South Dakota

The state of South Dakota awaits, brimming with opportunities from the rolling plains to the rugged peaks and the glittering lakes. Some of the state's most beautiful landscapes can be found in the Southwest Region known for the Badlands and Black Hills. Years and years of harsh erosion have created the magnificent desolation that makes up the spires and peaks of the Badlands. The Black Hills are the oldest mountains in America and the highest east of the Rockies. Within the region, other famous destinations include the Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse Memorials. The faces of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln carved into the side of Mount Rushmore stand as a symbol of American Democracy. The still-under-construction Crazy Horse Memorial stands to honor the American Indians and will be the world's largest mountain sculpture when completed. Also in the Black Hills lies the fourth longest cave in the world in Wind Cave National Park. You can visit an authentic wild west town at the city of Deadwood. Stop by Mount Moriah Cemetery to see the graves of famous Old West figures such as Wild Bill Hickock and Calamity Jane. Other attractions at Deadwood include panning for gold and gambling. In the largest city in the state, Sioux Falls, you can visit some of the most unique waterfalls in the country, with water rushing over glistening pink quartzite. With fascinating natural beauty and famous heroes like Crazy Horse and Wild Bill Hickock, South Dakota truly embodies the American Spirit.