What, no pics?
Devils Tower
Devils Tower
Road trip to Mt. Rushmore
- Thread starter robrossk
- Start date
twodog max
Member
We did the Rushmore trip a few years ago and loved it. We took a bus tour out of Rapid City so we could pay attention to the sights and not the driving. That worked for us. It went to Custer and Crazy Horse and other places. An all day trip. We have been thinking of going back to see the Badlands and Devils Tower.
I do not like big cities so I would not stop in KC unless an emergency situation. No offense to KC just big cities in general.
I do not like big cities so I would not stop in KC unless an emergency situation. No offense to KC just big cities in general.
twodog max
Member
Gotta do Wall Drug everyone does. Just follow one of the 1000 signs LOL
OP
Thanks for all replies and input. We will add this info to our travel folder.
Dinner and dancing with the Governor would be on my short list of things to do in SD!! 
I was born and raised in SD and spent about half of it in the Black Hills area.
Here's my suggested list in more or less order along the route:
1) Telstar Motors in Mitchell SD and Pioneer Auto Museum in Murdo SD.
If are coming to the Black Hills on I-90, and you are a Mustang fan Telstar Motors in Mitchell is a definite stop. If you like old cars the Pioneer Auto Museum is an excellent vintage car museum.
2) The Badlands loop.
It's a great drive, and it's even better in the early morning or evening with low angle light. After a rain, it's spectacular.
3) Wall Drug.
While you are in Wall for the Badlands loop, you might as well see Wall Drug. Everyone should go there. Once. They used to have a gun shop, western themed, and if it's still there it's worth a look.
4) South Dakota Air and Space Museum
It's located just outside the gate at Ellsworth AFB. The museum itself is great, and there is also a shuttle bus that does tours of a Minuteman III missile silo that was used for training. I'm not sure if they are doing the solo tour at present but the museum has a training control booth in the main museum as well that used to be over in the Pride hangar when I was a sprout.
5) Jack First Gun Parts and First Stop Gun shop
Jack First is on the east side of Rapid City. It used to have a gun shop on site and it was a fantastic shop for old or unusual firearms. The gun shop is closed, but it's still worth a stop if there are any odd parts you might need.
First Stop is downtown and they have traditionally had an excellent selection of surplus firearms as well as an excellent selection of new and used guns and reloading supplies.
6) HS Precision
It is in the same area of town and well worth a tour if you can call ahead and arrange one.
7) Black Hills Ammo
It's also located in RC. I don't know if Jeff and Christy do tours for non relatives, but it's worth calling and asking. I've always been very proud of Jeff as he takes quality seriously, is willing to think outside the box, and has nan amazing ability to create mass produced loads that shoot well in a wide range of firearms.
8) SDSM&T Museum of Geology
It's a superb museum of geology and natural history. If you like rocks or dinosaurs it's a must see museum.
9) Dinosaur park
It's located above the "gap" in RC, and while it's quaint and a little hokey, the life sized, improperly colored, and in some cases incorrectly posed (they were made in 1936) dinosaurs are still interesting. Plus it offers a great view of Rapid City.
10) Dakota Arms
It's located in Sturgis and again a tour is awesome if you can call ahead and arrange one.
11) Bear Butte
It's just east of Sturgis and it is a great hike to the Summit.
12) Boulder Canyon.
As you come back into Sturgis, just keep going through town and under the interstate on 14A. Keep going up boulder canyon on 14A to Deadwood. Boulder canyon was stunning before they widened the road, cleared some trees and removed some curves, but it is still a nice drive, and much more scenic than taking I-90 to Spearfish. I used to live in a hundred year old cabin just past rainbow curve and just below the golf course. It was a very nice place to live.
13) Fish Hatchery in Spearfish.
As you come up boulder canyon, just before going down hill into Deadwood you can turn right on 85 and go up and over the hill to I-90 just east of Spearfish. Turn left and go into spearfish and look for the Hatchery signs. You'll see both an active hatchery and some impressively large trout used for breed stock in both above water and underwater exhibits. The park and creek are also a nice place to picnic.
