In SD now, advice on panning and other must-do's

Hey all- we are in Custer, got to SD yesterday!

I need some advice on where a good place is take my boys panning for gold. They are young, but not naive and the cheesy dinky %26#39;panning%26#39; sites at all the tourist traps are not going to cut it.

They want a real experience. My 10 year old had a ball at Cosmos, but he even ';got'; the tricks, soooo... i would like somewhere authentic. I was thinking Big Thunder, is that a good place?

We%26#39;re heading to rushmore tomorrow, and the next custer park/sylvan lake. Also one of the caves, just have not decided on which one yet as we have a 1 year old we%26#39;ll backpack in so we prob have to do a non state park (ie; no wind or jewel. I know the jewel doesn%26#39;t even allow the backpacks in so thats for sure out). We don%26#39;t want to be in there too long if he happens to not like it, though he%26#39;s very mello so I%26#39;m sure a little one will be fine.

So far we went to Bear Country, Cosmos, Reptile Gardens, Keystone to souvenier shop (and wall drug on the way)

Thanks in advance, and any more MUST-DO%26#39;s before we leave, please feel free to share.

I%26#39;ll be checking my laptop before we leave in the morning. Thanks all!

In SD now, advice on panning and other must-do's

My son at 9 loved gold panning. We went to Wade%26#39;s Gold MIll in Hill City. The people there were very nice and showed him how to pan, he even found a nice size gold flake!

Jewel Cave has a short cave tour (about 20 minutes) that you can take the 1 year old in.

In SD now, advice on panning and other must-do's

You might want to do a trip to Devil%26#39;s Tower. From Custer, you will go through Hill City. With a few short stops, you can do Devil%26#39;s Tower in a half day.