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Travelers find surprising contrasts in South Dakota

Let's get the obvious one out of the way first. The Mount Rushmore State's most famous tourist attraction--Mount Rushmore--is one of several in the state's west that draw visitors from all over the world. It took sculptor Gutzon Borglum 14 years,...

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Let's get the obvious one out of the way first. The Mount Rushmore State's most famous tourist attraction-Mount Rushmore-is one of several in the state's west that draw visitors from all over the world. It took sculptor Gutzon Borglum 14 years, 400 workers and a lot of dynamite to finish the monument which bears the faces of presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln. This summer, the park is celebrating 75 years since the monument was completed. A sight to behold from the highway, it's open year-round and is free to visit aside from a parking fee of $11 per vehicle, according to its website. The rest of South Dakota's 75,885 square miles is home to other equally if not more compelling attractions. South Dakota Department of Tourism Deputy Secretary Wanda Goodman said the state's variety, from the vast sprawling farmland of the east contrasted by the forested, hilly west, is a huge draw for visitors. "The variety of South Dakota can strike people and be surprising," she said. Palisades State Park Want to get a taste of the breathtaking beauty of the Black Hills without driving across the state? Located northeast of Sioux Falls, Palisades State Park offers a beautiful change in scenery in an otherwise flat part of the state. Split Rock Creek runs through the area, carving beautiful rocky bluffs and spires into the land. The park has hiking, camping and picnic areas year-round. Whether you're interested in rock climbing swimming or just taking a relaxing walk, this park is surprisingly picturesque. Fun facts: • If the mosquitoes get too thick in the heat of summer, head to Sioux Falls for Jazz Fest July 14-16. The free music festival has grown in recent years and will feature performers The Fray, Janiva Magness, Tab Benoit, Andra Day and more. • King and Queen Rock is great for beginner-level rock climbers. • A steel bridge built over Split Rock Creek is on the National Register of Historic Places. Custer State Park The 71,000-acre camping, hiking, exploring and learning site has something to offer for everyone in western South Dakota. Sharp, rocky spires shoot into the sky along Needles Highway, hiking trails snake through the breathtaking terrain and a herd of more than 1,000 bison roam the park freely. Educational nature programs are offered daily for families with children and camping is open in several locations throughout the park.
The park is also home to Harney Peak, the highest point in the Black Hills at 7,242 feet. The summit is accessible via a 3.5-mile hiking trail that starts at Sylvan Lake, another popular attraction within Custer State Park. Fun facts: • A scene in the 2007 movie "National Treasure: Book of Secrets" was filmed at Sylvan Lake. • Badger Clark, South Dakota's first poet laureate, lived in a cabin on the park's grounds. It is open for tours. • Park founder Peter Norbeck's stately summer home, Valhalla, is located in the park. Prior to 2011, entry to the house was limited to sitting state governors and their guests but was opened for some tours in 2012, according to a news release from the office of Gov. Dennis Daugaard. • The park's bison are most active during mating season, which is called the rut and usually happens in late July or early August. Park visitors should not approach or irritate the bison, as they are wild animals. The park's annual Buffalo Roundup, held early every fall, also draws a crowd as trained park officials move the large herd across the park's land. Sturgis Motorcycle Rally The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is not for the faint of heart. Boasting 739,000 attendees in 2015, the rally's estimate based on garbage collection, the annual biker rally is infamous for rowdy nights, famous guests and beautiful rides through the Black Hills. The 2016 rally will be held the week of Aug. 8. The rally itself is based out of Sturgis, but riders can take to the road and see any number of attractions in western South Dakota including historic Deadwood, Crazy Horse Memorial and more. Pull out a map, point at the southwestern corner of South Dakota and odds are it's going to be beautiful and/or entertaining. Fun facts: • Rally attendance has grown from an estimated 400,000 people in 1990 to the more than 730,000 who attended last year, according to the event website. • About 765 tons of garbage was hauled out of the city of Sturgis during the 2015 rally. • Emergency room visits have increased over the years from 390 in 2000 to 542 in 2015 as attendance has