Located along the Western Border of South Dakota you'll find the city of Rapid City. This area has four amazing stops that you will want to add to your bucket or travel lists. The city maybe not seem like much but it does offers plenty of things to see and do.
Your first stop should be the Badlands which is located just East of Rapid City. The rugged beauty offer geological sites that contain rich fossils beds and a mix of prairies, and a variety of wildlife from groundhogs to Bison. Sunsets along this rugged beauty are unforgettable.
The second stop is Black Hills National forest. The National Park is just located west of Rapid City has plenty to give you a true depiction of what the west looked like before the westward expansion. The the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway is a place that will carry you to your third stop.
The third stop is Mt. Rushmore. The incredible and majestic views of this area offer an amazing stop to see the figures of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln. It will leave you with an appreciation of what early founders did for this country and the sculptor who created it. John Gutzon de la Mothe Borglum to Mount Rushmore began on a homestead near Bear Lake, Idaho, where he was born in March of 1867. His father, James Borglum, had immigrated to this country from Denmark a few years earlier. Shortly after Gutzon's birth his family moved to Utah. By the time Borglum was seven they were living in Fremont, Nebraska. This pioneer to western carvings is a true hero in putting Rapid City on the map with this American wonder of the world.
The final stop is the Crazy Horse Memorial. The site is still under construction but honors the Native American and his contributions to American western society.
You will definitely leave this area of South Dakota and Rapid City with an appreciation of the Western plains and an area that has been defined by its nature and natural landscapes.
Comments