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Old 04-13-2007, 04:34 PM   #1
pokypa
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South Dakota

We will be going to South Dakota this June - July 2007. I can used all the help I can get on planning this trip. What to see and where to camp. Thanks for all your helps in the past.

Pokypa
 
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Old 04-13-2007, 06:24 PM   #2
Montana Sky
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Well where to begin??? I assume you are going to be visiting the Black Hills, so I will reference western South Dakota. Having grown up in Rapid City, the Black Hills is a place I come back to three to four times a year. I just love it!

Things to see~ The Badlands, about 60 miles east of Rapid City. And while your there, you might as well cross I-90 and hit Wall Drug. While in Rapid, make sure you drive up to dinosaur park on Skyline drive. The dinosaurs are nice to see, but the main feature of this hill top park is the view. You can see all of Rapid City and into the hills, as well as east past Ellsworth AFB toward the Badlands. Figure 20 minute stop is all that is needed. Of course there is Mt. Rushmore and Crazy Horse that one has to see, but also check out the little town of Hill City. They have a neat restaurant called Alpine Inn, a great steak will be had! Custer state park is another highly recommended trip, it is amazing to see; best of all is it can be done from your car. Needles highway is sure pretty, if you have a dually I am not sure I'd try it. The two tunnels barely seemed wide enough for my truck(I actually folded my mirrors in on one of them) The pig tail bridges are pretty cool, but they are 1 lane only. Spearfish canyon is pretty to drive through. Of course there is Deadwood, a must stop for any Black Hills trip! Gambling, Gambling and Gambling... My favorite!!!! Bear Butte is a sacred Native American area, and interesting to drive around. Sturgis is nice, not much to see there unless the rally is going on. Down south of Rapid City is Hot Springs, about 65 miles or so. They have the archaeological dig going on of the mammoth fossils. If your going to be in the hills and have the time, I suggest making the drive to Devils Tower in Wyoming. Less than a 3 hour drive and worth every minute, in my opinion. If you are into hiking, try your skills at Harney Peak in the Black Hills. If memory serves me, the peak is at 7,900 feet, the highest point in the state of South Dakota. There was an observation tower you could climb up, the view is breath taking. If you are into biking, there is the Centennial trail that offers 111 miles of hiking and biking. Takes you through elevations from 3,000' to 5,000'. In Rapid City on Main Street is a great family restaurant called Milestone. I recommend their Friday fish fry, wonderful. Get there around 4 or 4:30 p.m. as it is a local favorite. I could go on for days about the area, but I will leave you with this. While your out and about in the hills, be sure to stop and take a deep breath. Especially if you are visiting Mt. Rushmore. The fresh clean air that is filled with the sent of Ponderosa Pine trees will leaving you gasping for more. Have a wonderful trip through the great state of South Dakota.
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Old 04-13-2007, 06:29 PM   #3
ols1932
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You can go through the Needles tunnels with a dually. Full size Tour buses go through them daily.

Orv
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Old 04-13-2007, 07:01 PM   #4
azstar
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Love the area.

We have stayed in Hill City it's in the Mts. a short drive from Rapid City. Nice Camp Ground there called Rafter J Bar. www.rafterj.com

We'll be staying at Heart Ranch this year in Rapid City in June. It's a Coast to Coast membership Park.

If your there late enough in July you'll hear lots of Thunder and it won't be coming from the sky, it will be coming from the roads. "Sturgis Motorcycle Rally" is the first week of Aug. We've done the rally a couple of times. We love it. Even if your not a Biker it's really something to see. Bikers for a 50 to 100 mile radius around Sturgis, start arriving the end of July.

Your going to love it.

Happy Camping
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Old 04-14-2007, 02:42 AM   #5
adelmoll
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Yes, Yes to all of the above and.....There are a couple of National Parks also in the Black Hills that have Caves. Both are quite interesting.

If you are going further East on I-90 there are several stops you should not miss. Mitchell and the Corn Palace is a one time must see and a nice place to overnight with a really nice Cabella's to shop at.

Al's Oasis is a fun place to stop for a meal in Chamberlain and don't miss the visitors center a few miles further east. It has one of the nicestest views overlooking the Missouri River and lots of Lewis ans Clark history.

The Falls in Sioux Falls is a great place to spend the day. The nicest campground in that area is called The Red Barn or something like that (Red something).

