Things to do in Black Hills
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Mount Rushmore
Looking like they're either emerging from or being absorbed by the mountain, the stony faces of past presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt - carved 60ft tall in the granite of a Black Hills outcrop - are one of the most famous images in the USA and the top attraction in the state; the monument gets nearly three million visitors each year. You can't help but be impressed by its sheer scale and the massive physical effort of the team (led by sculptor Gutzon Borglum) that created it between 1927 and 1941.
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High Plains Western Heritage Center
The church-like building overlooking the interstate east of downtown Spearfish is the High Plains Western Heritage Center. Displays are a tad scattershot, but include many on cowboys and a big barbed wire collection.
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Deadwood History & Information Center
Deadwood History & Information Center, Like Vegas meets Bonanza, Deadwood juxtaposes the bright neon jangling of slot machines with Wild West storefronts, reenacted gunfights and eternal devotion to Wild Bill Hickock, who was shot in the back of the head here in 1876 while gambling. Settled illegally by eager gold rushers in the 1870s, Deadwood (inspiration for the hit HBO series) is now a National Historic Landmark. Its Main Street is lined with restored gold rush-era buildings. The town's hell-raisin' days are long gone, replaced by a gentler crowd of tour-bus poker players taking advantage of limited-stakes gambling, which jump-started the town's tourist appeal in the…
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Jewel Cave National Monument
)Another of the Black Hills' many fascinating caves is Jewel Cave, 13 miles west of Custer on US 16; so named because calcite crystals line nearly all of its walls. Currently 139 miles have been explored, making it the second longest known cave in the world, but it is presumed to be the longest. Tours range in length and difficulty; reservations are recommended. Make arrangements at the visitor center. If you'll only visit one Black Hills cave, this would be a good choice.
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Custer State Park
The only reason 111-sq-mile Custer State Park isn't a national park is that the state grabbed it first. It boasts one of the largest free-roaming bison herds in the world (about 1500), the famous 'begging burros' (donkeys seeking handouts) and more than 200 species of bird. Other wildlife include elk, pronghorns, mountain goats, bighorn sheep, coyotes, prairie dogs, mountain lions and bobcats.
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Saloon No 10
Saloon No 10 is hands-down the best saloon in Deadwood, with dark paneled walls and sawdust on the floor (though slot machines have slipped in to detract from the atmosphere). The original Saloon No 10, where Wild Bill took a serious loss at the gambling table, stood across the street, but the building burned to the ground and the owners brought the bar over here.
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Crazy Horse Memorial
The world's largest monument, the Crazy Horse Memorial is, as author Ian Frazier describes, 'a ruin, only in reverse.' Onlookers at the 563ft-tall work-in-progress can gawk at what will be the Sioux leader astride his horse, pointing to the horizon saying, 'My lands are where my dead lie buried.'
Never photographed or persuaded to sign a meaningless treaty, Crazy Horse was chosen for a monument that Lakota Sioux elders hoped would balance the presidential focus of Mt Rushmore. In 1948 a Boston-born sculptor, the indefatigable Korczak Ziolkowski, started blasting granite. His family have continued the work since his death in 1982. (It should also be noted that many Native…
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Fort Hays
If you prefer corny to classy, try one of the Rapid City's chuckwagon suppers, where a meat-and-potatoes meal is followed by a country music and comedy show. At Fort Hays, five miles south of Rapid City, shares space with a Dances With Wolves film set.
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Midnight Star
Another notable hooch house in Deadwood is the Midnight Star, owned by actor Kevin Costner and his brother. Costumes and photos from his movies fill the building. You can have a few beers while admiring Kev's jerkin from 'Prince of Thieves'.
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Chinatown Café
You can load up on salad and greasy chicken wings at the casino buffets while saloons offer cheap pub grub to soak up the brews. For something different, there's the lemon chicken at Chinatown Café, which does Chinese staples well.
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Mount Moriah Cemetery
Calamity Jane (born Martha Canary, 1850–1903) and Hickok (1847–76) rest side by side up on Boot Hill at the very steep cemetery. Entertaining bus tours ($9) leave hourly from Main St.
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Mammoth Site
The remarkable Mammoth Site is the country's largest left-as-found mammoth fossil display. Hundreds of animals perished in a sinkhole here about 26,000 years ago.
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Sturgis Motorcycle Museum
The Sturgis Motorcycle Museum houses dozens of bikes, including many classics. A 'freedom fighters' exhibit honors those who have fought for the rights of bikers.
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Museum of Geology
You can see some classy dinosaur bones, including a plesiosaur skeleton, and piles of very old rocks in the Museum of Geology at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology.
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Journey Museum
The fortress-like Journey Museum takes you on a trip through 2½ billion years of the history of the Black Hills with lots of space given to the Lakota Sioux and dinosaurs.
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Corn Exchange
The Black Hills' foodie favorite, the Corn Exchange, uses local and organic ingredients and espouses a 'slow food' philosophy. The food is fresh and good with a French twist.
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1880 Train
Keystone is the eastern terminus of the 1880 Train, a classic steam train running through rugged country to Hill City - there are more round-trip options from that end.
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Bay Leaf Café
Vegetarians will appreciate the healthy cooking at Bay Leaf Cafe while carnivores can sample elk sirloin and other native game of the Plains in more meaty dishes.
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Evans Plunge
The water at Evans Plunge, a giant indoor geothermal springs waterpark, is always 87°F (30.5°C).
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Homestake Gold Mine
Peek at the 1250ft-deep Homestake gold mine to see what open-pit mining can do to a mountain.
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Tours
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