Visiting The Mount Rushmore State

While some people may solely visit South Dakota for Mount Rushmore, there’s so much more that this midwestern state has to offer. Whether you’re interested in hunting, fishing, or hunting, South Dakota has something to offer everyone! Should you find yourself in the area, be sure to make your way to some of these most sought-after attractions!

Mount Rushmore:

This highly historical monument, which features Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt, is most certainly South Dakota’s most prominent tourist attraction. Gutzon Borglum began sculpting from a bare mountain side back in 1927, and with the help of over 400 workers, the project was completed in 1941. Today, Mount Rushmore attracts over 2 million annually! The monument is lit up at night, should you find yourself visiting after dawn.

Badlands National Park:

If you’re looking for a scenic hike, Badlands National Park is the place for you. The park stretches across an impressive 244,000 acres and consists of unique hills and pinnacles that attribute to its majestic appeal. The park is home to one of the few remaining prairie landscapes in North America, Buffalo Gap National Grassland. There you’ll have the chance to see bison, bighorn sheep, and prairie dogs roaming around. You can experience the true beauty of the park while traveling through one of their numerous hiking trails. While the majority of the trails are in the Cedar Pass area, they range in severity so those at any fitness level can enjoy!

The Missouri River:

Should you be more inclined to visit a body of water, the Missouri River flows through South Dakota and offers visitors culture and recreation. When traveling through, you’ll run into four lakes, Oahe, Sharpe, Francis Case and Lewis and Clark. Stop along the way for some fishing and hunting, or set up camp for the night. There are a number of rental cabins and different campgrounds for you to rest, should you opt to take a few days for a longer journey. The river makes for a prime hunting location. Hunters from across the country travel each year to experience the pheasant, grouse, goose, duck and deer that South Dakota has to offer!