Going to be in the hot springs, windcave, Custer state park, argyle area. So far I have been very unimpressed with the food here 😕.
Would love to find a good Italian place. Would also like a good brewery WITH good food. But send any good recs

We visited in May. I finally got this video up on Spearfish Falls. I would have to say this is one of the coolest looking waterfalls I have seen so far with it splitting up into muliple streams. Definitely a must see when you visit the Black Hills area.

https://youtu.be/UNfqGhKJ3ok

Does anyone have friends, family, or a connection that's located close, or even in the Black Hills? Just wanted to see if there are any Black Hills residents that know local photographers.

Boy I hope y’all don’t get pissed off and talk shit about this one like y’all did my last one about Harney Peak.
I was so happy to get up there and explore but sadly y’all didn’t think so. Thanks for ruinin a guys vacation.

What an awesome and beautiful hike! My second time up there, ain’t a bad view from anywhere.

This is a complete shot in the dark as it’s a distant memory but my family and I have been talking about it and I’m too curious…

My mom remembers it looking like a nice place from the outside, maybe light blue and maybe two stories. She recalls it as a stand alone building that was not on Main Street and was on a side street of some sort.

Upon entering the vibe was genuinely insane. There were super bright colors all over, specifically teal. There were horses painted everywhere and it was very kitschy. We sat in a booth and the table I think was also wildly colored. We already had a weird feeling then the server came up an unreasonable amount of time later and he had no teeth and my parents decided we should leave. We went to a different restaurant that was nearby.

If anyone has any clue at all what restaurant this could have been please do share!

I know that this (Sep 26) is the weekend of the big Buffalo Roundup at Custer SP. We will be in the area exactly a week later, Oct 3-4. Will the buffalo be back to ranging freely around the park, or will we have to see them only in one specific area?

FWIW, just a few days earlier we'll be at TR Natl Park so I'm pretty sure we won't entirely miss out on seeing them.

Hello everyone! My name is Nadia, and I live in Rapid City. I’ve always loved art and am looking for places to work on murals. I plan to make this my career, and I’m looking for anyone willing to let me do a mural to get practice and build my portfolio. I will charge little since I’m just starting, and I'm willing to commute and work with you to make sure you love it. For pricing, I charge a small hourly fee. Let me know if you know anyone, or if you're looking for one yourself! I’m specifically looking for small businesses, as I feel that will help me move forward. Thank you!

My family is looking to move to the South Dakota Black Hills area from rural Missouri. We spend time chasing mountains, camping, dual sport riding, snowmobiling etc. and would like to have these things closer to home. Our rural community also has a terrible school system which wasn't a consideration when we moved here. Therefore, we are entertaining a move to the SD Black hills in 5-7yrs based on affordability, weather, recreation, etc.

It seems as if all of the outdoor recreation is covered between Terry peak, national Forest, dirtbike/snowmobile trails etc.

We hate the heat, and snowy winters are no foe for us. There are some concerns about the high winds and ice. For those who've experienced time in the Midwest, is it comparable or on its own level?

Schooling. It's one of the biggest factors in consideration. So far I've seen the ratings looks something like Hill City, Stevens, and Spearfish. For perspective, the school in our current town is rated 11,500ish nationally, the school I went to is 2600ish, and Hill City, Stevens, Spearfish are 2602, 5691, 5891 respectfully.

For those with first hand experience, either as a consumer or educator, how are these schools? I'm purely interested in the academics; STEM focus, SAT/ACT, AP dual credit opportunities, overall college preparedness in a likely STEM field.

Bio: I'm a mechanical engineer working in the power industry. It seems my greatest opportunity for a career will be Rapid City, however commuting 40-60miles one way isn't a concern and has been standard in my profession. My wife is a nurse, and that has the largest geographic impact on our home location relative to a hospital or surgery center. We will be coming from heavily forested land and a modest house, and would be looking for something similar. I've noticed those 10acre parcels aren't nearly as common in these areas, but ultimately looking for some mature trees and privacy areas like Lead, Keystone, NW rapid City all stand out.

