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Mount Rushmore, Black Hills and Badlands: An Active Discovery

Program Number: 12774RJ
Start and End Dates:
6/17/2012 - 6/23/2012; 9/8/2013 - 9/14/2013; 9/15/2013 - 9/21/2013; 9/22/2013 - 9/28/2013;
Duration: 6 nights
Location: Mount Rushmore, South Dakota
Price starting at: $1,046.00 - Price may vary based on date, departure city
Program Type: National Parks; Outdoor Adventures, Misc.
Meals: 16; 6 Breakfasts, 4 Lunches, 6 Dinners    
Meal Options: Vegetarian    

In Mount Rushmore, Black Hills and Badlands find a landscape that is still as large as the heroes who laid a claim to it, a land once called “the last great unknown,” where some of mankind’s greatest monuments pay tribute to great leaders. From pacific grass prairies to the otherworldly Badlands to the spiritual and verdant Black Hills, gain an up-close and objective perspective of the monuments, cultures and natural treasures that are at the heart of the American experience.




Highlights

• Hike amongst ethereal buttes and peaks in Badlands National Park, walk through towering pine trees in the shadow of Mount Rushmore and experience this oasis of mountains in a sea of prairie.
• Learn about the irony of two stories told by mountain carvings within 17 miles of each other — Mount Rushmore and the Crazy Horse Memorial.
• Visit a national award-winning family winery in the heart of the Black Hills.



Activity Particulars

Hikes of 1-3 miles over uneven and rocky terrain. Optional horseback riding and kayaking, included in the program, are appropriate for beginners. Elevations of 3,500 to more than 5,000 feet.




Date Specific Information

9-22-2013

Join Custer State Park`s Annual Buffalo Roundup.



Coordinated by Black Hills Educational Institute.




Mount Rushmore

Massive granite faces overlook the forested treetops of the Black Hills, representing the first 150 years of American history in the sculptural representation of four U.S. presidents: Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt and Lincoln. Mount Rushmore and the gateway town of Keystone attract visitors to this beautiful, storied region of the state.
Accommodations
Luxury lodge with a view of Mount Rushmore on 45 forested acres with large meadow that is often a wildlife playground.
Meals and Lodgings
   K Bar S Lodge
  Keystone, South Dakota 6 nights
 K Bar S Lodge
Type: Hotel
  Description: The K Bar S Lodge is brand new (open in spring 2006) and located with a view of Mt. Rushmore. It is quietly secluded on 31 forested acres and away from busy streets. Battle Creek winds its way throughout the property and the large meadow in front of the Lodge is often the playground for deer and turkeys.
  Contact info: 434 Old Hill City Rd.
Keystone, SD 57751 USA
phone: 866-522-7724
web: www.kbarslodge.com
  Room amenities: Each room is equipped with an ironing board and iron, in room coffee, hair dryer, and t.v. with remote control. Many rooms have decks with a view of Mt. Rushmore. All rooms feature highest quality Serta Presidential beds.
  Facility amenities: A beautiful lobby provides a spectacular view of Mt. Rushmore and nearby Mt. Baldy. Free coffee is available in the lobby. An elevator serves the main building. Free guest laundry is available on site.
  Smoking allowed: No
  Elevators available: Yes
  Additional nights prior: call for pricing Extra night room reservations may be made by contacting the K Bar S Lodge directly. 1-866-522-7724
  Check in time: 3:00 PM
  Additional nights after: call for pricing Extra night room reservations may be made by contacting the K Bar S Lodge directly. 1-866-522-7724
  Check out time: 11:00 AM


Travel Details
  Start of Program:
Hotel check in 3:00pm. Orientation in K Bar S meeting room at 5:00pm. You will be staying at K Bar S Lodge that night.
  End of Program:
Program ends after breakfast at 9:00am. Hotel check out at 11am. You will be staying at K Bar S Lodge the night before.
  Required documents:
The Road Scholar Health & Safety Form is required.
  Parking availability:
There is free parking at the K Bar S Lodge.
Transportation
To Start of Program
  Location:  Keystone, South Dakota
  Nearest city or town:  Rapid City
  Nearest highway: Highway 16A
  Nearest airport:  Rapid City Regional Airport
  From End of Program
  Location: Keystone, South Dakota
    (Additional transportation information same as above)
Travel Details
 

