best of all the National Parks we visited in the vicinity.

We panned for gold at Big Thunder Mine in Keystone, largely because it was very close to Mt. Rushmore. It was fine.

The roads in Custer State Park and the Needles Highway are narrow and winding, so plan for driving slowly, not anything close to 55 mph.

We stayed in Custer State Park and liked the quiet park surroundings. (See my review of Legion Lake Resort).

Thanks for the input!

Here is what we have planned:

Staying in Keystone Weds - Sat:

Weds - on our way up stop at the Mammoth Site, possibly Wind Cave %26amp; possibly Mt. Rushmore by night

Thurs - Bear Country USA %26amp; Reptile Gardens

Fri - Custer State Park %26amp; Mt Rushmore

Sat - Badlands %26amp; Wall Drug then up to Deadwood. Site see in Deadwood in the evening Staying at Hickok Iron Horse in Deadwood.

Sun - Spearfish Canyon to Belle Fourche to Devils Tower %26amp; then home to CO!

Great to have a general idea of what we are doing %26amp; when!

Hi!

I%26#39;m glad to see you%26#39;re staying the extra day. I think your plan will work pretty well. Bear Country %26amp; Reptile Gardens won%26#39;t take an entire day on Thursday, so you may be able to add an activity that day. Maybe you could add Jewel Cave, gold panning, or an actual stop at Crazy Horse??

Where did you decide to stay in Keystone?

Hi

Thanks for the Thursday info!

We are staying at the Presidents View Resort in Keystone, for the money I think it will be decent to rest our heads %26amp; for our son to swim in the evenings, since we don%26#39;t plan on being at the hotel much.

I was just looking at the property the other day, someone had some questions on it. They have suites that looked quite nice.

If you have a chance, please post a review of the resort and/or trip report. We%26#39;d love to hear how everything went!

Last year we did the Badlands/Black Hills trip.

Just some thoughts, no right or wrong answer. Dikd the mammoth site and found it fascinating but would have spent our time elsewhere looking back. Mt Rushmore is great did not do the lighting ceremony and regret it every day. Sylvan Lake (we stayed in the cabins) is very nice. If you are hikers, Harney Peak is a great way to spend 5-6 hours round trip from Sylvan Lake. Got kick out of Reptile Gardens. Jeez! the biggest turtle I have ever seen was out for a stroll. Did not do Bear Country. Other people are correct about the roads. Got to Sylvan Lake after dark and did go out again until daylight. Aside from the hairpin turns getting there, the really ';big rock'; that started to move right next to the van was actually a buffalo eating on the side of the road. That was kind of the last straw for my nerves that night.

Needles highway is spectacular. Right before you get to the famous skinny little tunnel, there is a parking lot and we did some climbing around there.

Caves are every personal preference. We did not do them and are okay with that. Some people prefer Wind over Jewel and others aqree the exact opposite.

Wildlife Loop road-animals like the early morning s and early evenings. I would never get so close as to pet a buffalo but when the darn donkey just woujld not get out of the middle off the road I got out to take a picture. He just wandered over to me like we were old friends. Scratched his nose, took his picture, wondered if I was supposed to do that but was so captivated by it all, I just did.

We did the Crazy Horse from afar. One of our friends did and said NEVER again. Another family we know did it and loved it. Keep in mind this is not a national park area. Some people may be surprised it is a private enterprise trying to privately raise a lot of money to to finish it.

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Rving

My husband and I will be travelling around SD in

Aug. and Sept. I prefer ';scenic routes'; to interstates and would like to take our 40%26#39; motorhome

on some of these roads. I would like to know if

the Native American Scenic Byway is safe for a motorhome to navigate. We would like to take this route from Chamberlain on into ND. I am also interested in the condition of the other SD byways

and if they are good for RV%26#39;s. Along the Missouri

River, can someone tell me the name of the best

Recreation Areas that have camping for motor homes?

Thanks so much. This is much appreciated

mt rushmore to devils' tower

We will be in the area the end of Aug. 3 nights in Keystone, (stopping by Devil%26#39;s Tower along the way to Cody, Wy) and on to Yellowstone, etc. My question is this: Map Point is sending me from Keystone back to Rapid City and on westward via I 90. On the map-- I am seeing Rte 385 thru the Black Hills natl Forest- thru Deadwood to I 90. According to the map, it is basically the same amount of travel time. Which is the preferable drive? We LOVE photography and scenic drives. What do think? Which route should we take? Any good reasons to take 385 or avoid it?

mt rushmore to devils' tower

I%26#39;d highly recommend taking Rt. 385. We drove this route in the reverse direction. We were coming from Lead/Deadwood and really enjoyed it. The road was good quality and definitely more scenic. The Pactola Dam area is beautiful!

It might take a little more time, but if you like scenic drives, take a detour and drive the Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway! There are some pretty waterfalls here and lots of nice photo ops. You can take the byway into Spearfish and then pick up I90.

Sounds like you have a great trip planned! Enjoy your time in the Black Hills and Yellowstone!

mt rushmore to devils' tower

If you like a scenic route definitely take us385 but it will be more timeconsuming.

good. sounds like something we%26#39;ll want to do. We are taking 2 and 1/2 weeks- coming from Ohio -- trying to fit in the Black Hills, Yellowstone, Tetons and Rocky Mt Park. I try and and squeeze in as much scenic driving as I can. The west is SO vast (compared to here) that strictly interstate driving can get tiring. Stopping and climbing out with our cameras is a big part of our travel fun, so... sounds like 385 is definitely the way we%26#39;ll want to go. I%26#39;ll check out the Spearfish Canyon too. See how it fits into our trip. We%26#39;ve reservations in Cody, Wy the night we leave Mt Rushmore and want to run by Devil%26#39;s Tower too, so-- I%26#39;ll see how the timing goes that day. Definitely interested tho.

Thanks for the help!

I would suggest leaving Keystone as early as possible. We did this same thing in 2007. We left at 7 am from our Rapid City hotel and headed to Devil%26#39;s Tower on I-90. We didn%26#39;t do the hike as it was a little long for our kids (5, 2, and 1). We then drove through the powder river pass. Very pretty.

We also stayed in Cody that night and we arrived later in the evening, around 4pm. We didn%26#39;t get to do any of the museums in Cody because of our late arrival.

So chances are if you leave at 7, take 385, and do the hike at Devil%26#39;s Tower, you probably won%26#39;t get to Cody until 7 or 8 at night.

Have fun

Casey is right. It will be a long very long day. Planning a route you%26#39;ll think: Ok we do Devils Tower but you%26#39;ll already see if from a distance, closer and closer, and you will want to make stops for photo%26#39;s because it%26#39;s a remarkable sight and that takes time. The visitor center is very interesting not to mention the Prairie dogs at the foot of Devils Tower. Stops again. That sidetrip easily can take up to 2 hours but I wouldn%26#39;t want to skip it. Towards Cody you can take 14A and 14. Both are very scenic routes but 14A even more scenic but not faster. So maybe better take 14.

Tet

thanks! that is definitely helpful. Been to the ';southwest'; a couple of times and if there is one thing I%26#39;ve learned is that the beauty slows you down at every turn :) That and get advice from people who%26#39;ve been there! This is the first time heading north.

Is just my husband and I so that helps with any long days. 2 years ago, we did a big loop (beginning here in Ohio) to Albuquerque, Taos, Durango, over the San Juan skyway, monument valley, antelope canyon, Sedona, Tucson, Tombstone, Silver City, the very large array, back to albaquerque and then back home to Ohio. We were one night in each place aside from Sedona and Tucson. Ended up over 5600 miles in 2 weeks and 2 days. Yes, I know-- insane but we loved it :)

Decided to make this an ';easy'; trip, so 3 nights in Keystone, one overnight in Cody just to sleep, 4 nights in Yellowstone, 2 in Tetons, 1 in Laramie just to sleep, 2 in Estes Park. We%26#39;ll think this is a leasurely pace :) However... I WOULD definitely prefer to get into Cody before 7 or 8, so... may have to pass on the scenic route to allow enough time for Devil%26#39;s Tower? Is that your thoughts? Considering the whole trip, I suspect we%26#39;ll end up with plenty of scenic drives-- Time in Custer State park will show us the Black Hills? What do you think?

On your way from Sheridan to Cody (fastest way) you%26#39;ll have to take wy 14 or wy 14A. (If you were thinking of Buffalo-Worland-Greybull, this will take longer). Wy14 is the way to go on a tight schedule. Even if you are staying just for the night in Cody, a visit to the Buffalo Bill museums simply is a must. You can spend days there but 3-4 hours gives you a good impression. Maybe the morning after the Cody night (Cody also has its night rodeo event in summer)and drive to Yell in the afternoon.

