Winter in The Great American West

The Great American West is a wonderful winter holiday destination with top ski resorts, national parks offering winter access and a vast array of non-ski winter activities and events that the whole family will enjoy. Top winter activities on offer include skiing, snowboarding, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, dog sledding and ice fishing, along with winter wildlife watching, photography tours, and stargazing to name but a few. The Great American West also has unique accommodation that will bring you closer to nature than ever before. Check out the 2019 news for The Great American West states including Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming below.

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South Dakota

News at Mount Rushmore Memorial

Mount Rushmore National Memorial is the iconic sculpture of four past presidents; George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln, carved into the mountainside and is a major draw card to the state of South Dakota for tourists around the world. An upgrade of the area and facilities will begin in 2019 including a widening of Avenue of the Flags. This will allow more efficient movement for tourists around Mount Rushmore, increase accessibility, and provide better views of the sculpture. Mount Rushmore will stay open to visitors during the upgrade. The Mount Rushmore Half Marathon will run again this year on September 21 from the Ghost Canyon Dude Ranch to Keystone, providing incredible views of the Black Hills.

Open House Weekend for 2019
South Dakota has announced their Open House Weekend for 2019 where all South Dakota state parks will have free entry and fishing where no licence is required. The Open House Weekend runs from May 17-19, giving you free entry to incredible parks such as Custer State Park, Bear Butte State Park and Palisades State Park.

Black Hills snowmobiling trails

The Black Hills Snowmobile Trail System is ranked top ten in North America by SnoWest magazine and SuperTrax International. If you want to go snowmobiling, head to South Dakota which has a 350-mile network of marked and groomed snowmobile trails in the Black Hills. This trail system runs from the northern hills through central and southern parts of South Dakota. The trails are spectacular, taking you through deep canyons, pine forests and to lookouts with unbelievable views.

Spearfish snowshoeing
One of the best places to go snowshoeing is in Spearfish, where you can explore nearby recreational areas at Spearfish Canyon, Big Hill and Crow Peak. You can borrow snowshoes for free from South Dakota State Parks for a day or a weekend. If you are just starting out, you can explore the sights on flat snow or if you want to challenge yourself you can go snowshoeing up and down hills. Snowshoeing is a fun, simple activity the whole family will enjoy as it allows you to see spectacular winter forests you might otherwise miss.

Spearfish Canyon Lodge
Spearfish Canyon Lodge is nestled among enormous cliffs and pines and is the ideal place for a relaxing family holiday as kids stay here for free! The main lodge consists of 54 luxury rooms and has a rustic design with log walls. Rent a bicycle, UTV or snowmobile to explore the surrounding nature trails and wildlife, and go bird watching or fly fishing for some extra fun. To discover a magical setting, go for a short hike to see the beautiful Roughlock Falls, where Little Spearfish Creek plunges down creating a waterfall. Relax in the outdoor hot tub to stay warm in the colder months or enjoy a delicious meal made by local chefs at The Latchstring Inn.



Roughlock Falls

EVENTS
January 25 – February 3: Annual Black Hills Stock Show & Rodeo, Rapid City
February 21-23: Sioux Falls Sno Jam Comedy Festival, Sioux Falls
May 25-26: Annual SDRA Foothills Rodeo, Wessington Springs
June 7-9: Fort Sisseton Historical Festival, Lake City

More information: www.travelsouthdakota.com