http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/South-Dakota/Black-Hills-National-Forest/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from North America , United States , South Dakota , Black Hills National Forest en-us Thu, 04 Dec 2008 22:59:05 UTC Thu, 04 Dec 2008 22:59:05 UTC We were pleasantly surprised at the beauty of the Black Hills. National forests granite mountains Mount Rushmore Crazy Horse and the stunningly beautiful Custer State Park are found along with the usual tacky tourist attractions motels campgrounds and gift shops. Everyonersquos seen photos of Mt. Rushmore but itrsquos quite a treat to visit in person and learn the story of how thi http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/South-Dakota/Black-Hills-National-Forest/blog-329005.html Day 7 We took a tour of the Black Hills today with Golden Circle Tours so that someone else could do the driving for a change. The fellow was very knowledgeable and made the trip even more interesting. There were 7 of us in total in a van so not a big group which was nice. Day 8 We toured Jewel Cave in the Black Hills. Then because I didn't see a bear in Yellowstone we drove through B http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/South-Dakota/Black-Hills-National-Forest/blog-321127.html Well we have a 9 hour drive ahead today so we get an early start. Another grey day but perfect for travelling. I try to cover up the tired bags under my eyes with makeup and Steve jokes I'll just eat my muffin while you're coloring. I call him a bad name.The park had big forest fires in the 1980's. Lodgepole pine makes up 80 percent of the trees here they are the ones that have the con http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/South-Dakota/Black-Hills-National-Forest/blog-321125.html Hello Welcome to our first official entry.First 3 days were driving in the rain. We didn't pick up any hitchhikers so there isn't much to type about. We arrived in South Dakota the end of the 3rd day. Day 4 the 14th we stopped in the 1880 town. Apparently it's a shrine to Dances with Wolves and there were a lot of movie propsreferences that we didn't get. Then we stopped in Badlands N.P. The s http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/South-Dakota/Black-Hills-National-Forest/blog-313231.html Today we went through the Badlands National Park and hiked many really cool paths around rattle snake country looking for animals and great views. I brought along the Flip Video camera and edited a short movie. Check it outAfter the Badlands we headed for world famous Wall Drug. Yes we got the free ice water and checked out all the wonderful eats and souvenir stores but I didn't buy anything th http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/South-Dakota/Black-Hills-National-Forest/blog-311113.html We left Devils Tower and drove to the Black Hills of SD. We tayed at the beautiful Rafter J ranch. We went to Mt. Rushmore Custer National Park Wind Cave National Park and drove the Needles Highway. For the kids we went to Reptil garden and rode the 1880's train from Hill City to Keystone. http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/South-Dakota/Black-Hills-National-Forest/blog-311074.html Some photos I took of the very beautiful Custer State Park. Located south of Mount Rushmore and home to Lake Sylvan Cathedral Spires and the Needle's Eye. http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/South-Dakota/Black-Hills-National-Forest/blog-308071.html We started off the day with horseback riding at the Rafter J Ranch thanks again to the Grimes for recommending this campground...it is great. Emma Rachel and I went...they didn't have enough horses for Shawn to go so he stayed back. Rachel didn't want to wear a helmet because it would mess up her hair. However I kept having visions of Christopher Reeve so I made her wear it. It was a nice http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/South-Dakota/Black-Hills-National-Forest/blog-306918.html Whilst heading into the Black Hills of Dakota we decided to visit Mount Rushmore The Crazy Horse Memorial Bedrock and Four Mile Town. Black Hills National ForestThe Black Hills area has a rich diverse cultural heritage. Archaeological evidence suggests the earliest known use of the area occurred about 10000 years ago. Later Native Americans such as the Arapaho Cheyenne Kiowa and Lakota http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/South-Dakota/Black-Hills-National-Forest/blog-303908.html We stayed at the 15th largest campground in the world played a few rounds of minigolf made tiedye shirts and never walked the whole thing. We should have rented a golf cart. http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/South-Dakota/Black-Hills-National-Forest/blog-297478.html On Sunday we went around the Black Hills area. We did two hikes both Griswald style and then went to the SD Air and Space Museum and a Cowboy dinner and show. Then we spent the night in the RV with a thunderstorm watching National Treasure 2. http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/South-Dakota/Black-Hills-National-Forest/blog-296712.html Here are some photos from the Mt. Rushmore Area. http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/South-Dakota/Black-Hills-National-Forest/blog-296567.html We took a beautiful old highway 44 west through the Badlands and Buffalo Prairie on our way to Mt. Rushmore. http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/South-Dakota/Black-Hills-National-Forest/blog-296562.html Road trip.While in Memphis we realised that were travelling across America faster than we had intended. We were also feeling frustrated with being limited only to the cities that the Greyhound buses visited and then being restricted by poor public transport. It was time to get a car and go on a road trip.One of the places we had both wanted to see in America was Mount Rushmore. We consulted our ma http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/South-Dakota/Black-Hills-National-Forest/blog-287070.html You wouldn't think there is a whole lot to do in South Dakota near Rapid City but I could have spent a lot of time exploring the area. On my way to Mt. Rushmore I decided to stop at Bear Country USA. Bear Country is a privately owned wildlife area that you can drive through viewing all kinds of wildlife. There were elk reindeer mountain goats arctic wolves mountain lions and brown bears http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/South-Dakota/Black-Hills-National-Forest/blog-214821.html Obfuscator writes We awoke after a fairly restless night at Ayres Natural Bridges and took the opportunity to once again survey the park. We were hoping to find some better pictures given better lighting conditions but we found that the morning's lighting was about as unfavorable as the evening's had been just on the other side. Still we met a nice old couple from Iowa who were visiting an http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/South-Dakota/Black-Hills-National-Forest/blog-210239.html Hello We had our 1st real leisurely