You schedule looks good. 2 full days in the BH/Badlands area, the drive to Cody, your time in Yellowstone/GTNP and it%26#39;s an easy drive from Jackson to Laramie. And who am I to judge over 5600 miles trips, our last 2 trips were 8000 miles to the USA and 7500 miles to Australia, but I admit, we resp. had 8 and 9 weeks for it. Isn%26#39;t it great being retired-lol-

Tet

oh my gosh! Okay-- you%26#39;ve beaten me in miles! but I win in the ';most insane miles in too short of time'; award, right? :)

Not retired-- That%26#39;s why we try and cram so much into those 2 week plus weekend vacations. To make things worse, I am terrified to fly. Last time I tried, I ended up standing on the tarmac with some airport worker sneaking a cigarette to me trying to calm me while I sobbed. Horrid! Anyways, makes it tough on the husband all these miles, but thank goodness he LOVES photography and wandering the roads.

I wasn%26#39;t going to bother with anything in Cody, but I will take your advice and make time for the museum. Speaking of museums-- have you been to the Western Heritage museum in Oklahoma City? Might sound uninteresting, but it is REALLY great. Could spend hours and hours there. Has that famous ';End of the Trail'; original sculpture there. That and the memorial downtown where the bombing occured are worth a stop in OKC. Not sure if you%26#39;re interested--but my husband has a website-- front page gives slide shows link to the trips. First southwest trip is when we were in OKC. This is NOT a sales website-- just for fun. http://www.angel-gallery.com Just thought you might enjoy some of the photos since you love traveling :)

Wow, your husband Chris is a great photographer! Fantastic. Nice relaxing music too. Missed the spiral staircase in Santa Fe.....

Funny you mentioned Western Heritage Museum....we already were planning a visit to it next year! Terrified of flying are you? Good you didnot went with us this year. Spent 42 hours in the air...

glad you enjoyed the photos. You%26#39;ll like the western heritage museum, I think.

okay-- the staircase. We did not go in because I was peeved you had to PAY to go into a church.-- (my dad is a retired minister) long story, but my fault he didn%26#39;t get photos of it. We%26#39;d had our vehicle broken into, all of our camera gear, gps, etc stolen-- spent vacation time getting the window fixed and replacing photo gear-- got into Albuquerque for the balloon festival right from there and it rained all day-- (no balloons) Santa Fe followed Albuquerque and it took VERY little to peeve me (obviously) at that point. Not to mention insurance people calling and refusing to pay, blah, blah, blah..Stupid of me, but there you go. No staircase. Just a bad day and bad attitude on my part. Loved Santa Fe tho-- my favorite ';town'; that I%26#39;ve been to.

No thanks-- no 42 hours for me in the air :)

suggest an overnight spot in SE South Dakota?

My wife and I are driving across the beautiful USA. One night will find us in NW Iowa/Se South Dakota. Can anyone suggest a scenic area to spend the night or an area with interesting local attractions? Thanks.

suggest an overnight spot in SE South Dakota?

Not much help but maybe stay Mitchell and see Corn Palace. I%26#39;m sure local experts will give you more info. Mitchell was the only places we stayed in that area.

Tet

suggest an overnight spot in SE South Dakota?

Sioux Falls is another option

I would suggest Arnold%26#39;s Park on Lake Okoboji in NW Iowa. It is in an area called the Iowa Great Lakes. There is a small old-timey amusement park there (wooden roller coaster, among other things) and has been a tourist destination since the late 1800%26#39;s.

Vacation Village is one big resort, but you can find many web pages with Okoboji info. It is just a few miles south of I-90 at Worthington. Spirit Lake is a little less resorty but you%26#39;d have access to the lakes.

Palisades State Park North of Sioux Falls is awesome!

Another option would be Yankton, SD right on the Missour River. You will find fantasic fishing here. On your way, you could stop at the music museum located on the University of SD campus at Vermillion.

June 18th, 19th, and 20th, 2009 is the Czech Days at Tabor, SD, which is about 30 miles west of Yankton.

taborczechdays@yahoo.com

That sounds promising. Can you tell me more about the fishing there?

I apologize for not replying sooner. One of our good friends broke both of her legs and I have been spending a lot of time with her and don%26#39;t have access to a computer.

Concerning fishing at Yankton you can rent a boat at DJ%26#39;s Speciality Resort Sport Rentals 605-665-3206

or Lewis and Clark Marina 605-665-3111

A one day fishing permit is $14.00 3 day is $32.00.

www.sdgfp.info will give you more information concerning length of fish you can keep and more informatin about licenses. The kinds of fish that are caught are mostly walleye, small and large mouth bass, bluegill, crappie,and catfish.

This is an excellent fishing area and you will be rewarded. Do you have any more questions?

When to arrive for Mt. Rushmore evening ceremony?

In planning out one day of my road trip, I%26#39;m wondering how far in advance of the lighting ceremony at Rushmore I should be planning to arrive.

The plan is to start the day in Billings, MT, head to Devils Tower in Wyoming, head into Deadwood for dinner and (time permitting) some blackjack, then head down to Mt. Rushmore. It%26#39;s pretty ambitious, but especially since I%26#39;m working in gambling time that I don%26#39;t care about scrapping if I%26#39;m running behind, it seems like it can be done.

This will be on Saturday the 27th...do I need to arrive by 8:00 at Mt. Rushmore for the 9:00 program? Is parking a hassle? Would people recommend taking the time to do much before the lighting ceremony? So far I%26#39;m not gathering that there%26#39;s much to do at Rushmore aside from looking at the monument itself.

Thanks in advance for the input.

When to arrive for Mt. Rushmore evening ceremony?

Your day is quite ambitious and really requires a pretty early start. You are talking about 4.5 hours from Billings to Devil%26#39;s Tower. You should allow yourself about 2 hours to see the tower and walk around the base. You will need another hour and 15 mins to drive to Deadwood, and Rushmore is about an hour from Deadwood. Personally, I%26#39;d skip the gambling in Deadwood. The casinos are quite small, and there is really much more to Rushmore than just looking at it.

The Presidential Trail at Mt Rushmore is very worthwhile, as it takes you out to the sculptor%26#39;s studio where you can see the early visions of the monument. The photo ops along the trail are great also. This is a must during daylight hours. You also have the exhibits at the visitor%26#39;s center as well.

Parking is not a hassle at the monument.

I would be on the road no later than 7:30 a.m. to give yourself plenty of time for your day. Have a good trip.

When to arrive for Mt. Rushmore evening ceremony?

Thanks a lot for the input. Like I said, the casino aspect is something I%26#39;m just fine with scrapping (I can gamble whenever), though I think I%26#39;ll stop in at that Costner restaurant for dinner anyhow...and it%26#39;s connected with a casino, so we%26#39;ll just see how I%26#39;m doing for time.

How long does the Presidential Trail take to walk? If I%26#39;m out of Deadwood by 6:30, presumably arriving around 7:30 at Rushmore, will I have time to do the trail before the 9:00 lighting ceremony?

Hi,

The Presidential Trail is less than a mile long, so if you go out to the Sculptor%26#39;s Studio (the best part), it will take about an hour. Of course, you could spend less time, but I am a ';photo snapper.';

I was trying to find out on nps.gov when the trail closes for the evening, but I didn%26#39;t locate a time. I believe they close it at dusk before the lighting ceremony, so I would plan on arriving before 7:30 at Rushmore if you want to walk it. The Sculptor%26#39;s Studio closes at 7 p.m., which you definitely would not be able to see that if you arrive late.

Thanks again for the info. I%26#39;ll definitely be taking it into advisement on my trip.

Where to Stay at in Keystone to sight see ? Ideas Anyone ?

There will be 4 of us taking a motorcycle trip from Seattle and we are heading to South Dakota to see mnt rushmore, crazy horse, badlands, sturgis, deadwood etc etc ... we were told to stay in the center area ( meaning Kestone I guess ) and explore everything from there, we%26#39;ll be staying two days .

Anyone know of a good hotel recommendation that doesn%26#39;t cost a fortune ? And is Keystone a good place to stay at for what we want to do ?y

Traveling second week in July 2009.

Thanks for any advice !

Where to Stay at in Keystone to sight see ? Ideas Anyone ?

You could probably see Deadwood %26amp; Sturgis enroute to the central hills. Also include a stop at Devil%26#39;s Tower, which is an amazing sight not to be missed.

Keystone is centrally located, as are Hill City and Custer. Keystone is only 2 miles to Rushmore, and Hill City is about 11 miles from Keystone. Most visiting the hills base in one of these three towns.

I have personal experience at the Roosevelt Inn in Keystone and really enjoyed it. Their website is rosyinn.com. They discount their internet rates but don%26#39;t offer them unless you ask. The K Bar S Lodge (kbarslodge.com) also gets excellent reviews on this site, so I%26#39;d check each one to see what fits your needs/budget.

The Badlands will be a daytrip from any of the three recommended base towns, so you plan on seeing Rushmore and Crazy Horse the other day. Believe me, your time will fly..so much to see and do!

Have a great trip.

Where to Stay at in Keystone to sight see ? Ideas Anyone ?

