The beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota covers an area of about 6000 square miles and is surrounded by the vast Northern Plains. It boasts of rugged wilderness, beautiful vistas, grand meadows and the Black Hills National Forest. In the Hills area you will find 6 national parks, 101 miles of national scenic byways, 115 miles of well- groomed recreational trails and 18 peaks that are over 7,000 feet in elevation. Fill your senses with the grandeur of the forest, beautiful vistas, meadows, waterfalls, wandering wildlife and streams that empty into the many pristine lakes that are scattered throughout the Hills.

The Black Hills also offers endless opportunities for the adventurer. There is easy access for the campers, hikers, bikers, skiers and snowmobilers to the areas in the Hills to have fun and enjoy the beauty of their surroundings. The infamous Sturgis Motorcycle Rally also takes place here and draws thousands of older and new motorcycles to Sturgis in August for a Black Hills experience that they will never forget.

The Old West comes alive in the Black Hills with legends of Custer, Crazy Horse, Sitting Bull, Wild Bill Hickok, Calamity Jane, Jim Bridger, Jedediah Smith and Native American heritage. You can see history of prehistoric mammoths and dinosaurs or try your hand at gold panning or gambling or enjoy fishing and watching the large herds of buffalo, elk, wild mustangs, burros, and mountain sheep that make the Black Hills their home.

Rapid City is at the foot of the Black Hills and has a wealth of industries and one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country. It is centrally located to several national parks, historic sites and monuments – the most famous being Mount Rushmore National Memorial, with its marble carvings of 4 great Presidents and known all over the world for its dedication to hope, dreams, will and determination of a nation.

Rapid City is also known as the City of Presidents because of the life size bronze statues to honor our past presidents that line the downtown streets and sidewalks. There are many fun attractions including Dinosaur Park, Storybook Island, Bear Country, Reptile Gardens and huge indoor and outdoor water parks just to name a few. Rapid City is also the home of Ellsworth Air Force Base and the South Dakota Air and Space Museum.

When you come to visit the Hills, be sure to check out also the Badlands National Park with its deep gorges and sharp lunar-like spires. The Park has 244,000 acres of buttes, pinnacles and spires and the largest protected mixed grass prairie in the United States.