Day Trips Black Hills Mount Rushmore Crazy Horse Tour

As we head north we will not only be seeing areas of scenic beauty, but also one of the most historical areas of the American “Old West.” Famous names from history, both Cowboys and Indians, will come to life during your journey. When we approach Deadwood our first stop will be at Tatanka, the story of the Bison, an attraction built by Kevin Costner. Tatanka is a tribute to the Lakota Indian and the Buffalo. You will see Indian Braves on horseback watching from the nearby hills, hear stories from the grandson of a Lakota War Chief who fought at the “Battle of Little Big Horn.” You will see the centerpiece of Tatanka: "Story of the Bison" is a larger-than-life (125% of life size) bronze sculpture featuring 14 bison being pursued by three Native American riders.

From Tatanka we will proceed to Deadwood where we will join “Alkali Ike” and his Deadwood tour bus. You will see historical areas of the town including Mt. Moriah (boot hill) where such infamous characters as “Wild Bill Hickok” and “Calamity” Jane are interred.

After lunch in Deadwood's Historic Franklin Hotel we will continuing on to the Homestake Mine's open pit in Lead. From there we will proceed into Spearfish Canyon which has been designated as one of the ten most scenic drives in the United States. Along the way we will stop at Roughlock Falls and then visit the site used for the Indian encampment in the movie “Dances with Wolves.”

As we leave Spearfish Canyon we will be heading back to Rapid City. On the way we want to stop at Bear Butte a monolith sticking up from the plains. We will see if you can guess how it got it's name. Bear Butte is a very sacred place to the Lakota Indian. Before his battles, Chief Crazy Horse spent time here for guidance from the spirits. We will view relics from the past at the visitor center and may get a chance to see a small herd of buffalo.

Finally we will cut cross country on gravel roads and pass by an old cavalry cemetery dating back to the mid 1800's. This cemetery has been designated a national historic site commemorating the American soldiers and their families who died in those bygone days.

We will start our journey heading southwest into the Black Hills. There we will view the beauty and wildlife of the area along with an existing and a future “Man Made Wonder of the World.”

Mount Rushmore

Our first stop will be at the world renown Mount Rushmore a shrine in the Black Hills. You will see the monument as it's creator, Gutzon Borglum, wanted with the morning sun shining directly on the faces.

Pig Tail Bridges Black Hills South Dakota

From Mount Rushmore we will proceed south on “Iron Mountain Road” with it's “Pig Tail” bridges which are still regarded as an engineering marvel. Then we will meet up with the park's Wild Burros looking for a hand out.

Custer State Park

We will then enter Custer State Park and proceeding along the “Wild Life Loop” (where truly “....buffalo roam and the deer and the antelope play.... and skies are not cloudy all day”) to our lunch brake at “Bluebell Lodge”

Lake Sylvan & Needles Hyway

After lunch we will ride to the top of Mt. Coolidge where Crazy Horse Black Hills South Dakota

we have a breathtaking view of five different states (weather permitting!). The picture at the left is of Crazy Horse Monument from the top of Mt. Coolidge at 35 miles away. Proceeding on we will travel the Needles Hi-way stopping at the Eye of the Needle on the way to Sylvan Lake. Sylvan Lake is a spectacle you will take with you the rest of your life. In addition you will see in the Sylvan Lake Lodge architecture , a touch of the hand of Frank Lloyd Wright, who consulted on the design of the lodge.

From here we move on to Crazy Horse Monument, the world's largest mountain carving. The memorial to Chief Crazy Horse honors the North America Indian, and when finished will be the colossus of the “Man Made Wonders of the World”

Now as we head back to Rapid City, if time allows, we can make a short stop at the Black Hill Institute of Geological Research (“Everything Prehistoric”) where Sue (the most complete T-Rex ever found) was confiscated by the US government.

This is a “must see” event that occurs every evening from the middle of May through the 1st of October. You'll hear the history of the four Presidents, Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and Roosevelt and why they are immortalized in stone. You'll see the lights gradually brighten as you listen to “God Bless America” and the National Anthem haunting renditions that will bring tears to your eyes.

To visit the South Dakota Badlands we must travel east away from the Black Hills. We will see the great diversity of these lands so revered by the Lakota people and their ancestors. We will pass the home of the "BIB" Lancer Bomber, a symbol of this countries Air Power. We will be crossing over the Cheyenne River where a battle scene from the movie “Dances with Wolves” was filmed. Passing through Wall, SD, the home of Wall Drug a shining example of American free enterprise, we will enter the South Dakota Badlands. The South Dakota Badlands where the “good guys and the bad guys” alike perished in the land of sun and bad water.

SD Air & Space Museum

Just east of Rapid City we will pass Ellsworth AFB and drive through the exhibits of the South Dakota Air and Space Museum. You will see on display the only "B1B" Lacer on public display anywhere in the world. You may spend as long as you like looking at the exhibits remembering this is your journey to enjoy as you see fit.

South Dakota Badlands

After leaving Ellsworth we journey on through the Cheyenne River basin where the Indians rescued Sgt Dunbar from the Cavalry in “Dancing with Wolves.” Then

on through Wall SD and into the South Dakota Badlands, where you will see the many formations carved out of the stone by millions of years of erosion. You will experience the plant and animal life that survives in this awesome place. You will see the South Dakota Badlands from the many lookouts along the way, and talk with some of the paleontologists at the “Pig Dig” an active “dig” sponsored by the SD School of Mines. You will get to take the "Fossil Walk" before we stop for lunch at the Ben Reifel Visitors Center.

Wall Drug

After lunch we will take our final leg through the South Dakota Badlands then head back to Wall SD. On the way we will pass by “Alpha” site where missile crews maintained their Wall Drug South Dakota

vigilance over the "Minute Man" ICBM's during the cold war. Finally we arrive at Wall Drug with a story dating back to the early 1930's. It will tell of the stores humble beginning and it's journey through history to a $50,000,000 a year business. After spending some time looking through the multitude of shops we will end the day with some of Wall Drug's famous home made ice cream, complements of 605 Touring Co. Then you can sit back, kick off your shoes and relax on the drive back to Rapid City.

Near the Badlands of South Dakota we find something from years gone by and perhaps something that most of us do not think about very often. The Minuteman Missile Silo and Launch Control Facility, Delta -01 and
Launch Facility Delta-09 were preserved by an Act of Congress in 1999 and commissioned the National Park Service to 'protect and conserve' it's history.

This is the only remaining launch control center and missile silo in the USA from the Cold War. At one time there were 150 of them in Western South Dakota.

Reservations for this must be made several months in advance and groups are limited to 6 at one time because of the tight confines. You also must be in good physical condition and be able to climb a ladder.

We will also see the Badlands and stop at Wall Drug. $119/person_________ Includes all activities (except lunch), taxes, and fees.

All prices listed include all applicable taxes, fees, entrance fees, and lunch and these leave from Aberdeen, SD. We have figured the prices on an average basis. Depending on your group size, sometimes we will come out a little ahead and sometimes we will come up a bit short of normal profit. For convenience sake though, it is much easier for you, and us, to set a price for your group. Then, when you know the amount you are dealing with, you may split it up easily among your group. If your tour includes night stops, the price will include breakfast (except for the first day) and dinner (except for the final day), but not lunch.

Tips at places we dine at are not included. It is our experience that you will appreciate your host/waiter/waitress, and vice-versa, if these things are left to the worthiness of the service you receive.

So, if you receive great service, a tip would be greatly appreciated . . . and you may tip your driver/guide as well if you feel they have earned it.

