A timelapse of driving through Custer State Park in South Dakota, one of our all-time favorite parks.
exploring
Attractions and other places we visit.
Custer State Park
Perhaps our all-time favorite state park (so far) is Custer State Park in the Black Hills of South Dakota.
A map:
Tunnel:
We had lunch at Sylvan Lake, then did an impromptu hike around the lake:
Sylvan Lake:
GIF of a hidden waterfall behind the lake:
Another tunnel:
Bison Center:
Wildlife Station Visitor Center:
Bison:
Pronghorn:
Prairie dog:
Visitor Center:
“Bison Poo” snack:
The Needles Eye:
Cathedral Spires Trail hike:
Legion Lake Trail hike:
A most excellent park.
Wind Cave National Park
We visited Wind Cave National Park a few times. Unfortunately the caves themselves were closed because the elevator was out of order, so we weren’t able see them, but the surface was still enjoyable, with bison, hikes, and more.
Map:
Entrance sign:
Bison:
Visitor center:
Cave map:
Bison:
Loop road:
We went for a hike on Rankin Ridge Trail:
Lookout tower:
A bison strolling along next to the road:
One-lane bridge:
We’ll have to visit again to see the caves!
Video: Badlands National Park timelapse
A series of clips of timelapse video from my 360 camera as we explored Badlands National Park.
Wall Drug
Near Badlands National Park is the town of Wall, South Dakota, and a famous roadside tourist attraction called Wall Drug Store, or simply Wall Drug. (Wikipedia.)
Billboards along I-90:
Map:
We had lunch in the cafe:
A special gravy-smothered sandwich:
The “backyard”:
Their first attraction, free ice water:
Cheesetastic.
Minuteman Missile National Historic Site
“World-wide delivery in 30 minutes or less, or your next one is free.”
The Minuteman Missile National Historic Site features a visitor center, Delta-01 missile control center, and Delta-09 missile silo of the Minuteman II nuclear missile system.
Visitor Center:
We did a ranger-guided tour of the Delta-01 Launch Control Center (which requires an advance reservation):
A small elevator down:
A big door:
A video of a simulated missile launch:
Delta-09 Missile Silo:
Badlands National Park
We visited Badlands National Park several times while staying nearby. Badlands was good lands; we enjoyed exploring the park.
Here’s a map; most of the scenic stuff is in the North Unit:
An interactive map:
Relief map in the visitor center:
Exhibits in visitor center:
Pressed penny:
Badlands:
The Stronghold Unit visitor center:
Back to the North Unit:
RVers camping on the top of the wall:
Big horn sheep:
Cows on the road:
We enjoyed the badlands.
Mount Rushmore National Memorial
Mount Rushmore National Memorial is one of the most famous monuments in the country, though with some problematic history.
George Washington, First President of the United States:
Thomas Jefferson, Third President of the United States:
Theodore Roosevelt, 26th President of the United States:
Abraham Lincoln, 16th President of the United States:
Exhibit Hall:
Profile View:
Crazy Horse Memorial
A massive monument in South Dakota is the Crazy Horse Memorial, a mountain-sized monument to an American Indian war leader named Crazy Horse. The monument was started by one guy in 1948, and is far from completion. Official website.
The Welcome Center:
A model of the planned finished product:
Compare the model to the current state:
Progress pictures:
The artists studio:
Progress pictures:
Model:
Another look at the current state:
Jewel Cave National Monument
We did a ranger-guided tour of Jewel Cave National Monument in South Dakota.
Jenn getting her park passport stamp:
A map of the explored portions of the cave; it’s massive:
Exhibits:
Gift store:
Elevators to head down into the cave:
The jewels of Jewel Cave:
Lots of stairs:
Cave bacon:
Lots and lots of stairs:
Everyone needed to walk through a White Nose Syndrome mat when exiting:
