Amber’s Area Recommendations

The obvious area attractions that are available year-round are Mount Rushmore (we highly recommend the lighting ceremony at night if you have that availability); Crazy Horse, Custer State Park (especially if you are interested in seeing buffalo up close…just don’t approach them outside your vehicle) and the Badlands. Bear Country, Reptile Gardens and Cosmos are also local favorites if they are open during your stay.

Summertime fun includes all types of recreational activities ….. mountain biking or hiking via the 111-mile Centennial Trail, or “easy” bicycling / hiking via the 109-mile Mickelson Trail, four-wheeling via the extensive Black Hills ATV / UTV road system or rock climbing. The Black Hills also has an extensive lake and stream system, for leisure activities and the fishing enthusiast. There are also multiple great golf courses in the area, including Boulder Canyon Golf Course which is basically right next door.

You are in the “banana belt” of South Dakota, sheltered from the worst of winter weather by mountains. Though the popular Black Hills vacation destination can see a few snow storms in the colder months, the average temperature from November to April is 42 degrees. And it’s not unimaginable to see 60 degrees in January. Mild winter weather allows you to not only take in cozy experiences indoors, but immerse yourself in the famous landscapes in the Black Hills and the Badlands area. You can even test your skating skills at Main Street Square in Rapid City or Deadwood’s Outlaw Square.

Besides being a casino town with a ton of history, Deadwood plays host to multiple event throughout the year so be sure to check out Deadwood's website to see the event listings to see if there is anything going on while you're staying in the area. In addition, the Deadwood Mountain Grand hosts a variety of concerts throughout the year so you can look on their website to see if there is a concert you're interested in attending. Finally during the summer, there are concerts (most are free) in Rapid City (Summer nights) and Deadwood (Outlaw Square).