Cell phone service and Internet access?

Could someone help me out with this topic?

We know our cell phone service will get us at least through Chicago with no problems (we have Sprint).

But, having never traveled west of Chicago with this company, we%26#39;re not sure we%26#39;ll have access after that.

Which cell phone providers have coverage between Chicago and Sioux Falls? Between Sioux Falls and the Black Hills? In the Black Hills?

If our phone is in ';roaming mode'; we%26#39;ll still be able to make a call it would just be more expensive correct?

Is there coverage in less populated areas like the Badlands? Custer State Park?

I%26#39;m concerned with three small kids of being stranded even for a little while.

What about internet access? Are there coffee shops with internet access in the Black Hills? How about somewhere along the road from Sioux Falls to the Black Hills?

Cell phone service and Internet access?

Alltel %26amp; Verizon are the major carriers for South Dakota

google national Verizon coverage map (TA isn%26#39;t allowing the link)

national Alltel coverage map:

engadgetmobile.com/2006/…

I%26#39;ll try to answer some of your questions.

There are places on I90, especially between Chamberlain %26amp; Wall that are dead zones. If you have your phone on, the battery will drain faster because it will be searching the whole time. We often keep one on the car charger when traveling across SD.

However, I%26#39;ve read more towers are being added.

Once you are outside of the towns in the Hills, cell phone signal is sporadic. Many parts of Custer State Park do not receive a signal.

Rapid City has internet/wifi cafes Dunn Brothers, Alternative Fuel, Thirstys are 3 I know of for sure.

Cell phone service and Internet access?

In addition to Lorhs%26#39; comments, I%26#39;d add that you%26#39;ll be roaming with Sprint in most of SD west of Sioux Falls. It%26#39;s an ever chaning issue, but in the past the coverage has been pretty bad in western SD with a Sprint phone. A couple of years ago a friend visited and his Sprint phone was pretty much worthless outside of Rapid City. Perhaps that has changed now.

No matter what provider you have, you will be traveling in some areas with no coverage. You should have some basic survival gear. At a minimum in the summer: water, food and a first aid kit. Especially water. You can%26#39;t depend on a cell phone in many areas of the western states.

Are pay phones available in areas that don%26#39;t have cell phone coverage? You%26#39;d be hard pressed to find a pay phone anywhere in my city these days.

Do they have emergency land line phones along the sides of the road from Sioux Falls to the Black Hills? How about in less populated areas like Custer State Park or the scenic drives in the area?

If someone is stranded on a scenic drive road like Needles Hwy, how long might it be before another car came around? How about if your stranded in the Badlands or on the road somewhere between Sioux Falls and the Black Hills?

If you had to walk to the nearest exit, are there wild animals you have to worry about? What kinds? What about if you break down in the Black Hills?

Thanks for humoring me, I just want to be prepared for anything!

Hi Tamsin,

When I went to SD two years ago, I had a Nextel phone (now Sprint). It was absolutely worthless out there. Luckily, my husband had Verizon as his carrier and had no problems. I now have Verizon but was still in contract with Nextel when I went out. I very seldom got any signal in the hills.

Since they are now Sprint, things may have changed. I would go to a Sprint store and see if there are towers in the area. There weren%26#39;t any when I went, and I knew this going in.

We had no problems with Internet access. We had an internet computer in our hotel lobby, and service was good.

If you are travelling during peak tourist season, I don%26#39;t think you will have much problems encountering other cars on the roads, especially in Custer. We never felt lonely..always lots of people around. I really think you will be ok. We found the locals extremely friendly and helpful.

Tamsin, you won%26#39;t be alone in the Black Hills or on the interstate in the summer.

You don%26#39;t have to worry about wild animals driving across SD during the day, at night the only worry is deer, and they are more likely to be running than anything else.

Also, in SD, people still stop to help.

Any other worries, post away. :-)

My husband and I both have Verizon cell phones and I do not recall having any problems a year ago. I understand your concerns with safety traveling with young children (as a extremely neurotic person!) But I agree with Lorhs, the Midwest still has plenty of compassionate residents, thankfully! And the Black Hills is probably not as remote and isolated as you imagine it to be. It is not a barren wilderness like Yellowstone area or the Banff, Alberta areas. Both of those places can be quite intimidating as far as your worries go. Relax, your young kids will love it. Ours did.

thinning hair

Advice on whirlwind tour of Black Hills, YNP, GTNP.

Our family is doing a whirlwind tour of the Black Hills, Yellowstone and GTNP in late July. We are a family of 5 with kids ages 13, 11 and 7. I am jealous of the people working on 2-3 week itineraries…7 days including travel is the reality for us (and pushing it for my self employed husband), but I figure it is better than nothing at all.

I have room reservations for all but the last night on the road (not anticipating a problem with that and want to be flexible). Although I am trying to resist overanalyzing and planning our sight-seeing down to the minute, I feel that our compressed schedule warrants careful research and pre-planning. Although we are in the Black Hills for only one day, I am including our entire itinerary for comment (and have posted to the Wyoming forum), as I know many others have combined trips to the Black Hills, Yellowstone and GTNP.

Day 1: Omaha to Keystone, SD via I-90. Will take the Hwy 240 loop through the Badlands and spend a brief time there…maybe one of the 10-15 minute hikes to stretch our legs. Unfortunately it will probably be mid-afternoon (hot and not best lighting from what I read). Make a pit stop in Wall. Stop in Rapid City for a quick dinner and get to Keystone (Washington Inn) so we can get settled in, then go to the Mt. Rushmore evening lighting ceremony. (This is why I chose the tourist trap Keystone vs. other locations, since we will only be there a few waking hours).

Day 2: Keystone to Deadwood. Tour Mt. Rushmore, drive through some part of Custer State Park, drive the Needles Highway, see Crazy Horse from a distance? I haven’t quite nailed exactly what we will do and the order for starting in Keystone and ending in Deadwood. Staying at the Comfort Inn outside of Deadwood so the kids can swim and enjoy the fun park (get that out of their system before YNP and GTNP). Would they enjoy seeing the town of Deadwood, or are the casinos the major attraction these days?

Day 3: Deadwood to Cody, WY. Staying at Cody Cowboy Village. Hope to arrive early to mid afternoon to allow time for museum and rodeo. Is Devil’s Tower worth the extra time vs. spending it in Cody?

Day 4: Cody to Canyon Western Cabin in YNP. I presume we should get a very early start. Should we come in NE or East entrance and what route should we follow inside the park?

Day 5: YNP to to Colter Bay cabins in GTNP. Was thinking we would spend at least the morning in Yellowstone and head to the cabin in GTNP sometime in afternoon. In GTNP, thinking of doing the hike to Inspiration point or maybe an evening Snake River float tour.

Day 6: Early morning Snake River Float (if we don’t do in the evening on previous day). Then exit the park through Jackson. Stop there for lunch / souvenirs, then head for Rock Springs and hopefully at least to Rawlins on I-80 before stopping for the night.

Day 7: Home on I-80

Any comments / recommendations would be appreciated...especially what we should do and in what order between Keystone and Deadwood on Day 2. I don’t know how I would be able to plan vacations without all the information on these forums!

Advice on whirlwind tour of Black Hills, YNP, GTNP.

Wow! You don%26#39;t have exact amounts of time you plan to spend in each place, but I can already see spots where your time will get bogged down.

The pitstop at Wall can easily stretch into an hour or more of you go to Wall Drug with kids. There%26#39;s a lot of neat things to look at and pictures to take. I went two years ago (one of many trips) with a 6 yr old and an 18 yr old and they were both fascinated and spent forever looking everything over. Of course, the lighting ceremony at Rushmore doesn%26#39;t kick off until late, so that helps.

The drive through Custer State Park has very slow speed limits and if there are animals to see you%26#39;ll want to stop for photos. The Needles Hwy will take time and you might run into traffic hold-ups with picture takers and slow vehicles.

Yes, you can see Crazy Horse from the road without stopping.

I didn%26#39;t get much out of Deadwood the one time we were there as it all seemed to be gambling focused. Some folks say it has nice history though and that there%26#39;s a shootout at night.

Mapquest says it takes 5 1/2 hours to get from Deadwood to Cody, but that%26#39;s if you average 65 mph. There is no way you%26#39;ll average 65mph over the Big Horns once you leave Buffalo headed for Worland. An average of 40mph is more realistic as there are some hairpin curves that will have you down to about 15mph. You also need to watch for wildlife. We%26#39;ve often seen moose up there and there%26#39;s sometimes livestock in the road (Wyoming%26#39;s a free range state). With stops and the mountains I would estimate that at a 7 hour drive, and that%26#39;s without Devil%26#39;s Tower. You probably wont%26#39; have the energy for the museum (which you could literally spend days in) or the rodeo after that drive.

Devil%26#39;s Tower is very cool and worth seeing.

The rest of the trip is okay, in an of itself, but you will be awfully tired of the car (especially with three kids) by that point and the long haul from Jackson back home will be just that - a very long haul.

Have you thought about just doing the Black Hills this trip so you can take your time and see all the other things it has to offer? Then, another time, you can bypass the hills and head straight for Yellowstone and the Tetons? Just my opinion, but I think everyone would enjoy it more if you broke the trip in two.

Best of luck!

Advice on whirlwind tour of Black Hills, YNP, GTNP.

I really think Needinsun has given you good advice. I hate to throw a monkey wrench in your plans, and I%26#39;m not even sure if some of your reservations can be cancelled, but I, too, feel that your 7-day whirlwind will be spent with a lot of car time.

I have been to both the Black Hills and Yellowstone/Grand Tetons on two separate trips consisting of about 11 days each. I understand you only have 7 days because of work obligations, but I think you would be best suited focusing on one area this time and the other another time. From your location, I think I would do the Black Hills now and save Yellowstone.

