SD trip

[Battis]

We're heading back to SD this Saturday for a week. Lots of places I want to see again - Black Hills, Deadwood, Badlands, Devils Tower, Custer Park. What about the Thunder Basin park? It looks like a good place to visit.
Any other suggestions? We're staying mostly in Rapid City.

[sundog]

Battis, those are good. So are Needles Highway, Bear Country USA (don't go on weekend, too crowded), and Crazy Horse (must see) which IMO is more even more impressive than Rushmore. We had a really good time touring that area (stayed at KOAs in Deadwood and Rushmore with 5th wheel).

[Kraschenbirn]

+1 on what Sundog said. A couple years ago, we camped at Custer State Park for ten days...terrific place to stay; beautifully maintained, and located central to about everything worth seeing. Wasn't all that impressed with Deadwood...too much 'tourist trap' atmosphere...but we took did an overnite to Little Bighorn Battlefield and Custer Battlefield Museum (in Garryowen, MT) that was really worthwhile.

Bill

[GOPHER SLAYER]

On a cross country trip we drove thru SD. We were disappointed in Custer State Park because they had driven all the buffalo to higher ground. The only wildlife we saw were pinto colored donkeys who were begging for food. You might want to drive thru the badlands. It is 37 drive but worth it. It was a hot and very dry place.

[cheese1566]

Southern part of the Hills has all the attractions and tourist spots. Not much in Sturgis, gambling in Deadwood. Northern Hills is more “calm” and has Spearfish Canyon for a scenic drive. That will take you from Lead/Deadwood to Spearfish; which I highly recommend Cheyenne Crossing for breakfast or lunch. Burger and Bun Company for lunch in Custer, but get there early!

[waksupi]

A good side trip is to drive down to Hot Springs, and on to the Fur Trade Museum at Chadron, Nebraska. Pretty short drive, about 1 1/2 hours. One of the best in the country, good gun collection.

[Battis]

2 summers ago we drove from Minot down to Rapid City and saw quite a lot (1800 miles total driving). We didn't go to Devils Tower but we will this time. I'll also check out the other places listed above. This time tomorrow I should be in Deadwood. It's touristy but I like it. It's funny but we'll drive up through NH and ME on the coast, and every time I say, "Atlantic Ocean or Grand Tetons? Atlantic Ocean or Badlands? ...or Needles Highway? ...or Yellowstone? ...or Beartooth Highway? Never can pick one.

[cheese1566]

Mavericks in Deadwood is good to eat. I also hear Legends has the best steaks, but haven’t made there myself. Lewie’s outside Lead has fantastic burgers and the Sledhaus in Lead has superb German style menu with brews. (We do more day cruises in the Corvette and go to local favorites for eats.) Loud America in Sturgis for steak tips, all you can eat on Sundays!
The KOA at Devils Tower was a favorite when we had a camper. Best festivities and fireworks show during the Fourth of July.

[Battis]

Great trip. Flew to Rapid City and saw and did everything within a 2 hr radius. Walked the 3 mile route around Devils Tower, hiked all the way to the rocks at the top of Mt Moriah (after paying respects to JB Hickok), ate at Legends. Went to Mt Rushmore at night (they played the National Anthem before lighting the faces). Stayed in Custer State Park at Sylvan Lake (Needles Highway was closed temporarily). Spent two days in the Badlands, my favorite place. Didn't miss much. We were getting ready to come home last Saturday when we decided to visit our son in Minot, ND.
We drove up to Minot, ND and spent a few days there. Then back down to Rapid City to fly home. The trip from Minot to Rapid City (6+ hrs) is very scenic - just remember to gas up whenever you can.
Yep, we saw some great country.

[Spawndn72]

We have camped in Custer state park for the last 2 years. It's my idea of heaven. If I could, I would move there in a heart beat.

[LUCKYDAWG13]

Hill city is a nice place to stay Crazy Horse Memorial is a must see

[Battis]

We planned to go back to Crazy Horse but we had to head north (we went there 2 yrs ago). We signed up for a wine club in Hill City two years ago.
Maybe someone can answer this - what is that great, sweet, flowery odor that's everywhere in SD? Back here we have lilacs which is my favorite smell, but they only last a week or two. That smell in SD is similar to lilacs.

[Gewehr-Guy]

Was the sweet clover blooming ? Or it could be hay curing in the windrow. I live east river, and lately been smelling like spray and colony hog and turkey barns .

[scattershot]

If you don’t do anything else, go to the lighting ceremony at Mt. Rushmore. Bear Country in Rapid is a great place to visit, and a drive, at least, through Custer State Park is a beautiful experience. Be sure to take some carrots for the wild donkeys! You really can’t go to that area without a visit to the Little Bighorn battlefield, and the reference above to the Museum of the Fur Trade is spot on. Fort Robinson, in Nebraska is interesting, while you’re in the Sandhills area.

[cheese1566]

, ate at Legends.

Deadwood is in my backyard from Spearfish, we keep talking about going to Legends but haven’t made the 15 minute trip yet.

A few weeks ago me and the wife did get an “exclusive” flight line tour of the active B-1s at Ellsworth AFB outside Rapid City. Those cockpits are tight!
The Airmen, flight crew, maintenance crew, and flight crew were very top notch! Kudos to the men and women in the services.

[LaPoint]

Check Hot Springs, SD when you're in the Black Hills. The Mammoth sight is very interesting. Also there are several hot springs sights to check out. We also really enjoyed the tour at Wind Cave National park. We have always run out of time and haven't seen all the stuff we want to when we have visited the Black Hills.

[waksupi]

We planned to go back to Crazy Horse but we had to head north (we went there 2 yrs ago). We signed up for a wine club in Hill City two years ago.
Maybe someone can answer this - what is that great, sweet, flowery odor that's everywhere in SD? Back here we have lilacs which is my favorite smell, but they only last a week or two. That smell in SD is similar to lilacs.

Sage and sweetgrass maybe.

[Battis]

We went to Hot Springs - my wife did the mammoth site tour. We drove through Spearfish Canyon. Legends is popular on weekends - we stood in line for 20 minutes on a Saturday to find out that the wait would be almost an hour to get in. During the week we were seated right away.
We bought an original oil on canvas painting from Del Iron Cloud, a local artist. Check out his work online. Very talented and friendly.
Whatever that sweet smell is, I'd like to bottle it.