This was more than we expected. We came for a map and stayed for a half hour movie on the National…read moreGrasslands. So much wonderful information. We had already crossed the Oglala grassland and didn't understand the importance. If you have time see the free film.

Informative. Several maps and local guides available, potable water and bathrooms. A "patio talk"…read moretwice a day and upon request during this summer season, a film and please-touch gallery

+ Several exciting off-trails you can explore a lil. Just be careful, don't wander too far off…read more+ Lotta room for photo ops without anyone else in the bg. + A couple pit toilets here. + Multi-trash bins here to dump out yo basura. - Moderately crowded. Lotta people here, but a lotta space at this stop, so you're able to find your room still. + Decent amount of parking.

At this overlook we had a view above the Badlands. It was a very smelly tree here and garbage…read morereceptacles. We followed the boardwalk for a view over the Badlands. that's priceless.

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

We stopped at Mount Rushmore while driving through South Dakota, and it's an impressive site that's…read morevery well designed for visitors. The memorial is easy to navigate, with excellent viewpoints, informative exhibits, and a beautiful setting in the Black Hills. We also appreciated learning more about the history of the area. Knowing that the mountain was considered sacred by the Lakota people before it was carved gave us mixed feelings and added important historical context to the visit. If you have the opportunity, be sure to watch the short film in the visitor center. It does a great job explaining the history, construction, and significance of the monument, and it made our visit much more meaningful. Overall, it's a worthwhile stop, especially if you're traveling through the region.

Great place, free parking, free entrance, nice displays. You can get a guided tour to go see one of…read morethe missile control facilities that you have to drive to or one of the missile silos, you also would have to drive there. It's at the eastern exit for the entrance to Badlands national Park. I remember when this visitor center was in a trailer house next to the gas station there. This is a beautiful facility. Scary history, but necessary to remember it.

+ Nice free war history museum (and show). + Good amount of…read moreparking, - but no shade in that windy desert heat. + Restrooms and water bottle refill station. + Nice, helpful staff. - Crowded inside. . Popular place for schoolchildren's field trips. - While I was using the men's restroom, the boys turned off the light. I didn't like that.

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.

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.

Well done! Very informative displays and easy to navigate. QR codes at each site play a narrative…read moreof what you are looking at during the self guided tour. Takes about 1-2 hours to see everything. Gift shop is okay and there is a snack shack out front selling hotdogs/hamburgers/ chicken strips and nachos. I would highly recommend stopping by The Mammoth Site if you are in the area.

This is a fascinating museum built around a prehistoric sinkhole that trapped numerous mammoths and…read moreother Ice Age animals over thousands of years. Everything is indoors, allowing you to walk around the excavation site and see the bones exactly where they were discovered, which makes for a truly unique experience. One of the highlights is watching active paleontologists working on the dig while you visit, giving you a firsthand look at real scientific research in progress. The museum itself is also excellent, with engaging exhibits that explain the site's history, the fossils, and the science behind the excavation. It was a fun and educational way to spend half a day, and we would highly recommend it to anyone interested in dinosaurs, fossils, or natural history.

Visiting the Crazy Horse Memorial was one of the highlights of our trip to South Dakota. While the…read moremountain itself is absolutely impressive, what made this experience truly special was learning the incredible history and vision behind it. We stopped to watch the documentary before exploring, and I'm so glad we did. It not only explained the history of the memorial and why it was created, but also introduced us to the Ziolkowski family and the multiple generations who have dedicated their lives to carrying this dream forward. Their commitment, sacrifice, and passion are inspiring and gave us an entirely new appreciation for everything we were seeing. There is so much to experience beyond the monument itself. The grounds feature several souvenir shops, museums, a spacious restaurant/café, and a convenient grab-and-go snack area, making it easy to spend several hours exploring. One of my favorite parts was watching the Native American cultural performance. Native women and girls performed beautiful traditional dances representing different tribes and ceremonies while explaining the meaning, history, and purpose behind each dance. It added a rich cultural dimension to the visit and made the experience even more meaningful. Walking through the sculptor's original home and studio was fascinating. It truly felt like stepping back in time. Standing in the very rooms where the family once lived and worked gave us a genuine appreciation for the dedication and humble beginnings behind this monumental project. The Native American artwork and exhibits throughout the visitor center were also beautiful and well worth taking your time to enjoy. Watching the mountain being carved while learning about the engineering, the progress made over the decades, and the enormous commitment required to complete such an ambitious project was remarkable. It really makes you appreciate the scale of what they're accomplishing. If I had one small suggestion, it would be that I wish the visitor facilities were located closer to the mountain itself. The main lodge and museum are set back quite a distance, so if you want a close-up view, you'll either need to take the bus tour or use the viewing binoculars. That said, it certainly didn't take away from the experience. This was a destination I had been looking forward to visiting for a long time, and it absolutely lived up to my expectations. If you appreciate history, Native American culture, art, engineering, or simply witnessing an extraordinary vision being carried on through generations, the Crazy Horse Memorial is a place you shouldn't miss.

+ 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.

A temporarily placed statue of Pres. Lincoln outside the Hotel Alex Johnson, Don Perdue came up…read morewith the idea to put a life-sized statue of every U.S. President on the sidewalks of Downtown Rapid City. Each statue is privately funded, then a local artists is selected . They research the president ; learning their passions, hobbies & achievements during their presidency. Well known mannerisms or characteristics are incorporated. This information helps to decide on the pose, facial expression, clothing, and all the amazingly tiny details found on each statue. After they have their concept the sculpting work can begin. It can take up to 9 months for each statue to be created. All the statues match the height & weight of the president except one. Pres. Taft's statue was trimmed down from his actual weight to make the monument affordable. A new audio tour allows us to get to know each as people, not just presidents. We can now dial in or scan the QR code found in the brochure to read along. The audio will even point out those tiny details the artist added info we might overlook.

We were in the area for Mount Rushmore, and were looking for other historic things to do/see. The…read moreFounding Fathers exhibit is really a unique experience. Being able to walk around a display with that kind of detail is impressive. I just wish that there was a bit more included in the price. It is $12 per person (discounts for large families/groups). This price includes a light and audio show (about 20 min) of a life size replica of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. For $30 per person, you get to see the show and shoot 3 shots from a musket at the range out back. The light and audio show was a pretty standard museum type explanation of the events surrounding the Declaration of Independence and the people involved. It's well done and fun to look at. They have information around the room to look at afterwards that gives you a background of all the people mentioned. The stories on them are worth taking a few minutes to read and was probably my favorite part. We really just didnt get enough out of it to make it worth the stop, especially for the price. We were in and out of there in less than an hour. We loved the idea of being able to shoot the replica guns out back and it would have been a fun way to complete the experience, but for $30 each it just didn't make sense. I'm glad we checked it out, but its needs a bit more included to make the detour worth it.