Rapid City

 

From Airport

 
 

Service:

 

Commercial Van/Shuttle
Rapid City Airport Shuttle Service
phone: 800-357-9998
Advanced Reservations Required

 

Per Person/One Way:

 

Depends on the number of people - CASH ONLY
Prices are subject to change.
 

Travel Time:

 

45 minutes 
   

Airport Shuttle accepts CASH ONLY
 
Driving Directions
  Denver, Colorado The Black Hills are about 400 miles north of Denver. Several routes may be selected.
  Minneapolis, MN. Rapid City is about 600 miles west, south west of Minneapolis, Minnesota.
  Rapid City, SD The K Bar S Lodge is located just 1/3 mile west of Keystone, South Dakota on the Old Hill City Road. If you are arriving on Interstate 90 take exit 57, which becomes US Highway 16. Continue on Hwy. 16 south approximately 25 miles to a large arched wooden bridge that is the exit to US Highway 16A. This is well signed as the route to Mt. Rushmore. From this bridge continue south approximately 3 miles to Keystone. As you arrive in Keystone, you’ll approach a stop light. At this light, turn right on Old Hill City Rd. and go less than 1/2 mile to the K Bar S sign showing the address as 434 Old Hill City Road. Turn right at the sign and go onto the property. Arriving by plane at Rapid City Regional Airport, you'll drive west on US Highway 44 and into Rapid City. At the intersection with US Highway 16, turn left (south) and go approximately 20 miles to a large arched wooden bridge that is the exit to US Highway 16A. Continue as above. Driving from Denver there are many routes through Nebraska or Wyoming. If arriving through Wyoming, the best route is north from Lusk on US Highway 85 to US Highway 18 at Mule Creek Junction. Turn right, east, toward Edgemont SD. After 12 miles, turn left on US Highway 89 that will then merge 16 miles later and become US Highway 385 north. Follow 385 north through the towns of Custer and Hill City to US Highway 16. Follow Highway 16 east to 16A and proceed as Described above into Keystone and to the K Bar S. If arriving through Nebraska, the best way is through Chadron on US Highway 385. Simply follow 385 north into South Dakota to the intersection with US Highway 16 described in the Wyoming directions and come into Keystone.
Elevation Note: Keystone is about 4,300 feet above sea level. Several of our field trips will be near 5,200 feet.

Equipment Requirements: There is no special equipment required.
The prices listed for commercial services and facilities that are not included in the program cost, such as airport shuttles or extra nights lodging, are subject to change without notice. Since Road Scholar cannot guarantee the accuracy of these prices, we strongly suggest contacting the companies directly for the most up-to-date information.


Daily Schedule

Day 1: Arrivals and Orientation
(Sunday, June 17)
   
 Afternoon: Check in at the Lodge after 3:00 PM. There is an orientation beginning at 5:00 PM in the Lodge. Please check your final itinerary to schedule your arrival time allowing about 45min travel time from the airport to the K Bar S Lodge.
 Dinner: Dinner is included.
 Evening: After dinner you're free to settle into your room.
   
