We have room for 16 to explore the mountains and national parks of western South Dakota. We'll be staying as a group in condos with full kitchen, hot tub, and centrally located to enjoy the beauty and adventure of western South Dakota. We're planning day trips to the following locations, and you are of course free to set your own agenda during the week: 

Badlands National Park: Don’t miss this eerie national park. We’ll do a day hike to check out the “towering Badlands Wall that dominates the moonscape with a series of eroded ridges and valleys.”

·         The Black Hills: The Black Hills National Forest is home to the Black Hills, America’s oldest mountain range. But don’t let the word “hills” fool you – these are real mountains with real hikes. We’ll explore the trails, lakes, and scenic drives of the Black Hills, culminating with a day hike of South Dakota’s highest peak, Harney Peak, a 7242 ft summit with 60 miles views from the top.  

·         Mount Rushmore & Crazy Horse: We’ll visit these national icons carved in granite, including at night when the granite faces are lit. Sounds like a great place for an evening picnic!

·         Devil’s Tower: This spectacular tower in eastern Wyoming is 865 feet high and 1000 feet in diameter.  We’ll do a short hike around this tower, which is America’s first national monument and was made popular via Steven Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

·         Deadwood, South Dakota:  Nearby our home base of Lead is the famous town of Deadwood, South Dakota. This former gold mining mountain town has been transformed into an entertainment destination, with a restored Victorian downtown, casinos, dining, and shopping.

·         National grasslands in Nebraska:  For you “state list sluts" like Chuck (ok, me too), Chuck will be leading a day trip to Nebraska to take in Chadron State Park and the Ogallala National Grasslands. In fact, you can cross three states off your list on this trip: South Dakota, Wyoming, and Nebraska!  This is a big opportunity for those of you who did not grow up in “the flyover zone." 

You will need to get yourself to South Dakota to meet everyone. Plan to fly into Rapid City, South Dakota, on Saturday, July 17. We'll fly out of Rapid City on Saturday, July 24. We will share rental cars. Cost for lodging will be around $400 per person for the week, Please contact the trip leader for more details.