Winter fun in the Black Hills of South Dakota

by Kraig Becker on

The blizzard that blew through the Midwest last week may have disrupted travel for the holidays, but it was just what outdoor enthusiasts were looking for in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Snow had been quite sparse up until the blizzard hit, but some areas received as much as four feet of the white stuff, making the area the perfect winter playground for skiers and snowmobilers.

Awhile back we mentioned all of the great outdoor adventure activities that South Dakota has to offer in the summer months, with plenty of great hiking, mountain biking, paddling, and climbing throughout the Badlands and Black Hills. During the winter, those activities switch to skiing, both down hill and cross country, snowboarding, dog sledding, snow shoeing, and snowmobiling.

Travelers looking to make a winter escape will want to head to the Rapid City area, which serves as a gateway to this outdoor wonderland. Nearby Mystic Miner and Terry Peak ski resorts both received over 45 inches of fresh snow in last week’s blizzard, and are an easy drive from the city. These resorts offer excellent skiing opportunities without the crowds found in some of the larger resorts in nearby Colorado.

Likewise, historic Deadwood is a popular destination that offers access to groomed trails that are perfect to explore on foot or by snow mobile. And when travelers are done playing outside, they can head back to town to enjoy wild west fun and themed casinos.

From Mt. Rushmore to the Crazy Horse Monument, you’ll find plenty of outdoor adventure throughout the Badlands and Black Hills no matter what time of year you visit, but those who enjoy winter activities, will find plenty to enjoy eary in the new year.

Goin’ straight to the Wild, Wild West

by Annie Scott on

Certain kinds of scenery soothe the soul, and for some, whether they’re a cowboy or cowgirl at heart, or they just like to ride horses, or they long for that wide-open imagery so unique to America, watching old westerns over and over again doesn’t really scratch the itch.

One company that specializes in touring cowboy-worthy destinations is Wild West Vacations & Travel. They lead tours through Montana, South Dakota, and Wyoming, and offer recreational and educational activities like trail rides, cookouts, gold panning, museums, state and national park tours and even candlelight caving.

They have four specific combo tours, specified as “get-aways” or “family vacations” (so couples looking for a rustic romantic western excursion don’t have to worry about screaming kids getting up in their business), which range from $2,895 to $3,575 and include 8-10 nights of well-chosen accommodations and a smattering of the exciting activities above, plus a bunch more.

For those of you who are more “choose your own adventure,” they can also arrange stays and amenities for you in South Dakota’s Black Hills, Montana’s glacier region, or Wyoming for Yellowstone or a Deluxe Dinosaur Dig Getaway.

Visit the website for more information.

Photos of the Lakota: a lesson in culture and inclusion

by Jamie Rhein on

In Mike’s post on he brought up the conflict one can experience in cultural tourism. He was prompted to write down his thoughts after visiting the Tiwi Islands in Australia. In the photo essay and interview in the New York Times, “Behind the Scenes and Still Wounded” Aaron Huey, who found himself drawn into the terrible beauty of the Lakota tribe of the Pine Ridge reservation in South Dakota, Huey alludes to similar ideas.

It is impossible for people to develop an accurate impression of a culture in one visit.

Huey has spent the past five years photographing the Lakota who live in Manderson, one of Pine Ridge’s most impoverished towns. This process that has developed friendships that are as close as family and an understanding of the Lakota that few have been able to attain. But, even then, Huey’s experience has not brought him any closer to knowing the answer, “‘Who are the Lakota?'”

As he writes: In many ways, I feel like it is not my question to answer. The Lakota are a people who have been wronged many times over. Coming from the dominant society and attempting to define them is a guaranteed failure for a white journalist. I have no right to define them.

Huey’s photos and essay, along with Mike’s musings, are a reminder that as we travel, we’re merely picking up tidbits of what a place is about.

What I think happens is that as we travel, we’re mostly finding out about who we are by looking through a lens of the “other.” If we arrive back home with a better understanding of who we are through our interactions and experiences, we’ve done well. To really know a place and what a particular culture is about takes years–and even then, it may not make us an expert.

Reading the interview with Huey and looking at the images he captured in Manderson is one place to start on a journey of trying to understand the complexities of the Lakota. It certainly gives an insight into Huey.

(The Hamner Photos image was taken on the Pine Ridge Reservation. Click here for more of them. From what I can tell, they were taken as part of a work camp to build houses on the reservation, just a Band-aid to the poverty problem, according to Huey.)