increased. • One of the rally's famed bars, the Full Throttle Saloon, burned to the ground in 2015 because of a malfunctioning electrical cord. The caves If being out in the elements isn't your definition of fun, Wind Cave National Park and Jewel Cave National Monument could be right up your alley. Located in western South Dakota near Rapid City, tour guides will take you down through a winding tour of rocky grandeur. General tours take place on winding pathways with stairs and railings, but personal cave tours are offered for those who aren't claustrophobic. Wind Cave is the seventh-longest cave in the world, and according to the National Park Service website its deepest point ever surveyed is 654 feet below its highest point. Exploration of Jewel Cave is ongoing. It is known for its sparkly calcite spar crystals, and by the beginning of 1959 about 2 miles of it had been discovered, a number that has grown to 182 miles as of May 1, 2016. It is the third-longest cave in the world. It was first documented in 1900 and President Theodore Roosevelt declared it a national monument in 1908. Fun facts: • Exploration trips at Jewel Cave can last 16-18 hours. • Tours of each cave can be chilly and go many feet underground, so bring a jacket. • Both caves are home to several species of bats. • The drive between the two caves takes less than an hour, so touring both in one day is doable for cave enthusiasts or people who just really hate the sun. Badlands National Park   The drive from east to west on Interstate 90 in South Dakota can be dull, but right when you think you can't take it anymore, you'll see a sign saying that the Badlands are coming up. It's a short jaunt off the highway but worth every extra second spent on the road. The orange, red and tan rocks of the Badlands are a surprising contrast to the rest of the state as they appear on the horizon. The hills, cliffs, rock spires and valleys stretch for miles and can appear to change from tan to deep shades of orange in the sunset. The 244,000 acres of wilderness is great to drive, and those who want an up-close look can get out and hike at specified spots along the road. Fun facts: • The Badlands are home to many animals including pronghorn. • The area is one of the world's richest deposits of mammal fossil beds, according to National Geographic, and sees one inch of erosion per year. • The Badlands are significant to some American Indian tribes, who according to USA Today oversee the Stronghold Table site in cooperation with the National Park Service.Let's get the obvious one out of the way first.The Mount Rushmore State's most famous tourist attraction-Mount Rushmore-is one of several in the state's west that draw visitors from all over the world. It took sculptor Gutzon Borglum 14 years, 400 workers and a lot of dynamite to finish the monument which bears the faces of presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln.This summer, the park is celebrating 75 years since the monument was completed. A sight to behold from the highway, it's open year-round and is free to visit aside from a parking fee of $11 per vehicle, according to its website.The rest of South Dakota's 75,885 square miles is home to other equally if not more compelling attractions.South Dakota Department of Tourism Deputy Secretary Wanda Goodman said the state's variety, from the vast sprawling farmland of the east contrasted by the forested, hilly west, is a huge draw for visitors."The variety of South Dakota can strike people and be surprising," she said.Palisades State ParkWant to get a taste of the breathtaking beauty of the Black Hills without driving across the state? Located northeast of Sioux Falls, Palisades State Park offers a beautiful change in scenery in an otherwise flat part of the state. Split Rock Creek runs through the area, carving beautiful rocky bluffs and spires into the land.The park has hiking, camping and picnic areas year-round. Whether you're interested in rock climbing swimming or just taking a relaxing walk, this park is surprisingly picturesque.Fun facts:• If the mosquitoes get too thick in the heat of summer, head to Sioux Falls for Jazz Fest July 14-16. The free music festival has grown in recent years and will feature performers The Fray, Janiva Magness, Tab Benoit, Andra Day and more.• King and Queen Rock is great for beginner-level rock climbers.• A steel bridge built over Split Rock Creek is on the National Register of Historic Places.Custer State ParkThe 71,000-acre camping, hiking, exploring and learning site has something to offer for everyone in western South Dakota. Sharp, rocky spires shoot into the sky along Needles Highway, hiking trails snake through the breathtaking terrain and a herd of more than 1,000 bison roam the park freely. Educational nature programs are offered daily for families with children and camping is open in several locations throughout the park.
