Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Rapid City and Black Hills

Meh..... perspective is everything.

FIL had a cabin for a time in Spearfish Canyon. Pretty good drive for a weekend or holiday from either Miles City or Denver, but worth it. Blizzards not-withstanding.

On the drive back to Denver, there was a sign south of Hawk Springs WY that said "Cheyenne 37 miles."

At 60 miles per hour, I would then come on another sign almost exactly 5 minutes later that said, "Cheyenne 35 miles".

Must be the wind.... but I always think of that when I hear "Black Hills".

I call that kind of thing "Wyoming miles". SD has some seemingly extra long miles as well.

Jewel cave.

Bad part is most of the businesses only run through Memorial Day-Labor Day.

And their governor ain't hard to look on.

I haven't been there in 65 to 70 years. My only memories are Mt Rushmore and the Reptile Gardens. I barely remember riding on a giant tortoise.

We have a home just east of Custer and don't spend nearly enough time out there. Lots of suggestions, drop me a pm if you like. Hikes, restaurants, where to find trout or bugling elk this time of year...stuff like that.

Skogen Kitchen and Hjem in Custer are two of our favorite places, they're toney, but my bride likes that sort of thing, so that makes me happy also. Lots of other options out there as well. Blue Bell is a real winner; Sylvan Lake is a great resort also.

I would suggest staying in the Hills and not in Rapid City, there's nothing terribly special about Rapid City, YMMV. We're not Deadwood and gambling people either, also YMMV. You'll have a great time, the Hills are a great place to spend September.

Pizza Mill in Custer City is the best in SD. Alpine in is great. Crab legs and prime rib at the Silverado in Deadwood is amazing.

The Mammoth Site in Hot Springs is worth a visit. Mt Rushmore is So-so, but a fun sight to see. Needles Highway is an amazing drive. First Stop in Rapid City is a great gun, gold and silver shop.

If it weren't for the WIND, The Black Hills would be the best place in the country to reside.

Hill City is about a half hour southwest of Rapid City, SD.

There you'll find the Alpine Inn - they have several lunch choices but only two dinner choices - one including meat and one vegetarian. Both are excellent. Great desserts! If you don't get there before opening time you'll be waiting in a long line (worth the wait).

Comfort Inn in Hill City is very nice. Only open until the last day of October I think.

The Mammoth museum in Hot Springs, SD is amazing if you are impressed by archeology and mammoth skeletons.

Lived in Hot Springs SD for 5 years and would gladly be there yet, and to the end, were it not for chasing even more important grandkids. The Hills are the treasure chest of America. No kidding. If you are blessed to live there, you are living large. The Mammoth dig in Hot Springs has been rightfully mentioned but there is another experience there that we thought to be exceptional. Evans Plunge is a covered (indoor) fresh water warm springs swimming pool, wherein the water from the springs that feed it turn the water over every hour and a half. There are all sorts of fun challenges attached, including slides, a gym and even Tarzan rings for those who think they are man enough; in all my time there (3x/week) I only saw three gals do it. Kids love the place and so will you when you leave with no chlorine smell on you. ;-{>8

I didn’t know about that place

Me either, Hanco. My wife and I drove into Hot Springs almost by accident. We said, why haven't we ever heard of this place before and MOVED there. It is actually a banana belt where very little snow accumulates for long and the town is shielded by the hills and a canyon. We loved it.


https://travelsd.s3.amazonaws.com/s...n-hot-springs-2870.jpg.jpg?itok=ecuSc1LX

https://www.blackhillsbadlands.com/...robytes/vote-hot-springs/hot-springs.jpg

Fall River, which is a cute little brook runs right down the main street. Angostura reservoir is just a few miles out of town.

I can't believe it has been 13 years since we were in the Black Hills. The Mammoth site in Hot Spring is a good site to see. I am sure there is a lot more that they have uncovered since we were there. My wife enjoyed it too. We took the drive to Devil's Tower. I want to take a trip to Yellowstone also along with going back Little Big Horn some time.

Last time we were there, we stayed in spearfish in a vrbo. Nice place. There was a grocery nearby and a decent (not superb) steak and burger place within walking distance. Fun trip.

Great photos Hanco, and some irony. They’re not even sure Crazy Horse ever agreed to have his photo taken, much less carve up a mountain.

https://www.lakotatimes.com/articles/crazy-horse-portrait/

One of the most interesting tours I've ever done was the Whorehouse in Deadwood. "It's closed for business now". Fantastic bit of local history that covers not just the brothels but a lot of Deadwood's history

Make sure !!! you have hotel reservations for each night. 😳

Mammoth Site is impressive then get the hell out of Hot Springs.
Head north on 385, Wind Cave buff are almost always on the road and the cave tour is good if open. Keep going north to Custer, neat town. Hike up to the "Custer" sign for the view then head to the Gold Pan saloon for a drink and hang with the locals. Calamity Jane's next door is a good spot for some food (changed hands recently tho).
Rushmore is a must stop, see the short movie and walk the trail below the carvngs and check out the artists gallery building.
Crazy Horse view is great from the highway and they have some neat stuff on exhibit, but it's really about milking guilt from whites (never mentioning that the Lakota stole the Black Hills and wiped out the Mandan and Arikara).
Custer State park is a great spot, visitor center can tell you which area the buff are in, herds total about 2500 bison. Iron mountain road is worth the drive
Tunnels thru Needles are cool and mountain goat are a common sight up there. Sylvan lake is worth a quick stop if nearby but gets packed during touristo season.
South Dakota Air & Space Museum is at Rapid City by Ellsworth AFB. Worth a stop.

Black Hills is a neat area but getting crazy expensive since the great COVID migration. Not where I plan on spending the rest of my days.

Pam’s Purple Door operated until at least 1980.

We were there in ‘17, and both of us fell in love with Custer State Park!
We spent 4 days there in June, and two more on the return trip in late September.
I wish we had more, cause in September they were gearing up to round up the buffalo.
I believe they have around 5,000, and they found them up and sell off the calves to keep the herd population in check.
Hit a grocery store on the way, and take along some apples for the panhandling donkeys!
It was surely one of the highlights of our trip!
I can see why the Lakota considered that place sacred! If I were God, it’s where I’d live!
Reon

I’m amazed at the love for the mammoth site and hot springs on here. Both are ok but I wouldn’t regard either as above average compared to other attractions/amusements and cities in the Black Hills. I often recommend mammoth site to people with boys 6-12 years old.