Deadwood does have a nice history if you have time to see it. The Adams House and Museum is well worth a visit. You asked about Devil%26#39;s Tower. It is a MUST see. You can spend 1.5-2 hours here walking around the base.

As Needinsun said, there are slower speed limits in Custer and especially in Yellowstone due to wildlife. They rule the roads many times. There%26#39;s nothing quite like a ';bison jam.';

My suggestion to split the trip into ';two trips'; is just my opinion. Others may think differently, but these areas are vast, and I think you would enjoy your time more focusing on less. Whatever you decide, have a great time!

Ok, I hear you and have considered what you are suggesting. I actually set out just to plan a few days in the Black Hills and added the Yellowstone/GTNP loop because it was so temptingly close. I was thinking that we may only get one shot at this (kids getting older and busier in the summer) and I would rather see the highlights of both than miss one or the other. I have personally been to all places as a ';drive through'; to another destination and did not feel cheated...maybe I just didn%26#39;t know what I was missing.

If we hit the highlights and really love one particular place, maybe we will plan a return trip. At a minimum it gives us all something to look forward to after retirement...time to do it right!

I will seriously consider your suggestion, though. I can still get out of the reservations with minimal penalty. If anyone else out there has or thinks we can pull this off without regrets, please speak up.

I posted on the Wyoming TA forum. You can spend a lot of time in SD but pick and choose what you want to do. Wall drug is neat but not a must see. Deadwood is nice but you could drive thru. Devil%26#39;s Tower Monument is on the way to Cody. And yes it will probably take you more like 7 hours to get there. We went to Las Vegas, Grand Canyon, Mammoth and Old Faithful areas of YNP and GT last year in 8 days because of time restraints. A fast trip!! We are coming back again this year but starting with Mt. Rushmore, Battle of Little Bighorn, Cody, Yellowstone and GT and ending up in Jackson Hole. We will do this in 11 days this year.

For what you%26#39;re trying to accomplish, the Black Hills portion of your trip is pretty well planned for a bare bones tour.

The rushed time will be in Yellowstone. Yellowstone is a big park and speed limits are slow. When looking at roads on a map, plan on about 30 mph to get anywhere.

To get into Yellowstone from Cody, my favorite route is to the take the Chief Joseph Highway northwest of Cody to the NE entrance--with a detour onto the Beartooth Highway. My opinion with highway scenery is that the Beartooth Highway, Chief Joseph Highway and the Tetons are more scenic than most areas in Yellowstone. Getting there is more than half the fun. Yellowstone is still an incredible place, though.

Deadwood to Cody straight through will only take about six hours. If you absolutely have to cut something, you might try to compress Days 3 and 4. It might be blasphemy to say something like this, but maybe eliminate the stop in Cody. Picking between the museum/rodeo and ample time in the park, I would probably pick the time in the park.

Devils Tower is great and is a memorable stop, but the time might be better spent taking the NE route (w/ Beartooth Highway detour) into Yellowstone.

We are pressing ahead with this vacation plan, but if it eases your minds any, I do intend to plan a separate trip just to the Black Hills and dedicate several days to the area in some future summer. I also now have my heart on seeing Yellowstone this trip, but given our home base, a route through the Black Hills works great and I don%26#39;t think seeing a few of the highlights will set us back much if we work east to west. In trying to come up with a reasonable plan for our one day in the area (not counting Badlands, Spearfish Canyon and Devil%26#39;s Tower which we will experience as part of the westward journey), I have the following questions.

1) For our day in Black Hills (starting in Keystone), should we first drive through Custer State Park to increase our chances of seeing wildlife, or should we go to Mount Rushmore first because of our proximity to it?

2)In Custer St. Park, should we just plan on touring the northern portion on 16A then getting on the Needles Hwy or do you think we have time for the wildlife loop...or is this not the best use of time given that we are on the way to Yellowstone and do plan to have a dedicated Black Hills trip in the future.

3) The one other stop I know we%26#39;d like to make is to see Crazy Horse just from the road.

If we don%26#39;t do Mt. Rushmore first, then we will be doing some backtracking to visit both Mt. Rushmore and Crazy Horse after coming off the Needles Hwy, but maybe it%26#39;s just a few miles and no big deal. A little hard to tell from the map.

Ending destination for the day is Deadwood. We are staying outside of town and will probably at least venture in to town for a look in the evening.

Advice to maximize our day in the area (and whet our appetite for a more extended future stay) would be appreciated.

Thanks!

cantw82getaway,

Only you know how your family will handle a rushed trip. Others will give their opinions. Consider it and then plan the best trip you can plan.

I went to Yellowstone while on a family trip when I was 12 years old. We left Denver early, drove through Jackson Hole, saw Old Faithful erupt and spent the night in West Yellowstone-all in one day. The next morning, we visited the Norris Geyser basin for a couple of hours before leaving for my uncle%26#39;s farm west of Idaho Falls. We spent around 20 hours in the area and 35 years later, I still remember it as one of my favorite places.

We have friends here in Tennessee who drove from Nashville, through the Black Hills, to Yellowstone and the Tetons in 8 days. They visited the Corn Palace, the Badlands, Mt. Rushmore, and Devil%26#39;s Tower as quick side trips. I talked to the 14 year old son and asked about the trip and he said ';it was awesome';.

Our family has had vacations where we stayed in one place, relaxed and enjoyed a slow pace. We have also had trips where we stayed in a different hotel every night and saw a lot of different things. Both types of trips have been fun.

Just do what you can do and have fun. Your kids will remember the places you see for a lifetime.

tntands: Thank you for your thoughts. I totally agree that you can have wonderful memories, even if a good deal of time is spent in the car. The thing is, in a perfect world, everyone would have both the time and the money to take 2 to 3 week vacations. Most people who are not retired do not have that luxury. Our family can only take 1 major vacation per year. I pack as much a possible into our days. We get up early, are on the go all day, and go to bed early so we can do it all again the next day. We can sleep when we get home. It%26#39;s either this method, or we don%26#39;t go anyplace new or faraway. When we visted South Dakota summer 2006, we flew into Omaha as it was $206 r/t per ticket. To fly into Rapid City would have been over $500 per ticket (x4 tickets). We saved over $1200. It was worth the 8 hour drive to us. We also used the opportunity to go to DeSmet and visit Laura Ingalls Wilder country, which we never could have seen had we flown directly into Rapid City. It may not have worked for everyone else, but we never regretted it. When we went to Hawaii in 2004, we visited 3 islands in 13 days. People on these boards said ';Oh no, you need 1 week per island.'; Well, we didn%26#39;t have 3 weeks. We loved everything we did. If we had only gone to 2 islands, what would we have given up? We may never get back to Hawaii again (although I hope we do!!). Again, not for 1 minute have we regretted our decision. cantw82getaway (love your name, by the way!): go for it!!! Although it IS a lot of driving, if you don%26#39;t have any more time, it%26#39;s better to see what you can than to see nothing at all.

Thanks for the moral support tntands and Hershey4. ;-) Knowing my family, I%26#39;m sure we will be fine. I%26#39;ll just have to do extra planning (which I love anyway) to make sure we get as much bang for the buck out of our 7 days as possible. Glad to hear others have done it without regrets (8 days from Tennesee seems even more challenging!)

This is your trip and you know what you and your family can do! We are lucky, my husband is self employed too, but works via internet and I%26#39;m a teacher, so during the summer we can take 2 week + trips. The only place on our trip this August we won%26#39;t have internet while at Old Faithful (we have Verizon internet card!)

I love road trips. There really are so many things to see, even when driving between destinations. My son at 13, still loves to play the Alphabet Sign game and the License plate hunt.

Here%26#39;s some fun places across SD and WY..visit www.roadsideamerica.

- see the giant Prairie Dog near the Badlands

- Dinosaur Park in Rapid City

- Flintstones Bedrock City in Custer SD

- Everything Prehistoric in Hill City SD

- President%26#39;s Park in Lead SD (more giant heads)

- Ride the Jackalope in Dubois WY (south of Tetons)

Make sure you pack picnic food for the journey, it is fun to stop, even in city parks along the way and have a PB%26amp;J or Ham and Cheese! Saves money and we can eat when and where we want to! Plus lets the kids run around a bit!

Since you are headed to Deadwood for the night, I would visit Mt Rushmore in the morning, then drive around Custer State Park. You may want to save the full Wildlife Loop for your next trip. You can see Crazy Horse from the road. You may also want to stop in Hill City on the way up to Deadwood, we panned for gold at a place called Wades Gold Mill. My son loved it and still talks about it years later.

I haven%26#39;t been to Deadwood since before the change to gambling! It would be fun to visit at night. Remember... it is vacation! Have fun!

Maybe have your kids watch Close Encounters of a Third Kind before your trip, Devils Tower plays a prominent role in that movie!

Try to have a bit of time to see the Cody museums, as a good introduction to the Yellowstone area.

Have fun and enjoy your trip!

how to apply

first trip-advice

We are going to visit my son at Ellsworth AFB. He has suggested we stay a the Alex Johnson but I am finding high prices and poor reviews (early June). We are looking for reasonable accomodations. Also car rental, any advice. What will the weathe be like?

first trip-advice

There are newer hotels closer to Ellsworth right off the interstate on N. Elk Vale Rd, the La Quinta %26amp; Fairfield Inn.

Also if you google Rapid City lodging those with LaCrosse St. addresses will be fairly close to the interstate on Rapid City%26#39;s east side.

Does your son have access to BOQ lodging on Ellsworth?

military-hotels.us/south-dakota/鈥n-base

We%26#39;ve never had the need to stay on Ellsworth, but have used BOQ as a family in MN, IA, CA, CO.

Weather in early June is usually very nice, but can be cool, bring a jacket %26amp; layers.

first trip-advice

The nice thing about the Alex Johnson is the location right downtown. Older but historic

I have stayed at the Alex Johnson as well as several other hotels in the area. You cannot beat the location for the AJ though it is true that the rooms do not have the feel of first class. I do like to stay there but part of it is because I am not surprised. If you do stay there, request a low floor as the elevators (Two elevators total) are quite slow.