Adventure Destination: South Dakota

by Kraig Becker on

When adventure travelers think about exotic locations to visit they seldom mention South Dakota. There are plenty of mountain states in the western U.S. that get more attention, thanks in no small part to the higher elevations in the Rockies. But South Dakota can hold its own in terms of rugged backcountry and beat most other locations with the diversity of its terrain.

Make no mistake, the eastern part of South Dakota has little to offer adventure travelers. It is mostly flat, and uninteresting, plains. But travel west, and you’ll come across amazing scenery ranging from the lush and green Black Hills National Forest to the arid and desolate landscapes of the Badlands. In between, you’ll find the iconic Mt. Rushmore and the Crazy Horse Monument, which remains under construction 61 years after work first commenced.

The Black Hills and Badlands offer plenty of activities to keep even the busiest of outdoor enthusiasts occupied. The area recently played host to Primal Quest, a ten-day, 600 mile adventure race, that saw teams trekking, peddling, and paddling their way across the South Dakota backcountry. That means that there is top notch mountain biking, kayaking, and hiking to be had throughout the region, with miles of trails stretching in all directions. Rock climbers will find impressive big walls, while spelunkers and campers will find that their needs are well met too.South Dakota is also home to many diverse species of animals as well. Roaming the region you’ll find plenty of deer, both white tail and mule, elk, coyote, mountain lion, bighorn sheep and more. The state is also home to the elusive, and endangered, black footed ferret as well as the largest remaining herd of buffalo on Earth. For wildlife lovers, South Dakota has plenty to offer as well.

For a better idea of what it’s like in the Badlands, check out the video below.

Hole N” the Rock in Utah, one-of-a-kind-roadside must see

by Jamie Rhein on

There’s Mt. Rushmore in South Dakota that pays tribute to one man’s vision of turning solid rock into the faces of U.S. presidents. And there’s Hole N” the Rock in Utah–one man’s vision to turn a rock into a home and a gift shop.

Not far south of Moab, Utah on U.S. 191, along gorgeous red rock cliffs that glow almost neon against the blue sky, you’ll see billboards that shout out statements like “Hole N” the Rock, Must See Attraction!!!” Curiosity builds. What is it? What is this “Hole N” the Rock? you might think. I know I did when the Hole N” the Rock came into view as my family and I tootled along the highway on our way to Montana from New Mexico on July 1. Because it was right off the highway, 12 miles south of Moab, it would have been an easy stop, however, we were there after closing.

I craned my neck to see what I could for future reference. Besides the obvious large white lettering on the side of the mountain that said “Hole N” The Rock,” inside the fence was a cacophony of statuary and hard to place items. It is difficult to see exactly what’s there when going 70 mph.

After reading up on this place, I’m thinking we missed out on a must see roadside attraction. Twice. TWICE. How could we have passed by it twice?

On our way back from Montana to New Mexico, with a side trip jaunt to Colorado in our plans, we sped past Hole N” The Rock after closing as well. Too bad. It seems like it might have more heart than Mount Rushmore–and I love Mount Rushmore.

Hole N” The Rock is not just a Hole N” The Rock. It’s a 14-room house and gift shop that was created as a roadside attraction from the 1940s through most of the 1950s by Albert Christensen. To make such an attraction, Albert carved out 50,000 feet of cubic sandstone.

Unfortunately, Albert died in 1957 before he totally finished his masterpiece that includes a carved face of Franklin D. Roosevelt above the home.

His wife Gladys kept Albert’s project going. Even though she died in 1974, the attraction continues to grow. A petting zoo was recently added.

Regardless of what you can buy in the gift shop, the tour of the home would be worth taking the time for, in my opinion. I’m always interested to see what passions people have to create such places. I can’t imagine one day Albert noticed that the sandstone was carvable and merely thought, “I have nothing else to do today. Maybe I’ll start making a house.”

If you are going to stop here for a look, timing is key. Hole N” The Rock closes at 5 p.m.–even in the summer. It is open all year. If you don’t have time to stop, still look for it. The place is in-your-face obvious.

Next time we are ever in the vicinity, we are stopping. I’m not letting the opportunity pass by one more time.

Guided tours of the house cost: Adults $5; Children, 5-10, $3.50; under 5, free.