The park is also home to Harney Peak, the highest point in the Black Hills at 7,242 feet. The summit is accessible via a 3.5-mile hiking trail that starts at Sylvan Lake, another popular attraction within Custer State Park.Fun facts:• A scene in the 2007 movie "National Treasure: Book of Secrets" was filmed at Sylvan Lake.• Badger Clark, South Dakota's first poet laureate, lived in a cabin on the park's grounds. It is open for tours.• Park founder Peter Norbeck's stately summer home, Valhalla, is located in the park. Prior to 2011, entry to the house was limited to sitting state governors and their guests but was opened for some tours in 2012, according to a news release from the office of Gov. Dennis Daugaard.• The park's bison are most active during mating season, which is called the rut and usually happens in late July or early August. Park visitors should not approach or irritate the bison, as they are wild animals. The park's annual Buffalo Roundup, held early every fall, also draws a crowd as trained park officials move the large herd across the park's land.Sturgis Motorcycle RallyThe Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is not for the faint of heart. Boasting 739,000 attendees in 2015, the rally's estimate based on garbage collection, the annual biker rally is infamous for rowdy nights, famous guests and beautiful rides through the Black Hills.The 2016 rally will be held the week of Aug. 8.The rally itself is based out of Sturgis, but riders can take to the road and see any number of attractions in western South Dakota including historic Deadwood, Crazy Horse Memorial and more.Pull out a map, point at the southwestern corner of South Dakota and odds are it's going to be beautiful and/or entertaining.Fun facts:• Rally attendance has grown from an estimated 400,000 people in 1990 to the more than 730,000 who attended last year, according to the event website.• About 765 tons of garbage was hauled out of the city of Sturgis during the 2015 rally.• Emergency room visits have increased over the years from 390 in 2000 to 542 in 2015 as attendance has increased.• One of the rally's famed bars, the Full Throttle Saloon, burned to the ground in 2015 because of a malfunctioning electrical cord.The cavesIf being out in the elements isn't your definition of fun, Wind Cave National Park and Jewel Cave National Monument could be right up your alley.Located in western South Dakota near Rapid City, tour guides will take you down through a winding tour of rocky grandeur. General tours take place on winding pathways with stairs and railings, but personal cave tours are offered for those who aren't claustrophobic.Wind Cave is the seventh-longest cave in the world, and according to the National Park Service website its deepest point ever surveyed is 654 feet below its highest point.Exploration of Jewel Cave is ongoing. It is known for its sparkly calcite spar crystals, and by the beginning of 1959 about 2 miles of it had been discovered, a number that has grown to 182 miles as of May 1, 2016. It is the third-longest cave in the world.It was first documented in 1900 and President Theodore Roosevelt declared it a national monument in 1908.Fun facts:• Exploration trips at Jewel Cave can last 16-18 hours.• Tours of each cave can be chilly and go many feet underground, so bring a jacket.• Both caves are home to several species of bats.• The drive between the two caves takes less than an hour, so touring both in one day is doable for cave enthusiasts or people who just really hate the sun.Badlands National Park The drive from east to west on Interstate 90 in South Dakota can be dull, but right when you think you can't take it anymore, you'll see a sign saying that the Badlands are coming up.It's a short jaunt off the highway but worth every extra second spent on the road.The orange, red and tan rocks of the Badlands are a surprising contrast to the rest of the state as they appear on the horizon. The hills, cliffs, rock spires and valleys stretch for miles and can appear to change from tan to deep shades of orange in the sunset.The 244,000 acres of wilderness is great to drive, and those who want an up-close look can get out and hike at specified spots along the road.Fun facts:• The Badlands are home to many animals including pronghorn.• The area is one of the world's richest deposits of mammal fossil beds, according to National Geographic, and sees one inch of erosion per year.• The Badlands are significant to some American Indian tribes, who according to USA Today oversee the Stronghold Table site in cooperation with the National Park Service.

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