Area Attractions
Mount Rushmore National Monument
23 miles
Few attractions stir the emotions of visitors the way Mount Rushmore does. Since its completion in 1941, it has joined the Statue of Liberty and the Stars & Stripes as one of America’s most inspiring symbols of democracy.
Devils Tower National Monument
110 miles
One of America's most-recognizable landforms, the awesome stone uplift of Devils Tower National Monument. The tower is a solitary, stump-shaped granite formation (laccolith) that looms above the Belle Fourche River Valley like a skyscraper in the country. The volcanic formation is steeped in Native American folklore and legend, and is popular with rock climbers eager to scale its face. A premier climb in the Black Hills, with more than 80 separate routes, the National Park Service states that every year since 1977, more than 3,000 climbers have scaled Devils Tower.
Deadwood, SD
45 miles
Fueled by gold and greed, Deadwood began as a lawless camp of get-rich prospectors and a business district comprised largely of saloons, dance halls, card parlors and bodacious bordellos. Deadwood flourished on gold mining for more than a century, but today it is well known for its rich history, legal gambling and attractions that are all related to gold, or the wild and woolly gold rush heritage of this wonderfully restored community.
Sturgis Motorcycle Rally
30 miles
One of the world's largest and oldest motorcycle gatherings, the 69th Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, August 3-9 2009. 800 plus exhibitors, shows, demo rides, concerts and much more.
Skiing & Snowboarding
50 miles
They stand tall, these two mountains just southwest of Lead-Deadwood, S.D. Up to 7,076 feet — tall enough to gather in the pure Western snows from the storm clouds blowing from Wyoming. On average, about 150 inches of snow falls at the Black Hills’ ski mountains annually. That’s about 13 feet of “white gold.” With a little luck, we’re skiing by Thanksgiving at Deer Mountain Ski Resort and nearby Terry Peak Ski Area. The snowpack continues to deepen until March or early April.
Wind Cave National Park
43 miles
Wind Cave has grown to be one of the world’s largest known caves. Currently over 127.10 miles of passages have been mapped making it the third longest cave in the U.S. and the fourth longest cave in the world. Wind Cave has few stalactites and stalagmites, but many unusual formations and a variety of minerals are found in the cave.
Jewel Cave National Monument
27 miles
Beneath the Black Hills of South Dakota is the intriguing underground world of Jewel Cave. With 141 miles of explored passageways, Jewel Cave ranks as the second longest cave in the world.
Photos Courtesy of travelsd.com and Crazy Horse Memorial.
Back to RecruitingThe Badlands
70 miles
Located in southwestern South Dakota, Badlands National Park consists of 244,000 acres of sharply eroded buttes, pinnacles and spires blended with the largest protected mixed grass prairie in the United States. It is desolation at its truest, where you can look for miles and see no sign of civilization.
Pactola Reservoir
19 miles
The mountain lake has marinas, campgrounds, picnic areas, swimming beach and Black Hills National Forest Visitor Center. Heights above the lake are dotted with vacation home rentals and B&Bs hidden among the pines.
Crazy Horse Memorial
38 miles
Equipped with only a sledge hammer, a single-jack drill bit and a box of dynamite, Boston-born sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski went to work on June 3, 1948 creating his 563 by 641-foot sculpture of an Indian man atop a spirited warhorse.
Spearfish Canyon
50 miles
Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway throngs with summertime pleasure drivers. Thousand-foot-high limestone palisades in shades of brown, pink and gray tower to the right and left of Highway 14A as it twists through the 19-mile gorge.
Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway
25 miles
The Southern Hills is laced with specially engineered, super-scenic highways. The 70-mile Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway has been named as one of the 10 Most Outstanding Byways in America.
Custer State Park
40 miles
South Dakota’s premier State Park comprises 71,000 acres famous for its bison herds, other wildlife, scenic drives, historic sites, visitor centers, fishing lakes and interpretive programs. With seven campgrounds and four unique resorts, you can plan even more time in the Park.
