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After a "music-trip" to New Orleans, Memphis and Nashville we´d like to visit South Dakota. Especially the region around Rapid City is what we are interesseted in. Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse monument, the Blackhills, the Badlands, Wind Cave N.P. and so on.

Is it enough, to stay 4 or 5 days? Wich season would be best? May or September? Is it necessary to reserve a hotel room or are there motels, where we can find a room? Is there nearby a car rental station of ALAMO CAR Rental?

Afterwards we want to go to Yellowstone N.P. and Salt Lake City.

Thanks a lot for any tipps.

Horst 

We went to South Dakota on 9/1/08 and spent only 2 days there then moved on to Yellowstone NP.  The weather was perfect. I heard that the day before was near 90 but our stay was in the 40s, very cold for us Hawaii people.  I wish we could have stayed longer there, but I didn't plan on it as Yellowstone was our main destination.  We excluded the Badlands becuase our stay was only 2 days.  We did Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse the first late afternoon and evening.  I didn't think much of the night laser show at Crazy Horse.  I've heard the night lighting at Mount Rushmore is better.  We also cut out the Wind Cave and did the Jewel Cave instead.  However, we got to the Jewel Cave too late in the afternoon so our only tour was the 1/2 hour tour that takes you down into elevator with a short talk about the cave & back up the elevator.  Our other stop was Beautiful Rushmore Cave and the scenic driving tour of the byway roads.  I think 4-5 days would be good if you wanted to do leisure daily stops. Custer Park is a must for wildlife viewing.  When we arrived all hotels were booked even considering it is their off peak season, so I recommend booking ahead, but we did stay in the tourist areas only. Yellowstone was a treat!  We stayed in the park for 2 days and then 1 night in Gardiner Montana.  West Yellowstone area was a nice area too outside the park and very close to the park entrance.  We did not stay or visit Salt Lake City. 

Glad you are going to SoDak.  We lived there for 9 summers and you have chosen the two best months to go.  The weather in each is beautiful although May might be a bit wetter.  Do not pass up the Badlands if at all possible.  It could be a short day trip from Rapid City.  In fact, we would suggest that you make Rapid home for a week and then travel daily to the Lands,  Devil's Tower, Deadwood, Custer State Park, Chadron and Fort Robinson,NE.  They are all within 2 and a half hours of Rapid.  Lots of history and Native American history.  Fort Robinson is where Crazy Horse surrendered so when you visit the monument south of Rushmore you would understand it better.  Within 100 hundred miles of Fort Robinson is Wounded Knee SD, the last official conflict between the US Gov't and the Sioux Nation in 1889.  Along the way, East of Chadron. NE is James Bordeau's Museum of the Fur Trade. A must see.  As you can tell, we don't go much for the "touristy" sites.  Would like for our traveling friends to get the full impact of the American West.  Have a great trip and if we can help in anyway, let us know.    DrA and dede           GoCamping!

 Thanks a lot for your detailed tips and description. I think the trip will take place in septembre. If we should need any help, please tell me your mail-address.

We visited the American West this year, from 22 of May to 17 of June. Frisco, San Diego, Grand Canyon, Lake Powell, Antelope Canyon, Arches NP, Bryce Canyon, Zion NP, Las Vegas, Death Valley, Sequoia NP and Yosemite NP.

Simply overwhelming, indescribable. Each location in it´s own way, but always to say: wow.

 Now it´s on me to say, if you need any tips, let me know. My mail-address is horst-kaindl@t-online.de    

 Heartly greetings

Horst 

 Horst,

 Like you we are Europeans, from the Netherlands but live in Canada.

In 2008 we visited Rapid City, S.D., we have travelled most of Europe but we enjoyed S.D. so much, we would love to go again but the second time is never the same !

Mount Rushmore is truly magnificent, the black hills, the Badlands, I would give Wall Drug a miss (waste of time, it is about 1.30mins East of Rapid City), we camped in a tent but I am sure that there are many good priced motels, we stayed in a Super 8 on our way back to Canada and it cost us $50 for 4 people, 2 king sized bed.

We are not sure what to do this year we have been spoilt with S.D.

Best regards

Ron

Ron,

thanks a lot for your information, I´m sure it will help us to enjoy our trip.

Where do you live in Canada? For how long do you live there? A friend of mine lives in the Netherlands, perhaps you know his name, Herbert Dijkstra, his occupation is a commentator of sports on dutch TV.

If you´ll go S.D. have a lot of fun there and  perhaps you would give me other tips.

Heartly greetings

Horst

 Horst,

We live 60km S.W. of Winnipeg ( Manitoba ) about 40km from the States
border, We moved here in Oct 2006, if you like I will send you some
photos of S.D. but not via the forum, my secondary email address is
towbar.ron@gmail.com, so if you want send me your email address and we
can keep in contact and I can answer your questions better about where
we live etc.

Regards
Ron