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21423 US Hwy 385
Deadwood, SD 57732
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Family approved attractions
for the Black Hills area

The following lists more than 50 family approved attractions that you may wish to visit during your stay in that you may wish to visit during your stay in the Black Hills. 

1880 Train (Hill City) Ride an authentic 1880 train through the beautiful Black Hills from Hill City to Rockerville (one way or round trip).  A must do.  admission

Adams Memorial Museum   (Deadwood)  Oldest history museum in the Black Hills.  Wild Bill artifacts, art, photographs & displays interpreting Deadwood & Black Hills history.  Gun, photo, mineral collection. donations

Badlands Helicopter Rides (Park's northeast gate)  Lift off in a whirlybird for an aerial sightseeing adventure over the incredible landscapes of Badlands National Park. admission

Badlands Petrified Gardens (Kadoka)  A rare display of Badlands minerals, prehistoric fossils, dinosaur tracks, fossil tree trunks and Badlands' largest petrified logs.  Agate, crystals and fluorescent mineral displays.  admission

Bear Butte State Park (east of Sturgis)  This sentinel mountain is a geologic wonder, a sacred mountain to the Sioux and Cheyenne, and a modern-day state park with visitor center & hiking trail.  park entrance fee

Bear Country USA  (south of Rapid City)  A unique drive-through wildlife park with bears, wolves, bighorns, cougars, deer, elk, antelope and buffalo roaming free.  See bear cubs & wolf pups at the Wildlife & Welcome Center. admission

Beautiful Rushmore Cave (Keystone)  The closest cave to Mount Rushmore is adorned with an extraordinarily large number of stalactites and other cave formations. Open May 1 - Oct. 31  For tour info (605) 255-4384.  admission

Beautiful Wonderland Cave (Sturgis area) Two level caverns 60 million years old.  Tours every 15 minutes.  admission

Big Thunder Gold Mine (Keystone) Free gold ore sample during this underground tour of an 1880's mine.  Company store, gold panning, prospecting gear, historic film of early mining in the Black Hills. admission

Black Hills Caverns (west of Rapid City) Nature's masterpiece of underground wilderness, featuring 28 different cave formations in 3-level wind caverns.  1/2 hour crystal or 1 hour adventure tour.  admission

Black Hills Maze & Amusements (south of Rapid City) Conquer the towers in this 37,000 square foot human maze, then find the exit!  Enjoy bank-shot basketball, water wars & flashlight Fridays.  admission

Black Hills Mining Museum (Lead)  Guided tours through our simulated mine stopes and tunnels depict 120 years of mining technology.  Gold panning.  Historic video theater.  Wealth of exhibits.  admission

Black Hills Passion Play (Spearfish) Cast of 200 recreates the dramatic events of the last seven days of the life of Christ in an impressive outdoor amphitheater.  Every Sunday, Tuesday & Thursday at 8:00 p.m.  admission

Broken Boot Gold Mine (Deadwood)  Underground tours of a historical gold mine.  Learn how a real mine operated in the days of black powder and candlelight, on tours led by knowledgeable guides.  Gold panning.  admission

Chapel in the Hills (Rapid City)  A replica of the famous 841 year old Stave Church in Borgund, Norway.  Unique architecture, intricate woodcarvings, log cabin museum.  Vespers nightly at 8:00 p.m. June 14 through Aug. 30.  free

Circle B Ranch Chuckwagon Supper & Western Music Show  (south of Deadwood)   After a bodacious supper, enjoy authentic western music performed by Circle B cowboys.  Trail rides  admission

Cleghorn Springs Fish Hatchery (Rapid City)  See trout and salmon of many sizes in raceways.  Fish food available  Interpretive center open 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.  Memorial Day to Labor Day.  Hatchery open year round.  free

Cosmos Mystery Area  (south of Rapid City)  Scientific principles and a special aura combine to produce an awesome fun-filled tour where laws of nature seem to be denied.  No one stands straight!  admission

Crazy Horse Mountain Memorial (north of Custer)  A 641 foot long by 563 foot high, 3 dimensional, mountain  carving in progress.  Indian museum, sculptor studio & workshop.  View the mountain sculpture.  free  Visit an Indian museum, sculptor studio & workshop.  admission

Crystal Cave Park (west of Rapid City)  One of America's most beautiful living caverns.  Crystals cover 80% of the walls & ceiling.  Area's least strenuous tours led by professional guides.  Indian museum, sculptor studio & workshop.  admission

Custer State Park  (Black Hills)  This 70,000 acre, world class park has one of the nation's largest bison herds.  Fishing, scenic drives, visitor centers and day & evening Park programs.   park entrance fee

D.C. Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery  (Spearfish) Established in 1898.  Museum, fish ponds, restored Victorian residence and underwater fish viewing windows.  free

Evans Plunge (Hot Springs) World’s largest natural warm water indoor swimming pool.  Outdoor pool, too.  Big waterslides, Tarzan rings, fun tubes, pool games, super spa & fitness center.  Open daily year round.  admission

Flintstone Bedrock City (Custer) Tour Fred's Bedrock City.  Stone Age theme park features ride, shows & mountain music show.   admission

Ghosts of Deadwood Gulch Wax Museum   (Deadwood)  50 life size wax figures portray the settling of the Dakota Territory during the turbulent 1833 - 1876 era.  19 narrated settings.   admission

High Plains Heritage Center Museum (Spearfish)  Honors the cowboys, pioneers and the great plains Indians with western art & artifacts and outdoor displays including live longhorns & buffalo.  admission

Iron Mountain Road (south of Keystone) A scenic drive (view Mount Rushmore framed by mountain tunnels- northbound).  Combine this drive with the Needles highway and the Wildlife Loop for a full day outing.  free

Jewel Cave National Monument (west of Custer) Many say this is the best cave in the Black Hills.  A must see if you only have time for one cave.   admission

Mammoth Site (Hot Springs)  More than 50 Columbian and wooly mammoths perished here in an ancient slippery-sided sink hole.   Now their skulls, tusks & bones are exposed for viewing.  admission

Moonshine Gulch (Rochford) An authentic 1800's saloon.  A must see.  Say "Howdy" to Betsy for us.  You will long remember this unique place.  free

Mount Rushmore National Monument (west of Keystone)  View the 4 president's sculptured in a granite mountain.  Nightly lighting ceremony. admission

Museum of Geology (Rapid City)  On the School of Mines campus.  World class specimens of prehistoric Badlands mammals, marine reptiles, dinosaurs. Collections of rocks, minerals, ores & replica's of largest gold nuggets found around the world.  free

National Museum of Woodcarving (west of Custer)  Works by master U.S. carvers.  Worlds largest collection of animated woodcarvings by the animator of Disneyland.  Theater, gallery & carving studio.  admission

Needles Highway (Custer State Park) A scenic drive through granite spires.  A must see.  park entrance fee

Parade of Presidents (Keystone)  Encounter incredibly lifelike, life-size figures of every president, plus 50 other American heroes, in authentic period costumes and accurately detailed surroundings.  admission

Petrified Forest of the Black Hills (Piedmont) Learn Black Hills Geology with an exceptional animated video, digital & graphic museum displays, and a 5-block nature walk to the trees of stone!  admission

Prairie Homestead (north of Badlands National Park)  This original set of homestead buildings, including the furnished sod dugout home, is on the National Register of Historic Places.  admission

Rapid Helicopters, Inc. (north of Custer) Aerial sightseeing tours with the ultimate views of Crazy Horse, Harney Peak, Mount Rushmore, Sylvan Lake and the splendor of the Black Hills.   admission

Reptile Gardens (south of Rapid City)  World's largest, most beautiful reptile collection is housed among orchids under a Sky Dome.   Four shows: Birds of Prey, Alligators, Snakes & Bewitched Village.  admission

Rushmore Aerial Tramway (Keystone)  Take a relaxing ride in quiet tram cars to a private mountaintop where you get off to view Mount Rushmore.   admission

Rushmore-Borglum Story (Keystone)  Beautiful museum and gallery holds the complete collection of Mt. Rushmore sculptor.  Oil paintings, marble sculptures, bronze statues, & artifacts.  Rushmore blasting movie.  admission

Rushmore Helicopters Inc. (Keystone)  Our whirlybird sight-seeing trips.  3 1/2 mile, 8 mile, 27 mile & 35 mile trips.  admission

Sitting Bull Crystal Caverns (south of Rapid City)  Underground caverns with reflecting pools, limestone tapestries and chambers studded with dog-tooth spar crystals as massive as T-Rex teeth.  Guided tours.  admission

South Dakota Air & Space Museum (east of Rapid City)  Historic bombers, fighters, utility aircraft and missiles, plus indoor museum.  Open all year.   free  Official Base tours  admission

Stage Barn  Crystal Cave (northwest of Rapid City)  One hour underground tour features exquisite natural coloration and rare formations.    Ultra violet display.  Unspoiled natural setting.  admission

Storybook Island (Rapid City)  Children love this world of fairytale nursery rhyme sets.  Meet Humpty Dumpty, Cinderella, and other childhood characters.  free

Thunderhead Underground Falls (west of Rapid City) 600 feet inside an old Black Hills Gold Mine, discover an underground waterfall.  admission

Trial of Jack McCall (Deadwood)  Wild Bill Hickok's killer is captured on historic Main Street at 8:00 p.m., then marched to the Old Town Hall for a rowdy murder trial by a miner's court.  Nightly, except Sundays.  admission

Wall Drug Store (Wall)  Biggest drug store you've ever seen!  Four art gallery dining rooms with 210 original paintings, western mall, mechanical cowboy band, 6-foot Jackalope, animated T-Rex.   free

Wildlife Loop (Custer State Park) A scenic drive through an area rich in wildlife.   A must see.  park entrance fee

Wild West Wax Museum (Wall) Witness the wild west as it really was on the American frontier.  Over 50 life size wax figures.  See Jesse James, Wild Bill Hickok, Calamity Jane, famous lawmen and lawless.  admission