This sample itinerary is best August 11 through October19 however other dates and activities can be accommodated.
Day One
| 10 – 12:00 pm | Start off the morning in Belle Fourche, SD at the Geographic Center of the Nation Monument. Designed by a local artist and created from South Dakota granite, the compass rose design measures over 21-foot across. Nearby is the historic Johnny Spaulding Cabin, which was built in 1876 and is furnished with period artifacts. Permanent museum exhibits at the adjacent Tri-State Museum highlight the story of the old west in the tri-state area. |
| 10 – 12:00 pm | Start off the morning in Belle Fourche, SD at the Geographic Center of the Nation Monument. Designed by a local artist and created from South Dakota granite, the compass rose design measures over 21-foot across. Nearby is the historic Johnny Spaulding Cabin, which was built in 1876 and is furnished with period artifacts. Permanent museum exhibits at the adjacent Tri-State Museum highlight the story of the old west in the tri-state area. |
| 12:00 – 1:30 pm | Enjoy lunch at one of our many eating establishments. From soups and salads to heartier fare like our famous “Rancher Tips,” we have something for everyone. Rather have a picnic? We can arrange to have a meal catered or grill buffalo burgers, featuring locally raised product. |
| 1:30 – 3:00 pm | Stroll our historic downtown area and take in our many antique and specialty shops along the way. Watch Jack create handmade cowboy hats the old fashioned way on 100-year-old hat blocks. Don’t want to walk? We can arrange for horse drawn wagons to take you through the downtown founded by Seth Bullock. A step-on guide will bring the exciting past of Belle Fourche back to life for everyone to enjoy. |
| 3:00 – 5:00 pm | It’s time to journey 17 miles over to Aladdin, Wyoming, home of the legendary 116-year-old Aladdin General Store. Going to Aladdin is like stepping back in time. Life is a little slower and people are scarce but the air is cleaner and the water tastes colder. The best homemade pie you have ever eaten is waiting. Mosey upstairs to the Antique Attic or hike around the old “Coal Tipple.” |
| 5:30 – 6:30 pm | It’s time to check into your room. Unpack, freshen up and get ready to enjoy the evening’s activities. |
| 6:30 – 10:00pm | We’re off to dinner at one of our local restaurants and then the evening’s activity is your choice. From gaming in nearby Deadwood to spending time with real rodeo personalities, like four-time PRCA world champion Marvin Garrett, you have options on how you would like to spend your evening. |
For more information or to customize this tour for your group contact Teresa at the Belle Fourche Chamber of Commerce. 1-888-345-5859 or [email protected]
Black Hills Itinerary
If you have only one day to spend in the Black Hills Badlands area, you will need to decide on an area of the hills to visit. The areas to consider are:
The Central Black Hills Area
You will be in the heart of the highest US mountain range east of the Rocky Mountains. You can view one of the world’s greatest monuments, Mount Rushmore National Memorial, experience the monumental sculpture-in-progress, Crazy Horse Memorial, marvel at the outdoor cathedral of the towering granite spires along the Needles Highway, drive through the Needle’s Eye and tunnels framing Mount Rushmore, then twist your way through the pig tail bridges on Iron Mountain Road. Some other attractions to visit are:
- 1880 Train
- Cosmos
- Rushmore Borglum Story
- National Presidents Wax Museum
- Presidents Slide at Rushmore Tramway
- Big Thunder Gold Mine
- Sitting Bull Caverns
- Beautiful Rushmore Cave
- Flintstones
- Heritage Village
- Prairie Berry Winery
Southern Hills Area
Nationally known Wind Cave National Park, Jewel Cave National Monument and scenic Custer State Park are on the agenda. You will have the opportunity to go deep underground through a maze of delicate and colorful crystal formations and through the beauty of one of the nation’s famed state parks. Your trip will include the park’s drive-through wildlife loop, home of one of America’s largest wild buffalo herds; begging burros and a variety of other wildlife, as well as the historic State Game Lodge, summer homes for Presidents Coolidge and Eisenhower. Venturing farther south, you will come upon one of the richest archaeological finds in recent years near Hot Springs. Also included in the Southern Hills Area are:
- Black Hills Putt4Fun
- Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary
- Trail Rides and Chuckwagon Cookouts at Blue Bell Lodge
- Buffalo Jeep Safari
- Black Hills Playhouse
- Evans Plunge
- The Mammoth Site
Northern Hills Area
When you tour the northern Black Hills, an area synonymous with great stories of the gold rush and old west, you will visit the haunts of such legendary figures as Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane, as well as many other locations in the gaming town of Deadwood, a National Historic Landmark. You can take in the breathtaking beauty of Spearfish Canyon, with its towering cliffs, sparkling mountain streams and cascading waterfalls. Visit the communities of Spearfish, Belle Fourche, the Geographic Center of the Nation; Sturgis, home of the famed Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, and Lead, site of Homestake Gold Mine, the largest and deepest gold mine in the western hemisphere before it closed in 2001, and is now a deep underground science lab. You will have the opportunity to visit the Black Hills National Cemetery and Bear Butte State Park. While in this area, be sure to visit:
- Petrified Forest of the Black Hills
- Presidents Park
- Tatanka: Story of the Bison
- Terry Peak Ski Area
- Western Heritage Center.
Badlands Area
This tour takes you to a moonscape on earth. You will witness a stunning example of geological variety: Jagged cliffs, deep canyons and sharp buttes, formed by relentless forces of nature. Enjoy park trails; explore the limitless back country by hiking or backpacking; join ranger led programs or visit the “Big Pig Dig.” Just east of the Badlands is the Minuteman Missile Silo National Historic Site, created to illustrate the history of the Cold War, the arms race, and intercontinental ballistic missile development. South of the Badlands you will find Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, where you can experience Native American culture. Make sure you visit the Community of Wall, home of the world’s largest drug store, Wall Drug. While in the area stop at the South Dakota Air and Space Museum, South Dakota’s Original 1880 Town and Murdo’s Pioneer Auto Museum.
Rapid City
Strolling through downtown Rapid City, you will notice life-size bronze statues of our nation’s presidents standing on downtown street corners. These statues are part of the City and Historic Districts Tour. You can spend the day riding the City View Trolley. It will take you to such places as Storybook Island, the Chapel in the Hills, Cleghorn Springs Fish Hatchery, the Berlin Wall Exhibit at Memorial Park, Dahl Arts Center, The Journey Museum, the Museum of Geology and Apex Gallery, Dinosaur Park, Canyon Lake Park, the Formal Gardens and downtown. You can also visit:
- Bear Country
- Black Hills Caverns
- Mostly Chocolates
- Mt. Rushmore Black Hills Gold Factory
- Old McDonald’s Farm
- Prairie Edge Trading Co. and Galleries
- Putz-N-Glo Miniature Golf
- Reptile Gardens
- Rushmore Waterslide Park
- Sioux Pottery
- Watiki Indoor Waterpark
If you have a couple of days, or a week, to spend in our area you can just pick a different area for each day.
Custom Itinerary and Planning Assistance for Tour Operators
From local rodeo celebrities like four-time world champion bareback rider Marvin Garrett to digging dinosaur bones with a certified paleontologist, we will help you plan one-of-a-kind itineraries for your customers. We’ll make it easy for you by providing tour guides that know the area and love to talk about it’s rich history and interesting facts & tidbits.
Suggested Tour Ideas:
- Geographic Cener of the Nation Monument
- Tri-State Museum & Buckskin Johnny Spaulding Cabin
- Rodeos
- Historic Horse Drawn Wagon Tours
- Paleo-Adventure Digs
- Farm & Ranch Tours
- Buffalo Ranch Tours
- Rodeo Demonstrations & Talks with World Champions from Belle Fourche
- Bentonite Mining/Operation Tours
- Trail Rides
- Old West Lectures/Demonstrations
- And more…
For more information or to customize this tour for your group contact the Belle Fourche Chamber of Commerce. 1-888-345-5859 or [email protected]