Expect adventure, history and wildlife-watching opportunities in this fascinating part of the USA. While discovering off-the-beaten-path treasures, the inherent thread of Wild West history and Native American culture piques one’s curiosity, fuelling the desire to explore some more. Here are just some of the best places to visit in South Dakota.
Mount Rushmore National Memorial
America's Shrine of Democracy, Mount Rushmore National Memorial features the 60-foot faces of four great American presidents who represent the birth, growth, development and preservation of the USA. Open year-round, the park includes a half-mile walking trail, museum, gift shop and dining room.
The south-eastern face of Mount Rushmore in South Dakota’s Black Hills National Forest is the site of four gigantic carved sculptures depicting the faces of U.S. Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt. Led by the sculptor Gutzon Borglum, work on the project began in 1927 and was finally completed in 1941. Over that time period, some 400 workers erected the sculpture under dangerous conditions, removing a total of 450,000 tons of rock in order to create the enormous carved heads, each of which reached a height of 60 feet (18 meters). Known as the “Shrine of Democracy,” Mount Rushmore welcomes upwards of 2 million visitors every year, and is one of America’s most popular tourist attractions.
Crazy Horse Memorial
Crazy Horse Memorial is located in the heart of the beautiful Black Hills. The Mountain is 6,532 ft and ranks 27th highest mountain in South Dakota. It is made of pegmatite granite and was chosen by Sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski & Lakota Chief Henry Standing Bear for the Crazy Horse Memorial'
The Mission of Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation is to protect and preserve the culture, tradition and living heritage of the Native Americans.
Deadwood
In 1876, the Wild West town of Deadwood was born when prospectors came across a gulch full of dead trees and a creek full of gold. Historic Deadwood, SD is just as wild today as it was when legends like Wild Bill Hickok, Calamity Jane and Seth Bullock roamed the streets. Today the small town is booming; you’ll find modern-day casinos, resort hotels and historic hotels, full-service spas and big name concerts alongside a picturesque main street which maintains the character of the olden days.
Badlands National Park
The rugged beauty of the Badlands draws visitors from around the world. These striking geologic deposits contain one of the world’s richest fossil beds. Ancient mammals such as the rhino, horse, and saber-toothed cat once roamed here. The park’s 381 square miles protect an expanse of mixed-grass prairie where bison, bighorn sheep, prairie dogs, and black-footed ferrets live today.
The land has been so ruthlessly ravaged by wind and water that it has become picturesque; the Badlands are a wonderland of bizarre, colourful spires and pinnacles, massive buttes and deep gorges. Erosion of the Badlands reveals sedimentary layers of a wonderful array of colours: purple and yellow (shale), tan and gray (sand and gravel), red and orange (iron oxides) and white (volcanic ash).
Buffalo Roundup (28 September 2018)
Feel the thunder of hooves at the annual Custer State Park Buffalo Roundup on Friday, 28 September 2018. Watch cowboys, cowgirls and park rangers as they roundup and drive the herd of approximately 1,300 buffalo. Be sure to plan for plenty of time at the accompanying three-day Arts Festival, 27-29 September, where more than 100 vendors will offer fine arts and crafts and South Dakota made products.
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