Which Helicopter Service to use in the Black Hills

We are going to the Black Hills within the next few weeks and are considering a scenic helicopter ride once there. We have seen about four helicopter services, Rapid Helicopters, Badlands Helicopter Rids, Black Hills Areial Adventures and Rushmore Helicopters.

Does anyone have any experiences or comments that they can share regarding any of this companies that will help us make a good choice?

Which Helicopter Service to use in the Black Hills

I had relatives take the Badlands helicopter tour. They said it was really, really short. That%26#39;s all I know.

Which Helicopter Service to use in the Black Hills

We are going to the Badlands this coming summer and wish to go for a helicopter ride. Did you ever learn anything more?

We used the Black Hills Aerial Adventures.... its was only $65. (They has a $40 option too).

If you know what to expect - I think you wont be disappointed.

Normally helicopter rides cost $150-$200. Black Hills Aerial Adventure was the first that I had seen with a ride for $40. The priced lured me into pulling into their lot. While there I actually decided to go for the $65 ride. (The $40 ride is for 6 miles and $65 is for 9 miles).

The mileage is very deceptive as it does not give you an idea of how long the ride will last.

The 9 mile ride - lasted for about 4 minutes. (So the $40 ride will last about 2 minutes). Basically the chopper lifts off - flies south and gives you a right side profile view of Crazy horse. (This is probably where the $40 ride ends). The chopper then begins to fly around Crazy horse and you get a left side profile view of Crazy horse. Thats it - the chopper proceeds to land.

In the brochure, they said that we would see bison at Custer State Park. We assumed that the chopper would atleast fly towards CSP and look for bison. But looks like, if you are lucky and the bison are out - then the pilot would point to them at a distance.

So was the ride worth it.... Yeah, it would have been if the company had set our expectations by telling us how long the ride would last (in minutes instead of miles - which is very vague to our land lubbers). But because they didnt - I felt a little jipped. Because you dont know how long the ride will last and the pilot doesnt even tell you that he is heading back to Earth, you kinda feel let down when you realize that you are about to land.

My advice - dont spend time taking photographs from the chopper - as they dont come out too well. Take a couple and spend the rest of the time enjoying the ride. Get someone to take a pic while you are in the chopper - that will be something for your scrap book.

It was fun and my wife loved the ride.

http://www.coptertours.com/tours.html