Another couple of options would be the Holiday Inn and the Hampton Inn. They are about a half mile from downtown Rapid and you can take a shuttle there and back....nice to not worry about traffic and/or parking.

About the weather, the one that you received is correct in that it can be cool in the evening, though it may not be....it can also be quite warm. It should be pretty nice for the most part, highs in the 70%26#39;s, low humidity. Enjoy.

Thanks for all the help, I%26#39;ll check with my son about BOQ (he is an officer). I saw that Ellsworth has lodging, didn%26#39;t know who is eligible. Thanks again folks, any tips or help would be greatly appreciated.

If you%26#39;re looking to have quick access to your son at EAFB and then head up into the Hills for tourist-like activities, then one of the interstate hotels talked about above would be best.

If you%26#39;re looking for the downtown setting--being within walking distance to restaurants and specialty shopping, pick either the Alex Johnson or the Radisson. The Radisson is modern, the Alex is historic.

My family %26amp; I stayed at the Alex Johnson %26amp; thought it was just O.K. It is in a great location. Just keep in mind, it is a ';historic hotel';. Rapid City is a good launching pad for tackling the Black Hills. Getting back to the A.J. Hotel, we stayed just 1 night there %26amp; thought that was just about right. You%26#39;ll have better luck with the chain hotels. We bounced around the Black Hills, virtually staying at different hotels each night.

Definetely rent a car. We had good luck renting at the Rapid City airport (we flew in).

Good luck %26amp; enjoy your trip.

Visiting Mt. Rushmore and Crazy Horse Memorial in April

I would like to visit Mt. Rushmore and Crazy Horse Memorial in April 2008. But I could not find any ';One Day Bus tours'; during this time. Seems only way is to rent a car and go around myself. Is that so? Please help.

Visiting Mt. Rushmore and Crazy Horse Memorial in April

Here%26#39;s a few companies you may want to contact to see if they have any tours in April. Most seem to start mid May:

www.rushmoretours.com/

www.mountrushmoretours.net/

Visiting Mt. Rushmore and Crazy Horse Memorial in April

I would recommend renting a car, in lieu of bus tours. I personally don%26#39;t like waisting time while on vacation, waiting for people. Also, renting a car makes you a lot more mobile, so you ';do your own thing';.

For Mt. Rushmore, I would visit the Borgulum Museum, just outside Mt. Rushmore, before going to get a better understanding.

Crazy Horse is not that far from Mt Rushmore but is definetely something you don%26#39;t want to miss.

I would also recommend Deadwood, Custer State Park, Rapid City, Needles Hwy, The Badlands, Hot Springs, there%26#39;s plenty of caves, Spearfish %26amp; Sturgis.

Good luck %26amp; Enjoy the trip!!

Thank you very much for the replys. I have contacted more of the tour operators and all of them start only by 15th of May.

So I have decided to rent a car and do it myself.

If I stay in Rapid City, can I visit Mt. Rushmore and Crazy Horse Memorial in one day by car?

You can easily visit both Mount Rushmore %26amp; Crazy Horse, they are about 20-30 minutes apart.

Mt. Rushmore to Cheyenne

In late May we will be flying in %26amp; out of Denver. After a few days in CO we will drive through WY to the Black Hills area. To change things up a bit %26amp; to say we saw Nebraska, we will drive down 385 to Cheyenne. Is there anything worth seeing on this stretch? Any restaurants you would suggest?

Mt. Rushmore to Cheyenne

Cheyenne is in Wyoming. Do you mean Chadron?

I have driven down the western side of Nebraska to get back to Denver. Can always stop at the Agate Fossil beds.

We ate somewhere in Scottsbluff, but can%26#39;t remember, so not that great!

Mt. Rushmore to Cheyenne

Cheyenne is in Wyoming. Do you mean Chadron?

I have driven down the western side of Nebraska to get back to Denver. Can always stop at the Agate Fossil beds.

We ate somewhere in Scottsbluff, but can%26#39;t remember, so not that great!

Depending on your sense of humor there%26#39;s Car Henge near Alliance. Here%26#39;s a link

http://www.carhenge.com/

We have a great sense of humor...we just might check it out. :) Thank you!

Sierra Trading Post is the only thing near Cheyenne that is really worth seeing. Eastern Wyoming is very boring, but the Black Hills is really worth the trip.

Make sure you visit Estes Park in CO and I highly recommend Bear Country USA near Rapid City, SD.

Thanks for the advise. :)

Black Hills Trip

These are our plans for our trip to the Black Hills.

Any input would be appreciated.

May 27- Arrive Denver mid morning and drive to Keystone, eat supper and relax.

(Staying at K Bar S Lodge for 2 nights)

May 28- Tour Mt. Rushmore, drive Iron Mountain Rd. to Visitor center for Custer State Park, tour Custer State Park including Needles Highway, lunch at State Game Lodge, late afternoon visit Crazy Horse Monument. Supper at K Bar S Lodge and then night program at Mt. Rushmore.

May 29- Drive to Deadwood, eat lunch, afteroon at Devil%26#39;s Tower Monument and drive to Sheridan, Wyoming for the night.

I know that we are not going to see the Badlands or pan for gold, etc. but I wanted more time in Yellowstone National Park and the Grand Tetons. Is there anything else that is a must see for this part of our trip? Thanks

Black Hills Trip

You really should drive Iron Mountain Road in the other direction (toward Mount Rushmore) as views of Mount Rushmore are really the reason for driving the road.

Black Hills Trip

Thanks- will include that in my trip plans!!!

In my opinion, the Spearfish Canyon drive (less than twenty miles) would be a pity for anyone to miss. it leads to the Spearfish Canyon Lodge (super, but no pool) and Latchstrings, a good restraunt with awesome views. The area is breathtaking.

Great tip about Spearfish Canyon Drive, my wife and 3 young children bought sandwiches and found a picnic table near the creek, we%26#39;ll never forget that picnic lunch. (You%26#39;ll understand why they called it Spearfish Canyon once you look in the water...)

Should we do Spearfish Canyon drive on May 29 when we head to Deadwood then on to Devil%26#39;s Tower Monument?

The most efficient route for you will be to go from Deadwood to Spearfish Canyon to Devils Tower. I%26#39;d get any sight seeing you%26#39;re going to do in Deadwood out of the way in the morning--eat lunch and go. You don%26#39;t want to drag things into the mid-afternoon in Deadwood with that schedule to meet.

Deadwood to Devils Tower via Spearfish Canyon (with stops in the canyon) will be two hours at a minimum and probably more like three to spend adequate time in the canyon. You need at least a couple hours for a worthwhile visit at Devils Tower. Devils Tower to Sheridan will be about 2.5 hours.

It is certainly worth the effort to drive through Spearfish Canyon. Good stops include Roughlock Falls, Spearfish Falls and Bridal Veil Falls. If you have an extra hour or so, a great view can be had if you drive to the top of Cement Ridge Lookout. It isn%26#39;t the best road to get there but it%26#39;s worth the view if you have time.

Thanks for all the great advice!

A great place to eat in downtown Sheridan is Oliver%26#39;s. Not sure what your budget or tastes are but it%26#39;s a nice place with good food.

networking

Too much, too little or just right

We are traveling to South Dakota from June 14-June 21st. Traveling will be myself, husband and 3 girls ages almost 6, 8 and 9. We want to see a lot, yet keep it very kid friendly. Here%26#39;s my itinerary. Please tell me what you think.

June 14 - Drive from Kansas City to Badlands. Stop for lunch in Sioux Falls and see Falls Park. Also stop in Mitchell and visit the Corn Palace. Spend the night at Cedar Pass Lodge.

June 15th - Explore and hike in the Badlands. When we%26#39;re done drive to Spearfish to spend the night. Stop at Wall Drug on the way to Spearfish.

June 16th - Visit Devils Tower in the morning then in the afternoon drive via Spearfish Canyon to Deadwood. While on the drive stop and hike around Bridal Veil Falls and Roughlock Falls? While in Deadwood, go see the #10 Saloon and have dinner. Then see the gunfight on Main Street. Spend the night in Deadwood.

June 17th - Take scenic route 385 to Reptile Garden. After Reptile Garden drive to Mt. Rushmore via Iron Mountain Rd.

After Mt. Rushmore go check in to the hotel have dinner at the Powder House Lodge then go back to Mt. Rushmore for the evening ceremony. Spend the night in Rapid City.

June 18th - Cosmos House in the morning and Crazy Horse in the afternoon. Go back to Crazy Horse in the evening for the laser light show. Spend the night in Rapid City.

June 19th - Drive Needles Highway to Custer State Park. Do the open air jeep safari in the morning and explore in the afternoon. Stay at Rafter J Bar Campground (in the cabins).

June 20th - Go back to Custer State Park for a 2 hour trail ride. Then drive to the Mammoth Site in Hot Springs. The girls are doing the Jr. Dig in the afternoon. Then spend the night back at the Rafter J Bar Campground.

June 21st - Drive home.

Does this sound doable, too much or too little. There were things that I left out but didn%26#39;t know if we would have time or where to put them. I left out panning for gold and the wild horse sanctuary and the alpine slide. Any suggestions would be great!!

Thanks!

Too much, too little or just right

I think your overall plan looks very ';do-able.'; We have done quite a few of the attractions you mention. As much as I enjoyed the horse sanctuary, I think I%26#39;d skip it also following your plan. Also, it is rather pricey for a family of 5. You might be able to do the gold panning or alpine slide.

Just a thought, but I don%26#39;t think I%26#39;d make my base for Rushmore/Crazy Horse Rapid City. I%26#39;d stay in either Keystone or Hill City, as I think it%26#39;s more centrally located. You will have a bit of a drive after the lighting ceremonies coming from both Crazy Horse %26amp; Rushmore.

