SOUTH DAKOTA: THE MOUNT RUSHMORE STATE
BY CLAY
LARROY
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The article below offers an enchanting viewpoint on South Dakota.
Visiting South Dakota on Your Next Road Trip
Picture high mountains and low prairies, big
rivers, waterfalls, dark hills and clear streams, spruce forests, ridges,
canyons, and caves. You'll find they're all bundled together in one rambling,
rolling package called South Dakota.
In western South Dakota, in a setting of the Black
Hills, Badlands, and blue lakes, Keystone's Mount Rushmore National Memorial is
a blend of history with nature. Rushmore stands tall and proud as a geologic
tribute to America's enduring strength and commitment to freedom. The
60-foot-high faces of Presidents Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt and Lincoln
are immortalized on a granite mountainside in the heart of the Black Hills.
These stunning images were produced by the solid determination and colossal
efforts of sculptor, Gutzon Borglum and his Depression-era crew of 400 miners.
Today's visitors can walk among state banners on Avenue of the Flags where
they'll survey park sights from the museum rooftop's Grand View Terrace. The
Presidential Trail, a fully accessible footpath and boardwalk, provides the
finest perspectives of the four monumental faces.
Custer State Park is also found in western South
Dakota, just outside the town of the same name. This Black Hills park is
unique, from the 7,000-foot high Harney Peak, you can hike to the banks of
French Creek where Custer and company first encountered gold in the 1870s. Rock
climbers, equestrians, and mountain bikers find their own brand of fun at
Custer. Visitors can catch a big fish for supper or rustle up some tasty grub
at the park's Chuck Wagon Cookouts. Those who want to expand their horizons can
board a Jeep tour in search of the park's free-roaming buffalo herd. Guests
who'd like to participate in Custer's ranger-led activities attend gold-panning
sessions, campfire meetings and outdoor cooking classes.
Another of South Dakota's western area wonders is
Badlands National Park. This territory includes Sioux Ghost Dance sites from
the late 1800s and encompasses 244,000 acres of abrupt canyons, spires, spiked
ledges and ravines that, through erosion, have been dramatically reformed into
unearthly shapes, sizes and hues. Select areas of this otherworldly-looking
preserve are co-managed by the National Park Service and the Oglala Sioux
Tribe. Along the Badlands' grassy prairie, striped skunks, bighorn sheep, tundra
swans, whooping cranes, and rare black-footed ferrets find a home range. Hikers
can get better acquainted with the park by walking the Fossil Exhibit or Cliff
Shelf Nature Trails. For their part, RV travelers take the side trip off
Badlands Loop Road, a State Scenic Byway, to investigate Roberts Prairie Dog
Town.
Near Yankton, in the southeastern region,
eco-tourists enjoy natural perks at the Missouri River's Lewis and Clark State
Recreation Area. Here, water sports rule, with swimming, boating, fishing and
water skiing all on the agenda. As one of South Dakota's most visited
recreation areas, this park boasts designated swimming and water skiing beaches
with miles of sandy shores, a pool and marina plus ramps and launches for
watercraft owners. Lewis and Clark's landlubbers enjoy a good variety of hiking
and horse paths, paved bike trails, an archery range and delightful picnic
areas.
Woodall's Campground Directory is the largest and
most detailed North American Campground Directory available, with nearly 15,000
campgrounds included. Woodall's rates and inspects privately owned campgrounds
with its trusted 5W-5W rating system. Find out more about South Dakota Campgrounds.
Woodall's... We're everywhere RVers go.
REFERENCE SITES:
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