Black Hills

We arrived at Sheridan Lake on Monday evening, July 25. 

On Tuesday, we spent the morning at the library in Hill City, then took the Needles Highway to Custer State Park, where we stopped at the visitor center and drive the wildlife loop. Found lots of bison.

On Wednesday we went to Lead and Deadwood. In Lead we visited the Sanford Lab Homestake Visitor Center. The Homestake Mine is a huge underground gold mine with shafts up to a mile deep. It is no longer used for mining but several of the underground tunnels are now used for the study of neutrinos. Then we went to Deadwood, which was a bit disappointing. Mostly casinos. We did spend the evening at the Days of 76 Rodeo which was a lot of fun.

On Thursday we went to the Crazy Horse Memorial. Then back to Custer State Park for a Buffalo Safari and a chick wagon cookout.

Friday we drove to Sylvan Lake where Donna Sue and I hiked around the lake and I tacked on the Sunday Gulch Trail. After that we drove by Mount Rushmore and up and down the Iron Mountain Highway. The Iron Mountain Highway is a very interesting road with several 270 degree turns where you drove over or under the road you just drive on, as well as several tunnels which are specifically oriented so you see Mount Rushmore as you drive through the tunnel.

Here is a link to a Google Photos album of you want to see some of the videos of the rodeo and the drive on Iron Mountain.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/qPrcb2pph1oqhQV88


Comments

  1. Ted MarcyAugust 25, 2022 at 4:13 AM

    The Black Hills look more inviting to me than the Badlands, having been to neither and if forced to decide which to go to (we are not going to attempt your odyssey). Thanks for including photos of the other "wildlife" (rodeo). Looks like a great place to hike.

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