Wonderful ! Thank you for the advice, this will come in handy. Have a good day.

Mount Rushmore Cabins

I%26#39;m planning a trip for the fall and my party would like to stay in a cabin/chalet. We need 2 separate rooms or 1 room with a loft area. Also would prefer 2 baths but not necessary. Distance from Mount Rushmore isn%26#39;t a big deal but would prefer to keep it within a 30-45 minute drive. Also, being close to restaurants/stores would be nice. Here are some that I%26#39;ve found already:

www.cabinsoftheblackhills.com/cabins.html

http://www.rushmorechalets.com/

www.hillsidecountrycabins.com/index.html

http://www.pinerestcabins.com/

Thanks in advance

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Black Hills trip with dog

Hi. We%26#39;re planning a short trip to the Black Hills June 30-July 3. There are 3 adults, a 9 yr old and hopefully our dog, a boxer. We%26#39;ve never taken him on a trip, but thought since this one is fairly close and short it would be a good test. He%26#39;s usually very well behaved. I%26#39;m thinking that a cabin would be our best bet for lodging as I%26#39;m not sure how he%26#39;d react to all the smells and people in a hotel. We would kennel him in the room during some of our excursions. Does anyone have any suggestions for staying in the area with a dog? Or know of any dog-friendly cabins? I%26#39;m hoping to find something in the Hill City/Custer area. Keystone would be ok, but we%26#39;re not much for crowds. No itinerary yet, but want to include hikes. I%26#39;m really wanting to do Harney Peak. We need to see Mt Rushmore since our 9 yr old was only 2 the last time we were there.

I%26#39;ve been looking around and looks like I may have trouble with finding something available July 3rd. I tend to over-analyze everything, so I%26#39;m really looking for suggestions to help me quicken this job! Thanks!

Black Hills trip with dog

We are leaving this weekend to spend 3 nights at Sylvan Lake Lodge cabins (custerresorts.com) for a small family reunion. We are bringing our samoyed with us as the cabins are pet friendly. We stayed in these same cabins 2 years ago and loved the beautiful setting. At that time our primary goal was climbing Harney so the proximity to the trailhead was excellent. We loved being able to sit outside each evening around our private firepit and enjoyed the mule deer and other wildlife wandering by.

We didn%26#39;t take our dog last time so we are hoping that it will go well.

You may be too late to book for this summer though as I know this resort books up way in advance. It seems that many of the hotels in the area do accept dogs so you may still be able to find something that works for you.

Good luck!

Legion Lake Campground

My daughter and a friend will be camping at Legion Lake soon and I was wondering if there are any tips or things to know about the sites there. Especially securness of their stuff if the go touristing or hiking during the day.

Also, any nice hikes near there or easy distance as a day trip? They were wondering about hikes around Sylvan Lake area.

Any tips or hints that I can pass along will be appreciated.

Legion Lake Campground

sdgfp.info/Parks/Regions/Custer/csptrails.htm

There is a hiking trail that goes around Legion Lake and the Badger Clark cabin trail is on the dam side on the lake.

The Needles Highway has Cathedral Spires Trail %26amp; Little Devil%26#39;s Tower. Little Devil%26#39;s Tower is one of my favorites, not as long as Harney Peak, but you can look across to Harney.

Sylvan Lake also has a trail around it, and the trailhead behind the dam to Sunday Gulch. Also the Harney Peak trail head.

Lock valuables in car. I don%26#39;t know of any problems with leaving camping gear at site, and we tent camp.

Legion Lake Campground

Hi Sequim,

I don%26#39;t know if you have seen this yet, but here%26#39;s a link describing some of the trails at Custer SP:

sdgfp.info/Parks/Regions/Custer/csptrails.htm

It looks like you can download maps there as well.

I%26#39;m not sure on the security issues, as I haven%26#39;t stayed in Custer SP

Hope the link is helpful to your daughter.

Ah..Lorhs post overlapped with mine. :) Sorry about that.

Mt. Rushmore Chalet's

My family and parents are going to Keystone in September and looking for accommodations. I am interested in the Rushmore Chalet%26#39;s since they have 2 bed/bath chalets and have living, dining, deck and kitchen areas. I%26#39;m wondering if anyone has stayed at either the Lincoln or Jefferson chalets?

Also, if anyone knows of other chalet/townhome style places in/near Keystone, please mention.

Thanks in advance-Scott

Mt. Rushmore Chalet's

I don%26#39;t have any direct experience with the places you mention. I was just curious if you looked on vrbo. I gave a look, and there were some properties mainly in Hill City and the Deadwood area.

Hill City might work well. It%26#39;s only about 11 miles to Keystone.

Mt. Rushmore Chalet's

Thanks for the advice. Found some nice options.

Glad you found some suitable properties! We%26#39;d love to read a trip report when you return! Have fun planning!

What time to leave?

OK A week from today we hope to be arriving in Custer State Park this afternoon. We are staying at Grace Coolidge Campground. My daughter is signed up for the 10AM Jr Paleontologist Program at the Mammoth Site on the 20th. We like to get there for a tour and 9AM and also drive through most of the wildlife loop on the way there. What time would you suggest to leave our campsite? Any help is much appreciated. Thank you and I can%26#39;t wait. Rhonda

What time to leave?

Ok..just so I am clear, you want to arrive at the Mammoth Site at 9 a.m., right? Your daughter%26#39;s Jr Program is at 10, but you want to tour before the program..I think I am understanding you correctly.

Your campground is an hour from the Mammoth Site, and this is not counting your time on the Wildlife Loop. Your campground is also close to the State Game Lodge, which is right at the beginning of the loop. Depending on how much you like taking pictures..(my weakness..Walmart photo loves me!), I%26#39;d give the loop at least an hour of your time. If it were me, I%26#39;d leave no later than 7 a.m. This way, you can catch the animals early when they are more active.

I remember some of your earlier posts. Your trip has come up quickly! Please post a report when you return! We%26#39;d love to hear of your travels.

Have a great time!

What time to leave?

You are correct that is our plan. Thanks for all the info. We are also going to Yellowstone and the Teton%26#39;s and will see lots of animals there also. I will post something. Thanks Again, Rhonda

Traveling with Bikes

Has anyone traveled with bikes on a bike rack? We would like to put our bikes on the back of the minivan, but I am a little concerned of someone stealing or messing with them. We will be leaving St. Louis and staying a hotel in Kansas City, a hotel in Nebraska, a hotel in Deadwood, then have them with us for a week at the campground, and finally for one night in Sioux City. I don’t want to bring them into the hotel, but even if they are locked onto the bike rack, how secure are the really?

Traveling with Bikes

We are on a trip this very moment across the country with 4 bikes on a bikerack on back of our suburban. Traveled from Atlanta and 1st night was at The Drury Plaza in St. Louis. We backed into a spot and no problems at all. Husband has them locked on there as well,and also he rigged something so that the rack cannot be removed. Spent a night in Kansas at a Hampton and then even downtown denver and the bell boys kept it in front of the hotel as we used them during the day. Kept them off the bike at a causal place locked up in Colorado and we are now in SD and no problem. I worried about the same thing but it is working out.

Traveling with Bikes

thanks for the info and it%26#39;s good to hear that you haven%26#39;t any problems. i see people traveling all the time with bikes, i guess most people won%26#39;t mess with it.

I meant to add that we bought a bike rack from Softride and the reason is because you can pull back and lower the bikes to the ground while they are still in place so that we can open the back of the suburban. Also my husband told me to write that while in that position is how he added a 1/4 inch lock down the inside of the rack so that it cannot be removed by anyone.

cool. ours does tilt down as well, i%26#39;ll take a look at it to see if i can do something like that. i guess i never thought of anyone taking the whole rack, but you never know.

I have traveled across country with five bikes on the back of a minivan and we did not have any trouble at all. You can cable lock them to each other to make them difficult to remove, then get the locking pin for the rack.

We never got around to getting the locking pin, and usually forgot to sling the cable around them. People really weren%26#39;t very interested. If I was touring downtown in a big city, maybe.

Motels Walkable to Main Street

Which (if any) motels/hotels in Keystone are within an easy walk (or in the middle of) the main street shop area?

Thanks!

Motels Walkable to Main Street

When we were there last August/September, from what I could tell most are right along the main drag and easy walking distance to all the activity. There are a couple that are up at the top of the hill, around the bend from the main drag. These are still walkable to the activity, but most are right along the main street.

I%26#39;m sure a local can give you the names of the motels that are clustered around the activity.

We stayed at the Mt Rushmore White House Inn that is situated on the corner of the main drag. Nice enough hotel, clean with irons, hairdryers, mini fridges and microwaves in the room. That being said, the parking is horrible. The spaces are perfect for motorcycles, but very, very tight for automobiles.

Do not eat at the Railhouse (connected to the motel). The service was the worst we have ever experienced and the food was all microwaved from hell cuisine.

