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South Dakota

THE MOUNT RUSHMORE STATE

Land Area	77,123 sq miles (200,520 sq.km)
Population	754,844
State Capital	Pierre (pronounced peer)
Largest City	Sioux Falls
Local Time	South Dakota is divided approximately in the middle of the state into two time zones. CT in eastern South Dakota to approximately the Missouri River - six hours behind the UK and MT in western South Dakota - seven hours behind UK.
Climate	Warm summers, cold winters with heavy snow November to March. Low rainfall the rest of the year.
Ntl Parks	Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Badlands National Park, Jewel Cave National Monument, Wind Cave National Park, Black Hills National Forest.

IF YOU ONLY SEE ONE THING ...

Our famous faces, the 60-foot images on Mount Rushmore National memorial, stand as a symbol of American democracy recognised world-wide.

STRANGE BUT TRUE ...

Stories of 18-inch-tall (45 cm) devils, armed with arrows inhabiting a prairie hill piqued the interest of explorers Lewis and Clark. On Aug. 25, 1804 they set off on foot to investigate. At the top of the hill, which they named Spirit Mound, the infamous devils were nowhere to be found. But the explorers did see an incredible sight: a massive herd of buffalo

LOOK OUT FOR ...

Buffalo Interpretive Center, Fort Pierre. Located along the Native American Scenic Byway, the centreÕs exhibits and interpretive displays explain the importance of the buffalo in American Indian culture. Artisans provide livinghistory demonstrat

Desolate but beautiful Badlands National Park and the majestic Black Hills, where pine forests grow among mountain peaks more than 7,000 feet (2,133 m) tall, fill the southwestern corner of the state. This is where you will find the famous giant presidential faces on Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Custer State Park, Wind Cave National Park and Jewel Cave National Monument.

The Custer State Park Buffalo Roundup offers a thrill of a lifetime as visitors watch cowboys on horseback corral a herd of 1,500 thundering bison. The ground shakes and the dirt flies as the awesome creatures rumble by. Just 17 miles (27 km) from Mount Rushmore you can watch blasting in process on Crazy Horse Memorial. More than a lifetimeÕs work has shaped a mountain to honour the famous American Indian chief. When complete, this carving will stand 563 feet (172 m) high.

Adventurous drives can get you off the main highways and travel remote forest backroads to dozens of ghost towns and abandoned mines in the area.

Rapid City has a unique choice of visitor attractions ranging from Black Hills gold factories and The Journey Museum to hot-air ballooning.