You might consider adding Bear Country %26amp; the Wildlife Loop in Custer to the itinerary if you have time.

Do you have any interest in seeing either Wind or Jewel Caves? They are really terrific, but I am a cave lover,and I know not all people are interested in them. One of them might be worth adding.

I%26#39;m not sure if I%26#39;d do the Cosmos. We didn%26#39;t do this, as we thought there were other things that interested us more. Maybe someone else can comment on the Cosmos??

Whatever you decide,you are off to a good start. Have a wonderful trip.

Too much, too little or just right

Thanks for the info on staying in Hill City or Keystone instead of Rapid City. That is a really good point.

I%26#39;ve thought about Bear Country as well, but wasn%26#39;t sure where to try and fit it in. Maybe we%26#39;ll swap Cosmos House for Bear Country. As far as the Wildlife loop in Custer, we%26#39;re planning on doing that when we explore Custer State Park. I%26#39;m wondering if we do the wildlife loop if we even need to do the Open Jeep Safari. Has anyone had any experience with this?

As far as caves go, we live in Missouri which has lots of caves as well. We%26#39;ve been to some of those. I thought we would try and see something we couldn%26#39;t see in MO. I wonder how different the Wind or Jewel caves are compared to MO caves. Anyone know?

Thanks for all your help!

Unless you have a specific reason to spend the night in Rapid City on the 17th, I would agree that basing yourself in Hill City (preferably) or Custer would make much more sense in your itinerary and save you some drive time in the morning. (Not to take anything away from my hometown, though: there%26#39;s plenty to see/do in Rapid! The Journey Museum, Storybook Island for kids, downtown...)

Cosmos is kitschy but fun: I still have friends that specifically want to visit when they come to SD, even as adults! That being said, I think that Bear Country might be a slightly more enjoyable activity for the whole family...it%26#39;s a really fun visit perfect for your girls%26#39; age group. But, don%26#39;t feel any pressure to make your decision before the day-of: Cosmos and Bear Country are both on HWY 16, about a 10 minute drive from each other.

Sounds like a fun trip! Makes me wish I could go home to South Dakota this summer myself!

I haven%26#39;t been to any Missouri caves, but I really did enjoy both Wind %26amp; Jewel Caves. I have toured caves in Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Kentucky %26amp; Tennessee. I think any cave tour operated by NPS is superior to a privately owned cave tour. Jewel is the 2nd longest cave in the world and filled with beautiful formations. It%26#39;s a very open cave. Wind Cave is more unique, as it has a large amount of a formation called boxwork. Boxwork resembles spider webs and is really different to see. Wind has the largest concentration of it anywhere, from what I remember. One room is filled with it and is amazing. Wind is a more ';closed in'; cave than Jewel, so if anyone is claustrophobic, they cuold have problems in certain areas. One person had to leave our tour early on. Perhaps seeing pictures of both cave formations will help you decide if it would interest you. Go to nps.gov and take a look at images of both caverns.

Do your kids ever watch the Flintstones? Mine enjoyed the Flintstone Bedrock Village in Custer. I think we spent about 1 1/2 hours there last summer. For me it was nostalgic as I had visited there 30 years before.

http://www.flintstonesbedrockcity.com/

wa tiki

Anybody out there ever stay at the hotels that are affiliated with this park. Which is the better value? Do you know what the charge is to getv into the park if you%26#39;re staying at the hotel(s)? Is it worth it? Thanks, V.

wa tiki

We tent camped in the Black Hills last Memorial weekend and on our last day it rained alot so we took our kids to the wa-tiki. They enjoyed it alot and still talk about it. They thought it was cool that the waterslide tubes go outside and back in. There%26#39;s a ';lazy river'; and a play area with water shooting out of various places and a big bucket at the top that dumps out every few minutes. That scared some of the littler kids and I thought the water was a little too cold. The hot tub has a simulated rock wall on one side with water running down it. I checked the web site and they%26#39;re charging $17 per person over 2 years old.

http://www.watikiwaterpark.com/

If you%26#39;re staying at the hotels you get five wrist bands per room that get you into the park free.

wa tiki

Upon exploring the website a bit it looks like La Quinta is the better deal. Their rooms start out a bit cheaper and the Fairfield appears to charge extra for the waterpark.

Thanks for the info Li.

V

how to apply

custer state park buffalo jeep safari

We are going to South Dakota for a week in June. We are thinking about doing the Buffalo Jeep Safari in Custer State Park. Has anyone done this? Is it worth the money or should be just drive through the park and see the buffalo on our own. Someone said to just stop by the information desk and ask where the buffalo are at and they will tell you.

Thanks!

custer state park buffalo jeep safari

The Jeep Safari is a good time and an educational experience. Is it worth the money? That%26#39;s up to you. Typically you can see the buffalo herds very well from your car. You might have to spend a little time searching for them--like you say, asking a park ranger is a good idea. You might have to drive gravel roads, too, as they aren%26#39;t always right there on the paved Wildlife Loop.

My recommendation is that if you%26#39;re planning on driving the Wildlife Loop anyway, try that first. Spend time at the visitor centers reading about the buffalo--especially the main visitor center near the Game Lodge. If you%26#39;re still not satisfied, schedule a Jeep Safari tour. I think you%26#39;ll find yourself happy with your own driving tour.

The Jeep Safaris are great for people who visit the park as part of a bus tour and don%26#39;t have a personal car. But like I said, it%26#39;s a great time for anyone--whether it%26#39;s worth the $35/person is up to you.

custer state park buffalo jeep safari

Great, thanks for the tip. I think we%26#39;ll just take the wait and see approach. I think we%26#39;ll hit Custer State Park 1st thing in the morning and hopefully we won%26#39;t have too hard of a time finding the buffalo.

First time visitor needs advice

I am planning to visit Mt. Rushmore and Crazy Horse Memorial in April. I could find that there are no escorted tours available during this time. So only option left is to rent a car and do it myself.

I read in this forum that car rentals are expensive at Rapid City airport (where I will arrive). I read about “SHUTTLE SERVICE” to the hotel. What exactly is it? Is it something offered by the hotel or some other service available at the Airport?

Also please advise if I stay in a hotel in Rapid City, can I visit Mt. Rushmore and Crazy Horse Memorial in one day if I drive myself?

One more silly question, are there enough and correct signs on the highways so that I can manage myself in locating the hotel, attractions etc.?

First time visitor needs advice

Further to my above post, Is it easy to find Taxi at Rapid City Airport to go to the hotel. Approximately how much does it cost to a hotel about 8 - 9 miles away?

Thank you.

First time visitor needs advice

I would check into the car rentals at the airport before you become set on an off-airport rental. If you are only visiting for a short time, it might be best to rent a car from the airport. Many of the rental car discussions on this board have been about longer rentals--like a week or more.

If you do get a shuttle to your hotel, it could be one of two options. Some hotels run their own shuttle to the airport. This may or may not be included in the cost of your room--you will need to check. You can also use the Airport Express Shuttle. I believe their costs are reasonable. You can call them to check at 1-800-357-9998.

You won%26#39;t have a problem visiting Mt. Rushmore and Crazy Horse in one day from Rapid City.

Signage is pretty good as many people visit the area. Your rental car company should give you a map.

The local taxi companies do not hang out at the airport. If you call one it is about $30.00 and takes at least 20 min. Shuttles are always available at baggage claim, the price depends on the number of people. 1 person 16.00, two people 25.00, three or more are 10.00 each to any location in Rapid City and they generaly leave as soon as the luggage arrives off of your flight.

800-357-9998 www.rapidshuttle.com

Thought I would add a few thoughts and other information for you.

First of all, the distance from Rapid City to Mt. Rushmore is less than 25 miles, and about another 7 or 8 miles to Crazy Horse.....definitely no problem for a day trip.

Now, others in this forum may disagree but I will say this anyway. Go to Mt. Rushmore first, then Crazy Horse. I think that, even though it is far from complete, Crazy Horse is the more impressive monument. Others may - and probably will - disagree but just weigh it out and make your choice.

Lastly, I would recommend that when you go, you make a ';loop';. Go through Keystone enroute to Mt. Rushmore and then to Crazy Horse. After that, head south to Custer and go east through Custer State Park where, with just a little bit of luck, you can see herds of buffalo up close (Not too close!) and personal. Then take Iron Mountain Highway back around to Keystone. On this winding highway, you will go through a couple of tunnels that has Mt. Rushmore directly on the other side....quite a sight!

I hope that helps you a bit....enjoy!

Thank you very much for the replies.

chuckwagon dinner

I am trying to decide between the Circle B ranch chuckwagon supper and the flying T chuckwagon supper.

Has anyone ';actually'; done these? I have 2 children (15 and 9). Looking for good food and activities.

thanks,

Marcia

chuckwagon dinner

This is a common question to which no one ever comes up with a good answer. This thread seems to have the most logical answer--pick the one that is most convenient. tripadvisor.com/…3494086

If you go, a report would be appreciated.

chuckwagon dinner

Hello,

I am the one who posted the question from 2006 for which Accommodator just post the link. I agree, they are both probably comparable. We ended up at the Flying T. We chose that one because:

1. The location worked out better for us.

2. It was slightly cheaper. At the time I had a 12 year old, and Circle B considered a 12 year old an adult, but at Flying T, the 12 year old still paid a child%26#39;s price.

3. Flying T said you could go back for seconds, Circle B said you couldn%26#39;t (I called both places). - This being said however, we found that when we did go back, they didn%26#39;t have seconds of some of the food.

Have Fun!

Thanks for the input. We have decided to go to the Flying T supper. Closer to our hotel. I will post my opinion upon return.

high school next year

Harley trip this summer - camping/lodges/itinerary ?