14) Devils Tower
It's not in the Black Hills but rather in the Bear Lodge mountains and it's a couple hours away from Spearfish but it's a nice drive and well worth the trip. It's a nice hike around the tower and very pleasant (usually) in September.
15) Spearfish Canyon
Back in Spearfish, follow the signs to Spearfish Canyon, which is on the other end of the same 14A you took to Deadwood. The must see items there are:
- the trees in fall colors. The colors peak for a week or so anytime between mid September and early October. If it's been a dry year, you'll see a lot more stunning red colors. In a wet year, mostly oranges and yellows but still very pretty.
- Bridal veil falls. How much water you'll see depends on the recent rain. It's worth walking down by the creek there, we well as in numerous other spots.
- Roughlock Falls and the Latchstring Inn. They are located off the main road to the right, once you reach the curve where the Latchstring Inn is located. My son got his start as a chef there and the food is usually excellent.
- Cheyenne Crossing. It's at the top of the Canyon where 14A meets highway 85 and as someone else mentioned it is worth the stop if you didn't eat at the Latchstring Inn.
16) Terry Peak.
If you turn left at Cheyenne crossing and stay on 14A towards Lead/Deadwood, you'll go up hill and come to a road leading to the top of Terry Peak. It offers great views. There's also the terry peak ski area slightly lower on the mountain. They normally operate the chairlift taking people to the top of Terry Peak and that's a fun ride. That may or many not be happening with COVID and it may or may not be happening this time of year past the peak tourist season.
17) Lead/Deadwood
14A will take you into Lead and then Deadwood. Lead used to be the proverbial "company town" and even after Homestake closed the town council and most of the citizen had a hard time adapting. That's too bad as the town is much more historically interesting and picturesque than what Deadwood has become. Part of the problem is that Deadwood used to play second fiddle to Lead until gaming came along. The mine closing 15 or so years later didn't help. That makes it hard for people in Lead to see how they can collaborate with Deadwood and provide the actual history and local color that Deadwood lost to gaming.
In Lead there is the open cut mine to look at which is interesting, as well as an interesting main street and 1 or 2 good places to eat. There's also a very interesting 5/8 geodesic dome house up over the ridge on the east side of Lead, designed by Dick Termis. It used to be mine. I can't speak to what the new owners may have done to it.
Deadwood has gaming. While they have restored the exterior of the buildings they have gutted and totally ruined the interiors. They are just casino interiors like you'd find anywhere, with old ladies dumping their social security checks into slot machines. It's too bad as, pre-gaming, Deadwood used to be an awesome historical town with wonderful old building and quaint stores worth seeing. There are still a couple old houses worth touring like the Adams house, and Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane are buried in the cemetery above the town.
18) Highway 85 south
In between Lead and Deadwood, highway 385 goes south and it's a very pretty drive pretty much all the way to Hot Springs. It'll take you by Silver City, through Hill City, past Mount Rushmore, and through Custer.
19) Pactola lake
It's quite pretty, especially up the lake away from the highway. There is a beach on the south side and a Marina there does pontoon boat rentals. Ir Nancy is serving Chicken Tortilla soup, get some.
20) Mt Rushmore.
It's the obvious stop. It used to be very scenic back before they modernized it. It used to have walking trails through the trees down to a scenic overlook that really presented the faces as the prime attraction in a natural looking setting. Now it has the feel of a granite memorial in DC, or one of the uglier office buildings like the Reagan building. The buildings, rather than blending with the site and showcasing the faces seem to be trying to overshadow the faces themselves, while prominently displaying and promoting the gift shop. It ain't what it used to be but it's still worth the trip.
21) 1880 Train
You can travel between Hill City and Keystone on a vintage steam train. The current route isn't as scenic as the old route but it's still well worth the trip.
22) Crazy Horse.
I'm putting it on the list because it's there. Just go with the expectation that not much actual work ever gets done and it hasn't changed much in the last few decades since the old man died. It appears the goal isn't to finish, it's to collect tourist money. Still it's interesting.
