Right off the highway is the "Wyoming Welcome Center" - which has places for cars and for RVs, and…read morethere are a lot of RVs around in the summer. There is a nice restroom area here, which is maintained all day long by the live on site caretaker. Its a great system. Out here they have people living at these centers in their own RVs who manage and take care of the area. Great idea. The welcome center has all sorts of history in the area info. Really cool. I happened to be there earlier in the day and talked to the caretaker, who spent some time growing up in Lockport., NY, when, as he said it, it was still all farms. He also said that later in the day in the summer the place has a line out the driveway, especially for the RVs. These are true welcome centers out West. Come see what its all about if you are in the area.

Hey Now Folks, got to Stop by and check this Welcome Center Out!!! Might be very Impressed with…read morewhat is inside. Hostess is very Kind and Helpful with any Questions to. Plenty of Parking and quite the Displays to Gander at while you're there.

Known as the equality state with more pronghorns than people. Jackson Hole & Devils Tower are…read morehere. Cheyanne is the capital of the state with 1/2 million. It's famous for its stunning natural landscapes, Yellowstone & the Grand Teton National Parks, and its rich Western history. The economy is agricultural energy industry; especially oil, natural gas & coal and its unique cultural heritage.

From Denver after miles of fields and farms and 8 miles before cheyenne, the wyoming state line has…read morea basic sign and firework stores.

I love that there is no entrance fee for Mount Rushmore, but you do have to pay for parking. It was…read moreregularly $10 or if you're over 62 it's five dollars you take a ticket when you go into the parking lot and you will pay at a pay station before you leave. It will ask you if you're over 62 There is a lot of room to view the monument as well as a restaurant, gift shop, clean restrooms, and plenty of areas to sit on benches and such to enjoy the environment Definitely something you need to check off your bucket list

Really cool to see something in real life that you've seen in so many books, shows and movies!…read more In the summer, it is hot and crowded....unless you go early! We visited twice in the same trip--once in the afternoon that was super crowded and then again earlier in the morning around 7:30-8:00am and there were only a few people there and it was much cooler. The $10 you pay for the parking pass is good for 1 year so can make a quick trip another day if you want. The presidential trail is a nice little walk with a ton of stairs (go to the left towards Washington side to start and you'll go down most of them instead of up). It seems like the trail is closed for maintenance (or something) fairly often which is a bummer! There's a few exhibits and presentations, etc in the visitor center and a good amount of info about the sculpting/creation and the history side of things. Definitely worth a stop and a good hour or two there, but wouldn't center a whole trip around it. And, make sure your kiddos get junior ranger badges!

Deadwood is a Charming town with lots of history. We spent half a day here exploring the shops…read more Still had a feel of the wild Wild West. If memory from my history classes serves me correct, Deadwood was known for its lawlessness. Wild Bill Hickock was shot here. If you find yourself in South Dakota, then take the time to stop by Deadwood. It is not too far away from Mount Rushmore. You can also play the slots while you're here. Like a little touch of Vegas. Enjoy!

Hours seem silly, it's a town! Not really our cup of tea as we don't gamble or drink and have…read moremobility issues. No parking on the streets and, being as most of the buildings are historical there is not parking at them and entry ways are difficult at best. Most all food is overpriced. We were there because it was a good affordable location as a base for what we wanted to do in the northern half of the Black Hills. We stayed in a very nice Comfort Inn at the southern tip of the town, a couple miles only from the next town. It is surprising how many people live in the Black Hills.

Fascinating highlight of Needles HIghway. If you're going through this Custer area, whether to…read morevisit Mt Rushmore, Custer SP, etc, it's an enthralling experience to traverse this fun tunnel (or funnel) once. Just make sure you're driving like a sedan/SUV to clear it, cuz boy it sure is narrow!

Had spent the morning in the southern area of Custer State Park, and the afternoon was going to be…read morethe Needles Highway, followed by Mount Rushmore. It was a little bit drizzly, but the sites were still amazing as we drove the ever winding path. The tunnels were pretty crazy, one in particular being extra narrow! We were in a big SUV, but we were following a big SUV, so I figured if the car in front of us made it, we would! This is a great drive to make if you're in the Rapid City area.