Interested in fly and ride in Deadwood/Sturgis area. Interested in camping and/or staying at more lodge-like places for some - or all - of trip.

Suggestions on itinerary for a 4-5 day trip (fly into Rapid City and pick up motorcycle)?

Harley trip this summer - camping/lodges/itinerary ?

Are you looking to visit during the Sturgis Rally or at another time during the summer? I%26#39;m guessing not since you didn%26#39;t say so.

I would think you%26#39;d want to have a basic ride each day.

In no particular order:

Day 1: Badlands. Ride Vanocker Canyon south out of Sturgis, connect with Nemo Road into Rapid City. Ride Skyline Drive in Rapid City and go to the Badlands on SD 44. Go to Cactus Flat, make a U-turn and take the Badlands Loop. Stop in Wall and take I-90 back to Deadwood/Sturgis.

Day 2: Devils Tower/Spearfish Canyon loop. Ride Spearfish Canyon up to Spearfish. Go to Belle Fourche and over through Aladdin, WY, to Devils Tower and back through Sundance. An optional longer loop can bring you west of the Black Hills to Four Corners, WY and back into Deadwood through O%26#39;Neil Pass.

Day 3: Needles Highway(Custer State Park)/Iron Mountain Road/Mt. Rushmore/SD 244 back to US16. Also pick up SD 89 between Sylvan Lake and Custer.

Day 4: Another day in the Southern Hills. Wildlife Loop/Game Lodge in Custer State Park. Also a drive-by of Crazy Horse Monument. Ride through Wind Cave Nat%26#39;l Park to Hot Springs and back up through Pringle.

Day 5: Pick up some loose ends. Ride to Rochford and eat or drink at the Moonshine Gulch Saloon. Ride out to Bear Butte east of Sturgis. Ride back to Silver City and then SD44 back into Rapid City.

This gives you about five days worth of riding in no particular order.

Again, if you%26#39;re looking to go to Sturgis Rally, you%26#39;ll spend more time in Sturgis and less on these rides.

Harley trip this summer - camping/lodges/itinerary ?

We are looking at the 7/24-7/29. I%26#39;ve heard the bikers start to come a week early to sturgis?

We%26#39;d like to see some activity for Sturgis, but we don%26#39;t necessarily want to be in the middle - especially since it%26#39;s probably too late to rent a bike that week.

Will Sturgis be picking up 1-2 weeks prior?

You really start to get the feel of the rally in the rally in Sturgis starting around Thursday or so of the week before the rally. I believe (but I%26#39;m not sure) that is when they block Main Street off to allow motorcycle traffic only.

Visiting the week before the rally is pretty popular for bikers who want to spend time in the Black Hills and spend a little time at the rally during the second weekend of their trip. It doesn%26#39;t seem like as many come for the end of the rally and then tour the Black Hills after the rally is over. I%26#39;m not sure why.

So to answer your question, if you leave by Tuesday of the week before the rally, Sturgis isn%26#39;t going to too rally-like yet. There will certainly be bikes around and a lot of setup will be going on but I%26#39;m not sure if there will be enough of what you want yet.

BW Golden Spike Inn

Has anyone stayed at this hotel? We have 2 rooms reserved there.

BW Golden Spike Inn

We stayed here some years ago and to us it is just what it is. Just a normal BW, large room, clean but nothing special. Lets say 3 stars. The adjacent restaurant was good and I remember a giftshop I had to drag my wife out.....We chose Hill Country because it was centrally located and a nice village. We didnot have dinner ourselves but other posters are also recommending Alpine Inn for dinner.

Tet

BW Golden Spike Inn

Oops, not Hill Country but Hill City

Tet....

Thanks for replying and for the heads up on the Alpine Inn for dinner. We look forward to checking it out.

Eso, your question was so timely for me! We just lost out on our first choice, and they recommended this hotel. We have also booked two rooms today. We will be there in July- if you are there before us, please let us know what to expect!

We found the K Bar S Lodge in Keystone to be centrally located with a great breakfast and restaurant.

Days of 76 rodeo

My family (kids ages 13, 11 %26amp; 7)will be spending one night in Deadwood on July 24, and I just realized that is during the annual Days of %26#39;76 celebration. Looks like this might be an opportunity to see a good rodeo...schedule shows the rodeo at 6:00pm that evening. We will be in Cody, WY, the following night and planned to see the rodeo there, but maybe this will be a better opportunity and we can go to the museum in Cody instead. Comments?

What other opportunities for evening entertainment will be associated with the Days of %26#39;76? If we want to go to the rodeo will we need to get tickets in advance?

Days of 76 rodeo

There is also a Days of %26#39;76 museum in Deadwood. In Cody the museums are open until 8 pm each night. I know that in Cody unless you are going around the 4th of July that you don%26#39;t need to buy advance tickets but I would certainly check for a rodeo that only lasts 5 days in Deadwood.

Days of 76 rodeo

I haven%26#39;t been to the rodeo in Cody but I would say if that you would be happy with the Days of 76 rodeo--then spend the time at the Buffalo Bill museum in Cody. Days of 76 is known as a good small to mid-size rodeo.

As far as advance tickets--it%26#39;s not a big grandstand so advance tickets and a timely arrival won%26#39;t hurt.

The Friday and Saturday parades are the other ';big'; events of Days of 76. You%26#39;ll miss it if you%26#39;ll be there on July 24. You can check out the schedule here:

http://www.daysof76.com/rodeo/schedule.asp

how to apply

Black Hills Activities and Restaurants-Winter

Traveling for an annual guys winter outing to the Deadwood area in March of this year. We are staying in Downtown Deadwood. Have been to the area in the Summer years ago, but never the winter. We will probably downhill ski at least one day, and may cross country ski or hike several other days depending on weather and snow conditions. Just a few questions: Are places like Harney Peak and Bear Butte open to hiking in the winter depending on if the snow accumulation? Are there places to hike in Spearfish Canyon, or is that just a scenic drive?

Also, any restaurant recommendations in Deadwood or the surrounding areas? Lewies seems intriguing.

Finally, are all casinos and restaurants open mid-week in March? Will there be any people, or will downtown be really quiet mid-week in the Winter?

Black Hills Activities and Restaurants-Winter

Yes, you%26#39;ll be able to hike Harney Peak and Bear Butte in the winter. Regular hiking boots should be fine--you probably won%26#39;t need gaters unless there has been a big storm. The snow on the trails on the south side of Harney get pretty trampled down. I like to take a loop starting from Sylvan Lake, going up the Little Devils Tower trail to Harney and then back to Sylvan on the main trail. It%26#39;s much more scenic than the main trail and even in winter enough people take it to pack down the snow.

Bear Butte gets an icy stretch on the north side but otherwise is fine. If it%26#39;s windy and cold, I%26#39;d pick Harney over Bear Butte because you%26#39;re really exposed to the prairie winds on Bear Butte.

The skiing really starts to fade in March. Early March is great and late March may or may not have good conditions. Both Terry Peak and Deer Mountain always close before April 1.

All of the casinos and restraurants will be open but it will be kind of quiet mid-week.

I%26#39;d eat a meal at the Deadwood Social Club for one of the ';nicer'; dinners. Diamond Lil%26#39;s isn%26#39;t too bad for a sports bar type place--it%26#39;s above the Midnight Star. For buffet%26#39;s in Deadwood, the Four Aces buffet seems to be better than the Silverado. A good steak can be had at the Gem in the Mineral Palace. A downtown Spearfish sports bar with good food is The Stadium. I%26#39;ve never eaten at Lewie%26#39;s--can%26#39;t tell you what it%26#39;s like.

A good burger place between Deadwood and Harney Peak is the Sugar Shack on the west side of the road on US385. It%26#39;s a locals%26#39; joint with great burgers.

Black Hills Activities and Restaurants-Winter

I forgot to mention Spearfish Canyon. The snow might be kind of deep but there are some places. A good winter stop with a short walk is Spearfish Falls by the Spearfish Canyon Lodge (the falls are behind the Latchstring Restaurant). I like the falls in the winter because of the ice that has built up at the base of the falls.

First of all, I would like to thank Accomodator for the excellent suggestions. I am glad I asked the questions because it definitely helped plan the correct activities and restaurants. For anyone else who is planning a trip during the winter months, let me share some observations.

Activities - We went skiing at Terry Peak one day (our trip was the week of March 9th). Excellent snow conditions, and I don%26#39;t think I have ever gone skiing in such warm temperatures before - I think it was in the mid 50%26#39;s. The runs are much longer than in MN, and a half day pass was plenty for me. Only criticism of the hill is that it seems like there could be more variety in the runs, but overall a very nice place - love the two high speed quad lifts.

Hiking Harney Peak in the winter is definitely more of challenge than during the summer months - the temps were plenty warm, but we ran in to patches of soft snow, and patches of ice. Still worth doing the hike, and I loved the fact that our group of four was the only one at the summit - we only ran in to two other groups of hikers along the way. Slipping and sliding a portion of the way does use more energy. I do wish more of Custer State Park was open this time of year, but I understand that it just would not be worth it to the park.

Evans Plunge turned out to be a very pleasant outing. First of all we were surprised at how long it took to reach from Deadwood with little to no traffic and good roads. When we first walked in to the Plunge I wasn%26#39;t expecting much as it looks like nothing has been updated in years. However, after swimming in the natural water (not chlorinated) for a couple of hours, we all felt refreshed, so much better than at a chlorinated facility. I am not sure if I bring my family to the plunge in the summer- it was great without crowds, but it may be annoying when it is packed. Also, much of the pool is five feet deep, so children under that height need to be good swimmers - there is a very small section for toddlers. The staff was pleasant, and we found the two water slides to be fun, although young kids might find them too much, and teens might think they were not exciting enough.