Accommodations: K Bar S Lodge
Meals Included: Dinner

Day 2: Custer State Park/Crazy Horse Memorial/Presentation
(Monday, June 18)
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast is included.
 Morning: This morning we’ll venture into Custer State Park. General Custer’s men found gold here in the summer of 1874. The park’s pine forests, grassy meadows and towers of granite offer spectacular views while also providing a remarkable, lush sanctuary for the park’s four-legged residents. Nearly 1,500 magnificent bison, along with fleet pronghorn, elusive elk, sure-footed mountain goats and a band of begging burrows freely roam the park’s sprawling 71,000 acres.
 Lunch: Enjoy an outdoor Western Cookout at the State Game Lodge, 1927 Summer White House to President Calvin Coolidge.
 Afternoon: Creation of the world’s largest sculpture began on June 3, 1948 by Boston-born sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski. His work continues today with the help and dedication of his wife and 10 children at Crazy Horse Memorial. The dimensions are staggering. A mountain-sized statue of an Indian man and a spirited warhorse that’s as long as a cruise ship and taller than a 60-story skyscraper! With work now finished on the face of Crazy Horse, carving has shifted to the horses head. Because of the tremendous amount of rock overburden still left to remove and the unique engineering challenges the mountain carving presents, it will take many more years of drilling and blasting. Along with the carving, discover the rich traditional museums and gallery below the mountain.
 Dinner: Dinner is included.
 Evening: Tonight our instructor will lecture on related information to the Black Hills and its surrounding peoples and cultures.
   
Accommodations: K Bar S Lodge
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 3: Tatanka Sculpture and Museum/Deadwood and Lead/Presentation
(Tuesday, June 19)
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast is included.
 Morning: This morning, we'll continue our study of the Native American culture with a visit to Tatanka, a native interpretation center with live demonstrations. Here we'll also see the third largest bronze sculpture in the world. Commissioned by actor Kevin Costner after making his block-buster movie, Dances With Wolves, this sculpture features several Native American riders chasing buffalo over a cliff. Each piece is 125% life size and incredibly well done.
 Lunch: Lunch is included.
 Afternoon: This afternoon we'll discover the historic town of Deadwood. The discovery of gold ignited a rush of yellow fever seekers to the area in 1876. From this came colorful stories, legends and legacies left behind by notorious characters like Wild Bill Hickok, Calamity Jane and Poker Alice. Learn about these historic figures and discover what spurred their desires to strike it rich in the Dakota Territory. Later in the afternoon we'll tour the historic town of Lead. The town of Lead has played a pivotal role in the history of the Black Hills. Home to the Homestake Gold Mine and sister city to the town of Deadwood, the streets of Lead tell a tale as rich as the gold mined from its hills. The Homestake Gold Mine was one of the early enterprises associated with the Gold Rush of 1876 in the northern Black Hills of what was then Dakota Territory.
 Dinner: Dinner is included.
 Evening: Tonight our instructor will captivate us with traditional oral stories, and historic accounts of the local culture and peoples.
   
Accommodations: K Bar S Lodge
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 4: Mount Rushmore National Memorial/The Journey Museum/Lighting Ceremony
(Wednesday, June 20)
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast is included.
 Morning: Amidst the emerald carpet of the Black Hills, sculptor Gutzon Borglum looked out upon craggy pine-clad mountains and saw not simply granite, but rather nature's foundation for a majestic monument. Borglum's vision became Mount Rushmore National Memorial as the noble portrayal of four of America's leaders gradually emerged from the enduring granite. The towering faces of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln embody the birth, growth, preservation and development of the United States. This morning immerse yourself in the shadow of Mount Rushmore. Learn about the monument, the land it occupies and the artist whose vision created a symbol for all of America. Optional 1/2 mile walk, for those who can handle stairs, is available to the sculptor's studio.
 Lunch: Lunch is included.
 Afternoon: This afternoon we'll continue our exploration with a visit to the Journey Museum. The Journey takes you on an incredible trek through time, from the violent upheaval that formed the mystical Black Hills over 2.5 billion years ago to the continuing saga of the Western Frontier. The Journey Museum brings together four major prehistoric and historic collections to tell the complete story of the Western Great Plains - from the perspective of the Lakota peoples and the pioneers who shaped its past, to the scientists who now study it. Get a close up look at Lakota artifacts and learn why they call the Black Hills "Center of the Universe."
 Dinner: Dinner is included.
 Evening: Tonight we'll attend the lighting ceremony at Mt. Rushmore. There is a very patriotic program presented in the open, outdoor auditorium. SUBJECT TO SEASONAL DATES.
   
