Which is best?

While there in Mt. Rushmore area we want to go to one of these; Flying T Chuckwagon supper or Circle B Ranch. Which is better? Are there any others in the area? (these are the only ones I%26#39;m finding online) Should I make reservations a head of time? Thanks!

Also, one other question, Mt. Rushmore, what all is there? Shops and restaurants? I%26#39;ve read some about a laser light show. Would it be best to go to Mt. Rushmore later in the day? I%26#39;ve been to Stone Mountain Georgia, which is a carving in the mountain, located just outside of Atlanta Georgia. For those that have been to both I would apperciate any feed back. Thank You!!

Which is best?

I have not experienced a chuck wagon dinner, so I will leave that question to someone who has. I know the person running the hotel we stayed in really spoke highly of them, but didn%26#39;t mention any specific company.

Mt. Rushmore and Stone Mountain were both done by Gutzon Borglum, so I would assume you will probably see similiarites in style. (I have not been to Stone Mountain). You will find a couple of gift shops at Rushmore, along with casual dining..nothing fancy. You will want to see Mt. Rushmore both druing the day and in the evening. The Presidential Trail is open during daylight and is one of the best parts. It%26#39;s around a mile or so and provides many different views of the monument (great photo ops) and takes you out to the sculptor%26#39;s studio where rangers give talks and you can see the monument in various planning stages. The original plans for it aren%26#39;t exactly as it turned out. There%26#39;s a visitor%26#39;s center with a movie and the Avenue of the States which showcases all the state flags. In the evening, you can see the lighting ceremony (the laser light show is at Crazy Horse), which is a very moving experience that honors our veterans.

Hope this helps. Feel free to ask more questions.

Which is best?

Thanks for the info. The lighting ceremony does it take place at dark or near dark? The Presidental Trail is it a walking trail? Does it cost extra? Is there any other cost to get in to this besides the $8. or $10. to park the car? We will only have 2 full days for Mt. Rushmore area, we want to go in a cave, drive through the Badlands, see Mt. Rushmore and go to a chuckwagon supper. Do you think we will have time to see Crazy Horse too? Or is it worth it? I%26#39;ve read some negatives on it. Anything else you think we might be interested in? Apperciate the info!! Thank you!!

With only 2 days in the very scenic Black Hills the only way you will see Crazy Horse is from the highway.Seems like everything you will see will be like a giant blurrrrrr.

Lots to see here and your plans need to be redone..

Back to the planning drawboard...BIG TIME...

We know we won%26#39;t be able to see EVERYTHING. (we%26#39;ve been going to the Smoky Mountains for the past several years and have not seen everything there yet....guess thats why we keep going back...LOL)

But any way, this year its to the north/west area. We only have 9 days for this vacation and we are going to Yellowstone area 1ST but will only have 2 full days for that area too. We know before we even go we will not be able to see everything. So we have picked out a few things we would like to see/do at each area. Hopefully later in life we will be able to make it back to the area again :) And be able to stay longer and see/do more.

Note on park fees...at your first National Park or Monument perhaps consider buying the $80 annual pass. Usually worth it if you are seeing four or more. Covers four in a car. YNP/GTNP fee by itself is $25 (both parks for 7 days), Devils Tower is $10 per vehicle, Little Bighorn Battlefield is $10 per car. That%26#39;s $45 leaving $35 for other parks/monuments for rest of the year. Otherwise go ala carte. Fee is $10 for annual Senior pass so that%26#39;s a slam dunk deal if you qualify (62 %26amp; over). Rushmore does not charge an entrance fee but does charge $10 for parking so the passes don%26#39;t work there.

http://www.nps.gov/fees_passes.htm

Sequim bad enough you have to pay for parking but

the real draw back with the parking lot is when you walk up to Mt Rushmore the view is obstructed thanks to renovations done in the 90%26#39;s.

Someone must have been blind...talk about pitiful design..

Burglum must be turning in his grave......

Tenn 2 days better than none,but make sure to catch the evening lighting ceremony at Mt Rushmore.

A sin to miss Custer State park also but..

As for restaurants, Alpine Inn in Hill City tops...

especiall deserts...THE BEST EVER.....