Nice Drive through the Spearfish Canyon. However we almost missed the falls behind the Lachstring as we initially didn%26#39;t hike far enough back- short hike, but kind of icy footing. Worth the stop, it was very nice to see half frozen, half flowing falls.

Gambling - Old Style Saloon Number 10 was our favorite for BlackJack. The dealers were all fun, and it was nice that it was more of a bar emphasis, rather than a slot machine emphasis. Best place in town to enjoy a beverage and hang out. The Historic Franklin was also an okay place for Blackjack - only drawbacks are the bright lighting and the annoying Shufflemaster (machine shuffles instead of the dealer). Number 10 provides a limited complimentary beverage selection to Gamblers, the Franklin will bring you more for comps. The first floor of the Franklin is beautiful - so please go there and lose some money so they can afford to remodel the rooms in the hotel, which have a ton of potential, but need some work.

The Adams House museum is definitely worth a stop.

Food - we ate very well during the trip. The Deadwood Social Club is tops - very happy with both the great food and outstanding staff. The Gem at the Mineral Palace is good for steaks, and we also had breakfast there one day (only criticism of the otherwise nice Gem - what%26#39;s with the uncomfortable chairs?). Tried the two-coiner breakfast deal at the Franklin (which is actually at their other property the Silverado) - I miss the old restaurant%26#39;s atmosphere at the Franklin (which was taken out so the casino could take up the entire first floor), not sure if I would go back to the Silverado, food is fine, but it is in the basement of the Silverado. I was dissapointed that I didn%26#39;t get breakfast at Bully%26#39;s at Bullock - the small restaurant looked great for atmosphere. We were all pleasantly surprised at the lunches we had at Hickoks Iron Horse Inn - later that night a dealer at Number 10 said she saw us there, and you can tell you found a good restaurant in Deadwood when the locals eat there.

Mustang Sally%26#39;s provides a decent burger (and hats off to them for being open late and serving appetizers, even though all appetizers are done in the deep fryer), but Sugar Shack on the way to the Custer State Park does an outstanding burger. Great little place, even if you practically sit on top of each in the small restaurant. Oh, also pleased by the Chinese Food upstairs at Miss Kitty%26#39;s.

A great time, and very pleasantly surprised at how good the restaurants were. Thanks again Accomodator.

Glad I could help! Thanks for your detailed travel report. Feedback is great.

Info on Custer Park Lodging

We are going to be visiting the area in July and have been able to get reservations at Sylvan Lake in Custer, however after speaking to some people that have been out that way before they indicate that we are too far away from Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse, and all the other sites. Since we have never been here before I have no idea and am no wondering if we made a bad choice in staying in Custer. Any thoughts while I still have time to make some changes. Thanks!!

Info on Custer Park Lodging

Sylvan Lake is very central to Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse and other sites. It%26#39;s my favorite place to stay in the Black Hills. SD87 from Sylvan down to US 16/385 is a little slow going since it is a narrow winding road. SD89 down to Custer is a faster road.

It%26#39;s not a place to stay if you want to be in a town as it%26#39;s about a 10-15 minute drive to either Hill City or Custer.

Keep in mind that ';Custer'; refers to the town of Custer. Sylvan Lake is in Custer State Park.

Info on Custer Park Lodging

Just for clarification, there is a town of Custer and there is Custer State Park. Sylvan is in one of the most scenic parts of CSP. The roads to %26amp; from Sylvan, including the Needles Highway, are winding, but you are in the center of the Black Hills with gorgeous scenery.

If you want faster roads, try Hill City or Keystone.

i own a problem near my computer

Hampton Inn or Fairfield Inn

Does anyone have any comments about either place?

Hampton Inn or Fairfield Inn

Both are nice, Fairfield Inn has a nice waterpark with a Tiki bar and snacks, lots of kids. Hampton is in more of a hotel zone closer to things maybe more business travelers... neither has a resturaunt. The Fairfield is only 5 min down the Interstate. Both are 5 min from TGI Fridays, Outback, Bostons, Shopping, theaters Etc.

Hampton Inn or Fairfield Inn

Thanks for replying. I am going in April. Would the waterpark be really busy during that time? I worry that this location might be a little too noisy from that. Is the waterpark in a separate area from the hotel?I think I read that the Fairfield Inn is a little bit newer, so I wondered if the rooms might be a bit nicer than the Hampton. Prices are decent here too.

the waterpark is seperate, the Laquinta inn is also connected to the waterpark and yes they are newer than the Hampton but the Hampton is nice, not in need of updates.

Thanks again.

What is a good time to go? How far in advance should we book

Thinking about a trip to SD in June. We%26#39;re flexible with dates, but plan to stay about 5 nights. Planning on the Black Hills/Mt. Rushmore/Custer area. Looked into the lodges at Custer and they seem to have limited availability. We%26#39;re not crazy about crowds. Is this the wrong time to go, or are the lodges just that popular? We%26#39;re most interested in nature stuff -- will there be enough to keep an active 10-year old occupied? Never been to the area -- any advice on itenerary and accomodations is appreciated.

What is a good time to go? How far in advance should we book

June is a pretty good time as it%26#39;s the least busy of the three months that make up ';tourist season';--June, July and August.

The Custer State Park lodges are that popular--you usually need to book months in advance for a summer stay of more than a night or two.

There should be plenty to do for five days to keep your 10-year old happy. The area has a lot of child friendly attractions. Take a read through the older posts in the SD forum as your question is a common one.

What is a good time to go? How far in advance should we book

Here is a good thread--especially check out slrtravelplanner%26#39;s post for things to do for their child.

tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g28962-i673-k16519…

We are going late May/early June and I made my travel plans in January. We are staying at the K Bar S Lodge in Keystone as our base for the Black Hills. We will then be going to Cody, Yellowstone and Jackson Hole. Order one of South Dakota%26#39;s travel guides. It lists great ideas for kids. My kids are older but the info is great.

Hello 944,

I see Accomodator cited one of my posts, so I will try not to repeat myself. (Thanks, Accomodator!) My post gives you an idea of what we did. At the time, our daughter was 8, and she told us she enjoyed the trip more than Disney World. That being said, I think your 10 year old will be very happy here!

We made our base in Keystone as I said in the previous post at the Roosevelt Inn. We really liked the Roosevelt; I have a review on this site if you%26#39;d like to take a look. We booked a family suite (2 queen beds with separate living area and micro/fridge). It was a VERY LARGE room in which you%26#39;d be most comfortable. There%26#39;s even a patio to sit out on. We caught some nice sunsets. If you are interested in this property and in getting family suite, I%26#39;d reserve ASAP, as they only have 2 of this room type.

Keystone is rather touristy, but very convenient to Rushmore (only 2-3 miles away--nice for a late-night return from the lighting ceremony). It%26#39;s also nice for other attractions in Custer, Hill City, Rapid City, %26amp; Hot Springs.

As my previous post says, we went at the end of August and found it very comfortable. Crowds were light, and rates for some motels go down around mid August when some schools are back in session. Luckily here in Jersey, schools don%26#39;t start until September. If you can go in mid-late August, I%26#39;d highly recommend it simply for less people. However, I%26#39;d think June would be good as well. For me, the only bad time would be to go would be during the Sturgis Bike Rally (early August), as I am not into the bike scene and crowds it brings.

One other suggestion I%26#39;d have: if you are interested in seeing Devil%26#39;s Tower, Wyoming, I%26#39;d spend a night closer to the northern Black Hills region (Deadwood, Lead, or Spearfish). This will lessen your drive time to get out to the tower. With 5 nights, you might find yourself just focusing on the central/southern region and the Badlands. There%26#39;s so much to see and do. As others have said, be sure to get a SD guidebook. There%26#39;s many helpful tips in there.

If you have any specific questions about any attractions, post again. We are all glad to help!

I%26#39;ll just add the link for requesting the travel guide.

http://www.travelsd.com/request.asp

best things to see with 7 year old

The end of May, we will be driving through the badland enroute to Mt. Rushmore area for an overnight stop on the way to Yellowstone. We should have a few hours in the badlands. Any recommendations on what to stop and see in the park. Thanks

best things to see with 7 year old

If all you have is a few hours, make a point of stopping at the designated pull-outs/overlooks along the drive. Each and every one affords a different, fantastic view. Maybe spend a few minutes along the Window and Door Trails (same parking lot, less than 1/2 mile each) and the Cliff Shelf Nature Trail (close to the visitor center). The fossil exhibit trail is also great for youngsters and is only 1/4 mile long. Rangers give a daily 15 min. fossil talk along the trail at 10:30, 1:30 and 3:30, but I see that the talks don%26#39;t start until June 1, so that may not fit in your plans. I would recommend driving the Sage Creek drive on your way to the Black Hills; it%26#39;s a great drive, but a gravel/clay road. Not very fun after a rain.

http://www.nps.gov/badl/index.htm

best things to see with 7 year old

Thank you for the feedback and the NPS website. I will make a note of those options.

I%26#39;m sure your 7 years old loves to see the Prairie Dog town along that road. Even to us seniors it was great.

Best direction to run the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway

I am planning a road trip with about 4 days in the Black Hills. Still trying to put together what we want to see and what the best order is.

One of the things we are going to do is the Peter Norbeck byway. I am however not sure how to do it most efficiently. We want to make sure we hit all the good spots (including the Wildlife loop), but also don%26#39;t want to waste a lot of time back tracking if there is nothing to actually see on a certain section.

I also want to roll it into a Mt Rushmore visit in the morning, following part of the byway and heading over to Crazy Horse in the afternoon and then taking the rest of the byway back to Mt Rushmore to see it at night. I am not sure if I can fit anything else in there and I am not sure what the best direction or route to take. Can anyone make some suggestions?

Best direction to run the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway

That is our plan also in late May. We plan to do Mt. Rushmore in the morning, head out toward Custer State park, lunch at the State Game Lodge, Crazy Horse in the late afternoon and then the night show at Mt. Rushmore. It would be great to know the specifics on directions. In another post someone told me to do the Iron Mt. Rd. to visitor center, loop through the park and Needles Hwy. Hopefully someone will clarify the best directions for us.