Accommodations: K Bar S Lodge
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 5: Badlands National Park/Leisure time
(Thursday, June 21)
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast is included.
 Morning: Today we’ll tour Badlands National Park. Time becomes difficult to comprehend as we learn about the deep canyons, towering spires and flat-topped tables of the Badlands. An inland sea covered this area 68-77 million years ago. Layers of sediment deposited over the next 75 million years give the Badlands their bands of colors while erosion continues to expose the inner most secrets of these lunar-like deposits. This land of sharp ridges, steep gullies, pyramids and knobs has been so ruthlessly ravaged by wind and water that it has become picturesque. The Badlands are a wonderland of bizarre, colorful spires and pinnacles, massive buttes and deep gorges. The forces that carved these features have not only created a unique topography; they have given a strange beauty to this almost desolate land.
 Lunch: Lunch is included.
 Dinner: Dinner is included.
   
Accommodations: K Bar S Lodge
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 6: Ride The Historic 1880 Train to Hill City/Presentation/Hill City and the Black Hills Geological Institute
(Friday, June 22)
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast is included.
 Morning: Morning presentation.
 Morning: Travel back in time as you ride through the beautiful back country of the Black Hills on the historic 1880 steam engine train. We'll have prime opportunity to spot a plethora of wildlife, flora and fauna. The steam engine will take us to the neighboring town of Hill City where we'll enjoy lunch.
 Lunch: Lunch on your own in Hill City
 Afternoon: This afternoon enjoy the local flavor of Hill City. You may immerse yourself in the colorful art galleries and shops of this quaint town. This afternoon discover creatures from long ago with a group tour of the Black Hills Geologic Research Institute. Hop back on the iron horse for your return trip to the K Bar S where we'll enjoy our last evening together.
 Dinner: Tonight enjoy wine, champagne and hors d' oeuvres before dinner. This is the conclusion of the program.
   
Accommodations: K Bar S Lodge
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 7: Depatures
(Saturday, June 23)
   
 Breakfast: You may depart anytime after breakfast.
   
Meals Included: Breakfast

Free Time Opportunities
  
  Keystone, South Dakota General Overview
There are many additional activities available during your visit to the Black Hills. This program will touch on many of the general areas of interest but can not dig deeply into all there is to see and do here. There is an interesting and detailed history about Native Americans, plains settlers, gold seekers and more. Many people come to the Black Hills for exceptional trout fishing, photography, bicycling on old rail beds, hiking, and the study of specialized interests such as geology and paleontology. There are numerous museums in Rapid City, Deadwood, Hill City, Custer and other smaller towns in the Black Hills. There is an almost endless list of public and private attractions to visit as well. Places such as Bear Country USA, Reptile Gardens, the Wild Horse Sanctuary, Wind and Jewel Caves, and dozens of other fun activities await your visit. In Keystone there is mini golf, the Presidential Wax museum, Rushmore Borglum Story, places to get your photo taken in historic costumes, gold mine tours, and much, much more. You could travel to Devil's Tower in NE Wyoming and return to the Hills by driving through beautiful Spearfish Canyon, a National Scenic Byway. There is so much to do in the Black Hills, there is a good reason the Black Hills are dubbed "Beyond All Expectations". For additional information, visit www.blackhillsbadlands.com
Important information about your itinerary: Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information featured on this website. Itineraries are based on our best information at this time. Circumstances beyond our control may require us to adjust itineraries or other details. We regret any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding. Information will be sent to you from your Program Provider approximately three weeks prior to the program start date. The prices listed for commercial services and facilities that are not included in the program cost, such as airport shuttles or extra nights lodging, are subject to change without notice. Since Road Scholar cannot guarantee the accuracy of these prices, we strongly suggest contacting the companies directly for the most up-to-date information.


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