Devil’s Tower National Monument in northern Wyoming is a unique natural volcanic formation that rises 1,200 feet over the plains. The monument was the setting for the finale of Steven Spielberg’s 1977 film Close Encounters of the Third Kind. The National Parks Service offers a one and a half hour walking tour on most days that educates visitors about Devil’s Tower and the surrounding area.
Mount Rushmore National Memorial is one of the main draws for many of the people who visit South Dakota. More than three million people each year visit Mount Rushmore to see the giant portraits of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln in the side of the granite mountain.
The historic town of Deadwood was an old mining camp that has become a National Historic Landmark. Visit Wild Bill Hickok’s grave in Mount Moriah cemetery or try your luck in one of the 80 casinos in town. Deadwood is devoted to tourism with re-enacted cowboy gunfights and other activities that will appeal to all of the members of your family throughout the day.
The Black Hills of South Dakota offer a choice of six national parks and miles of National Scenic Byways. The moon-like landscape in the Black Hills is like nothing else in the country. This area is also the center of the Lakota Sioux culture.
If you decide to hit the road and try out this itinerary, let us know which stops were your favorites in the comments below.
