Fairfield Inn & Suites - Rapid City

You must drive up to Mt...

by ANIMAL_LOVER

You must drive up to Mt Rushmore and see the Presidents faces etched on the side of a mountain that was carved by primative means, no power tools on any kind were used just chissels and picks, which was done many decades ago. There are many things to keep you busy in and around Rapid City. Some of my favorites are the Reptile Gardens which takes many hours to see all the animals there. Not just reptiles are there they have exotic birds which put on a demonstration , as well as lots of exhibits such as the tropical rain forest which you can walk through at your leasure and see wildlife moving freely while you walk through the area. The closest thing in this area to the rain forrest. Also they have domestic animals there which you can go into the petting zoo for hands on petting. It took us over 5 hours to go through the whole Reptile Gardens and see all that was there to see. It is lots of fun for kids as well as adults alike.

Badlands National Park

by Hopkid

Well it's not exactly in Rapid City as the main Visitor's Center is near the east entrance which is about 1.5 hours east of Rapid. But the drive is definitely worth it to see the strange geologic formations that make up the boundary between the upper and lower prairie in this area. The variation in the colors of the layers in the formations are spectacular.

Definitely take the 30-mile Badlands Loop Scenic Byway and stop at the numerous overlooks. Also take one or more of the hiking trails that originate at some of these overlooks. While gawking at the scenery, try to image what it must have been like for settlers in early 19th century when they came across these formations.

Visiting the Lakota

by wolf1964

"Going to a Pow wow"

The Lakota were one of the last tribes of the first Nations to be imprisoned on reservations by the americans.

The people are welcoming and friendly. Accomodation on the smaller reservations is down to what you carry on your back - ie a tent. There were two camp sites near the Porcupine reservation that offered cheap camping (around $5 a night in 2003). The Powwow was held at Porcupine and the atmoshpere was amazing. The drumming and chanting and the light of night fires was mesmerising.

Wounded Knee memorial is just a little way down the road form the rez. The site was initially recored as the battle of wounded Knee until the truth came out. On 29 Dec 1890, 500 troops of the US 7th cavalry massacred 300 Lakota men, women and children. Around 150 Lakota were believed to have escaped and perished in the cold, dying of exposure.

There is a high level of poverty in the area. As with nearly all of the first Nations that I have heard of, any young that survived were forced to embrace christianity and forbidden to speak their given names, their language or follow their customs and live by their culture.

It's only relatively recently that Lakota children have been taught the ways of their people again.

Pinewood Reservation is further down the road and the biggest Lakota Rez I went to. I was honoured to have shared some food with elders that Aunt winfred Janis had introduced me to.

I was then shown the Black Hills area by Ernie LaPoint, a relative of Chief Tatanka Yotanka, and his lovely wife (thanks guys:))

Rapid City, SD, is your way to the area by private cab. I think it cost me about $160 to get the ride. If you want to explore the area, Badlands, Black Hills, other reservations etc - I'd hire a car as part of your flight package.