Dinosaur Park in Rapid City, South Dakota

Mark, Kent and Sandy at the Dinosaur Park Visitor Center

80 foot long Dinosaur

Mark and Sandy Exploring the Dinosaurs

Sandy and Kent at Dinosaur Park Visitor Center

Another of the Dinosaurs

K Bar S Lodge in Keystone, South Dakota

Yellow Bellied Marmot

This morning after breakfast we ventured out to Dinosaur Park. In the 1920’s and 30’s, Rapid City was looking to capitalize on the growing tourist traffic into the Black Hills, primarily at Mount Rushmore. It was the depression and Rapid City was experiencing a population boom due to the establishment of Ellsworth Airforce Base. The city began this park as a Works Progress Administration project, initiated after dinosaur bones and footprints were discovered in the vicinity. Emmett Sullivan, among others who worked on carving Mount Rushmore, were hired to construct the five massive dinosaurs. The dinosaurs were constructed using metal pipe frames, wire, concrete and painted gray. In the 1950’s the dinosaurs were given the cartoonish color scheme you see today – green and white. The largest of the dinosaurs (80 feet long) stands high on the hill and can be seen from all over the town of Rapid City. While at the Park, Mark and Sandy walked the 90 steps to the top of the hill to see the dinosaur up close. Since the dinosaurs were built of concrete, they are sturdy enough that children have climbed on them for nearly 100 years.

After returning to the hotel, we took a Lyft car to our accommodations for the next six nights at the K Bar S Lodge in Keystone, SD. The hotel is located in the heart of the Black Hills and is just 5 minutes from Mt. Rushmore National Memorial.
Keystone is a very small town with less than 250 residents. It had its origins in 1883 as a mining town and has since transformed itself into a resort town.

Sandy and Mark walked about 15 minutes into Keystone for a pizza and brought it back to the hotel since there was no food available in the hotel. Along the way they saw yellow bellied Marmots. Keystone is about two blocks long and features mostly hotels, eating establishments and shops selling T-shirts and cheap souvenirs.

At 4:30pm we met up with our fellow travelers and tour leader for an orientation of the week ahead. There were 36 people on the tour from all across the nation who each shared what their occupation was and why they chose this tour of the Black Hills of South Dakota. From military service to postal worker and nurses to educators, folks came from all walks of life. Some were still working while most of the travelers were retired.

After the orientation we enjoyed a dinner of chicken masala, roasted broccoli with feta and a green salad. For dessert we had vanilla ice cream with a cherry jubilee sauce.