15 Best Sights in Rapid City and the Central Black Hills, South Dakota

Designed to be the world's largest work of art (the face alone is 87 feet tall), this tribute to the spirit of the North American Native people depicts Crazy Horse, the legendary Lakota leader who helped defeat General Custer at Little Bighorn. A work in progress, thus far the warrior's head has been carved from the mountain, and the colossal head of his horse is beginning to emerge. Self-taught sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski started this memorial in 1948. After his death in 1982, his family carried on the project. Near the work site stands an exceptional orientation center, the Indian Museum of North America, and Ziolkowski's home and workshop. If you're visiting in summer, consider arriving in the evening, and stick around for the spectacular laser-light show, held nightly from Memorial Day through late September.

Although there are faster ways to get from Mount Rushmore to the southern Black Hills, this scenic drive in the Black Hills is a more stunning route. Take U.S. 16A south into Custer State Park, where bison, bighorn sheep, elk, antelope, and burros roam. Then drive north on Highway 87 through the Needles, towering granite spires that rise above the forest. Highway 87 finally brings you to U.S. 16/U.S. 385, where you head south to the Crazy Horse Memorial. Because the scenic byway is a challenging drive (with one-lane tunnels and switchbacks) and because you'll likely want to stop a few times to admire the scenery, plan on spending two to three hours on this route. Stretches of U.S. 16A and Highway 87 may close in winter.

Don a hard hat and take a guided tour through an underground gold mine, get some free gold ore samples, explore the mining museum, and do a little gold panning yourself at this authentic-looking facility built into a hillside along Battle Creek.

The small, quiet mountain town of Hill City is the gateway to Mount Rushmore. Despite having just 950 residents, the community claims four art galleries, a world-renowned dinosaur research institute, five wineries and craft breweries with tasting rooms, a vintage steam railroad, and a popular visitor center on its eastern flank.

When Korczak Ziolkowski agreed to carve Crazy Horse at the invitation of a Lakota elder, he determined that he wouldn't stop with the mountain. He wanted an educational institution to sit at the base of the mountain, complete with a center showcasing examples of Native American culture and heritage. The construction in 1972 of the Indian Museum of North America, built from wood and from stone blasted from the mountain, was the initial step in that direction. The permanent collection of paintings, clothing, photographs, and artifacts represents many of the continent's tribes. There is also a space for temporary exhibits that often showcase works by modern Native American artists.

Beginning in Deadwood and running the length of the Black Hills, the Mickelson Trail incorporates more than 100 converted railroad bridges, four tunnels, and 15 trailheads along its 109-mile-long course. Although the grade is seldom steep, parts of the trail are strenuous. A $4 day pass or $15 annual pass are available at self-service stations along the trail, some state park offices, and from the South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks. A portion of the trail is open for snowmobiling in winter.

Stalagmites, stalactites, flowstone, ribbons, columns, helictites, and the "Big Room" are all part of the worthwhile tour into this privately owned cave. In 1876, miners found the opening to the cave while digging a flume into the mountainside to carry water to the gold mines below. The cave was opened to the public in 1927, just before the carving of Mount Rushmore began. The attraction also features the Soaring Eagle Zipride, Rushmore Mountain Coaster, Wingwalker Challenge Course, and other theme-park-style activities.

The easiest way to get from Deadwood to Rapid City is east through Boulder Canyon on U.S. 14A. However, it's worth looping north and taking the long way around Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway, on this 20-mile scenic route past 1,000-foot limestone cliffs and some of the most breathtaking scenery in the region. Cascading waterfalls quench the thirst of quaking aspen, gnarled oaks, sweet-smelling spruce, and the ubiquitous ponderosa pine. The canyon is home to deer, mountain goats, porcupines, and mountain lions. Near its middle is the old sawmill town of Savoy, a jumping-off point for scenic hikes to Spearfish Falls and Roughlock Falls. In fall, changing leaves rival any found in New England.

Artifacts of regional ranchers and pioneer families are showcased in this museum's interpretive exhibits. You can see historical photos and items from the everyday life of 19th-century homesteaders, such as saddles, branding equipment, dolls, clothing, and dinnerware. The museum occupies a spacious building near the bank of the Belle Fourche River. The grounds include a relocated gold-rush cabin and a monument celebrating the Belle Fourche area's distinction as the geographic center of the United States (when Hawaii is included).