The lighting ceremony takes place at about 9 p.m. We arrived at around 8:30 to get seats. The monument is illuminated at around 9:30, so the whole ceremony takes about 1/2 an hour There is no extra charge to see it; just make sure you keep proof of your parking fee (you will get a receipt/placard). It%26#39;s good for one year.

The Presidential Trail is for walking; there are no rough surfaces and it%26#39;s easily accessible. It%26#39;s only open during daylight hours

With only 2 days, you won%26#39;t want to overplan. I assume you are driving? Perhaps you could see the Badlands on the way home? This way, you would get a little more time in the Black Hills. If you don%26#39;t do a lot of stops, you can see the Badlands in about 3 hours. I think we spent around 4 hours here, but we stopped a lot for photos and did walk a few short trails. The Badlands is more of a drive through park, unlike Yellowstone that you really have to leave your car to experience. The Badlands has such an eerily unique landscape; it%26#39;s just amazing how the formations suddenly emerge from the prairie.

With a little extra time in the Black Hills, I think you%26#39;d enjoy seeing a bit of Custer State Park. The Sylvan Lake area is my personal favorite. You can have a picnic here and walk around the lake. You can also drive the Needles Hwy. My avatar is a pic of the Cathedral Spires from the Needles Hwy. The scenery is great.

You can spend a morning at Mt Rushmore and then return at night for the ceremony. You could plan your cave tour for the afternoon (if you decide on Jewel...definitely make advance reserations on your tight time schedule). Then, you could possibly spend a little time at Crazy Horse. Some just do a drive by, but I%26#39;d encourage you to stop if there%26#39;s time. You have to see Crazy Horse once! I think people get frustrated when they return and see little progress has been made due to limited funds. The history behind Crazy Horse is really fascinating--even more so than Rushmore,IMO. It%26#39;s worth learning about, and if you enjoy native American history, there%26#39;s some nice exhibits here. You could probably stay here up until its closing time.

The preceding would be a full day, but if you leave the Badlands for on the way home, you could spend day 2 seeing Custer SP, which really is neat. Custer has scenery %26amp; wildlife--even hiking if you so desire.

Also, on your way back from Yellowstone, be sure to take a side trip to Devil%26#39;s Tower if time permits.

BTW, Sequim gave you very good advice about the National Parks Pass--big money saver. And...as Joeman said, the Alpine Inn in Hill City is terrific with desserts to DIE FOR!!! If you go, arrive early. It%26#39;s inexpensive and gets crowded. They only serve filet for dinner, so if you aren%26#39;t beef eaters, try it for lunch. They have very good German fare then.

Also, do you know where you are staying yet?

Feel free to come back with more questions.

The park pass sounds like a good deal but we will come out a little cheaper the other way. I doubt if we go to any other NP within the year (they don%26#39;t charge at the Great Smoky Mountain National Park and thats the only other one we will be going to later this year)

We have thought about putting the Badlands on our day to go home. We do have reservations made in Keystone. (but not in West Yellowstone yet) If we put the Badlands on the day home we should have time for Custer State Park. Right? Whats the charge for this park? Sorry for all the questions.

Yes, I think you would have time for at least some of Custer SP. The current charge for the park is $6 per person or $15 per vehicle. This is good for one week.

As I mentioned previously, Sylavn Lake is lovely, as is the Needles Hwy. The other major parts are Iron Mountain Road, known for its pigtail bridges and tunnels that frame Mt. Rushmore, and the Wildlife Loop, where you will see wild burros, prairie dogs, deer, pronghorn, big horned sheep, and bison. This drive might pale in significance compared to Yellowstone, however. Yellowstone is the ';Mercedes'; of wildlife. :)

Hi there...this is Wanda with the SD Office of Tourism. Everyone has had some excellent recommendations for you!

To answer your question regarding Chuckwagon suppers, they are definitely a lot of fun. The two you mention are both good options, and you can find more at our Travel Directory. Go to www.TravelSD.com/vsd, then scroll down under ';Category'; until you come to Chuckwagon Supper. Click search, and a list of about 10 options should come up.

Let me know if you have trouble finding it...I%26#39;d be glad to help!