morning as Mass at Rose of Lima is only at 10 am. It was a pretty all wood church and had a very nice liturgy. We drove the short distance to Mt. Rushmore Natl Monument. It is quite spectacular with facial features and considerable detail. No dogs allowed so Timmy stayed in the motorhome and slept as he has been prone do doing. He loves traveling but the l http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/South-Dakota/Black-Hills-National-Forest/blog-204963.html After Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks Shazza and I headed north through the Big Horn Mountains which were covered in the smoke haze from the ongoing forest fires. We took a detour west to visit the Battle of Little Bighorn National Memorial better known as Custer's Last Stand. It was where up to 2000 Sioux warriors defeated the U.S. 7th Cavalry and killed close to 300 soldiers and http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/South-Dakota/Black-Hills-National-Forest/blog-195976.html We had quite a light show during the night. The lightning lit up the night sky from all directions most of the night. The thunder was only severe for a short period and it rained periodically enough to get every thing soaked including our sleeping bag. Our campsite there was very scenic.We drove through the west end of the Badlands National Park and saw some wildlife inclusing two buffalos. http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/South-Dakota/Black-Hills-National-Forest/blog-194868.html The journey out of North Dakota to Rapid City was LONG Unlike North Dakota and Montana there is not much variation in the scenery and the landscape is very boring. A lot of scrub grass the occasional herd of cows and scattered groups of deer. Approaching Rapid City however I started to climb and the scenery started to change lots more treesmdashlots more Upon arrival here at Shadows o http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/South-Dakota/Black-Hills-National-Forest/blog-194241.html An action packed day All three sights are close to Sturgis and Rapid City where we stayed yet again with a kind and generous relative. The Mount Rushmore carvings were begun in 1927 and finished in 1941 and represent four of Americarsquos most famous presidents George Washington Thomas Jefferson Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln the jury is out as to whether current president Ge http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/South-Dakota/Black-Hills-National-Forest/blog-191459.html Winding our way up the Peter Norbeck Scenic Highway Andras is the first to spot the monument in the distance. With our windows rolled down we let the comforting scent of pine drift on in our way. The Black Hills appeared suddenly out of the grasslands as increasing precipitation supported the growth of more biomass now in the form of douglas fir and ponderosa pine. Andras says it smells like http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/South-Dakota/Black-Hills-National-Forest/blog-190068.html The Black Hills have so much to explore. As someone who loves waterfalls I had heard about Thunderhead Falls which was supposedly an underground waterfall. Figured it was worthy of a stop to see exactly what this could be. The Falls are located on one of the northern routes to the Black Hills. They are located inside a gold mine. You climb a few stairs walk and walk through a long tunnel to see t http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/South-Dakota/Black-Hills-National-Forest/blog-186615.html Before heading back to North Dakota I decided to visit Wind Cave National Park. I have toured a few caves in my life including Jewel Cave National Monument which is also located in the Black Hills but hadn't ever stopped at the Wind Cave. It was a blistering hot day so I only wanted to do site seeing which involved cool places. So...a cave was the spot to be Wind Cave is a very unique type of http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/South-Dakota/Black-Hills-National-Forest/blog-186584.html As you may know we Boutelle's are very organized and quick. OK so that is a big exaggeration. We needed to move our campsite at Rafter J Bar resort and it took us almost 3 hours. Sigh. Someday we will either move more quickly or I will adjust my expectations probably the latter. We did end up with totally cool neighbors named Michael and Alana from Oregon were staying in a camper van li http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/South-Dakota/Black-Hills-National-Forest/blog-186456.html July 25th 2007We have decided that we love the Black Hills and if we knew it was here we would have been here sooner. The rolling hills the pine trees the quaint towns make this a really cool place to visit. We are staying here until the 27th then onto Cody Wyoming and then Yellowstone.We are staying at the Rafter J Bar resort. This has got to be one of the best campsites we have ever sta http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/South-Dakota/Black-Hills-National-Forest/blog-185806.html The last time I was at Mt. Rushmore a couple years ago the sky was that lifeless light blue which looks white in pictures. My most hated kind of sky for photos. With my new Sony camera and some time when not working I was determined to get a blue skied photo of Mt. Rushmore. This week I was in Rapid City for close to two and a half days and it took me until the third day to finally get the pret http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/South-Dakota/Black-Hills-National-Forest/blog-183669.html After touring the Badlands and Wall I hightailed it over to Mount Rushmore as I had heard about some lighting ceremony they do every night. Well... I made it in time. At the memorial you walk down this aisle of flags with the monument in the background... it's all very patriotic. At night the voice of James Earl Jones he'll still always sound like Darth Vader to me relates the history of the mo http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/South-Dakota/Black-Hills-National-Forest/blog-182408.html Denver CO to Hot Springs SDThe Echterlings We're on board RoVer the agreed upon name for our RV. We came up with that name because it is a Coachman Motorhome 24ft with a Dalmation on the outside and we are roving around and RV is in rover. RoVer won out over Big Blue. The RV rental people in Denver were very nice and thorough in our orientation including a video which the kids watche http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/South-Dakota/Black-Hills-National-Forest/blog-179609.html Yesterday we were able to drive by Mt. Rushmore and stop and take pictures but because we weren't willing to park 3 miles away and hoof it up the highway we decided not to go into the park with the other 2030000 people visiting for the holiday. We got lucky today. Elliot suggested we drive by for another look and since it was early morning my early morning being 930 the park wasn't crowded. http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/South-Dakota/Black-Hills-National-Forest/blog-177463.html