Our meal stops will be at places we decide along the way and will be at local cafes, taverns, or restaurants, just depending on where we are. If we are near Ft. Sisseton we will dine at the Prairie Sky Guest Ranch – you will enjoy this atmosphere! Take a look at their facilities: http://www.prairieskyranch.com/index.htm

605 Touring Co. does not make commission stops. A commission stop would be a place that would pay us a ‘commission’ on the amount of money you spent while you were there. We will never do this. Instead, our itineraries are made up of places that we have visited ourselves (or perhaps have heard about if it is our first time there) that we think are ‘cool’, ‘quirky’, or ‘just plain neat’ and represent themselves, South Dakota, or other destination well.

If you do not see a listing on our itineraries that you would like to visit, no problem! You are free to custom design any tour that you wish. We are on your time schedule, not the other way around.

We do not visit casinos as a tour destination, nor do we do bar hops. All vehicles are non-smoking and non-drinking (alcohol that is).

Maximum group size is 14 unless there is a special Step-On Guide on part or all of the tour. Then it is 13.

All tours leave from either RG’s or Perkins Restaurant, just depending on which way we are heading. You may park at these locations all day long, and they would appreciate your business for breakfast or dinner. We have been welcomed by the managers at each of these locations and we thank them for offering us convenient meeting places to board. Please be courteous and park in the outer available spaces.

Tour departure times are 9am unless otherwise noted. A few of the days can be quite lengthy, if you would like to stretch the time frame into 2 or more days, please contact us and we will be happy to quote you a price suited to your needs.

The most important thing to bring with you is a ‘go with the flow’ attitude. Invariably, when you are traveling with a group, a portion of that group may want to stop and see or do something that is not on the set itinerary, and perhaps something that you are not interested in. Please try to accommodate them as you might also run across something that they have no interest in. A nice thing about a mini-coach is that it only handles small groups, giving you a pleasant trip, and when you reach your destination, you may still ‘get away from the crowd’ for a little while.

Varying the set itinerary is no problem whatsoever, we are very flexible. Kindly keep in mind though that due to time constraints, something else may have to be shortened or left out entirely.

When you have selected the tour and date that works for you, complete our on-line <Booking Form> and when you submit it we will check availability and get back to you via email or phone. If you have any questions you may contact us at tours@toursdbackroads.com or call us at (605) 216-1059.

Remember that the tour descriptions are what we hope to do, and we may not be able to do them all depending on time, weather, etc. Don’t feel rushed. Enjoy yourself!

Due to the nature of Day Trips, the full amount is due when you book your tour. Unfortunately if you must cancel, there are no refunds. We accept Visa, Mastercard, and Discover but we must add on the 3% credit card fee for trips over 1 day if you wish to use that as your method of payment (sorry, but for longer than 2 day trips, credit cards can only be accepted for the deposit amount).

Providing your own driver is not available as per our insurance carrier guidelines.

Choose from the following Themes, then go below to see Departure Dates.
Remember, if the departure dates of a particular tour do not fit your travel plans, we can run the itinerary as a customized departure on the date or your choice. Just contact us for availability! Change, add, or Delete items from the tours as you wish.

Our vehicle is located in Aberdeen, but we can pick your group up anywhere! Email or Call for special pricing.

