South Dakota Trip

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HandSanitizer

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Apr 19, 2006
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Bondurant, IA
Hey all,
In the interest of being lazy and saving time. I wanted to ask anyone who has recently been to the Black Hills in South Dakota advice. We are spending a couple days there and wanted to know the main things to do and how much time is required to see them. We are in the process of picking a motel. We are thinking the Keystone, Hill City or the Custer area.

As of right now here are a few things on my list for options. Not sure how long they take though.

Flinestone bedrock city- Custer
Black hills forest-Custer
Jewell Cave -Custer
Crazy Horse - North of Custer by 20 mins
Big Thunder Gold Mine - Keystone, SD
Mount rushmore - Keystone, SD
Bear Country USA - Custer
1880 Train - Hill City/Keystone


Thanks!
 

Iastfan112

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Either on the way out or back Badlands National Park is fun to spend a half a day or a day in.
 
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drmwevr08

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Nov 25, 2006
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Not time right now to tell you all I could but PM me if you like. I am from the Hills and can probably answer a few questions for you. Its a great place!
 
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aauummm

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DEADWOOD!!!!!!
I was going to mention that also. There is so much to see and do in the Black Hills that we extended our stay there from 3-4 days to 10 days. Went over to see Devil's Tower also. Too much to list here.
 

CarolinaCy

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Apr 18, 2008
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Needles highway has some great views. Bear Country was pretty cool, though a little more expensive than I thought it would be. Flintstone Bedrock City was a bit disappointing to me, though our 2 year old daughter loved it.

Don't miss Custer State Park, just watch out for the "buffalo jams".
 
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ICCYFAN

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Sep 6, 2006
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We've taken our kids (15, 14 & 13) on a number of nice expensive family vacations (Disney - Orlando, Washington D.C., Grand Canyon / Arizona, San Diego) and yet the vacation they still talk about most was the closest, cheapest and simplest, the Black Hills.

I'd suggest staying at one of the Custer Park resorts; we stayed in the Sylvan Lake Lodge. It's not to be confused with luxury accomodations, but it's very convenient location-wise to many of the things you want to see.

You've got a pretty decent list of things to visit; I'd definitely add Wind Cave and possibly a side-trip to Sturgis. We spent our first couple days at a hotel in Rapid City and did a day trip that included Sturgis (there's a cool Custer-era military installation outside of town), out to Devil's Tower in Wyoming and late afternoon / dinner in Deadwood. Have fun!
 

HandSanitizer

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Thanks to all the replys so far.
Just thought I would add that I will have the wife and a 9, 5 and 3 year old also.
So that takes out a couple events :(
 

siouxcyty

Member
Apr 17, 2006
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Sioux City, IA
Hey all,
In the interest of being lazy and saving time. I wanted to ask anyone who has recently been to the Black Hills in South Dakota advice. We are spending a couple days there and wanted to know the main things to do and how much time is required to see them. We are in the process of picking a motel. We are thinking the Keystone, Hill City or the Custer area.

As of right now here are a few things on my list for options. Not sure how long they take though.

Flinestone bedrock city- Custer
Black hills forest-Custer
Jewell Cave -Custer
Crazy Horse - North of Custer by 20 mins
Big Thunder Gold Mine - Keystone, SD
Mount rushmore - Keystone, SD
Bear Country USA - Custer
1880 Train - Hill City/Keystone


Thanks!

Been there several times in the past 8 years. Definitely drive through the Badlands on your way there. When you get to Wall just head south. I like to stay in Keystone right by Mount Rushmore. Cool town with couple of caves nearby. Definitely take in the lighting of Rushmore. Crazy Horse is ok, but used to cost about $20 carload to just get in. Deadwood is pretty commercial these days but the Trial of Wild Bill Hickok is worth it.

If you had time I would say head over to Devils Tower in NE WY, but that would be more for the summer when you can walk around it.
 
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cycloneML

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Mar 5, 2008
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been a long time, but I recall Rapid City being cool and a little town by the name of Hot Springs or something like that that had hot spring pools, etc. No, I'm not talking about Arkansas.
 
