pic: Al & Dottie Mt. Rushmore

[Al Skierkiewicz]

There is also a Minuteman missile silo near the Badlands that is open for view. There are special interior tours available only on Thursdays by reservation. We weren't there on Thursday so we skipped it this time. There is (was) also an installation in Sundance, WY, near Devil's Tower. We needed a few more days!

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Eric,
Went to Belle Fourche and saw the representation of the geographic center (including Alaska and Hawaii) downtown. The actual is in a field outside of town behind some barbed wire. We opted for breakfast instead of the travel. The Belle Fourche River winds around Devil's Tower after it passes through town and meanders through the countryside. I have a stunning photo of sunset over Devil's Tower I might upload later.
With a another day, we would have driven all the roads in the Black Hills. I wanted to get over to Hill City but we ran out of time after a missed turn coming out of Deadwood. If you aren't careful in Leeds, a wrong turn will take you all the way around the Homestead Mine and in the back door of Deadwood. I highly recommend a drive up to the top of Mt. Coolidge to the fire tower lookout inside Custer State Park. You can see Mt. Rushmore, Needles, most of the Black Hills, the Air Force base, and the Badlands on a clear day. It gives you a great geologic viewpoint on the area.

[EricH]

My parents and I went up to the Hills last summer, when I was going back to school. Admittedly, we only stayed in the area a couple days (then they went home and I stayed), but we came in via Devil's Tower and Belle Fourche, then spent the next day moving me into my dorm, doing laundry, and driving a bit. Saw Crazy Horse from a distance, went to the Wild Horse Sanctuary (southern Black Hills), and went up to Dinosaur Park in Rapid. (It's highly visible; look for the dinosaurs on the skyline.) As it was raining, we didn't get out of the car there--we went hunting for dinner instead.

We also went to a place or two on campus.

But the last time they were both there, we went out to Rushmore, then drove a particular road that has two or three places with a direct view of the monument. Not only that, but there aren't any trees blocking the way...