Tour Code	Tour Description	Days	Price	Dates
VIN	International Vinegar Museum, Ft. Sisseton, Sica Hollow, Nicollet Tower, Natural Colored Wool Studio every other Thursday.	1	$676	click here
WILD	Laura Ingalls Wilder, Carthage Straw Bale Museum, you may combine with Tour Code RED.	1	$702	click here
RED	Redlin Art Center, Mellette House	1	$676	click here
CORN	Corn Palace, Prehistoric Indian Village	1	$728	click here
HUTT	Hutterite Colony	1	$520	click here
PET	Petrified Wood Park, Hugh Glass Monument, Sitting Bull Grave	1	$806	click here
CAVE	Cave Hills, Slim Buttes Battlefield - note, you must be in good physical condition for this tour.	2	$1716	click here
MCC	McCrory Gardens, Butterfly House, Falls Park, Schade Winery	1	$858	click here
PRAI	Prairie Cathedral, Hoven, SD.	1	$676	click here
PIER	Pierre, SD, Oahe, Capitol, Cultural Heritage Center, Forts. Do you know what the Verendrye Monument is?	1	$728	click here
BIRDA	Sandlake Wildlife Refuge, Sica Hollow	1	$728	click here
WINEA	Schade Winery, National Music Museum, Valiant Vineyards Winery	2	$1794	click here
WINEB	Prairie Berry Winery, Black Hills attractions.			contact us
GOLF	Golf the Courses in South Dakota... and beyond!			contact us
HILLS	Badlands, Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Deadwood, Lead, Spearfish Canyon, Wildlife Loop, Jewel Cave, Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, Fur Trade Museum			contact us
THEME	Ideas include, Rodeos, Racing, Family Events, Reunions, Birdwatching, Photography, History, Hiking, Biking, Pow-Wows, Fall Foilage, etc, etc, etc.			contact us
				contact us

Note about Wine Tours: On September 23 and 24, 2006 (Sat and Sunday), Prairie Berry Winery in Hill City, SD offers an 1880 train ride from Hill City to Keystone and back with 4 course meal, western style entertainment, and of course Prairie Berry Wines!

Dates of Special Interest:
If you have a special event that your group would like to attend, just let us know!

Fort Sisseton Festival, Vinegar Festival, Pierpont Storytelling Festival, Buffalo Roundup, Night-time Dynamite Blasts at Crazy Horse Memorial.....there are so many and varied, please take a moment to scroll thru the web site links below.

WHEN YOU USE OUR <BOOKING FORM> TO SUBMIT YOUR TOUR, USE THE TOUR CODE AND THE DEPARTURE DATE AS YOUR TOUR CODE.
FOR EXAMPLE, VIN WITH A DEPARTURE DATE OF JULY 14 YOU WOULD ENTER AS: VIN714.
THE TOUR CODE FOR CUSTOM TOURS IS: CUSTOM

Tour Code	Departure Dates
VIN	Thursdays-RG’s Don't forget Vinegar Days in June!
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WILD	Fridays-RG’s Laura Ingalls Pageant Days
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RED	Wednesdays-RG’s
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CORN	Thursdays-Perkins
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HUTT	Mondays-Perkins
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PET	Tuesdays-Perkins
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CAVE	Saturdays-Perkins
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MCC	Wednesdays-RG’s
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PRAI	Mondays-Perkins
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PIER	Fridays-RG’s
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BIRDA	Tuesdays-RG’s October - check with us for openings and secure your spot for fall migration!
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WINE	Saturdays-RG’s
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Comfortably travel with up to 14 passengers. Our Mini-Coaches have cloth seats, a 20” DVD, a smooth ride, Professional driver, and a dual PA System. The dual PA system is especially nice if you have an invited guest, for employee training, or just to provide information to your fellow travelers. Meals are not included for Business use.

We will go almost anywhere, but more often than not, your business will be in the State of South Dakota. Our pricing follows for trips leaving from Aberdeen to the most popular destinations in South Dakota. If you have another destination in mind, contact us at info@toursdbackroads.com or call (605) 216-1059.

Use our online <Booking Form> to send us your information. We will check availability and respond to you via email or phone to let you know of availability.

Half days (4 hr max) and full days (8 hr max) are available for use in Aberdeen only.

Local	Price
Tour Code	(All prices include applicable taxes and fees)
HDA (half day)	$318
FDA (full day)	$488

Roundtrips from Aberdeen		City
Tour Code
PDT	$546	Pierre
WDT	$520	Watertown
BDT	$546	Brookings
SDT	$572	Sioux Falls
RDT	$988	Rapid City - includes 1 night driver stay over.

On occasion, we are asked if your company may supply the driver. Generally, the answer is no, but contact us to see what the guidelines would be if you have extreme interest. This option is not available for the tours.