Motels Walkable to Main Street

MemphisBelle brings up an excellent point. Many of the hotels in Keystone, especially those in the ';hub-bub'; of the shops, can have limited parking. We did not stay in one of the more congested hotels, as we prefer quieter locations. Keystone is very small, and although I don%26#39;t remember all the properties in the heart of things, I do recall the Super 8, Travelodge, White House (As Memphis mentioned), and a few others in pretty congested areas. The hotel I recommended to you, Roosevelt Inn, is at the end of the shopping activity, next to the Alpine Slide and across the street from the wax museum. For Keystone, the hotel has very good parking..a large lot around back, plus a few spaces in front. I know K Bar S was recommended to you as well. I%26#39;m not sure, but I don%26#39;t think you can walk to downtown from there. It%26#39;s one of the draws of the property; it%26#39;s much quieter.

Personally, if it were me, I%26#39;d look for a property away from the hustle/bustle of the boardwalk area for exactly the reason Memphis mentioned: parking. There are some public parking areas where you can leave your car and walk around.

I stayed at the Mt. Rushmore President%26#39;s View hotel and it was close to the shops, but on a hill and had plenty of parking (at the time anyway). The only thing I didn%26#39;t like was the driveway down to the main street...kinda steep. Driving on it was fine, but after being gone all day sightseeing and then walking down to all the shops at night , it was very tiring to walk back up but I%26#39;m sure it%26#39;s fine for most people. THere was a great view from up on the hill, too.

Here is a link to the hotel%26#39;s website. There is also a virtual tour and you can see the driveway and the great view and you%26#39;ll see how close it is to the shops.

http://www.presidentsviewresort.com/

It%26#39;s been quite awhile since I was there so not sure if it%26#39;s still there but there was this little place in town where you could buy a bag of little doughnuts that they made for you while you waited. They were delicious and I remember I had to walk down and get them both nights I stayed there. :o)

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Hotel in Chamberlain

My family is driving to Custer State Park in July from Minneapolis. Our reservation is Monday, so we thought we would leave Sunday afternoon and drive half way, say Chamberlain? There seems to only be 3 or so hotels there. Could someone be so kind as to say which one is clean, dry and intact? (nurse talk, but gets the point across) Family of 5, 2 adults 3 kids 10,12,15 traveling. Thank you so much for your honesty.

Hotel in Chamberlain

Check Oacoma as well, it is the town on the west side of the river with more hotels.

Hotel in Chamberlain

Like in the neighborhood of Al%26#39;s Oasis.

Here is a link to a hotel right across the river from Chamberlain, on the river. Has been a couple years since I%26#39;ve been there, but it has a pool, and was clean then. You could rent a boat and go on the river, if you have time. There is a resteraunt there, and I know their buffalo burgers were pretty good back then, if you are adventurous!

http://www.cedarshore.com/index_resort.htm

First Timer on a Schedule...

Looking for advice from an area expert...here%26#39;s my scenario: We are traveling throught the area on our way to Yellowstone either late August or early September. I know I don%26#39;t have time to ';do it right';, but I would like to hit the high points. My plan right now is to do the Badlands loop on the way in from Sioux Falls and then spend the night in Keystone, possibly taking in the Crazy Horse monument and light show deal that night and doing a half-day the next morning at Mt. Rushmore....then north through the BH Forest to Deadwood for the evening and check in late for a second night in Sturgis before continuing down I-90...whew!

All that being said, and keeping in mind that I have an evening and one full day, does this itinerary make the best use of time? We%26#39;re not hikers...just ';tourers;-)';, so don%26#39;t need a great deal of trail time...just don%26#39;t want to get off-track to something that isn%26#39;t worth seeing and miss something that is.

Also, anyone have any recommendations on lodging in Keystone for one night...comfortable and clean at good rates?

Thanks for the help!

First Timer on a Schedule...

We love K Bar S Lodge and you can see Mt. Rushmore from the lodge. Also has a great full hot breakfast.

First Timer on a Schedule...

Thanks for the info!...how far from downtown is this property?

I like your idea on seeing the Badlands on the way in from Sioux Falls and then spending the night in Keystone. However, I don%26#39;t know if I%26#39;d base out of Sturgis the 2nd night; I think I%26#39;d stick to Deadwood for more choices, or even stay in Keystone for an extra night.

I haven%26#39;t seen the light show at Crazy Horse, but I have seen the night ceremony at Rushmore, and it%26#39;s very moving---well worth seeing. I think I might consider spending a little time at Crazy Horse by day and then heading over to Rushmore for their lighting ceremony that honors our veterans. The next day you could see Rushmore by day.

You will need an early start to come in from Sioux Falls, seeing the Badlands, and then heading to Keystone. You will need 2-3 hours to drive through the Badlands, get out of the car at the overlooks, take a few short walks, and snap some pics.

Personally, Deadwood is ok, but with your limited time, I don%26#39;t know if I%26#39;d put tremendous time into it. It%26#39;s definitely a must see for a longer time frame. It%26#39;s a cute western town with some historical facets and small casinos. If you are interested in Wild Bill Hickok, Calamity Jane, etc, then keep it in the itinerary.

I personally prefer Custer SP or one of the caves (Jewel or Wind) to fill up the remainder of your time. Custer SP is beautiful and is fine for those driving through or hikers. Special areas of interest include Sylvan Lake, Iron Mountain Rd., Needles Hwy, %26amp; Wildlife loop.

Also, be sure to see Devil%26#39;s Tower enroute to Yellowstone. This is one of the must sees of the area.

As for lodging in Keystone, K Bar S gets great reviews on here but doesn%26#39;t have a pool if that%26#39;s important to you. I have personal experience at the Roosevelt Inn (rosyinn.com) and was very satisfied with my stay. They have internet rates; just be sure to ask for them as they are not automatically offered.

Have a great trip!

K Bar S Lodge is about 2-3 blocks from downtown area but has plenty of parking and great views plus lots of wildlife in the area.

Hi CeCe,

Thanks for the information. I really didn%26#39;t think you could walk to town from K Bar S. Looking at the website and seeing it was a little less than a 1/2 mile to town, I just assumed it was too far out. It looks so remote...wonderful! It%26#39;s amazing to hear it%26#39;s only 2-3 blocks out.

Thanks for educating me. :) I had posted that I didn%26#39;t think you could walk it.

We never walked to town but lots of people walked down the road to town when we were there. It is a narrow little road but can be walked. Hope I didn%26#39;t confuse anyone!

Best Campground in Custer area

If you plan to visit the Black Hills and the Custer State Park/Mt.Rushmore/Crazy Horse area and are planning to camp, be sure to inclue Big Pine Campground as part of your itinerary. It%26#39;s located just a mile or two west of town on the north side of the highway. This is a great place if you want peace, quiet and shade. My husband and I tent camped here for 2 nights last year and my dad and I stayed here back in 1997. The tent area is toward the back and separate from the RV area and well away from the main road, making it very quiet. The tent sites are nice and flat and shady with fire pits and picnic tables at each site. The bathroom/shower house is a short walk down the hill although there are smaller buildings with individual flush toilets (BONUS! so they don%26#39;t smell bad like a latrine)located throughout the campground for convenience. The staff is very friendly and knowledgeable and the camp store is well stocked. Both times I have been here the RV areas are pretty full (the most recent time being most likely due to the fact that the biker rally in Sturgis was the following week) but the tent areas are not as crowded, making it even nicer. All in all this has to be one of the best campgrounds in all of the Black Hills!

Best Campground in Custer area

I%26#39;m glad to hear this as we are staying at the Big Pine Campground in mid-July. I%26#39;m getting excited! Thanks for the info.

Best Campground in Custer area

Getting in here late w/ suggestions, but there are quite a number of campgrounds actually in the Custer area. Just a few to keep in mind include Custer%26#39;s Gulch Campground/RV Camp (east of Custer City), Beaver Lake Campground (West of Custer City), Broken Arrow Campground/Horse Camp (east/south of Custer City).

Buffalo Roundup

Does anyone have any tips regarding viewing the buffalo roundup September 28th? We are staying in Keystone at the Powder House from September 25-30 and this is one event we definitely want to see.

Buffalo Roundup

It has been recommended for early arrival (@ 6:30 AM)in order to get a good spot to see the round up.

no reservation campgrounds in Custer

Has anyone tried for one of these? The week we are going is pretty booked and we were thinking about trying this. The only thing the reservation person said is the earlier the better, but shouldn%26#39;t be an issue. Advice?

no reservation campgrounds in Custer

Can you give a bit more info on what week you are looking at and maybe which campground(s) you have contacted? There are a number of campgrounds in the Custer area.

Labor Day weekend in Custer State Park

I know June and August are busy months in Custer, but what about Labor Day weekend? I recall someone telling me kids in the area start school before Labor Day so I%26#39;d assume the park might not be quite as busy.