Best direction to run the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway

There are two primary sections of the Norbeck Byway. They include the Needles Highway (SD 87) in northern Custer State Park and Iron Mountain Road (US 16A) southeast of Mount Rushmore. The Wildlife Loop is not technically part of the Norbeck Byway.

Iron Mountain Road is best driven to the northwest--toward Mount Rushmore and away from Custer State Park. This is because numerous tunnels that were carved for construction of the road align with a view of Mount Rushmore if you%26#39;re driving toward it. The better part of Iron Mountain Road is northwest of the Playhouse Road (753) intersection. Iron Mountain Road southeast of Playhouse Road is mostly a drive through trees and hills without spectacular scenery.

You%26#39;re going to have a long (but not impossible) day if you try to fit in a visit of Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse, all of the Norbeck Byway (Needles and Iron Mountain Road) and the Wildlife Loop.

It sounds like you want to start with Mount Rushmore. Do that and then head west on SD244. Take SD87 to Sylvan Lake. Drive a few miles south on SD89 and make a U-turn and returning to Sylvan--it%26#39;s beautiful for a few miles south of Sylvan. Spend time at Sylvan--at least take a walk around the lake. (Note: the Sylvan Lake Lodge is not right at Sylvan Lake, but up the hill to the west. The lobby and patio of the hotel are worth a stop.) Then take the Needles Highway (SD87). You%26#39;ll want to make several stops to see the Needle Eye and Cathedral Spires (the Cathedral Spires trail is a beautiful hour-long or so hike). Then you can either go all the way to the Norbeck Visitor Center and around to Iron Mountain Road OR take the short cut of the Playhouse Road and stop at the Norbeck Visitor Center later. Take Iron Mountain Road back to Mount Rushmore. Drive past it take SD244 west (again) and this time take US16 to Crazy Horse.

After Crazy Horse you are ready to drive the Wildlife Loop and stop at the Custer State Park visitor centers. If you spend the proper time seeing the sights of the route above, you%26#39;ll probably want to drive the Wildlife Loop on the next day. If you rush through things, go for it that evening. The direction of the Wildlife Loop isn%26#39;t too important. I%26#39;d probably go east from the town of Custer on US16A to the Norbeck Visitor Center. You%26#39;ll want to ask a park ranger where the buffalo are at. (You may need to drive on one of the gravel side roads to see the buffalo.) At the same time, a stop at the Game Lodge and the Coolidge Store can be made. Then you can take the Wildlife Loop. A second visitor center is south of the airport and French Creek. Sometimes there are rangers there to ask about buffalo locations. Then continue around to Blue Bell. Finally, a drive to the top of Mount Coolidge is worth the time.

This is a bare bones tour of Custer State Park that doesn%26#39;t cover anything off of ';the beaten path';. Still, combined with Mt. Rushmore and Crazy Horse, you%26#39;re looking at a very long day or probably more like 1.5 days.

Thanks for the great info. If you have never been to an area it is difficult to judge exactly what can be seen in a day.

Thanks for the info! Yeah, I wasn%26#39;t too sure if it would be doable or not. There is so much I want to see and do, but have limited amount of time. I guess it just means I have to go back some time. :)

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Three days and two kids in Rapid City area - where to stay?

We%26#39;ll be traveling in early June to Yellowstone. We%26#39;ll be leaving Sioux Falls in the morning, and driving through the Badlands to Rapid City. I%26#39;m trying to decide where to stay. I was going to book in Rapid City, but have read in this forum about other towns like Custer. We want to see the Badlands, Custer area, and Mt. Rushmore. Thanks for any suggestions to organize this!

Three days and two kids in Rapid City area - where to stay?

Keystone is a popular town if you have younger kids. It%26#39;s the most tourist-trap like of the towns but when you%26#39;re young, that kind of stuff is a good time. Hill City and Custer are options, too. These towns are conveniently located to Mount Rushmore and Custer State Park.

You could stay in a cabin or lodge in Custer State Park. There are lots of commercial rental cabins in the area, too.

If you want a hotel with a water park, the Watiki Water Park in Rapid City is connected to a couple of hotels.

Three days and two kids in Rapid City area - where to stay?

We stayed at a small, no frills place in Custer, which we found to be just fine. Custer Motel. The town of Custer has other nice places to stay and also has a Flintstones Bedrock City to visit! Good pizza there in town as well. Close to the state park and Mt Rushmore.

I would also recommend Keystone. It is very convenient to Mt Rushmore and other Black Hills attractions. Iron Mt Road is right nearby (part of Custer SP), as are the caves, Crazy Horse, and some of the Rapid City attractions like Bear Country and Reptile Gardens. Keystone is touristy, but it is nice for kids, as it has a gold mine tour, shops, mini golf, and an alpine slide. We stayed at the Roosevelt Inn in Keystone. I have a review on this site in case you want to check it out.

On your way to Yellowstone, try to get to Devil%26#39;s Tower on the way from the Black Hills. It%26#39;s well worth the time. The Prairie Dog Town is neat, along with the trail around the base.

Have fun planning!

We are staying at the K Bar S Lodge in Keystone which gets great reviews and has breakfast and a nice restauarant. You can see Mt. Rushmore from the hotel room decks.

Keystone and Custer are conveniently located in the heart of the Hills, and Rapid City offers the perks of a large town, but Rapid City does not offer the 24/7 BlackHills experience. You are not in the scenic heart of the Hills, it actually resembles the Badlands more than the forested Hills. But it may offer more reasonable hotel prices outside of the Hills-- we visit in the off- season so I can not comment on that.

I have often considered other areas on our numerous trips there, but find myself returning to Spearfish. It is not the most convenient area to view all the many sites that the area has to offer, as it is in the extreme northern Hills, but Spearfish feels like you are in God%26#39;s country and yet offers the benefits of a larger town and nearby I-90 acess and larger town benefits. We once again stayed at the Sperfish Holiday Inn, which offered competitive prices for quite a bit of luxury. The Spearfish Canyon Lodge is awesome and competitively priced as well if you do not mind living without a pool and being in a secluded area. Not at all rustic, but in the center of some of the most phenomenal scenery you can imagine.

Trip Advisor is a valueable source for finding your own hotel to fit your needs. with a little research, you%26#39;ll find what suits your liking.

One area I feel comfortable not recommending is Sturgis, it does not represent the area as one would imagine-- unless you are a avid biker. Bear Butte (outside of Sturgis) is worth visiting, in my opinion.

Sites like this are worth researching to make the most of your trip, it will make all the difference. Good luck.

We like staying at Palmer Gultch

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Rental Cars from Rapid City Airport

Rental cars seem to be very expensive from the airport. Any suggestions about getting a dscounted rate? Thanks

Rental Cars from Rapid City Airport

Try Casey%26#39;s Auto Rental, 605-343-2277 or Black Hills 605-342-6696

Due to our short season car%26#39;s can be a little more in Rapid City than in more populated areas.

Good luck and enjoy your stay.

Rental Cars from Rapid City Airport

When we visited three years ago, we found the cars expensive and they were limited to 1500 miles. Eventually, we found that the rates did come down. We rented from Hertz and used our AAA card, and eventually, they offered unlimited mileage. I think I had to wait until about 2 or 3 months out. We visited in late August. If you are a Sam%26#39;s Club Member, they also offer discounts to the various rental companies. I tried to use the coupons in the Entertainment Book, but unfortunately, Rapid City Airport car rental companies don%26#39;t accept the coupons. I had this problem in Jackson Hole also. It seems that some smaller airports don%26#39;t accept them for whatever reason.

Good luck.

If you are flying into rapid city and staying overnight in Rapid City. I would look into taking a shuttle to your hotel and then renting a car from a non-airport location. I flew into Rapid City last October, I was staying at a hotel in town and they offered a shuttle from the airport to the hotel. I rented a car from Enterprise and just as the commercial says, they picked me up from the hotel and took me to their office. I saved about 100$ renting from the non-airport location. The shuttle also picked me up from the rental car office to take me back to the airport after I dropped my car off. If you aren%26#39;t staying in Rapid City, it still might be worth the savings to look into getting a taxi or bus from the airport to the In-town Enterprise location.

I%26#39;m not sure when you trip is but I looked up some rates for this week coming up to give you an idea of what you%26#39;d save if you rented from Enterprise the city location rather than the airport location.

Full Size car at the airport from 3/6-3/11 - 562.76

Full Size car from off airport 3/6-3/11 - 170.49

WOW, dwtraveldude, thanks a LOT!

We%26#39;ve been planning a trip to Rapid City and then plan to drive over to Yellowstone. But when I checked the car rental rates and told dh, he about blew a gasket. I just compared what I found on the web (9/16-9/25 mid-size) and the best rate I found was about $550, but checking the Entr location in town it%26#39;s only $319.

Looks like we%26#39;re back in business,LOL.

Do they give you any grief about flying in? I know in other towns when dh tried this, they wanted to know if we flew in or were residents.

Thanks

Sandy

You can catch the Airport Shuttle to/from Enterprize in town for only $8.00 per person, about a 10 min. ride.

Glad I could offer some good advice. I didn%26#39;t get any grief at all about whether I was local or just visiting, also my car came with a free parking pass into Mt. Rushmore, so that saved me some money as well. It really is astounding the number of taxes and fees that airport locations add to their cars. I will never rent from an airport location again anywhere if I can help it.

Great info on the rental cars - we are looking at almost $200 savings with off-site rental.

Quick question to verify - the airport shuttle will take us to the Enterprise on N. Campbell St.? Do we need to make prior arrangements or is that a regular stop?

Thanks

The shuttle has a booth in baggage claim, no reservation required.

