Exploring Deadwood and Rapid City

South Dakota is a sparsely populated Midwestern state. it is home to the Black Hills National Forest and to two historical monuments.

Our first stop is the city of Deadwood which is known for its gold rush history. The city is located on the northern edge of the Black Hills National Forest and is surrounded by some astounding scenery.

Visitors to Deadwood can walk along Historic Main Street right along the steps of Calamity Jane and "Wild Bill" Hickok. The city still has that Old West charm with historic storefronts. All summer long professional actors recreate significant moments in the history of Deadwood. There are exciting Main Street shootouts. You can check out the shops and restaurants.

The George S. Mickelson Trail stretches along for over 100 miles north and south through western South Dakota. It is enjoyed by hikers, bikers, and horseback riders. Formerly it was the Burlington Northern Railroad line. The trail crosses bridges, passes through rock tunnels, and through some wonderful scenic areas. You can rent a bike to ride along the trail.

The Adams Museum and Historic Adams House provide a look into the territorial beginnings of Deadwood and its Wild West origins. There are many artifacts and information about such notorious characters as Calamity Jane and "Wild Bill" Hickok. At the museum you can learn about the days of the Black Hills Gold Rush. Visitors can get a guided tour of the property.

The Broken Boot Gold Mine was an authentic operating gold mine from 1876 to 1904. Today it is a fun tourist attraction. Visitors get to go underground to explore Deadwood's historic gold rush past, Tours are available, Each visitor gets a souvenir stock certificate from the mine, Speical tours are offered like the Candlelight Experience and the Moner's Morning Experience.

Days of 76 Museum is a cultural celebration of the area, There are many artifacts to see and exhibits to explore. The Days of '76 Parade takes place every year along with the nationally recognized Days of '76 Rodeo all taking place in July.

Mount Moriah Cemetery stis high above the city deep in the Black Hills. It is the final resting place for some of Deadwood's most popular characters like "Wild Bill" Hicock, Calamity Jane, Preacher Smith, and others. The cemetery has great views of the surrounding Black Hills landscapes.

Tatanka: Story of the Bison at the north end of Deadwood is a larger-than-life exhibit. It pays tribute to the millions of bison that once roamed the Great Plains, It also commemorates the native culutres that lives alonside the bishon. It was all founded and is operated by Hollywood actor Kevin Costner. There are bronze sculptures that depict herds of bison being pursued by Native Indians on horseback, There are also esciting interactive exhibits at the Northern Plains Peoples Educational Interpretive Center.

The Mount Theodore Roosevelt Monument also known as the Friendship Tower is located about three miles north of downtown Deadwood. The Black Hills Scenery is amazing on the hike to the 80-foot tower that was commissioned by the city's first mayor Seth Bullock to commemorate the 26th President of the U.S. Theodore Roosevelt.

Wonderful Rapid City

Just east of the Black Hills National Forest you'll find Rapid City in western South Dakota. The city is the gateway to Mt. Rushmore and the huge sculpture of four U.S. presidents.

America's Founding Father Exhibit lets visitors go back in time to the Declaration of Independence. This is a 20-minute show that is a mix of history and art.

You'll see the life-size sculpture installations of the "Declaration of Independence" painting by John Turmbull. Then listen to the story of how 58 patriots established the American Revolution and created a country. Each visitor gets to sign the Declaration of Independence. The you can go to the musket range and try out your skills shooting a Kentucky long rifle, the same kind used during the Revolutionary War.

Crazy Horse Memorial is located on one of the tallest pegmatite granite mountains in the Black Hills. This well-known sculpure is the largest in the world. It was initiated by Lakota Chief Henry Standing Bear. The statue was created by sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski. Among the highlights here are Nature Gates, the Welcome Center, the Indian Museum of North America, the sculptor's home studio, and the Native American Educational and Culture Center. You can enjoy performances by Native American dancers. You can take a rest at the restaurant and look at the gift shop. If you would like to see the sculpture up close you can take a bus ride to the base of the mountain.

Reptile Gardens dates back to 1937 and is family-owned. It is the largest reptile zoo in the world. There is a lovely garden oasis with lush vegetation, colorful flowers. tropical plants, and ornamental trees. The garden is interspersed with 15 exhibits and displays.

Among the exhibits are a venomous snake collection and exhibits with a bald eagle, a prairie dog, and giant tortoises. You can see live shows. Children enjoy an Old West ghost town. You can also see the Jungle Outpost Gallery with tribal crafts from all over the world.

Storybook Island is a children's theme park with free admission. It is open every summer from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend, It is decorated with characters from fables, nursery rhymes, and stories for children/ The Children's Theater offer productions all season long, Presented three times a day is The Great Magic Show.

Bear Country USA is a park surrounded by gigantic pines and rolling meadows. It is located 8 miles south of Rapid City, This wildlife park lets visitors see some amazing North American mammals, Among them wolves, reindeer, black bears, cougars, bobcats, elk and others, Some of the animals come close to vehicles to get a look for themselves. The Wildlife Walk area has diffrent activities like live demonstartions.

Main Street Square also in downtown is an iconic landmark. You can enjoy a dancing water fountain and a waterfall. You can see public art sculptures. The square is a venue for concerts and various events. In the winter you can skate in the ice rink.

Dinosaur Park dates back to 1936 when it was built on a hill overlooking the city, There are seven dinosaur replicas created by Emmet Sullivan. The replicas include an apatosaurus, a Tyrannosaurus rex, triceratops, stegosaurus, Edmontosaurus annectens, protoceratops, and a dimetrodon. With every sculpture there is educational information about the dinosaur.

All of these replicas were chosen based on the fossils that could be found in South Dakota and the western U.S.

Old MacDonald's Farm is a great place for families, It is a lovely farm that offers hand-on experience with over 100 farm animals. Children can ride ponies. Visitors can interact with cows, pigs, donkeys, goats, sheep, chickens, rabbits, ducks and more. The farm also features world-class pig races and farm tours on a kid-sized tractor train.

The Black Hills Caverns were discovered by miners in 1882. The underground cavern features ove a dozen rock formations, as well as, helicitities and popcorn crystals, Visitors have a choice of taking the Adventure Tour and exploring the Black Hills Caverns three levels or the Crystal Tour exploring just the first level of the cave.

The City of Presidents Walking Tour will take you on a self-guided tour to see a series of life-size presidential bronze statues in downtoan Rapid City. Visitors can download an interactive walking guide that features where each statue is located adn by clicking on the photo of the president you can learn more about him. The statues line the streets and began in 2000 to honor the legacy of American presidency.