23) Custer State Park
It worth the drive through the park. Just don't pet the fluffy cows.
24) The Mammoth site
Located in Hot Springs it's a very interesting stop.
25) Evans Plunge
If your kids want to go for a swim, it's a worthwhile stop.
Here's my suggested list in more or less order along the route:
1) Telstar Motors in Mitchell SD and Pioneer Auto Museum in Murdo SD.
If are coming to the Black Hills on I-90, and you are a Mustang fan Telstar Motors in Mitchell is a definite stop. If you like old cars the Pioneer Auto Museum is an excellent vintage car museum.
2) The Badlands loop.
It's a great drive, and it's even better in the early morning or evening with low angle light. After a rain, it's spectacular.
3) Wall Drug.
While you are in Wall for the Badlands loop, you might as well see Wall Drug. Everyone should go there. Once. They used to have a gun shop, western themed, and if it's still there it's worth a look.
4) South Dakota Air and Space Museum
It's located just outside the gate at Ellsworth AFB. The museum itself is great, and there is also a shuttle bus that does tours of a Minuteman III missile silo that was used for training. I'm not sure if they are doing the solo tour at present but the museum has a training control booth in the main museum as well that used to be over in the Pride hangar when I was a sprout.
5) Jack First Gun Parts and First Stop Gun shop
Jack First is on the east side of Rapid City. It used to have a gun shop on site and it was a fantastic shop for old or unusual firearms. The gun shop is closed, but it's still worth a stop if there are any odd parts you might need.
First Stop is downtown and they have traditionally had an excellent selection of surplus firearms as well as an excellent selection of new and used guns and reloading supplies.
6) HS Precision
It is in the same area of town and well worth a tour if you can call ahead and arrange one.
7) Black Hills Ammo
It's also located in RC. I don't know if Jeff and Christy do tours for non relatives, but it's worth calling and asking. I've always been very proud of Jeff as he takes quality seriously, is willing to think outside the box, and has nan amazing ability to create mass produced loads that shoot well in a wide range of firearms.
8) SDSM&T Museum of Geology
It's a superb museum of geology and natural history. If you like rocks or dinosaurs it's a must see museum.
9) Dinosaur park
It's located above the "gap" in RC, and while it's quaint and a little hokey, the life sized, improperly colored, and in some cases incorrectly posed (they were made in 1936) dinosaurs are still interesting. Plus it offers a great view of Rapid City.
10) Dakota Arms
It's located in Sturgis and again a tour is awesome if you can call ahead and arrange one.
11) Bear Butte
It's just east of Sturgis and it is a great hike to the Summit.
12) Boulder Canyon.
As you come back into Sturgis, just keep going through town and under the interstate on 14A. Keep going up boulder canyon on 14A to Deadwood. Boulder canyon was stunning before they widened the road, cleared some trees and removed some curves, but it is still a nice drive, and much more scenic than taking I-90 to Spearfish. I used to live in a hundred year old cabin just past rainbow curve and just below the golf course. It was a very nice place to live.
13) Fish Hatchery in Spearfish.
As you come up boulder canyon, just before going down hill into Deadwood you can turn right on 85 and go up and over the hill to I-90 just east of Spearfish. Turn left and go into spearfish and look for the Hatchery signs. You'll see both an active hatchery and some impressively large trout used for breed stock in both above water and underwater exhibits. The park and creek are also a nice place to picnic.
14) Devils Tower
It's not in the Black Hills but rather in the Bear Lodge mountains and it's a couple hours away from Spearfish but it's a nice drive and well worth the trip. It's a nice hike around the tower and very pleasant (usually) in September.
15) Spearfish Canyon
Back in Spearfish, follow the signs to Spearfish Canyon, which is on the other end of the same 14A you took to Deadwood. The must see items there are:
- the trees in fall colors. The colors peak for a week or so anytime between mid September and early October. If it's been a dry year, you'll see a lot more stunning red colors. In a wet year, mostly oranges and yellows but still very pretty.
