Black Hills, South Dakota Attractions
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The Black Hills, now mostly a National Forest, are a fairly isolated range of hills in the northern Great Plains and on the border between the states of South Dakota and Wyoming, some 125 mi.
Mount Rushmore National Monument
Mount Rushmore National Monument is one of the iconic sites of America, and a huge tourist attraction. Carved into a mountain are the 60 ft high heads of Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt.
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Lead, South Dakota
The little town of Lead is a center of the Black Hills gold-mining industry. Homestake Surface Tours show visitors round one of the largest operating goldmines in the western hemisphere. Also of interest is the Black Hills Mining Museum, which gives an excellent survey of the history of gold mining, going back more than 100 years.Lead (pop. 3,000) was founded in 1876.
Black Hills Mining Museum
The Black Hills Mining Museum presents the history of mining through displays, historic photographs and life-size models. Guided tours of the Homestake Gold Mine are available, offering early-day and modern underground mining displays.
Homestake Gold Mine Visitor Center
The Homestake Mine is the oldest, deepest mine in the Western Hemisphere reaching more than 8,000ft/2,400m below the town of Lead. Exhibits at the center include the historic 1876 Open Cut mining area, artifacts, an informational mining video, as well as historic and educational memorabilia.
Presidents Park
President's Park in the Black Hills of South Dakota features works of the artist and sculptor David Adickes. The park has likenesses of all 42 US Presidents. Each bust has details about the President. There are also gardened trails.
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Spearfish, South Dakota
In the north of the Black Hills is Spearfish, from here a rewarding excursion can be made to the wild Spearfish Canyon, with two waterfalls, the Bridal Veil and the Rough Lock Falls, and two striking hills, Spearfish Peak and Little Crow Peak. A few miles north of Spearfish is the geographical center of the United States.Spearfish (pop. 8,600) is located in Lawrence County.
DC Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery
The DC Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery was established in 1896 and is one of the oldest in the country. The original building has been restored and contains operating history displays. Visitors can view Rainbow and Brown trout at the underwater viewing windows.
EY Berry Library-Learning Center
Located on the campus of Black Hills State University the EY Berry Library-Learning Center collections include the Black Hills State University Archives, the EY Berry Collection and the Leland D Case Library for Western Historical Studies.
High Plains Heritage Center Museum
The High Plains Heritage Center Museum in Spearfish features Old West art, artifacts and memorabilia. Exhibits include a late 1800s blacksmith shop, buggies, sleigh, kitchen, saddle shop and sheep wagon.
Black Hills Passion Play
Black Hills Passion Play in Spearfish portrays 22 scenes depicting the last seven days of Christ's life.
Black Hills National Forest
The Black Hills National Forest covers more than 1.2 million acres of public land. The Forest extends into Wyoming and features Ponderosa pine, spruce and aspen forests. Wildlife found within the area include white-tailed deer, elk, turkeys, and mountain goats.Scenic routes include Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway, Iron Mountain Road - with views of Mount Rushmore, Norbeck Overlook and Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway. Over 30 hiking trails are available with portions open to motorized vehicles, horseback riders and mountain bicycles.
Tri-State Memorial Museum, Belle Fourche, South Dakota
The Tri-State Memorial Museum in Belle Fourche was established in 1955 and features the Millicent Henderson doll collection, the "Buckskin Johnny" cabin built in 1876, fossils from the area, clothing, and household items from turn of the century pioneer homes, and historic photos.
Keystone, South Dakota
Keystone (pop. 300) was established shortly after gold was discovered. The Holy Terror Gold Mine was discovered in 1894 was a very lucrative mine, named for the owner's wife. The town is home to Mount Rushmore, and two bridges that lead to the top of Iron Mountain - offering scenic views.
Big Thunder Gold Mine
Originally called the 'Gold Hill Lode,' two German immigrants discovered the Big Thunder Gold Mine in 1892 and worked it until 1914. Guided tours of the historic gold mine include a free sample of gold ore. Visitors are guaranteed to find gold fines in the panning by Battle Creek.
Borglum Historical Center
Gutzon Borglum was the sculptor of Mount Rushmore. His original models, tools, drills and a full-size reproduction of the Lincoln carving's eye are displayed in the Rushmore section of the Center near Keystone.
Parade of Presidents Historical Wax Museum
The Parade of Presidents Historical Wax Museum in Keystone features life-sized wax figures of every U.S. President. Various historical scenes are re-created in detail.
Rushmore Cave
Rushmore Cave east of the Mount Rushmore National Memorial is a limestone cave with thousands of salactites, stalagmites, ribbons, helectites, columns and other cave formations.
Piedmont, South Dakota
Piedmont was a regular stop for the Sidney Stage Route in the early 1880s. Later in the decade it was a stop for the Fremont, Elkhorn and Missouri Valley Railroad. The town is known for its crystalline caves.
Petrified Forest of the Black Hills Museum
The Petrified Forest is an out-cropping of fossil-petrified wood. Some dates from 120 million years ago. Visitors can watch a videotape describing wood petrification, view museum displays and walk along a 5-block trail which passes ancient logs ranging in size up to 100 feet long and 3 feet thick.
Stage Barn Crystal Cave
Highlights of Stage Barn Crystal Cave include a variety of crystals, stalactites, stalagmites, rare helictites and boxwork.
Hill City, South Dakota
Hill City (pop. 800) was established in 1876, when the first settlers arrived to mine tin, gold and copper.
1880 Train
The Black Hills Central Railroad, commonly called the 1880 Train, is a steam train with Old Baldwin engines and 19th C coaches. Passengers travel on a two-hour narrated round trip, on a route used by pioneers and miners, through the central Black Hills of South Dakota.
Black Hills Museum of Natural History
The Black Hills Museum of Natural History in Hill City houses a collection of dinosaurs, fossils, minerals, meteorites and gemstones. The most notable display is STAN, one of the most complete Tyrannosaurus Rex ever found.
Black Hills Touring Company
The Black Hills Touring Company is a bus touring company that offers narrated excursions through the Black Hills area. Stops include Mount Rushmore, Custer State Park, Needles Scenic Highway, and Crazy Horse Memorial.
