My wife and I are going to South Dakota for our up coming anniversary. She has never seen the Black Hills, Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse or Devil's Tower. We are spending 3 full days in the area. Any restaurant recommendations? Things other than the famous stuff to see?

Whenever we travel these days it turns into a "we could retire here" adventure. I am sure this will be no different. Low taxes, Red state. Colorado Springs is getting expensive. What do ya think about South Dakota?

Can't think of the name, but there's a steak joint in Hill City that's cheap and good.

Mammoth site in Hot Springs is worth the visit.

Love the Black Hills....

Near the top of my list of favorite places. I would suggest Needles Highway and Spearfish Canyon also. Hill City, Deadwood , and Custer State Park are worth a look as well.

My favorite is Crazy Horse. It's a man made wonder. Take the time to learn it's history. We paid to take a van to the top for a private tour. Worth every penny!

That's my favorite state but not that side of the state. I was just in Rapid in July for my anniversary. The best meal we had was the state game Lodge in Custer state Park. We tried local restaurants but didn't find anything exceptional. Found one place awful, Murphy's, downtown. If you like fried catfish, this will sound crazy, try the fish at Golden Corral. Fantastic. We went to a museum at the school of Mines. Free and it was really interesting. There's all the presidents in bronze in the downtown area. It's an interesting and safe place to walk around and see all the statues. If you want to see some really nice trout, Canyon lake Park. You can fish for them but I didn't bring gear. That park is beautiful and really pleasant place to walk and rest. Rushmore is a national treasure. It's a supremely beautiful area. We took a one day bus tour that went to lots of places like Sylvan lake and twisting, winding roads on the needles highway. That way I could look around instead of having to drive while my wife advised me on my driving. Don't go to crazy horse. There is tons of things to do in Rapid. Have fun

We love the Black Hills but for a little acreage and house you're looking at least as pricey as Colorado and higher property taxes. The Black Hills look a lot like Teller County, except colder.

South Dakota gets real damn cold!!!!

South Dakota gets real damn cold!!!!

did I say it gets. cold there..

A Mexican Restaurant & bar at the intersection of Rt.14 out of Sundance WY. & RT.24 to Devils Tower. Good grub & a great Bloody Mary last time I was there. Seeing the Devils Tower miles before you get there is surreal. What the heck did the pioneers think when they first saw it,

To each there own, but I'd bypass Crazy Horse for a drive through Spearfish canyon out of Sturgis & a drive through Custer State Park.

The Badlands East of Rapid City had me thinking of Butch & Sundance. Ignore the Wall Drug billboards.

So much there to see. Oh yeah!!! the Needles Highway, close to Rushmore, awesome.


I once was ready to move there, until I saw a snowplow about the size of my house.

I second Hot Springs! If you like fossil digs it's super cool!


https://www.blackhillsbadlands.com/business/mammoth-site-hot-springs

Rent a SxS and go up into the Black Hills. Hundreds of miles of trails and most outfitters provide you with a gps/trail maps on an iPad. We did it last year and it was the highlight of the trip.

Me, my wife and her mother visited Rapid City for a few days last Sept.
We really liked the awesome scenery on the badlands loop and Custer State Park (lots of bison and bighorn sheep). We also visited Devils Tower, Crazy Horse and Mount Rushmore. We actually visited Mt Rushmore twice because they have an evening show and light up the faces on the mountain.

The three of us are currently visiting Yellowstone and will be spending Monday night in Rapid City so we can drive the badlands loop on our way back to Michigan on Tuesday morning.

I'm coming back in November because I pulled a whitetail tag for the blackhills unit.

It's a great place and you will have a wonderful time.






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Slow down when you drive over RR tracks. Some in Rapid are really rough. I mean really rough. We saw a car going fast get air over one on Lacrosse St.

Everything everyone already stated and Sturgis Motorcycle Museum, Wall Drug and Definitely the Badlands Loops.

Can't wait to go back again.

It’s a beautiful area with a lot of things to see and do. I’m looking forward to taking a road trip back there with my wife.

<sarcasm> Crazy Horse “monument” is a must see! It illustrates perfectly much of what plagues the tribes today. I was there roughly 40 years ago and in those 40 years it’s barely any closer to being done. Construction began on it in 1948 but without the white man taking control it’ll likely remain in a constant state of “under construction”. I don’t know whether alcohol, drugs, tribal corruption, tribal greed, politics, in-fighting, laziness or some combination of those things that’s prevented meaningful progress on such an obviously culturally important figure…not to mention the big pat on the back that the tribe was giving itself.

Wiki…. “Standing Bear, frustrated over the stalled Crazy Horse project, wrote to James H. Cook, a long time friend of Chief Red Cloud's, "I am struggling hopelessly with this because I am without funds, no employment and no assistance from any Indian or White."[10]”
Rant over.

Contrast that with Mt. Rushmore and the pride one feels when standing there amazed that man could cut and blast that masterpiece from a mountain!…..THAT IS AMERICAN EXCEPTIONALISM personified!

Wtf do you mean no progress. The Zilowkowskis been milking it for 75 years and you want to get rid of that rfn. Let me give you a clue, the smart people just drive by and get just as much out of it as the people who pay to go in. mb

2nd on mammoth site, it’s inside if weather bad

Take chopper ride over Badlands

Devils tower is worth going to see

That family owns a thousand acres around the monument. They own the rock crushing plant at the bottom. They fuuucking them injuns left and right. I think they own the monument. Not sure on that. They have some of his fingers cut out now, got a flyer from them last week.

