Your Favorite Sites in S. Dakota Black Hills/ W. Nebraska?

[nr]

Please,
For those of us traveling to this area for the first time, what do you recommend seeing?
Or avoiding? :!:

 

[Sierraman]

I've only been in that area once, but an obvious site to see there would be Mt. Rushmore. Can't get as close to that as you could before 9/11, but still worth it. For a 8 or 10 hr. drive, you could go see Independence Rock. -Maybe on your way out. Its interesting to know about, but don't go back. After all, its just a big rock. But you can learn a bit about the Oregon Trail at the site. Don't go see the Natural Bridge in WY, which you will see signs for near Independence Rock. It has a charge, and no pets allowed there. I'm envious, y'all are going, but I'm also, not envious, so.....

 

[sp]

If you are traveling north-south through the Nebr sandhills, one of your favorite sites may be a gas station!!!

 

[TXTibbs]

Mount Rushmore.......just a big rock....but having lived up there for 23 years, i've seen it in more ways and places then any one person cares to see. To me Mount Rushemore is not number 1 on my list. There is a website where you can go see a live webcam of mount rushmore......thats good enough...do that before you leave home and then you'll have time to do other things while in the hills :lol: http://www.travelsd.com/website/webcam/rushmore.asp

Crazy Horse is coming along and might be worth seeing someday if they ever get it complete, but who wants to see it now when you can just barely make out a face and arm??? http://www.crazyhorse.org/

Lets see...reptile gardens for all you snake lovers. Last time I was there, I played tick-tac-toe with a chicken, and the chicken won! They train them critters (chicken and rabbits) to play games with the tourists and if the critter wins they get a small portion of food. I think the games are rigged tho, cause the critters nearly always win! haha. www.reptile-gardens.com

Bear country is neat, although i havent been there in years, but i imagine it is still the same...bears and wolves wandering around. http://www.bearcountryusa.com/

The bad lands are a sight to see for anyone who hasn't seen them...just drive that route down through Interior and you can see plenty, but there are places you can go to hike through em. http://www.nps.gov/badl/exp/home.htm

The state parks...Custer State Park is really pretty and covers about 71,000 acres, so there is plenty of room to roam in, just watch out for the buffalo...there not pets...seems every year some ole codger will take a horn to the guts trying to pet one or something. http://www.sdgfp.info/parks/Regions/Custer/

The Prairie Trading Post in Rapid City on 6th and Main is a pretty neat little shop to walk through....sell all sorts of Indian "stuff"....there are several little shops along 6th street. http://www.prairieedge.com/

The Sturgis motorcycle rally is going on starting the 4th of August....of course it will be over by the time ya'll get together, but there is certainly all kinds of sights to see at that thing!!!! http://www.sturgismotorcyclerally.com/

Wall Drug in Wall is only about 50-60 miles away and has a lot of stuff to look at and do if your into the whole tourist walk around thing. http://www.walldrug.com/

In Montana if you go through there I reccomend seeing the Custer Battlefield near Garryowen, Montana. Definatly something to go to atleast once just to see and put yourself in the location of such history. I am interested in that stuff so it was particularily interesting to me. I always thought i was born about 125 or so years to late. Would love to have been a magpie or something flying around during those times to get a "birds eye view". (Magpie may not be the bird of choice tho if it was actually possible!). http://www.custermuseum.org/

I love the garyowen tune...this website plays it if you go to it: http://www.custermuseum.org/Garryowen.htm

Hot Springs south of Rapid has the tar pits where they have found several bogged wooly mamoths...never been there to it, but would like to go see that sometime! http://www.mammothsite.com/

Also the many caves in and around the hills are worth looking at. http://www.rosyinn.com/5100a45.htm

Homestake Gold Mine....its shut down i believe now, but still worth going to look at if you like black hills gold. http://www.homestaketour.com/

