USA TRAVEL GUIDE, “MIDWEST” SOUTH DAKOTA

SOUTH DAKOTA: THE MOUNT RUSHMORE STATE

BY CLAY LARROY

After working and studying hard all year long families across the United States will be taking long awaited vacations. Family vacations and travel can be the most rewarding experience. Families that take vacations together build memories that will last a lifetime. Family vacations are so important, as it gives us a way to connect with each other in a stress-free relaxed environment. When you need to plan a trip contact me!

 

 

Overview of South Dakota

South Dakota is sparsely populated and often overlooked as a holiday destination in the USA. Visitors won't find flashy attractions or nightlife. But instead, the state enjoys a hauntingly beautiful landscape of vast prairies, broken granite hills, and echoing caverns. Attractions in South Dakota include the famous tyrannosaurus rex called Sue, unearthed in the bewitching Badlands. The iconic stone faces of Mount Rushmore are instantly recognizable while De Smet was influential in shaping the stories of author Laura Ingalls Wilder. The city of Deadwood is also the location of gunman Wild Bill Hickok's fatal poker game.

Long being the home of the Sioux nation, the inhabitants of this harsh land followed great buffalo herds across the plains. In the 1800s, settlers seeking riches flocked to South Dakota and skirmishes between the Native Americans and US soldiers quickly followed. The infamous Wounded Knee Massacre was one of the last conflicts. It was here that US soldiers slaughtered a large group of Sioux, including women and children. Today, visitors can pay homage at a small memorial at the site. The Sioux remain a large part of the population of South Dakota, their culture continuing to permeate and enrich the land.

The Black Hills are a solitary range of mountains covered with pine trees, dramatically rising from the plains and considered sacred by the Sioux. The rolling prairies, meandering rivers, and staggering peaks of South Dakota is a landscape naturally groomed for the classic American road trip. It makes for some of the most beautiful scenery in the country and is a must-see on any American journey.

Black Hills

Home to the tallest peaks east of the Rocky Mountains, the Black Hills exist in the western region of South Dakota. Blessed with towering summits, sprawling forests, and meandering rivers, the Black Hills are a pristine haven for sightseeing, fishing, hiking, camping, and rock climbing. Native American peoples have inhabited the area since 7,000 BC, making the Black Hills a site of spiritual and historical significance. Ownership has passed through many hands, resting today with the Lakota. There is a history of conflict, with it experiencing bloodshed and massacre during the Great Sioux War of 1876.

The diverse geology of the Back Hills attracts visitors each year, as well as its abundance of indigenous flora and fauna. Erosion has formed a terrain of desolate beauty in Badlands National Park, with sharp buttes, twisting spires, deep gorges, and one of the richest fossil beds on the planet. Jewel Cave is the third longest cave in the world, with visitors exploring miles of underground passageways and stunning rock formations. Scenic drives through Custer State Park provide amazing encounters with the once-endangered bison that now flourish in free-roaming herds.

Black Hills is also the setting for the popular HBO series Deadwood, although it was filmed in California. The City Fathers of Deadwood have created a false wooden street front based on the original town and similar to the one on the television series.

Mount Rushmore is one of the most iconic attractions in South Dakota, and indeed the country. Carved into Thunderhead Monument, the Crazy Horse Memorial has been in construction since 1948 and would potentially be the largest sculpture in the world on completion.

Climate in Black Hills

The Black Hills enjoys a continental climate with four distinct seasons. The area is known to be susceptible to wide ranging weather systems from raging blizzards to blistering droughts. During the winter months, snowstorms do occur. The Black Hills is often warmer than Rapid City in the winter due to its elevated position and a temperature

inversion. During the summer months, days are sunny and warm but afternoon thunderstorms are common. May and June are the wettest months of the year.

 

REFERENCE SITES:

http://www.travelresearchonline.com/

 

I love to drive in the Black Hills of Wyoming and South Dakota with Mount Rushmore as the central stop.

 Dana Perino
  

Live, Love and Travel to create incredible memories that will last a lifetime!