Existing Itineraries
Existing itineraries are really nothing more than samples of the kinds of trips we create. Even an existing itinerary requires small adjustments for group sizes, the date and place of arrival in the area, and the time of year of the trip. The point is that we can very quickly take one of our existing itineraries, customize it to fit your needs and get you a price and set your schedule.
Each of these itineraries has been created with a certain theme. They will give you an idea of the tremendous diversity of things there are to see and do in this area.
The most common mistake made when visiting the Black Hills is leaving too little time to visit all of the extraordinary places and taking time to see the incredible sights that are offered here. We recommend at least 3 nights and 4 days to do justice to this area.
Beautiful Black Hills
The most often used theme is one built around the surprising beauty of the Black Hills and the contrasting Badlands.
Of course, this trip must begin with a visit to Mt. Rushmore. The patriotic feelings that well up in most visitors can be especially strong during the night lighting ceremony. But you'll want to be there at the best time of day for photographs, so plan to visit twice. You won't be disappointed. The other magnificent mountain carving is Crazy Horse. The visit should include a special trip to the base of the mountain which we can arrange for you so everyone can get a sense of the immense scale of the carving. But the museum experience here is also worth an extended stay. You're already going to see why taking more than a day or two is important to truly see the Black Hills.
The incredible granite peaks of the Needles area and Cathedral Spires should not be missed. Along the way visit the appropriately named Sylvan Lake. But take this route only with careful consideration as there are tunnels that will
make even the most skilled driver wish it was his day off and some that are impassable with a coach. (We really do warn: do not plan to take just any route through the Black Hills. There are tunnels which are too small for some coaches and even experienced drivers must make extraordinary maneuvers to get through some of the tunnels.)
Rugged Badlands
From the granite mountain tops and verdant meadows of the Black Hills, to the mysterious stark clay cliffs and peaks of the Badlands to, this trip is one of contrasts and surprising discoveries. There are many overlooks at the Badlands and one day is not enough to do all of them. But our expert guides will lead you to those that are important to be able to appreciate all of the Badlands. Some overlooks are also key to understanding the story of the Lakota leading up to the Massacre at Wounded Knee in 1890.
The Badlands are the perfect way to introduce the story of the Native Americans of the Great Plains. You'll want to visit a Native American encampment and learn about the Native American culture and how it existed literally dependent on the gigantic buffalo herds that roamed this vast grassland. There is a chance to take a jeep ride into one of the largest buffalo herds in America and listen as experts explain all the uses that Native Americans made of the buffalo. We often arrange this presentation at a hotel, perhaps as an evening program around the fire pit at the K Bar S Lodge.
You might wish to sleep in the same hotel where President Coolidge slept when he made the Black Hills his Presidential home for several months in 1927. You'll certainly want to hear how a barn storming airplane pilot played a role in Coolidge's endorsement of Mt. Rushmore which led directly to Federal support for the project. There are so many things that can be included in a general theme for this area that the list is almost endless.
Buffalo Round-Up
There is only one time of year in the fall to attend the Buffalo Round Up in Custer State Park. But this single event has grown into such a draw for motor coach groups that 11,000 people attended recently. Just getting there shortly after dawn on the day of the Round Up takes some planning. But once there, you'll have an experience that is close to being here during the "good ole' days" of the American West. You'll feel the excitement and get an absolutely memorable thrill as you watch 1,500 head of American Bison come charging over the hills.
During the visit you'll want to take in the art show, watch a black powder shooter demonstrate the historic way of taking down a buffalo, and maybe experience the "Great American Buffalo Chili Cook Off" for lunch. The nearby 1881 museum takes you back in time to the days shortly after Custer's Seventh Cavalry discovered gold in the Black Hills.
Not far from here is the Gordon Stockade which introduces the first illegal entry of white people into the Black Hills after the Federal Government set them aside for the Indians. But illegal entry then was not much different than we think of it now; when people want in they'll find a way. Before long those few who called the Stockade home for a while were leading others into the Hills in search of gold.