Rapid City is known for its outdoor attractions, including the Black Hills, Crystal Cave Park, Reptile Gardens, and Mount Rushmore National Monument. The Black Hills offer year-round fishing and water sports, as well as hiking and horseback riding. Crystal Cave Park has beautiful crystalline formations, while Reptile Gardens has a large variety of rare reptile species and shows. Cosmos Mystery Area is a summer attraction for those interested in the paranormal. Mount Rushmore features granite sculptures of Presidents Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Roosevelt.
Rapid City is primarily known for its attractive outdoor areas including the Black Hills. The Black Hills are actually hills filled with pine trees, but when viewed from afar, the pines appear black. Mount Rushmore National Monument, Cosmos Mystery Area, Reptile Gardens, Crystal Cave Park, and Black Hills National Forest Recreation Area offer many great things to do in Rapid City.
Fishing is usually available year-round at the Black Hills National Forest Recreation Area, and the waters here are known for many species of trout such as rainbow, brown, and brook. Scuba diving, swimming, canoeing, sailing and water skiing are other popular water sports and the area is characterized by lakes and streams. Hiking, biking and horseback riding are other popular spots in the Black Hills National Forest Recreation Area.
Rapid City’s Crystal Caves Park is known for its breathtaking scenery, and reservations must be made at least the day before your visit. Most of the caves are filled with beautiful crystalline formations that are wonderful to see up close. The walking tour of the caves is easy enough, and Crystal Caves Park offers visitors a great opportunity to visit a real cave.
Reptile Gardens is world famous for its large variety of rare reptile species. It has the world’s largest collection of reptile species including a Komodo dragon and a Russian cobra. Rapid City’s Reptile Gardens is known for its four shows: alligator, snake, bird, and trained animal. Reptile Gardens has a petting zoo, nature center, and children’s play area. Visitors to the gardens can see large turtles, birds, prairie dogs, frogs, spiders and lizards.
Cosmos Mystery Area, also called Cosmos of the Black Hills, is perfect for those who enjoy discovering the paranormal and challenging reality. The gravity-defying nature of the area is thought to be related to some type of vortex. The balls roll uphill here and you won’t be able to stand straight. The Cosmos Mystery Area is a summer attraction for all ages.
Mount Rushmore National Monument near Rapid City is a world-renowned historic site. Sculptor Gutzon Borglum’s granite mountainside sculptures of Presidents Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Roosevelt are definitely a “must see!” Site visitors can walk the Presidential Hiking Trail to the base of the sculptures. The Lincoln Borglum museum usually shows a film of the creation of the sculptures.
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