- Bridal veil falls. How much water you'll see depends on the recent rain. It's worth walking down by the creek there, we well as in numerous other spots.
- Roughlock Falls and the Latchstring Inn. They are located off the main road to the right, once you reach the curve where the Latchstring Inn is located. My son got his start as a chef there and the food is usually excellent.
- Cheyenne Crossing. It's at the top of the Canyon where 14A meets highway 85 and as someone else mentioned it is worth the stop if you didn't eat at the Latchstring Inn.
16) Terry Peak.
If you turn left at Cheyenne crossing and stay on 14A towards Lead/Deadwood, you'll go up hill and come to a road leading to the top of Terry Peak. It offers great views. There's also the terry peak ski area slightly lower on the mountain. They normally operate the chairlift taking people to the top of Terry Peak and that's a fun ride. That may or many not be happening with COVID and it may or may not be happening this time of year past the peak tourist season.
17) Lead/Deadwood
14A will take you into Lead and then Deadwood. Lead used to be the proverbial "company town" and even after Homestake closed the town council and most of the citizen had a hard time adapting. That's too bad as the town is much more historically interesting and picturesque than what Deadwood has become. Part of the problem is that Deadwood used to play second fiddle to Lead until gaming came along. The mine closing 15 or so years later didn't help. That makes it hard for people in Lead to see how they can collaborate with Deadwood and provide the actual history and local color that Deadwood lost to gaming.
In Lead there is the open cut mine to look at which is interesting, as well as an interesting main street and 1 or 2 good places to eat. There's also a very interesting 5/8 geodesic dome house up over the ridge on the east side of Lead, designed by Dick Termis. It used to be mine. I can't speak to what the new owners may have done to it.
Deadwood has gaming. While they have restored the exterior of the buildings they have gutted and totally ruined the interiors. They are just casino interiors like you'd find anywhere, with old ladies dumping their social security checks into slot machines. It's too bad as, pre-gaming, Deadwood used to be an awesome historical town with wonderful old building and quaint stores worth seeing. There are still a couple old houses worth touring like the Adams house, and Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane are buried in the cemetery above the town.
18) Highway 85 south
In between Lead and Deadwood, highway 385 goes south and it's a very pretty drive pretty much all the way to Hot Springs. It'll take you by Silver City, through Hill City, past Mount Rushmore, and through Custer.
19) Pactola lake
It's quite pretty, especially up the lake away from the highway. There is a beach on the south side and a Marina there does pontoon boat rentals. Ir Nancy is serving Chicken Tortilla soup, get some.
20) Mt Rushmore.
It's the obvious stop. It used to be very scenic back before they modernized it. It used to have walking trails through the trees down to a scenic overlook that really presented the faces as the prime attraction in a natural looking setting. Now it has the feel of a granite memorial in DC, or one of the uglier office buildings like the Reagan building. The buildings, rather than blending with the site and showcasing the faces seem to be trying to overshadow the faces themselves, while prominently displaying and promoting the gift shop. It ain't what it used to be but it's still worth the trip.
21) 1880 Train
You can travel between Hill City and Keystone on a vintage steam train. The current route isn't as scenic as the old route but it's still well worth the trip.
22) Crazy Horse.
I'm putting it on the list because it's there. Just go with the expectation that not much actual work ever gets done and it hasn't changed much in the last few decades since the old man died. It appears the goal isn't to finish, it's to collect tourist money. Still it's interesting.
23) Custer State Park
It worth the drive through the park. Just don't pet the fluffy cows.
24) The Mammoth site
Located in Hot Springs it's a very interesting stop.
25) Evans Plunge
If your kids want to go for a swim, it's a worthwhile stop.
Last edited:
Don't forget to go feed the donkeys. Ask anybody up there where to go from or to Rushmore. That and Needles hiway. The sanford lab in Lead is very interesting also.
Robossk I replied to your PM
Have a good trip and enjoy SD!
Bring a sweater for evenings!
Have a good trip and enjoy SD!
Bring a sweater for evenings!
Similar threads