Thanks for all of the response to my question. I decided to go with blackhillsvacation.com. Through them I was able to rent a full size car from Avis for 10 days for 337.50 (without tax and insurance).

spearfish cnyon or detour to scottsbluff/chimney rock

i will be spending 4 nights in keystone in july and need to decide to go south to visit scottsbluff and chimney rock or to spend 2 nights in the northern hills in spearfish canyon before going to the badlands for my last 2 days. flying in and out of rapid city. anyone familiar with these sites and area would appreciate your honest input.

spearfish cnyon or detour to scottsbluff/chimney rock

Spearfish canyon is a must in many TA posters view.

spearfish cnyon or detour to scottsbluff/chimney rock

It really depends on your interests. If you are a Western History buff, it would be a great detour to go to Ft. Laramie, Wy, which was a major stopping off point on the trails. It is a National Park site and is a very interesting stop. Then go to Scottsbluff National Monument, visit and hike to the top. Continue on to Chimney Rock, which was a major landmark for those traveling west in the Wagon Train. Forth Robinson State Park in Nebraska could be part of your swing back north to catch your plane. IT is a reconstructed frontier site and was the epicenter of the Indian Wars. However...if you are visiting those sites for hiking and nature, Spearfish Canyon would be the best choice and not as rushed. Spearfish Canyou and Deadwood could easily occupy two days and it would not be as rushed as trying to fit all the western history site into two day.

If you do Spearfish %26amp; Deadwood, you can also take a side trip to Devil%26#39;s Tower. Devil%26#39;s Tower is even more of a must see than Spearfish, imo. (Although both are great). I haven%26#39;t been to Scottsbluff/Chimney Rock, so I unfortunately can%26#39;t compare the two.

South Dakota vs. Colorado?

Hi,

My husband and I usually do a vacation to Colorado in the summer for hiking, rafting and the like. Thought maybe SD would be closer for a quick trip this year. Anyone care to compare the two? We love hiking in the mountains, the amazing scenery.

What areas of South Dakota might be the best for a ';hiking'; vacation?

South Dakota vs. Colorado?

We too, vacation often in Colorado and South Dakota. I%26#39;m more familier with the Badlands area. Not to be missed are the Michelson Trail and Custer State Park for hiking. If you have not yet visited this area, please do take time to see Norbeck Scenic Byway and Mt. Rushmore. I was not disappointed! However, Colorado is by far prettier and my preference for ANY vacation!

South Dakota vs. Colorado?

Arguably, the best trails are in the northern part of Custer State Park and in the adjacent Black Elk Wilderness. Favorites include Harney Peak (via Little Devils Tower), Cathedral Spires and Sunday Gulch. These are moderately difficult trails that any able-bodied person in good health can handle.

Other good hiking is found throughout the Black Hills, especially in the Spearfish Canyon area, and in the Badlands.

Two good resources are ';Exploring the Black Hills and Badlands'; by Hiram Rogers and the National Geographic Trails Illustrated maps. The Black Hills Southeast Trails Illustrated map is the most useful as it has the Black Elk Wilderness and Custer State Park.

The Forest Service has a lot of information--it%26#39;s best to stop at one their offices when you get to the Black Hills and pick up trail information and maps. If you come into the Hills through Rapid City, the Forest Service office is on the south side of town on US16 (on the way to Mt. Rushmore). Here is a link to their maps--including the Black Elk Wilderness. fs.fed.us/r2/…recguide

The Mickelson Trail is a rails-to-trails project that runs from Deadwood to Edgemont. It%26#39;s a beautiful trail. It%26#39;s most popular for biking. Some people hike it but it%26#39;s really not too exciting for hiking. It%26#39;s sort of like walking a gravel road. Link: sdgfp.info/parks/…index.htm

Post more specific questions as you think of them. I enjoy helping people with this topic.

I think the scenery in Colorado probably suprasses SD, but I really enjoyed the attractions found in SD more. You don%26#39;t find the snow capped mountains in SD like you would in Colorado.

We are not heavy duty hikers, but I have to agree that the best hiking would be at Custer State Park. You will find some trails in the Badlands as well. The only downside of the Badlands is that if you are going in July or August, you are likely to experience some pretty warm days there. We happened to luck out with a cool, overcast day. Spearfish is also lovely, and you can also consider a side trip to Devil%26#39;s Tower. This doesn%26#39;t include lots of hiking, but the mile trail around the base is a lot of fun, along with watching the climbers.

Do you like ';indoor/underground'; exercise? If so, there are some cave tours that might interest you. There are ';wild cave'; tours where you can get down and dirty if you think that is a workout you would enjoy. The Black Hills region is known for some of the best caves in the US (Wind %26amp; Jewel).

My uncle is from Colorado, and I had the opportunity to visit him when I was a teen (A long time ago!!) Colorado is really what sparked my interest in nature. However, the nice thing about the Black Hills region of SD is the close proximity of attractions. There is much to see in a small area, so drive time is minimal, imo. They are two very different regions. As I remember, Colorado seemed to require more drive time between attractions, but I guess it depends on what you like. For example, if you base yourself in Estes Park because you want to focus on Rocky Mountain NP, it%26#39;s not like you are driving all over the state.

Whatever you decide, have a wonderful trip!

I grew up in Colorado, lived there most of my adult life. I love to go visit the Black Hills! Something different about it. Last time we were there, we did 2 different cave tours, Wind and Jewel Caves, and I wish we had been able to do some hiking.

Have fun!

Mt. Rushmore Itinerary

Hi everyone!!

We will be traveling to the Mount Rushmore area June 19-22, 2008 with 2 families of 4(kids: 13, 13, 16, 17). I need some advice on my itinerary for the area, as we want to be able to see quite a bit before heading to Cody, WY and YNP. I was wondering if we would be able to squeeze in a trip to Badlands NP during the time we%26#39;re there. Here goes:

June 19-Drive from Denver to Custer, SD. Visit Mt. Rushmore and see night laser show.

June 20-Tour Custer State Park,Crazy Horse, Needles Hwy, Jewel or Wind Cave(if time)

June 21-Tour Deadwood(shops, museums, cemetary, pan for gold)

June 22-Leave Custer and visit Devil%26#39;s Tower NM, drive thru Bighorn NP on way to Cody

Do you think there is any time to fit in a drive to Badlands NP and at least do the loop drive? I know sometimes these maps and drive times are not correct. Thanks for the info!!!

TrippinMom

Mt. Rushmore Itinerary

You%26#39;ve got some backtracking here I think. I suggest that you spend the night of the 21 in Deadwood. This way you could do the Badlands on the morning of the 21st then head up to Deadwood for the afternoon/evening. On the morning of the 22nd you have less driving time to reach Devil%26#39;s Tower.

Mt. Rushmore Itinerary

What time does your flight arrive in Denver on June 19? Remember it is about a 6-7 hour drive to Custer area and allow for at least an hour to get your rental car. We are arriving in Denver at noon and we didn%26#39;t really plan anything for that day except for driving and checking into hotel, etc.

Hope you can fit in the Badlands. That is our problem also- how to fit everything in. After you leave Deadwood you might want to check out Spearfish canyon.

Hi! We will be arriving June 18 at 12/30pm in Denver from Fl. We are planning on staying in Denver overnight and attending the Col Rockies baseball game the night we arrive. We will be leaving the next day for Mt. Rushmore(staying in Custer). Do you think we would have the time to see most of MtR before the laser show? We could leave around 8 am to travel to MtR. Thanks for the idea of spending the night in Deadwood! I was trying to work out something so that we could see Badlands. How long do you think realistically it would take to travel the loop road in Badlands? According to Yahoo maps it%26#39;s about a 2 hr drive to the park from Custer. I%26#39;ve read that it is a 45 min. drive to do the loop, but that must be w/out stops. Sorry to be so long-winded!

Thanks!!

TrippinMom

To me, you need more than 2 hours to see the Badlands, but I suppose if you just drove the loop without making many stops, it would be ok. There%26#39;s a lot of beautiful overlooks, so not stopping would be tough. If I remember correctly, I think we didn%26#39;t leave the park until 2 or 2:30, and we left from our Keystone hotel (closer than Custer) no later than 9:00 a.m. But..we stopped for lunch (picnic) and at the Visitor%26#39;s Center.

I definitely would not allot an entire day for Deadwood. To me, 1/2 a day would be fine. I think I might make a stop in Deadwood on the way to Devil%26#39;s Tower, or as someone else said, spend the AM in the Badlands and head to Deadwood for the afternoon/evening, and an overnight. Staying there overnight is an excellent idea that would save time.

And yes, you can see Mt Rushmore in the daylight hours by the time you get there from Denver as long as you get an early start. You will have a very full day, but I think you already know that.

Have a great time!

Thanks so much everyone! I have changed our trip to include the night of the 21st in Deadwood. We%26#39;re staying at the Black Hills Inn and Suites(in our budget). Now maybe we can see the Badlands the first 1/2 of the day. I%26#39;m sure we will stop along the loop drive, because I have to get out and take pix, etc. I would also like to see the Wounded Knee museum. We are so excited and can%26#39;t wait for the trip!

You will not see a laser show at Mt Rushmore.

Crazy Horse is where you will see that.

At Mt Rushmore you will see the lighting ceremony,

In my opinion a MUST....

Also when traveling to Cody you go through the

Big Horn Mountains,there is no Big Horn NP.

We always took Rt 14 at Sheridan when traveling to Cody.

Make sure to leave Custer very early,so you can spend a liitle more time at Devils Tower.

We too will be taking this route right after Labor Day...

In Deadwood visit the cemetery where Wild Bill Hikock

and Calamity Jane are buried side by side..

Never enough time in the Black Hills of S.D.

Thanks joeman! I will post my final itinerary when it becomes final.(It%26#39;s changing every day) I%26#39;ll let you know how the trip was, also! Thanks!