Flood control, irrigation, and recreation. For us, this was just a beautiful and restful stop on a…read morelong driving day from Wyoming to South Dakota. Photographs don't fully capture the beauty of the area. Sept, 2024.

Such a beautiful lake. Reminds me of Emerald lake in Lake Tahoe. The first day we did the reservoir…read morewhich is an overlook with a large parking lot to take photos. The next day we went to the actual lake to swim and kayak. It's $7 to enter the parking lot for day use and free if you have the State pass. There are two boat launching area but only one swimming area. Plenty of picnic tables. If you want to rent equipment, you'll need to drive further up. Saw people fishing in this area. If you bring your own food, make sure to pack a trash bag because we did see any trash cans near us. Also wear water shoes, it's really rocky in the water. Bring floaties and everything that will make your day complete.

I was here 18 years ago I was excited to come back. It wasn't as good as I remembered, now it's a…read morelot more commercialized with big chain hotels and slot machine machines everywhere Main Street in Deadwood is filled with casinos, resort hotels, full-service spas, big name concerts, a hospital, old photo shops, restaurants, gift shops and some of the best parties. We walked in the footsteps of legends that made history here since 1876. In 1876, miners moved into the northern Black Hills, they found gold & Deadwood was born. Overnight, the tiny gold camp boomed & attracted outlaws, gamblers and gunslingers & gold seekers. Wild Bill Hickok was one of those men who came looking for fortune. But just a few short weeks after arriving, he was gunned down while holding a poker hand of aces and eights - forever after known as the Dead Man's Hand. Calamity Jane also made a name for herself in these parts and is buried next to Hickok in Mount Moriah Cemetery. Other legends, like Potato Creek Johnny, Seth Bullock and Al Swearengen, created their legends and legacies in this tiny Black Hills town. Deadwood Alive is a theater troupe that reenacts the major historic events such as the Trial of Jack McCall and Wild Bill's assassination that inspired legends. Unfortunately, there aren't any shootouts or activities on Main Street on Sundays. I was told I could watch it on a cam live from deadwood.com

Deadwood was recently voted as the "Cutest City" in all of South Dakota and I will say after…read moretraveling at all, I believe this is true. It is very much what you think, old western storefronts. The entire vibe is pretty much old west, complete with a cowboy shootout in the streets. In the square outside the Franklin Hotel, they often have music, which was a welcome addition on a cool night. Also in the Franklin Hotel is an AMAZING steakhouse called Legends Steakhouse. Get a reservation because you'll need one, and treat yourself to a fantastic steak. I was in deadwood for two days and found that to be just about the right amount of time to experience this historic, interesting, welcoming South Dakota city.

+ Fascinating memorial. The Lakota Sioux present that, besides neighboring Mt Rushmore…read morecommemorating US American heros, the Native Americans had heroes too. . It's just unfortunate that because they reject US gov't funding, construction continues to proceed very slowly. - Disappointed to discover we can't get any closer to the monument than the visitor center without taking a bus tour (extra $5). That means no solo driving up there, no hiking. Thus, not quite worth the obligatory $15 fee just to enter the visitor center grounds. + Pleasant ambience. + Still a nice viewing balcony right behind the visitor center museum. + Ample parking. + Located near many other exciting tourist attractions of the Black Hills, including Mt Rushmore, Custer State Park, and Needles Hwy.

If you have any interest it will be a 2 hour or more visit. We are mobility disabled and just for…read moresimplicity skipped the bus ride for a closer look. The view from the many places on the land it is visible from is wonderful. There are 3 museums on site all included plus a restaurant. The restaurant is a short simple menu, we had bison stew which was excellent and fry bread with a wonderful berry sauce called Wai Po. The view from the huge windows there is amazing. Yes, progress is slow but that makes it all the more special. Since a friend went a few years ago and saw only the face, they have completed the top part of his arm and pointing hand. The story of it's conception and the original artist is really inspiring. What physical and emotional commitment! And now his son is carrying on working with the tribes to help complete it. The home he built and many of his family's possessions are one of the small museums. Another had much history of the area tribes including portraits of the few survivors of Wounded Knee massacre. There there is the workshop. All in all a lot for $30 a car these days. A beautiful and for us a spiritual journey