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loki8838

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Nov 27, 2006
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There is an old Minuteman Missle Silo site that is open to the public. It is just east of Wall Drug on I-90 at exit 116. There are no buildings, just an old armored pickup, and a glass viewing area that looks down the silo. As a child of the Cold War, I thought it was really cool, and it won't take much time to see.
 

Cyclonepride

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Apr 11, 2006
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Hey all,
In the interest of being lazy and saving time. I wanted to ask anyone who has recently been to the Black Hills in South Dakota advice. We are spending a couple days there and wanted to know the main things to do and how much time is required to see them. We are in the process of picking a motel. We are thinking the Keystone, Hill City or the Custer area.

As of right now here are a few things on my list for options. Not sure how long they take though.

Flinestone bedrock city- Custer
Black hills forest-Custer
Jewell Cave -Custer
Crazy Horse - North of Custer by 20 mins
Big Thunder Gold Mine - Keystone, SD
Mount rushmore - Keystone, SD
Bear Country USA - Custer
1880 Train - Hill City/Keystone


Thanks!

There is a maze place on the way out to Mount Rushmore from Rapid City that might be fun for the kids. Bear country is certainly cool too. Perhaps Reptile Gardens too? There are a thousand things to see around Rapid City. My wife and I wore ourselves out trying to see all of it, so I would recommend hitting the ones that you really want to see, and take your time at it.
 

woodie

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Apr 10, 2006
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you have to hit wall and deadwood.march is a good time to go thru custer state park because it is a good time to see the wild animals in the park since all of the trees do not have their foliage yet.
 
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ICCYFAN

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Sep 6, 2006
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Iowa City
march is a good time to go thru custer state park because it is a good time to see the wild animals in the park since all of the trees do not have their foliage yet.

When you purchase your entry into Custer Park, they'll give you a road map. When you drive the "wildlife loop", stop at one of the Ranger Stations and they'll be thrilled to mark where the various herds are reported to be. We went way off the paved loop roads in search of the best bison herd looks and had no problem in the family Chevrolet Venture minivan!

On the same topic, before going in purchase some "baby carrots" at a grocery store and let your kids feed the burros. They'll get a kick out of it, plus you'll make the other dads look bad because they didn't think of it.
 
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GeronimusClone

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Oct 23, 2008
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Des Moines, IA
Hey all,
In the interest of being lazy and saving time. I wanted to ask anyone who has recently been to the Black Hills in South Dakota advice. We are spending a couple days there and wanted to know the main things to do and how much time is required to see them. We are in the process of picking a motel. We are thinking the Keystone, Hill City or the Custer area.

As of right now here are a few things on my list for options. Not sure how long they take though.

Flinestone bedrock city- Custer
Black hills forest-Custer
Jewell Cave -Custer
Crazy Horse - North of Custer by 20 mins
Big Thunder Gold Mine - Keystone, SD
Mount rushmore - Keystone, SD
Bear Country USA - Custer
1880 Train - Hill City/Keystone


Thanks!
I was in Rapid City last summer for business and I'd suggest staying in Custer. It's not far from Crazy Horse and Mount Rushmore. Make sure you go to the lighting show at night at Mt. Rushmore. Really cool. Also, don't miss the Cosmos. That was my favorite thing as a kid. Reptile Gardens as well.
 

jsb

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My family went in 1989 on a trip. It was right after our 1988 vacation to Disney World and I agree with the previous poster that said it was a really great trip. We visited the corn palace, we spent a lot of time in the Badlands National Park. Back then the donkeys would come right up to your car. We visited Crazy Horse and Mt. Rushmore. We went to some park with mamouth bones in it. We drove into Wyoming to see the Devil's Tower.

Are you taking kids? If you have a daughter that is the right age, a trip to De Smet, SD where a lot of the Little House on the Praire books took place is pretty cool. I was about 10 when we went and I loved visiting it.
 

jsb

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Oh and we saw Wall Drug too. You almost have to stop there since you see signs for days :)