Labor Day weekend in Custer State Park

The kids here do start before Labor Day, and some hotels even drop their rates around August 18 or so. When we stayed at the Roosevelt Inn, the owner there told us that Labor Day weekend typically gets busy as the ';last hurrah'; before summer ends (as is normal in most places). I would bank on it being pretty busy because of the holiday, but to me, nothing out west seems as busy as the east!

Have fun whenever you decide to go.

Labor Day weekend in Custer State Park

It seems that after rally things settle a bit and then Labor Day picks up.

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Wrangler cafe updates

Please post any updates on the rebuild of the Wrangler cafe.

Wrangler cafe updates

Bump, Going back in June this year would sure like to know if the Wranglers up and running ??

Wrangler cafe updates

A sign stating they were going to open June 10.

Hey thats great news, and thanks for taking the time to post the reply!

The Wrangler is open and going as of early June.

That is one of the places we enjoy when we come to the Black hills

Fun local restaurants?

My family, with kids 9 and 3, are going to be staying 2 nights in Sioux Falls this summer. We%26#39;d love to try a fun, preferably local restaurant. We like to try the local flavors whenever we%26#39;re on vacation.

Any suggestions for a kid-friendly restaurant, preferably casual, preferably not a chain? We%26#39;re open to whatever cuisine, and if there are any local must-try foods, let us know that, too!

Thanks so much!

Fun local restaurants?

If you go to Yelp.com, there are 35 restaurants reviewed by people in Sioux Falls. Have a look! You can also write to them if you get a login. Then you (or your kids) can post your own restaurant reviews to help other people like you.

TA has reviews too, and definitely check them. The ones on yelp are more active, I think.

Fun local restaurants?

If you like Italian, try Spezia. It%26#39;s nice, but casual, reasonably priced with a deli also. I took my neighbor there when we stayed in Sioux Falls for an event and she drives round-trip from Minneapolis once a year for a chicken dish and dessert. I liked the Napoli pizza.

Chuckwagon dinner show recommendations

I%26#39;ve noticed that there are a half dozen or so chuckwagon dinners in the Black Hills region. We%26#39;ll be staying in Hill City July 7-13.

We went to one in Durango Colorado and found it entertaining. They had cowboy songs and ballads, funny songs and jokes, and of course chuckwagon type of food. Kind of corny and silly but it was fun nonetheless and a good bargain ($17 for dinner and the show). They had a little town with a kiddie train and several gift shops there.

Any recommendations for similar shows in the area? We%26#39;d give the comedy aspect higher weighting than the food - in other words I%26#39;d tolerate passable food if the comedy is good, but better food and boring entertainment would not be as enjoyable.

Chuckwagon dinner show recommendations

The Flying T and Circle B Ranch seem to be the ones you read the most about, along with the hayride one that leaves from Blue Bell Lodge in Custer SP. We ate at the lodge one night, and there were many leaving to take the hayride.

The description of the show you mention sounds pretty comparable to the one in Rapid City, the Flying T. I haven%26#39;t been to one, so I can%26#39;t comment on the quality of the food. The caretaker at the Roosevelt Inn tried to talk us into doing one, but time just didn%26#39;t permit.

Hopefully someone with direct experience will reply. If not, we%26#39;d love to hear a review of whichever one you choose.

Chuckwagon dinner show recommendations

High Country Guest Ranch (west of Hill City on the Deerfield Rd) also has a dinner/show on Tues and Fri evenings.

Black Hills Family Trip - Tipi Lodging?

I%26#39;m traveling to the Black Hills w/my family for a week stay around the 4th of July. My boys (10 %26amp; 7) would love to stay in a Tipi for a night. Any suggestions?

We%26#39;d also love recommendations for:

Chuck Wagon Dinner

Pow Wow

Hiking/Biking

Trail Rides

RV Campground

We are planning to stay at the KBarS Lodge our first night and the Blue Bell Lodge the last night. We have 6 nights in between for RV Camping or other.

We plan on doing the following (any suggestions/comments are appreciated):

Mt. Rushmore Fireworks

Crazy Horse

1880%26#39;s Train

Wind Cave

Scenic Drives

Big Thunder Gold Mine

Safari Ride

Rock Climbing Class

Hiking

Fishing

Has anyone gone on a balloon ride?

Thanks!!

Black Hills Family Trip - Tipi Lodging?

I am not a camper, so I can%26#39;t be of much help there. However, I have seen Palmer Gulch KOA mentioned on this site a few times. It%26#39;s located in Hill City.

I can comment on your attractions list. I assume by some of the activities you mention (i.e. scenic drives, hiking, rock climbing, safari ride) you will be in Custer SP. This is a not to be missed attraction in the area.

Do you plan on driving out to the Badlands? I see you%26#39;re from Chicago. I don%26#39;t know if you%26#39;re driving, but I am thinking you might be seeing these coming or going if you are driving.

If time permits, I%26#39;d highly recommend driving out to Devil%26#39;s Tower and doing Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway either on the way out or back. I also think you kids (and you) would enjoy seeing Jewel Cave (very different from Wind), and possibly Reptile Gardens and Bear Country in Rapid City.

If you stay in the Hill City/Keystone/Custer area, Devil%26#39;s Tower and back will be a day trip. Ditto for the the Badlands unless you see them enroute out or enroute home.

If you find yourself running short of time, I%26#39;d personally cut the train ride and even possibly the gold mine. They are both nice, but not must sees, IMO. The nice thing about the Black Hills area is that you can fit a lot of things in since the attractions are relatively close together.

Hope this helps some. Have a great trip!

Black Hills Family Trip - Tipi Lodging?

Thanks for your input! From what you and others have said I think we%26#39;ll go to Jewel Cave first and go to Wind Cave if we have extra time.

Am adding Devil%26#39;s Tower to the itinerary. I know it%26#39;s far but I don%26#39;t know when we%26#39;ll be back and it sounds like something we should see.

We%26#39;re planning on seeing the Badlands on the way from Sioux Falls and then stopping in Wall before heading to Keystone. Is that enough time? I thought we%26#39;d pack a picnic.

Do you think we should try to go to Deadwood?

I%26#39;ve also heard that the theatre in CSP is a good experience.

Also wondering if you or anyone else has experienced a Pow Wow over that time period (6.27 - 7.6) that they would recommend.

Hi,

I%26#39;m glad to see you are adding Devil%26#39;s Tower to your itinerary. As long as you allot a day to travel out and back, you will be fine. You can easily stop in Deadwood if you choose on the way back. We liked the Adams House/Museum there. Deadwood also some live ';shootouts'; along with casinos, which you may or may not be interested in. They are quite small, and honestly, other than walking the downtown, we haven%26#39;t spent much time in Deadwood. You also have Wild Bill Hickok%26#39;s %26amp; Calamity Jane%26#39;s graves.

You will have a full day enroute from to Sioux Falls to final destination of Keystone, but it is do-able with an early start. It%26#39;s about 4 hours to get to the Badlands from Sioux Falls. Most people spend 2-3 hours in the park, mostly driving through, seeing the visitor%26#39;s center, and doing some short walks. A picnic is perfect for here. You can stop at Wall Drug if you wish. We didn%26#39;t spend too much time here..too touristy, and then head on to Keystone, which will take a little better than an hour. You will probably be arriving close to dinner time.

I have driven by the Black Hills Playhouse but not seen any shows. It%26#39;s website is blackhillsplayhouse.com You can find a show schedule and ticket prices here. It looks like a typical small town theatre, and my local theatre experiences have been pretty good. My hometown here in NJ has many local productions.

I can%26#39;t be any help to you on the pow wow question, so hopefully someone with direct experience can assist you.

Have a great trip, and please post a trip report when you return so we can read about your travels.

Hi, this is Wanda from the South Dakota Office of Tourism. You%26#39;ve gotten some fantastic suggestions from other posts, and I just wanted to address a couple of your other questions regarding a tipi stay and pow-wow.

For a tipi-stay, you might want to look into the Allen Ranch near Hot Springs, S.D. Their website is http://www.gwtc.net/~allenranch/. I%26#39;ve never stayed here myself, so I can%26#39;t offer any personal experience, but it%26#39;s worth looking into. While you%26#39;re in the Hot Springs area you could check out the Wild Horse Sanctuary, Evans Plunge (natural hot spring pool), the Mammoth Site and/or just take a walk down the historic main street.

As for a pow-wow schedule, check out the State Tribal Relations website at http://www.state.sd.us/oia/powwow.asp.

I hope this information helps and you have a wonderful trip!

Probably a bit late, but can%26#39;t hurt to check, but Beaver Lake Campground (west of Custer) also has a couple teepee%26#39;s.

Where to spend the 4th of July in the Black Hills

I am leary of the crowds at the monument for the 4th of July fireworks show, so we need some alternatives for the day. What towns in the Black Hills will be having a parade on the 4th and fireworks, or anything else special? I notice that Custer has a carnival and fireworks show, know anything about it? We are staying at Legion Lake in Custer SP, and we have 3 kids from 4 to 14.

Any ideas would be appreciated!!