Hell i'll shut up...there are lots of stuff to do and see in the Black Hills if you haven't been there. In about a 50 miles radius of Rapid City there is enough to see and do to keep you busy all summer. Just take your pick. Makes me miss it...when I go to the Black Hills, I always spend time at my gramma's and heck with the rest of all that tourist crap :wink:

http://www.blackhillsbadlands.com/go.asp?ID=161

 

[the_jersey_lilly_2000]

Somethin kinda funny happened friday evenin,
My father in law and a bunch of his ridin buddy's ( all retiree's) are takin that trip to sturgis next weekend.
He stopped in and was talkin bout gittin ready to leave. I innocently asked if he had a camera. He said he had 4!!! I'm thinkin to myself..hmmm..gonna take LOTS of pics of the "sights in sturgis". He even said he would take pictures if he seen somethin interesting.
I said.."well dont git too close ya might git slapped" to which he replied,
"slapped?? why??"
Leave it to me to not realize that I had the wrong weekend, he was on his way to a swap meet where they sell old car parts....hahahaha

 

[DOC HARRIS]

I've only been in that area once, but an obvious site to see there would be Mt. Rushmore. Can't get as close to that as you could before 9/11, but still worth it. For a 8 or 10 hr. drive, you could go see Independence Rock. -Maybe on your way out. Its interesting to know about, but don't go back. After all, its just a big rock. But you can learn a bit about the Oregon Trail at the site. Don't go see the Natural Bridge in WY, which you will see signs for near Independence Rock. It has a charge, and no pets allowed there. I'm envious, y'all are going, but I'm also, not envious, so.....

Sierraman - not necessarily "envious" - more like "....reveling in nostalgia - - " How about THAT!?

 

[nr]

TXTibbs: To me Mount Rushemore is not number 1 on my list. There is a website where you can go see a live webcam of mount rushmore......thats good enough...do that before you leave home and then you'll have time to do other things while in the hills :lol: http://www.travelsd.com/website/webcam/rushmore.asp
Wall Drug in Wall is only about 50-60 miles away and has a lot of stuff to look at and do if your into the whole tourist walk around thing. http://www.walldrug.com/


Thanks for all your thoughts. I like the battlefield sites also so perhaps being of similar mind we'll enjoy what you've listed. I was curious about Wall Drug and visited their site. LOL!!! Never heard of a drug store that sells art PLUS offers a bankruptsy lawyer consultation service!! Quite a combo. They also have a webcam
Deadwood has a webcam going, checked it out this AM and well, it looks pretty dead.
Thanks again TX TIBBS :!:

 

[Sierraman]

Oh, yeah, been to Custer State Park with my family. We were there for awhile before we found out there's a charge for parking. They came and found us to kindly let us know. I think it was 3 bucks, but hey. Oh, Txtibbs, Mt. Rushmore's a little bit more than a big rock. These days, you can see helicopters flying over the site and all the guards have machine guns. THAT is aweosme to see, however, it reminds us of how much security is necessary.

 

[DOC HARRIS]

TXTibbs: To me Mount Rushemore is not number 1 on my list. There is a website where you can go see a live webcam of mount rushmore......thats good enough...do that before you leave home and then you'll have time to do other things while in the hills :lol: http://www.travelsd.com/website/webcam/rushmore.asp
Wall Drug in Wall is only about 50-60 miles away and has a lot of stuff to look at and do if your into the whole tourist walk around thing. http://www.walldrug.com/


Thanks for all your thoughts. I like the battlefield sites also so perhaps being of similar mind we'll enjoy what you've listed. I was curious about Wall Drug and visited their site. LOL!!! Never heard of a drug store that sells art PLUS offers a bankruptsy lawyer consultation service!! Quite a combo. They also have a webcam
Deadwood has a webcam going, checked it out this AM and well, it looks pretty dead.
Thanks again TX TIBBS :!:

Wall Drug also has some of the greatest Rattlesnakes and Jackalopes also! But don't worry - the Jackalopes keep the Rattlers pretty well under control. - - Pretty well :shock: It is well worth the trip if you have never been there. Great Belt Buckles too!...........The Girls will love it!- - - -Shopping - shopping - - shopping! When we were there it was raining - and the roof was leaking - - - but only a little bit. The rattlesnakes sort of - moved the water around. :lol: :lol:

 

[TXTibbs]

Shhhhh Doc..yur gonna scare them all off. Besides the snakes up there don't get that big anyway :wink: :wink: But the jackalopes now...them you need to keep a close eye on :wink:

 

[nr]

Shhhhh Doc..yur gonna scare them all off. Besides the snakes up there don't get that big anyway :wink: :wink: But the jackalopes now...them you need to keep a close eye on :wink:

ahhh yes. The jackalopes. Had never heard about them until getting on the Ranchersnet! Won't fall for that again.

 

[Anonymous]

Shhhhh Doc..yur gonna scare them all off. Besides the snakes up there don't get that big anyway :wink: :wink: But the jackalopes now...them you need to keep a close eye on :wink:

ahhh yes. The jackalopes. Had never heard about them until getting on the Ranchersnet! Won't fall for that again.

I was wondering if you remembered that :wink: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[TXTibbs]

Shhhhh Doc..yur gonna scare them all off. Besides the snakes up there don't get that big anyway :wink: :wink: But the jackalopes now...them you need to keep a close eye on :wink:

ahhh yes. The jackalopes. Had never heard about them until getting on the Ranchersnet! Won't fall for that again.

:lol: :lol:

back home at one time during the winter used to get $1 a rabbit, not sure what they pay now or if they do.

 

[DOC HARRIS]

Shhhhh Doc..yur gonna scare them all off. Besides the snakes up there don't get that big anyway :wink: :wink: But the jackalopes now...them you need to keep a close eye on :wink:

ahhh yes. The jackalopes. Had never heard about them until getting on the Ranchersnet! Won't fall for that again.

:lol: :lol:

back home at one time during the winter used to get $1 a rabbit, not sure what they pay now or if they do.

If you got a buck per Bunny then, what were they gettin' for 'lopes?

 

[nr]

Shhhhh Doc..yur gonna scare them all off. Besides the snakes up there don't get that big anyway :wink: :wink: But the jackalopes now...them you need to keep a close eye on :wink:

ahhh yes. The jackalopes. Had never heard about them until getting on the Ranchersnet! Won't fall for that again.

:lol: :lol:

back home at one time during the winter used to get $1 a rabbit, not sure what they pay now or if they do.

Did you get to keep the meat plus the dollar? Who said there is no free meal?

 

[Clarence]

No one has mentioned Needles Highway or Wind Cave National Park. If you come up by way of Hwy 385, than get on 87 to Needles Hwy. Also there is the 1880 train Keystone to Hill City. Got some good pictures once at Sylvan Lake, reflexions of the rocks in the water.

 

[nr]

No one has mentioned Needles Highway or Wind Cave National Park. If you come up by way of Hwy 385, than get on 87 to Needles Hwy. Also there is the 1880 train Keystone to Hill City. Got some good pictures once at Sylvan Lake, reflexions of the rocks in the water.

We were just looking at that route and the train trip. Sounds like a definite to do. We did get reservations to see the Minuteman Site- just in time- they're going fast! Must be because they're free.

Which end of the niobrara river do they do the tubing, Clarence. Was it near the Taodstool place?

 

[TXTibbs]

Something else of interest maybe if you head a little east.....It is just about 30 miles or so west of Murdo..


http://www.1880town.com/

 

[nr]

Something else of interest maybe if you head a little east.....It is just about 30 miles or so west of Murdo..


http://www.1880town.com/

Great they could save 30 old buildings from demo. Looks like I better pack my Willy Nelson wig to fit in.

 

[katrina]

In Wall is one of my favorite western stores: If you tube the niobrara call me.. :wink: I don't like spiders and things, but reptile gardens is really neat. And Mt. Rushmore is #1...