SOUTH DAKOTA: THE MOUNT RUSHMORE STATE
BY CLAY
LARROY
Regardless
of whether you are
traveling to a nearby location for the weekend or taking a
week-long destination vacation, you are always going to benefit from some tips
and ideas on how to make the whole process, more fun and less stressful. Take
time each day to alleviate stress while traveling or
vacationing and you will thank yourself for it when you get back home. With all
the chaos, jet-lag, partying and other excitement of travel comes a whole lot
of stress on your mind and body. By the time most vacations are over, another
one is needed to recover so taking a few minutes each day to rejuvenate will
make it easier for you to resume your normal life when it's all over. When you want to
plan a vacation contact me!
South
Dakota Travel Guide
Shhh, don't tell anyone, but South Dakota is something of a
Midwest secret. A land of windswept prairies, pioneer towns, dramatic badlands
and four gigantic presidents, the state has much to offer – but it doesn't like
to shout about it.
The Black Hills are South
Dakota's crowning glory, boasting a cluster of national parks, monuments and
memorials. The most famous among them is Mount Rushmore National Memorial,
where the faces of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and
Abraham Lincoln have been blasted and carved out of the mountain.
Equally curious is the
Crazy Horse Memorial, which will be the world's largest mountain sculpture when
completed. The 22-storey statue features Crazy Horse – a Native American war
leader – riding a stallion and pointing into the distance. Work began in 1948
and the finish date is unknown.
If you want to shake off
snap-happy tour groups, then trek among stripy canyons, spires and ragged
buttes in Badlands National Park, home to bison, bighorn sheep and prairie dogs
(alive and well), as well as sabre-toothed cats, ancient rhinos and three-toed
horses (dead and fossilized).
Duck beneath the prairie
and admire the intricate honeycomb formations in Wind Cave, one of the world's
longest caves. Or get a feel for US-Soviet Cold War tensions at Minuteman
Missile, where a flick of a switch could have launched WWIII.
Slicing through the middle
of the state, the Missouri River lures hikers, bikers, kayakers and anglers,
who hook walleye, pike and perch. South Dakota is a big hunting spot too. Book
a table in Sioux Falls, the state's largest city, and gourmet game is likely to
top the menu.
Things
to see and do in South Dakota
Badlands National Park
Marvel at the scenery of
Badlands National Park (www.nps.gov/badl), 98,785 hectares (244,000 acres)
of striking rock formations including steep canyons, jagged spires, bands of colorful
rocks and mixed-grass prairies. Camping grounds and cabins are available to
visitors.
Black Hills
Discover the natural
beauty of the Black Hills and Wind Cave National Park, then see the annual
Buffalo Roundup in Custer State Park (www.sdgfp.info),
when cowboys bring in a thundering herd of 1,500 bison.
Crazy Horse Memorial
Visit the Crazy Horse
Memorial (www.crazyhorse.org) in the Black Hills, the largest
mountain carving in the world. It has been a work in progress since 1948, and
is a memorial to the spirit of Lakota chief Crazy Horse.
Fort Pierre
Discover the real Wild
West across the Missouri River in Fort Pierre (www.fortpierre.com),
South Dakota's capital. Follow the trail of explorers Lewis and Clark, see
rodeo riders in action, visit the South Dakota Cultural Heritage Center or go
hunting and fishing.
Get soaked
Dip in the waters of Evans
Plunge Indoor Water Park, soaking in the hot springs once jealously guarded by
Indians of the Black Hills.
Jewel Cave National Monument
Explore Jewel Cave
National Monument near Custer, the second-longest cave in the world with 226km
(141 miles) of tunnels. Lantern tours are offered in summer (www.nps.gov/jeca).
Mount Rushmore
Gaze up in awe at four
former presidents carved into the face of Mount Rushmore. Work began on this massive 'Shrine
of Democracy' in 1927 and took 14 years to complete (website: www.nps.gov/moru).
Sioux Falls
Visit Sioux Falls (website: www.siouxfalls.com)
and see the same waterfalls that drew buffalo hunters and early fur traders.
Catch up on history at various museums and historical sites,
including the Center for Western Studies, the Old Courthouse Museum, St
Joseph's Cathedral and the Washington Pavilion of Arts and Science.
Tour an active dig
Visit the Mammoth Site (www.mammothsite.com),
and tour an active dig to see bones and fossils of Woolly Mammoths and other
Ice Age creatures.
Woolly Mammoths
and hot springs
Dip in the waters of Evans
Plunge Indoor Water Park, soaking in the hot springs once jealously guarded by
Indians of the Black Hills. Visit the Mammoth Site (www.mammothsite.com),
and tour an active dig to see bones and fossils of Woolly Mammoths and other
Ice Age creatures.
REFERENCE SITES:
I learned more about the
economy from one South Dakota dust storm that I did in all my years of college.
Hubert H. Humphrey
Travel to experience life and create amazing memories!
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