They charge 20.00 to park your car, 100 bucks apiece to take you to the top. Yes, I got Fuuucked











They making noise about putting Obama up there too

Ride the 1880 train between Keystone and Hills City. Ride the Steam train option

Go to the gold mine in Lead, open cut mine, very interesting, much deeper than my pic


free picture upload sites no registration

Go see Wild Bill and Calamity Jane

Custer State park is nice





Those Buffalo weren’t pleased with us

Great pictures, Hanco and everyone. We went to this Dinosaur Park. It's on top of a ridge. You can see the entire city from the park and you can see these gigantic dinosaurs at the park from the surrounding lower ground. Some steep walking to get to the dino park.

We went to an animal park, forgot where.

Bear country. Between Rapid and Keystone. Pretty cool, lots of cubs. It's funny at feeding time because all these dark colored bean bags go racing after the feed truck.

We went through a cave tour also, can’t remember the name of that place either

We stayed in Hill City a few nights, Deadwood a few nights. We had a good time, worth the trip!

GREAT pictures, hanco! Thanks.

it is not that bad, yes it gets cold but I gave my wife the option of staying or moving a couple year ago and she said she wanted to stay because she likes it here, and she said if it is to cold or to much snow she will just stay in the house so we stayed

it is not that bad, yes it gets cold but I gave my wife the option of staying or moving a couple year ago and she said she wanted to stay because she likes it here, and she said if it is to cold or to much snow she will just stay in the house so we stayed

Bear country USA is the park.

Wind Cave maybe?

Spent a summer in Keystone as a kid over 50 years ago & had a blast with my Norwegian grandfather- shot up a box of 22’s every day picked wild berries visited cousins. To this day the coldest I’ve been was deer hunting with my father that fall in the black hills. He shot 3 bucks & we had fun but my butt jest about froze to the rock we sat on one morning.

I used to like to stay in Hot Springs. The Mule Deer would invade the town. One time my rear wheel sensor went out on my Ford pickup. I got one at the parts store and put it on in a parking lot with some bedded Mule Deer watching me the whole time. I enjoyed that

The Deadwood Social Club is the best restaurant in the area. It’s in Deadwood, obviously. Delmonicos in downtown Rapid City is Alamo excellent.

I think you are talking about the Alpine. Better get reservations on that..mb

That sounds correct

Mammoth dig pics

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.

It is my favorite place to visit/vacation. I would consider retiring there after my son graduates. It is about an 11 hour drive from home so not a huge obstacle. I try to get there every year or two with my son. I have a friend who lives a few miles outside of Sturgis, so accommodations aren't an issue. There are a lot of hidden gems in the area, depending on your interests, and if you know some locals that can point you in the right direction. There is so much to do and see for kids as well as adults and they are all within a relatively short drive once in the area.
The all-you-can-eat buffet (amazing crab legs) in Deadwood is always a good time.

I've been to the rally a couple times but prefer to stay away for those few weeks. The area has everything from prairie dogs to Rushmore. The climate can change dramatically in only a few miles.

That's funny !! How could we drive without instructions from our wives !!!

Ha I thought that was funny also.

During covid, I got a letter a week from random somebody's wanting "to retire in the Black Hills and your place would be perfect for us, so why don't you sell it to us..." Bummer but it's going the same way as Jackson and Bozeman and on down the list. Super unfortunate that the counties didn't plan for it in advance, they have and seem content to just let it happen.

On day 2 in the Rapid City area. We did Mt Rushmore first and then Crazy Horse (I have pretty thick skin so the "white man bad" stuff doesn't bother me much. Besides my people are from Spain and they were busy f'ing up the Aztecs and their stealing gold). We loved them both. As I said my wife hasn't been here before and she was very impressed. It is truly beautiful here.

We went to Delmonico's Grill and was very disappointed. When I made the reservation I told them it was our anniversary. I had looked at the menu ahead of time and was prepared for the prices and had warned my lovely bride that it was pricey. That was fine with me. They sat us at a tiny table that was not 2' x 3'. I asked for a bigger table, of which there were several, but was told no. I talked to the manager and he said "No". When our waitress finally came and asked for our drink order my wife said "Nope, we are not staying". So we got up, went back to our room, changed out of our fancy clothes and had a very nice dinner at Texas Road House. Rapid City is nice but it isn't Paris and I didn't expect that kind of dinning experience.

Today is probably Custer State Park, one of the caves (Wind or Jewel) and not sure what else.
Tomorrow is Deadwood and that area.
Tuesday Devil's Tower and back to Colorado Springs.

It has been fun, and my wife and I love the Black Hills.

We just returned from Hill City and Custer. Highlights:
Custer State Park - Wildlife Loop road, saw buff, burros, PD towns, sheep, elk, antelope. We rode this on our bikes and drove it again on the day it rained.
If you are there end of Sept, for the buffalo roundup is an event. Governer Noem rides in it.
State Game Lodge lunch buffet
if we go again I will stay in one of the cabins at Blue Bell
Blue Bell Chuckwagon Cowboy cookout - best steak I had all week and pretty fun too
Miner's cup - little shack at east end of town has the best coffee and breakfast we found
Iron Mountain road down from Rushmore is the craziest road I've ever seen, liked it more than Needles
Needles hwy is good too - go early am for both before traffic picks up
Mikelson trail is pretty cool. We rode this 2 days. Section north of Custer is prettier and less developed.
We stayed at Everspring in Hill city (great) and Econodump in Custer (ok but not as nice)

We went to the Delmonico place once and while it was ok, nothing told me I needed to come back. Glad you're having a great trip.

We were not impressed at all, better food down here at many much cheaper restaurants

I'll second the Needles and Spearfish Canyon. Crazy Horse is great too.

All you sportsmen sound like excellent tourists, don't stop visiting!

I'm going up to Moon and Flag Mountain this week to try and find a ruffed grouse and complete my SD grand slam!

Back in '17, my wife and I parked our fifth wheel in an RV park and spent a week running around that area.

Still didn't see all it has to offer.