Where to spend the 4th of July in the Black Hills

Rapid City put on a pretty good fireworks show last year - but I don%26#39;t know if it was on the 4th of July or that weekend. I found the following after doing some searching. Hope you can find something to suite your needs.

4th of July Old Time Country Fair

07/02/2007 to 07/04/2007

4th of July Old Time Country Fair for more information call 605-673-2443

Mount Rushmore Independence Day Celebration

07/03/2007 to 07/04/2007

Mount Rushmore Independence Day Celebration for more information call 605-574-3115

Independence Day Parade

All Day Event; 07/04/2007

Independence Day Parade in Spearfish, SD for more information call 605-342-4542

Firecracker 10K and Main Street Mile

All Day Event; 07/04/2007

Firecracker 10K and Main Street Mile located in Hot Springs, SD for more information call 605-745-3463

4th of July Parade

All Day Event; 07/04/2007

4th of July Parade in Belle Fourche, SD for more information call 605-892-2676

blackhillsportal.com/dbs/bellefourchechamber/

Custer 4th of July Fireworks

All Day Event; 07/04/2007

Custer 4th of July Fireworks for more information call 605-673-2244

Independence Day

All Day Event; 07/04/2007

Where to spend the 4th of July in the Black Hills

Thank you for the reply. I wonder where the ';old time country fair'; is??? there was not a town listed.

Thank you for looking into this! My husband wants to see the fireworks at Rushmore, but the thought of dealing with my kids all day in the heat and crowds sounds pretty exhausting to me.

I found these dates on the Best Western Ramkota (I think its was Rapid City%26#39;s) events calendar . . . I%26#39;ve never seen that on a hotel website before. I%26#39;m not sure where the Old Time Fair is either . . it didn%26#39;t have a town listed, just the phone number. If I can find out I will post it.

Have fun.

The phone number belongs to Custer County 1881 Courthouse Museum.

I am a South Dakotan who has vacationed in the hills over the 4th several times. We made the mistake of driving from Custer up to Mt Rushmore for the fireworks one year. The one-lane slow traffic back to Custer late at night after the show was horrible.

. . . THEN we found out that the town of Custer had a much bigger %26amp; better fireworks display %26amp; we missed it. Take the short drive from Legion Lake into the town of Custer for the fireworks. We%26#39;ll see you there this summer. :-)

Mt Rushmore fireworks are on the 3rd, and it is recommended to get there early as it fills up fast. Custer City fireworks are on the 4th at Pageant Hill. Edgemont and Hot Springs also have celebrations on the 4th.

Calamity Peak Lodge or Rock Crest in Custer

Any advice or info on these places? Can%26#39;t find any feedback on Calamity Peak. We are looking for an inexpensive cabin or lodge style room in the Custer area. We like the rustic retro feel with our own outside entrance but don%26#39;t want anything too tacky or dirty. Want to stay away from hotel chain options. Trying to stay around or below $100 night. Custer state park lodges %26amp; cabins sound great but don%26#39;t want to spend $160+ a night. Keystone and Hill City area lodging would also be a viable options for us. thanks for any help.

Calamity Peak Lodge or Rock Crest in Custer

Here are a couple of lists of cabins which should give you a good idea of what%26#39;s availabe. Please post back with what you found and how liked it.

http://www.custersd.com/cabins.html

hillcitysd.com/hillcitylodging-cabins.html

Calamity Peak Lodge or Rock Crest in Custer

Don%26#39;t know if you are already here as our arrival date was not indicated, but there are also cabins at Hidden Valley Cabins (near Custer), Holy Smoke Cabins (near Keystone), Rocky Knoll Cabins (Custer). Info on these can be found by looking up Destination Black Hills online. Beaver Lake Campground (Custer) also has cabins.

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Need ideas and feedback for South Dakota trip

Once again turning to all the knowledgeable members of TripAdvisor.

We are a family of 5 plus my grandmother so that makes 6 of us. The kids are 11,8,5. I’ve started planning a South Dakota trip and really need advice. I ordered the travel guides so hopefully they’ll be here soon. We have never been there and really have no idea of what to expect. The dates and lodging are already in place. I have worked up a LOOSE itinerary. I would like to know if my ideas are doable as far as areas of location, distances, and time. I want to make sure I’m not listing too much in a day. We want to take things at a slower pace for grandma and because we are on vacation, but still stay busy enough that we are not just watching tv in our cabin. Also I would welcome specifics in towns, parks or on scenic drives. Remember grandma will be with us so absolutely caves with stairs and no hiking. Getting out of the car and short walks for “Kodak Moments” are fine. Knowing us, we will be ready to go each morning between 9 and 10.

This will be the end of August and I hope it isn’t terribly hot.

We will be driving from the Twin Cities on Sunday. I snagged a 1bd cabin that sleeps 6 at Calamity Peak Lodge in Custer for five nights at what I believe to be a great price. I’m hoping this will be a central enough location for us. It has a kitchen so we will make our own breakfasts and a couple dinners. I would imagine that lunches will be eaten out, whether in a town or a picnic. Are there picnic tables in the parks or along scenic drives?

Monday: Breakfast in the cabin then start out on the Peter Nobeck byway. Stop at Mount Rushmore and venture into Keystone and then finish the byway.

Tuesday: Cabin breakfast. Custer State Park. Then Custer itself. We will splurge on a Chuckwagon Dinner. I was thinking of the “Flying T”.

Wednesday: Cabin breakfast. Hill City. Spearfish Canyon drive. WaTiki water park in Rapid City after 4pm for a couple of hours. Admission goes to ½ price after 4pm. I want to keep the waterpark in the middle of the trip. I’m partial to this one because its indoors thus not affected by weather. Probably have dinner in Rapid City or on the way back to Custer.

Thursday: Cabin breakfast. Devil’s Tower, Belle Fourche, return for Mount Rushmore evening lighting. Probably need lunch and dinner options for this day.

Friday: Cabin breakfast and start our return trip home. We will be going through the Badlands and I’m thinking of allotting 3 hours. Then about a 3 hour drive to Mitchell, SD. I got a 2bd suite at the Ramada Inn.

Saturday: Free hotel breakfast. Maybe the doll museum for grandma. Not too sure if we’re interested in the Corn Palace.

Other notables:

I think we’ve decided to just see Crazy Horse from the road. I understand you have to pay to get to the museum/ gift shop area and then pay again for a ride closer to the monument, and we can’t afford to become members and take the really up close tour anyway.

We also may hit some of the Americana roadside attractions like Reptile Gardens or Bedrock City.

My wife wants the kids to pan for gold. Any suggestions? I would like to keep the $ reasonable for this activity unless they “strike it rich”.

I would greatly appreciate ideas and specifics.

Thanks

Need ideas and feedback for South Dakota trip

The weather in August is similar to Minneapolis, usually warm, but unpredictable, less humid.

I have a daughter in Minneapolis, so I have made that drive many times, to Custer it will be at least 10 hours.

There are picnic tables in many of the park areas.

Stop at Roughlock Falls in Spearfish Canyon, just up the gravel road from Savoy, the view to the falls is an easy stroll and has benches.

If you are taking the Belle Fourche hwy 24 route to Devil%26#39;s Tower, Aladdin %26amp; Hulett have cafes. It is a pretty drive.

In Mitchell you can drive by the Corn Palace and see the decorations.

It sounds like a nice trip.

Need ideas and feedback for South Dakota trip

Hi,

Custer is a good location for exploring the Black Hills. Sounds like you have made some wise economical choices, and to answer your question, yes, there are plenty of places to picnic. We always do picnic lunches and really enjoyed the area around Sylvan Lake. This is a nice strolling place for some Kodak moments you mention. The trail around the lake is flat.

To avoid backtracking, I%26#39;d move your drive through Spearfish Canyon to your Devil%26#39;s Tower day. You can drive through coming or going. Depending on interests, Grandma and the kids might enjoy the 1880 Train between Hill City and Keystone. Catching the train in Keystone and going to Hill City makes a nice relaxing trip. You could see Hill City without your car and enjoy the shops and the fabulous Alpine Inn for lunch. They serve excellent German fare for lunch (filet mignon only for dinner) and fabulous desserts. You can always take a later train back to Keystone; you don%26#39;t have to go right back.

We also liked Big Time Pizza at Keystone%26#39;s Roosevelt Inn..good for lunch or dinner. If you are looking for a chain, the Golden Corral Buffet at the LaCrosse St Exit off I90 in Rapid City wasn%26#39;t bad. It%26#39;s certainly not gourmet, but it%26#39;s good so the kids can get what they want and it is pretty reasonable.

As for Crazy Horse, you can certainly drive by, but I%26#39;d recommend stopping. You don%26#39;t have to take the van to the base of the mountain. I checked the website, and it%26#39;s now $27 per carload. For a family of 6, that%26#39;s really not bad, and it%26#39;s well worth it. They really do have some nice Native American exhibits, and the history behind the monument is even more fascinating than Rushmore, IMO.