Helen

Helen
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Old 04-14-2007, 01:26 PM   #6
sreigle
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For a few ideas...

http://www.geocities.com/stevereigle
Select 2004 Postcards
Scroll to postcards dated July 1, 2004 through July 29, 2004
then, also, August 11, 2004 through August 23, 2004

South Dakota has lots of great places to visit.
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Old 04-14-2007, 03:04 PM   #7
Montana Sky
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Oh yes, don't forget about Cabela's in Mitchell, it is just off the highway with huge parking and easy access....

Helen is right, Wind Cave and Jewel Cave are really cool... I have not done those since freshman year of high school.

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Old 04-15-2007, 02:54 AM   #8
richfaa
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Great post on S.D and area. We are heading that way in June and we now have a travel guide.Thanks Steve for reminding me of The Little Big horn..I amd a huge history buff and that is now on our agenda.
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Old 04-15-2007, 08:04 AM   #9
Bill Frisbee
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I do not consider myself a sophisticated, worldly-wise, or widely-traveled expert. But in my opinion, South Dakota (and especially southwestern South Dakota) is one of the most amazing and unforgettable places we have ever visited. How anyone can come away from places like Mt. Rushmore and the Crazy Horse Memorial without a profound appreciation for the creativity of humanity and the boundless power of the human spirit to accomplish the incredible is beyond me. The Black Hills are much more than a place to visit. They are a place to renew one's faith in our collective capacity to see beyond what is immediate and self-serving to what is truly important and timeless. We will return as often as circumstances permit.

Bill & Ann
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Old 04-15-2007, 09:16 AM   #10
jpkelpe
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You MUST see Mt. Rushmore at night--they have a special lighting ceremony that is absolutely wonderful and you will get one of the most rememorable feelings during the ceremony. the other Time I like to see Mt. Rushmore is in the morning when the sun is shining on the faces. Don't forget Wall Drug (an interesting place to spend some time and get you free ice water" and you might even want to drive through the Badlands for something different instead of staying on the Interstate.
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Old 04-15-2007, 10:50 AM   #11
sreigle
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Oh, yes, Mt. Rushmore at night is a must!

Rich, the Little Bighorn Battlefield is an awesome place to visit. Like you, we are big fans of historical sites and that one brought me to a reverent silence (yes, it does happen occasionally). Just south of there a few miles is Yellowtail Dam. Beautiful lake and dam situated in the Bighorn Canyon. North of there is Pompeii's Pillar. I think that's the spelling. You walk the steps to the top and see the names carved in the side. One is either Lewis or Clark, or both. They camped there. Sorry, guys, this is not South Dakota.

In South Dakota I really enjoyed walking over and then going down into the chasm where Jesse James had to get his horse to jump over the chasm while evading the posse chasing him following the Great Northfield Minnesota Bank Robbery. I think that's in Palisades State Park, NE (I think) of Sioux Falls. Easy drive from Sioux Falls. I'll have to go look at our website to make sure that's the correct name of the park. Nope, it's Devil's Gulch. It's either in or next to Split Rock State Park. Both are near Palisades State Park. All three places are worth a visit. These are in SD, north and maybe a bit east of Sioux Falls.

If you are in Pierre (they pronounce it like "peer" up there for some reason), the statehouse is worth a visit. Our good friends Jim and Fredricka (RandomLine) took us there when we visited, back when they still lived in Pierre.

Devil's Gulch -
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Old 04-15-2007, 12:47 PM   #12
adelmoll
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Thanks for reminding me Steve of the Bighorn Battlefield. We must do that one again . The last time we were there it was 102 degrees and I couldn't appreciate it the way I would at 80 degrees.

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Old 04-15-2007, 03:31 PM   #13
Ozzie
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The same thing happened to us in the Badlands Bill(?)...it was 112 on the thermometer and our motorhome couldn't take it. Blew a seal in the tranny. We ended up in a Rapids City rv park (brother towed us) just off the highway. Good thing it had a pool, cause the weather was so hot rigs were getting towed in nonstop. We got a rental car to get around while we were waiting our turn for the repair.
You know the bit about making lemonade? Well, we spent our time doing the tourist thing and it was great knocking around that area. Lots to look at and do. I'd like to go back again too.
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