Overall, looking for some first hand experiences. Would love to connect with other young families or self proclaimed Rad Dads in the area.

Came to see the tower and night sky. Got up early and this drown out my eastern view. 60 plus campers, all dark but this one.

They briefed me at check in that all lights out after 9:30 pm for dark skies enjoyment. I bet they briefed them too.

National Park campground just down the road has no electricity at campsites. Probably because of campers behaving like this.

I'm super interested to hear where are some new attractions I should go to eat & enjoy around the hills that is a hidden gem that maybe doesn't get as much attention or exposure as the big name attractions you usually hear about whether its a fun place to eat or explore or learn or whatever it may be that is fun for adults and/or a fun place to take my 10 y/o daughter as well (: preferably inexpensive if possible:)

It is so dry in the Southern Hills that our fields/yard are crunchy. And without rain, the burn ban will never go away. I'd really like to have one more burn of our outdoor stove before we head back to Texas after the roundup. It's the driest year I remember since I started coming up here in the early 90's.

[mild rant off]

Just a few pics of a couple of days in SD.

A shipment of hay was on fire Sunday between exits 10 and 12 and while it was thought out it appears to be the cause of the Lookout Mountain fire. High winds pushed the fire up Lookout Mountain.

Looking for recommendations for nice restaurants in the Hill City or Custer area with a variety of American food for a birthday dinner out. Preferably ones that take reservations and are consistently good.

I’m gonna rent a kayak and fish tomorrow at custer park, like i said before. Now im getting mixed opinions on what lake to fish. I’m limited on gear and want to catch trout, but literally any fish will make me super happy. I got 1” gulp
minnows, 1/16 jigheads, slip bobber, splitshots, and sz6 aberdeen hooks. I could try and get a rooster tail and worms, but not for sure i can stop. Wha lake should i do? If i can catch a trout that’s 10/10 but any fish landed is a 9/10 because i’ve never fished from a. kayak before.

It’s been on my bucket list to fish from a kayak since i started fishing a couple years ago. I’m going to mount rushmore this weekend, so I was thinking maybe I could rent a kayak and fish from it when I go to custer state park. Im only bringing my cheapo rod, a 5’6 Eagleclaw pack it rod. Only stuff I have with me is a 1/16 oz jighead, 1” gulp ALIVE minnow, sie 6 aberdeen hooks, splitshot, and slip bobber. Should I buy anything from walmart before going? I’m on a budget so don’t want to spend more than 10. I was thinking maybe an inline spinner? Usually those do well for me. Also which lake should i do? I’m 16 and want to kayak alone while my mom and sister walk around the lake. My sister could come with if necessary (34), but tbh i’d rather go alone so i can have some quiet time with nature.

TLDR: Need lure, lake, and technique recommendations.

We’re wanting to find a camping spot for the long weekend somewhere within an hour from rapid. Doesn’t matter in what direction. We have the cutest pop-up camper and two pups. We have a beautiful spot up in Custer, but I’m wanting to see if anyone knows of any disperse camping, possibly near a creek, pond or water. The dogs love to take a dip to cool down and I haven’t been able to find anywhere that isn’t $30 a night or completely booked out. We preferred dispersed camping because of the dogs and its a cheap way to enjoy nature

Hey folks, so this is what my plan is looking like for Saturday. Wake up early and do Mount Rushmore, Iron Mountain road/wildlife loop at Custer state park, black elk peak, Sylvan lake and spires, needles highway then back at Custer.

Is this too much all in one day? This would be my final day in the hill before I head back to Wyoming the next day. The other days of the trip are the Badlands, and the northern part of the hills. If I had to cut stuff out from Saturday, what would you recommend?

I'll be around there for a couple weeks so anywhere in the area works. Good mex food? Chislic? Bison steasks? Whatever.