The kids (and you) will love Reptile Gardens and Bear Country. I rate Reptile Gardens higher than Bear Country, as the Wildlife Loop in Custer is more interesting than Bear Country because you are seeing the animals in a non-controlled environment. THe Reptile Gardens has some really good shows, and they give the kids a chance to volunteer to be part of them. I wouldn%26#39;t rule out Bear Country if the kids want to go. It%26#39;s a cute ';safari-like'; zoo. I haven%26#39;t been to Bedrock City, but when we drove by, it looked very scary from the outside...a little too ';roadside'; for me.

A regular poster on here, Casa Azul, recommends Wade%26#39;s in Hill City for gold panning. It sounds like fun and a bit less touristy than other places. There%26#39;s also Big Thunder Gold Mine in Keystone and Broken Boot Mine in Deadwood. Both offer panning. Big Thunder has a short tour of the mine (no steps) that everyone might enjoy.

I know you mentioned about not being interested in caves, but you might be interesting in the Jewel Cave Discovery Talk. It has minimal steps and only lasts 20 minutes. At least the kids would get to see some formations. The other option might be for you or your wife to take the kids to one of the caves to allow them the experience. Both Wind %26amp; Jewel Caves are so worthwhile.

As for weather, it can be fickle as was mentioned. We visited in late August, and we had very cool weather. Some days, temps didn%26#39;t get out of the high 50%26#39;s. It was also quite wet/rainy some of the time, but I%26#39;m not sure if this is typical for late August.

Another possible area of interest would be the Mammoth Site in Hot Springs. Everyone in the family could enjoy it, and they have a Jr Paleontologist program if any of the kids like dinosaurs.

I hope this helps some. Please come back with additional questions. You are going to have a great time!

My main concern would be time allowed on Thursday for Devils Tower. Yes, do Spearfish Canyon that day as suggested but leaving from Custer plan to leave very early, perhaps breakfast along the way somewhere quick. With time at Devils Tower then the drive back - and perhaps a quick stop at Vore Buffalo Jump (one of those Kodak type places) - it will take a fair amount of time to get back to Rushmore. By end of August daylight is decreasing fast so dusk comes fairly early, especially that close to the eastern side of the Mountain time zone. The lighting ceremony switches to 8pm (form 9pm) on August 15 due ot earlier dusk. Definitely don%26#39;t return from DT via Spearfish Canyon...use the more freeway like US-85 to 385. Traffic on 385 and around Rushmore near ceremony time might be frustrating if cut too close. Monday might be a better day for this.

Vore info: http://vorebuffalojump.org/

Crazy Horse is worth stopping at. The car load rate means less than $5pp and you can see just fine from the viewing deck. Lots of interesting things in the museums. It%26#39;s interesting to compare the scale of the endevour with Rushmore.

10 hours YIKES!!!!

I think maybe we%26#39;ll leave Saturday evening and be on the road for a couple hours then stay over night wherever we get to and continue on on Sunday.

Yup, Lorhs is about right on the mark about 10hrs. GoogleMaps says 9hrs-25mn and 647 miles. If splitting then Sioux Falls would offer the most drop-in lodging options but it%26#39;s always less stress to reserve ahead. SF is about 260 miles (3.5 hrs) from The Cities leaving 387 the next day. Nice thing about this would be allowing time for Badlands and/or Wall Drug. Another advantage would be favorable time change during a short drive day instead of making a long day%26#39;s drive seem longer.

We routinely do Deadwood to St. Paul in a day.... but definitely not with kids in the car! ;)

Now we will be leaving Saturday afternoon to break up the drive. I booked a suite at the Comfort Inn in Souix Falls. Grandma was pleased with this decision.

There is a nice little zoo in Sioux Falls, and a cool bicycle trail on the south side of town. I don%26#39;t know if you%26#39;re bringing bikes, but you might be able to rent them.

We have been traveling in the Black Hills for the past 12 years. I am concerned you are trying to do too much in too short of a time. Especially since you stated you wanted a slow pace. Keep in mind that you are driving in mountains and it takes much longer to drive. For instance, to get to Spearfish Canyon from Custer you are talking close to 2 hours and another hour %26amp; a half or so to Devils Tower. You want to be able to get out and enjoy these gorgeous areas and not just see everyting from the car window.

Below are my recommendations, which you may find to include too much.

Day 1 - Iron Mountain Road (Peter Norbeck Byway), Mt. Rushmore and Keystone/Hill City. (Make sure you stop at the Peter Norbeck Lookout on Iron Mountain Road. The view is breathtaking.)

Day 2 - Custer State Park (Needles Highway, Sylvan Lake, Wild Loop Rd., etc.). I recommend driving the Wild Loop Rd. either early in the A.M. or at dusk. You will probably see more wildlife. (Although you will more than likely see wildlife throughout Custer State Park. We do, more often than not and have found we do not need to drive the Wild Loop Rd.). Sylvan Lake and Legion Lake have nice beaches for swimming and you can also rent paddle boats at both lakes. The Chuckwagon dinner at the Flying T is fun but we enjoyed the Chuckwagon dinner at Blue Bell Lodge in Custer State Park even more. They take you out in a covered wagon to a beautiful valley. Meal was good as well as the entertainment. (You will need reservations if you decide to try Blue Bell%26#39;s.)

If you really want to go to the WaTiki Park in Rapid City, I would make Rapid City your destination on Day 3. Sleep in a little and head for Rapid around 11 a.m. Your kids are a perfect age for both Bear Country and Reptile Gardens. Head for the water park after. Rapid also has a big water slide park just down the road from both Bear Country and Reptile Gardens. You will see it as you head into Rapid. After the water park you can head back to Mt. Rushmore for the lighting of the memorial. You can also eat at Mt. Rushmore.

Day 4- I agree with the other advisors regarding your trip to Devils Tower. Do Spearfish Canyon and Devils Tower on the same day and do not plan to go to Rapid City for the water park. Spearfish has a brand new water park, however, it is an outdoor park. If you have time on the way back you might pass through Deadwood. Deadwood has alot of history and a great museum (Adams Museum) but not much else for children. They do act out the shooting of Wild Bill Hickock throughout the day and have the Trial of Jack McCall in the evening. (Family oriented).

If your family is interested in Indian artifacts, I, too, would recommend you stop at Crazy Horse (Day 1 or 2). They have a fantastic museum. Plus if you hold onto your receipt, you can attend the lazer show, that is put on in the evening, free.

Someone mentioned the Mammoth Site in Hot Springs which is another attraction I would highly recommend. That will take up 3 or 4 hours. So you might want to save that for another trip.

Hope my recommendations help you. I think you will love the Black Hills as much as we do. Have a great trip.

I agree that a cave tour is worth the time. We did Jewel cave and liked it.

You might also want to stop at Cosmos on your way to Custer. Your kids are the perfect age. It%26#39;s not an all-day thing - a couple of hours and you can be on your way. My kids loved it.

Good suggestion by someone to skip Hot Springs on this trip... It%26#39;s a long drive from the Hills.

Enjoy!

Thank you mountainmama %26amp; wiscmom for you suggestions. I did post an updated itinerary as another thread and it got pushed down the list.

I will look into the Blue Bell dinner. Wonder what they do about rain? We won’t to Mammoth site on this trip, besides I checked and their Jr ranger program is finished by the time of our trip.

What is Cosmos? I will have to see what that is.

I originally wanted to do Spearfish Canyon on our Devil’s Tower day but wasn’t sure if there would be enough time, but I think I have worked around that.

Going to Crazy Horse is still somewhat up in the air. Once we’re there we may just want to include it.

We’ll either do the gold panning on the Spearfish drive or in Hill City.

sirtravelplanner, you have sold me on the 1880 train and the Discovery portion of Jewel Cave. For the train I’m going to send the family one way and I’ll drive to Hill City. This for two reasons, I think the one trip will be enough for the kids and I don’t want to be tied to a departure and then spend an additional hour. When we are done in Hill City we can just leave. I know its some backtracking but the train times and lunch wouldn’t fit right. If only the schedule were reversed. Reptile Gardens is still a good possibility, as the kids enjoyed Alligator Adventure when we were in Myrtle Beach. I too am wondering how “Roadside” Bedrock City is, I’ll let you know if we decided on that one. Maybe we’ll just send grandma in to check it out.

Thanks Sequim88 for the info on the Mount Rushmore ceremony time. I would imagine that we would need to arrive between 7 and 7:30. I think I have solved the problem so we are not rushing for it.

So here’s the updated LOOSE itinerary:

Since it’s a 10 hour drive we will leave Saturday late afternoon and get down the road. Stay overnight in Sioux Falls and finish driving in on Sunday. Now if we get to our cabin early enough and settle in, then we could try and do the Mount Rushmore evening lighting. If we can’t, then we still have four more evenings to try for it.

Monday: The town of Custer depending on responses to the above question. Peter Nobeck byway, Mount Rushmore (daytime), then finish the byway. Maybe include some of Keystone or the evening lighting if we missed it the previous night.

