The Latest and The Greatest from The Great American West - South Dakota

Mount Rushmore

New Mount Rushmore guided tours

The Mount Rushmore Society and the National Park Service interpretive staff now offer self-guided tours of Mount Rushmore National Memorial where you are provided with a personal device that works like an iPhone. It will explain why and how Mount Rushmore was carved, with pictures and videos. The tour is translated into Spanish, German, French and Lakota, and there are 29 interesting stops. The tour is great for families as there is a new adventure called ‘Junior Ranger Quest’ where children can complete challenges at different stops and receive a Junior Ranger Badge after finishing 12 of these tasks.

South Dakota iconic destinations

Custer State Park

Visit Custer State Park to see unique wildlife including bison, pronghorn antelope, deer, elk and mountain goats. The Park is a great spot to go fishing, boating or canoeing on the clear mountain waters with incredible granite peaks in the background. Experience a land adventure by going camping, biking, horseback riding, rock climbing or hiking among the incredible rolling plains. The Custer State Park Buffalo Roundup involves the herding of 1,300 bison and is held in the last Friday of September each year.

Badlands National Park

Badlands National Park

Badlands National Park is striking to see as erosion has revealed different coloured sedimentary layers of rock including red, orange, purple and yellow. While there, you could spot diverse wildlife including bison, whitetail deer, prairie dogs, coyotes and eagles. Stop at the local visitor center to see where battles were fought in the final days of the Indian Wars with interactive exhibits and fossilized animal casts. Drive the Badlands Loop Scenic Byway - a 63km loop of South Dakota Highway 240 – for breathtaking photo opportunities at 16 designated scenic lookouts. Insider tip: sunrise and sunset are especially beautiful.

Mount Rushmore National Memorial
The iconic Mount Rushmore National Memorial is a huge yet intricate sculpture of the four Presidents; George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln, carved into the mountainside. There is also a museum called Lincoln Borglum Museum which features two theatres that show a mini movie about Mount Rushmore. Above the museum is Grandview Terrace which offers panoramic views of the sculpture and surrounding forests. There is also a walking trail called the Presidential Trail which starts from Grandview Terrace and leads to the Sculptor’s Studio which provides information about how the monument was constructed.

Crazy Horse Memorial

Crazy Horse Memorial

Crazy Horse Memorial is the world’s largest mountain carving – it has been under construction for the last70 years and will be for many more to come. Once finished, it will depict a mounted figure of Crazy Horse, the Native American leader of the Olgala Lakota who was a courageous defender of Native American culture and territory. Crazy Horse Memorial runs family friendly tours where you can have a bus ride around the base of Mount Rushmore or to the top of the mountain to see the carving up close!

Featured accommodation

Custer State Park Resort

Custer State Park Resort

Custer State Park Resort offers four unique lodges to stay in, all surrounded by breathtaking alpine forests and lakes. The Blue Bell Lodge allows you to live like cowboys did many years ago, while State Game Lodge is situated in a peaceful mountain valley and is listed on the National register of Historic Places. From Sylvan Lake Lodge you can overlook the calm Sylvan Lake and hillside forest, and Legion Lake Lodge features a dining room with water views. The Resort offers many exciting activities including Buffalo Safari Jeep Tours, chuck-wagon cookouts, hiking, and fishing, boating and swimming at Legion Lake or Sylvan Lake.

EVENTS
November 20-December 26: Christmas at the Capitol, Pierre
December 7-8: Strawbale Winery Twilight Flights, Renner
December 8-9: Black Hills Cowboy Christmas, Lead
January 25-February 3: Annual Black Hills Stock Show and Rodeo, Rapid City

More information: www.travelsouthdakota.com

The Great American West is the perfect place to go if you want a holiday which combines adventure, culture and relaxation. Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming have beautiful national parks, unique wildlife, thrilling extreme sports, and countless museums which will help you trace the U.S.A.’s rich history. The Great American West is an exciting place to visit with new restaurants, ski lodges and recreation areas constantly opening.

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