Black Hills trip info?

[KiKi Mouse]

We are from Canada...eh and we are going to the Black Hills in August for the first time.
We are driving to Fargo and then west from there.

I would like any info on the "must sees" and "must dos". I am trying to do some research before we book a campground. I also don't want to spend a lot of $$ on things such as the cowboy shows/suppers if they suck.
DH wants to go on the 1800 train ride. Not sure what else to look into. We are traveling with a pop up trailer. Our family consists of DH and myself, our 11 y/o and 2 y/o.

I told DH I would ask on the DISboards as you guys know everything...LOL
Thanks! in advance

 

[estherhead]

OK, I cannot help you at all, I've only been there once and we didn't do what you guys want to. However, I did pop on here to tell you that on the Disneyland part of this board is a section on pretty much everything "out west" including the Black Hills, Yellowstone, etc. I posted quite a few questions on there and got some great responses. They even have a trip report area where I posted a trip report.

It was awesome and no matter what you decide you'll have a fab time.

 

[minkydog]

We only spent about a day & a half in Rapid City, so I'm no expert, but I have a couple of ideas. Definitely go to Mount Rushmore and see their museum. We had this crazy idea that we'd just go up and take a picture of the heads, then leave. Thankfully we came to our senses. The museum details how they did it and our kids found it very interesting.

Another fun side trip, it's not in the Black Hills but is about an hour away, is Devil's Tower. Remember Close Encounters of the Third Kind? Devils Tower is truly out in the middle of nowhere, but it makes a good day trip. There is a neat little museum up there that tells the story of the Tower from the Native American perspective. If you're lucky you might even see some climbers going up or down. There is a huge prairie dog community at the foot of the Tower. They're cute as they can be, but they carry diseases so you'd want to be clear with the kids--no feeding or touching! There is a gift shop at the entrance where we bought some icy cold Cokes and a copy of Close Encounters. We watched it later that night in the dark, on our DVD player. My kids thought it was really awesome.

There is way more to do in the Black Hills. Custer State Park is very nice. Do you know where you're staying? I hear great things about Rafter J. We only had one night, so we just stayed at the Rapid City KOA near the interstate. It's okay, not a desination resort, but the hosts were great, the pool was clean, and they make a fun pancake breakfast in the morning. My kids were in hog heaven.

If you need camping info, try RV.net. They know everything and then some.

 

[bambii]

and the chuckwagon shows are fun ft. hays which is on highway 16 is a good one they also have pankcake breakfast for 99 cent.. cosmos if fun, reptile gardens, bear country is also on highway 16 going to mt. rushmore.. jewel cave in custer,, if you have kids old mac donalds petting farm, storybook island a free park for kids.. dinosaur hill is also free..flinstone village has a campground and a play area.. you have to drive the needles highway, and the norback road.. custer state park has campgrounds and koa has a few campground...we have two waterparks one indoor and on out .rushmore waterslides and watiki.....watch out when you come the first full week in august is the sturgis motorcycle rally... prices goes up during that time almost 100% 1880 train..

devils tower is in wyoming.. spearfish canyon is a great drive and indian taco and cheyenne crossing are great...deadwood has gaming but there are things kids can do there is the roo ranch (Kangaroos) take a tour bus in front of midnight star and he will take you to mt . mariah cementary where Wild Bill and clamity jane rest and he will tell you about deadwoods past also the wax museum and the opium tunnels.


www.blackhills.com
www.custerstatepark.info
http://www.watikiwaterpark.com/
www.blackhillsvacations.com/
www.blackhillsbadlands.com/
www.blackhillstouristinfo.com/

 

[Katy Belle]

Bookmarking. We are probably going this summer too. For us it will be Grandma, Grandpa, me , dh, and boys ages 14,12,9. It looks like there is plenty to please everyone!

Also... look at www.tripadvisor.com they have active forums and I've gotten a lot of good advice there.

Have a great trip!
Katy

 

[bambii]

crazy horse.. there are so many things to do.. it is hard to list ...

badlands

wind cave

mammoth site

hot springs swimming in warm water..

black hills playhouse

rapid they have president statues on each corner downtown

journey museum

 

[Val]

And don't forget the CORN PALACE in Mitchell, SD.....it has become family tradition to stop by on our coast-to-coast drives. (It really is just a drive by, but hey, it's tradition!). My dad used to make us get out and ogle at it....we are a bit nicer and just slow waaaay down and embarrass the kids that way!

http://www.cornpalace.org/

 

[minkydog]

And don't forget the CORN PALACE in Mitchell, SD.....it has become family tradition to stop by on our coast-to-coast drives. (It really is just a drive by, but hey, it's tradition!). My dad used to make us get out and ogle at it....we are a bit nicer and just slow waaaay down and embarrass the kids that way!

http://www.cornpalace.org/

OMG, how could i forget about the Corn Palace. We made our kids go in and look at all the murals, bought some popcorn, etc. I wish my HS basketball games were held in the Corn Palace.

And while your'e at it you might as well go to Wall Drugs. Totally a tourist trap but it's the biggest one you'll ever see and my teenage daughter thought it was DA BOMB. She might not even remember seeing the Painted Desert, but she can tell you alllll about Wall Drug.

 

[Bojo]

We took the 1880's train ride last summer and enjoyed it very much. We took the round trip and ended up driving the back way into Keystone. As others have mentioned The Badlands, Spearfish Canyon, Custer State Park, Needles Highway to Mt. Rushmore and Lake Sheridan (??) are all excellent. IMHO, I didn't like the Crazy Horse Monument.

Here is a link to our pictures from that trip. The Badlands & Train Ride are toward the top.

Western Trip 2008

 

[PRINCESS VIJA]

We were there just last summer and it was BEAUTIFUL!!!

Not sure if in Canada you had the show Little House on the Prarie, or if you read those books, but south of Fargo is DeSmet South Dakota and it is the area that I think 4 of the books were based on Some of the buildings can be toured as well, Ma and Pa ingalls are buried in a cemetary there. I LOVED it, but I am a Laura Ingalls fan.

Check out this link
http://www.visitrapidcity.com/planyourtrip/sampleitineraries/wildlifesafari/

it has the Bear Country USA mentioned. It is a drive through safari (you drive in your own vehicle) and it was really cool. We got there just after they opened the gates and it was feeding time! We got to see the wolves work in a pack to steal the food away from the bears, this was all happening right outside our car. SOOOOO cool!

Somewhere along the badlands road (just outside the park on the Eastern entrance) there was just a roadside stop to feed the groundhogs. I think it was .50 cents for a bag, and you walked into a field and the kids had so much fun with this... so cheap yet a fun thing to do.

I really wish that we would have done the 1880's train. It looked like a lot of fun.

Mt. Rushmore is beautiful, but odly enough I was surprised at how small it seemed. The pics always show it to be big, but those are close ups! The show at night is so beautiful. Please make sure you go at night. Very beutiful and moving.

 

[KiKi Mouse]

We are going mid August. DH just booked a KOA campground...Hill City Mt. Rushmore.

Now we are trying to figure out what to do.

Thanks for all the great info so quickly!

 

[golfgal]

If you want to take a right (go west) at Grand Forks vs Fargo you could stop in Rugby, ND, the geographical center of North America. There isn't much there other then a plaque but it is kind of neat to stand there.