Tuesday: Spearfish Canyon drive, Devil’s Tower, and Belle Fourche.

Wednesday: Get going early. Spend the morning in Keystone and take 1880 train 11:15am to Hill City. Shop and have lunch at Alpine Inn. Go to the WaTiki waterpark in Rapid City about 4pm for a couple hours.

Thursday: Discovery portion of Jewel Cave. Custer State Park. Chuckwagon dinner. I think there may be extra time this day to see something we missed or want to see again.

Friday: Check out of cabin and 3 hours in Badlands then on to Mitchell, SD and stay the night.

Saturday: Return home.

We will still have the breakfasts in the cabin and I’m thinking picnic lunch every day except Wednesday when we have lunch at the Alpine Inn.

Grandma now wants to see the Passion Play. Anyone have any thoughts on this?

Grandma also said she would absolutely not do any caves. I think I can talk her into the big room at Jewel but that’s going to be it.

Devils Tower vs Badlands

My family of 4 (children ages 7 and 12) will be traveling through the Black Hills on our way to Yellowstone. We will spend two nights in Keystone. We won%26#39;t have enough time to see both Devils Tower and the Badlands. Which would be best?

Devils Tower vs Badlands

Devils Tower is on your way to Yellowstone. Badlands are the opposite direction and will incur waste of time backtracking if going there from Keystone. If Badlands were on the way east, such as if you came up through central Kansas, Nebraska an South Dakota to hit it on the way then it might make sense. Otherwise my vote would be for DT.

Also, DT will take some time so a lot too depends on if you are planning an intermediate stop on the way to Yellowstone. It IS possible to make it to Yellowstone via DT in a day (leaving fairly early) but most people check up in Cody for a night.

Devils Tower vs Badlands

That should have read ';Badlands on the way FROM the east.';

My original plan was to leave Keystone (after our sencond night) in the morning and drive through Deadwood and then on to Devil%26#39;s Tower and then to Cody for the night. But then I was looking and the Badlands seems like a neat plan that I was considering changing of the plans.

Thanks for the information it is helpful. Since we are traveling from OK, I may consider looking at the map to see if it is possible to incorporate both. Of course, Mt. Rushmore is on the list for the must see.

If both were on my route and I only could pick one, the Badlands would easily win. I%26#39;m glad I%26#39;ve seen Devil%26#39;s Tower (twice) but we%26#39;re skipping it this trip, while we%26#39;ll be visiting the Badlands for our 4th time.

Same as Librarychick. But try to see Badlands NP first on your way to BH from Oklahoma. Not much of a detour.

GoogleMaps suggests route to North Platte, NE then US-83 to Murdo, SD and I-90 to Wall (Badlands area). North Platte would be a bit over the half way mark from Oklahoma City so a place to stop. But this would route you to be able to take in both Badlands before Keystone and Devils Tower after. North Platte to Keystone is 6-1/2 hours so plenty of time for Badlands on the way. If you were figuring two day drive to Keystone this would fit without adding much time.

Sequim, did you know us83 is known as ';The road to nowhere';? A classic route but biggest problem is to stay awake.....I already read about it in an old Moon Handbook and am familiar with some stretches of it.

Tet

No. I had not heard that description. I%26#39;ve never driven it but can well imagine how the name fits. Pierre and Bismark are the biggest towns along it.

I find the description ';most aesthetically challenged landscapes in the country'; on the following page ammusing.

roadtripusa.com/routes/鈥oadtonowhere.html

Actually some of the best ';insights'; into America are found far from freeways. Besides, personally I like wide open stretches of road...one reason for a fascination with Wyoming....but at least it has mountains to look at.

That%26#39;s right. We did the Tx stretch and at Knife River Indian Village (not much to see though). If you like long ';nothing'; stretches drive up and down Nullarbor Plain in Australia. 2000 miles of nothingness and next paved road is 1500 miles away.

Sorry for hijacking your thread 4nfam. Love those empty roads.

Tet

3 yr old on trail ride

Does anyone know of any trail rides in the Black Hills area where a 3 yr old can ride with an adult? I just realized our planed ride at Blue Bell requires the child to be 4 and to ride alone. I think my son could pass as 4, but not sure I want him on a horse alone. Thanks.

3 yr old on trail ride

Don%26#39;t know if you are already out here, but most trail rides require children to be 5 or older and able to ride alone (I%26#39;m surprised Blue Bell is 4) due to insurance.

3 yr old on trail ride

yes, that is what it is looking like. a few of them have pony rides, we may just do that for him. i have spoken to people where they allowed the toddler to ride double with an adult, but i called most of them in the black hills area and none of them allow it.

Mt Rushmore / Crazy Horse

Is it feasible to plan both Mt Rushmore %26amp;amp; Crazy Horse in the same day? I was planning to do Mt Rushmore in the morning, packing a picnic for lunch and then driving to Crazy Horse only to return to Mt Rushmore for the evening lighting. Is this doable?

Mt Rushmore / Crazy Horse

It%26#39;s very do-able. I wish I could tell you exactly how far apart they are, but I%26#39;m not sure. Not much of a drive from one to the other though.

Enjoy your trip.

Mt Rushmore / Crazy Horse

Very much so. Sounds like a very doable plan. You can probably do the Presidents%26#39; Trail, the artists studio and the museum at Mt. Rushmore in a few hours. An afternoon is plenty of time for Crazy Horse, even if you luck out and go on one of the days there is a special presentation. We went when there were Native American dance demonstrations, and it was a very enjoyable afternoon. Crazy Horse really shouldn%26#39;t take much time. You could even drive the Iron Mountain Road (16A) on the Peter Norbeck Scenic byway on your way back. It is a not to miss drive.

http://byways.org/explore/byways/2459/

byways.org/explore/byways/2459/stories/47522

http://peternorbeck.americasbyways.net/

Via 244 %26amp; 385 it%26#39;s 19.7 miles to Custer. Crazy Horse is about 3 miles short of that so figure 16.7 miles. But summer traffic can mean slow going even for the short distance. Worst case 45 mins to an hour.

Nice to do both in one day as it gives a chance to compare the scales of the projects.

I will echo everyone else; your plan is an excellent one and easily done in a day. As Sequim said, it%26#39;s very interesting to compare the two projects. I have always found the history behind Crazy Horse even more interesting than Mt Rushmore, but you will certainly enjoy both monuments. Have a great trip.

Thank you all so much. I am just starting my itinerary, so I am sure I will have many more questions.

I%26#39;ve read some posts before about Crazy Horse not being worth entering but I strongly disagree. To me, and of course it%26#39;s a personal belief, you cannot fully understand or enjoy Crazy Horse from the road. There is so much more there! You can spend hours in the museum and not see everything. Before I moved home to SD, every time I would come back, the first stop I made once back in the state was to Crazy Horse.

I agree with everyone, we just returned from the Black Hills a couple of days ago. Both places can be easily seen in a day, in fact you will probably have extra time to use waiting for the evening show at Mt. Rushmore, so have alternate plans ready just in case. You could visit Hill City or Keystone, or take the Needles Highway drive. Crazy Horse is great, better than travel guides describe, so be sure to plan on lots of time there.

Very doable. Crazy horse is worth the stop. We probably won%26#39;t do it again though as it would be my 4th time and my husbands 3rd. We may go back once more when the kids are older as our youngest was only 1 when we went. It is kind of dissapointing each time we went back as it seemed as no progress was made.

But I would suggest it if it is your first time.

Hotels with Microwaves and Refrigerators?

Dear All,

We will be having a family trip to the black hills mount rushmore area in Aug. Could you please suggest any hotels that will have both a refrigerator and microwave.

Thanks!

Hotels with Microwaves and Refrigerators?

Most of the chain hotels have them. Check Comfort inn. I think there is one in Custer or Hill city. If you are coming to Black Hills these areas will be very close to all the sites.

Hotels with Microwaves and Refrigerators?

Many hotels have this concept, but you may have to ask for a suite in some cases, especially some of the non-chains. For example, the Roosevelt Inn in Keystone has family suites that have both micros and fridges, but their regular rooms just list fridges. Sometimes, the breakfast rooms have microwaves for general guest use. Usually, property websites will provide their amenities to potential guests, but occasionally, you need to ask before reserving a room.

There are many options in the Keystone/Hill City/Custer area, and I%26#39;m sure you will be able to find one to suit your needs. Good luck!

When we travel to South Dakota and visit the local attractions (Badlands, Mount Rushmore, Black Hills) we stay in Rapid City. We have stayed in 2 different hotels and they were both great:

1. Howard Johnson - new hotel with a nice pool, great continental breakfast, and a managers reception (free drinks and popcorn) The rooms were very nice and had a fridge and microwave.

2. Country Inn and Suites - nice hotel with a nice pool and slide, good continental breakfast. The room was nice but we had a whirlpool room (it was our honeymoon) and I believe it had micro/fridge as well.