La Ke's Lodge B&B

Powwows. Buffalo safaris. The continent's tallest mountain this side of the Rocky Mountains. This isn't your average, ordinary, run-of-the-mill vacation. That's because Rapid City lies on the edge of the legendary Black Hills, where you can explore two of the longest caves on the planet, hike around the four faces of Mount Rushmore and scale the sheer granite walls of the Needles - and that's just your first day.

After all, when you're in the middle of the world's highest concentration of public parks, monuments and memorials, there's always something new to experience, from the otherworldly moonscape of the Badlands and the mystery of Devils Tower to more than two million acres of ponderosa forest.

Throw in world-class museums, private wildlife attractions, family amusement parks, fantastic shopping and great restaurants, and you've got more than a vacation. You've got adventure.

Getting to the "heart of it all" is easy. Centrally located in the United States, Rapid City rests along the eastern slope of the Black Hills. We are served by three major airlines and make a great first impression with our stunning view of Harney Range from Rapid City Regional Airport. There are mountains at our doorstep and in them you will find deep, crystal blue lakes, quiet woods, and so much to do that it's an adventure. Crazy Horse Memorial, Black Hills National Forest, Custer State Park and five National Parks and Monuments including Mt. Rushmore are just some of the attractions that you will find here. We are a city of neighbors and neighborhoods. More than three million friends visit us each year, so we get plenty of practice being good and gracious hosts. We take special delight in sharing with our guests the things we enjoy every day.

Why not unwind at an alpine lake surrounded by pine forests and stunning granite peaks? Or how about a buffalo safari? Maybe a solitary walk through the epic canyons of the Badlands is just what you need to stir your soul. You can explore it all from Rapid City, in the shadow of Mount Rushmore at the base of the legendary Black Hills.

Biking
Bicycle touring and pleasure riding are popular in the Black Hills. Rapid City boasts a 13 1/2 mile bikeway along Rapid Creek, but most riding is done on our wide shouldered highways. Some of the favorite rides are Rapid City to Mount Rushmore; the Needles Highway; Iron Mountain Road; Spearfish Canyon; and the Badlands Loop Road. All have some steep grades and long climbs, but the scenery is worth it. Mountain biking is growing fast in the Black Hills, thanks to almost 6,000 miles of fire trails, logging roads and abandoned railroad grades that crisscross the back country ridges, wind down canyons and climb to mountain tops.

Golfing
Black Hills golf courses twist deep into pine forests, cross rushing trout streams and open up to distractingly spectacular mountain vistas. Good golfers are challenged by the tree-lined fairways of Meadowbrook Municipal Golf Course in Rapid City. Or the severe angles of the Boulder Canyon Country Club near Sturgis. Or the killer par 5 eighth hole on Rapid City's Elks Club Course. There are 17 golf courses in the Black Hills.

Hiking
The uncrowded, natural surroundings of Western South Dakota are ideal for walking, hiking and back-packing. The Black Hills National Forest and surrounding State and National Parks offer around 400 miles of both nature walks and bona fide hiking systems on approximately 75 different trails throughout the Black Hills.

Fishing
From fly fishing to ice fishing, the fishing season never closes in South Dakota, which makes the pursuit of trout a year round sport. The Black Hills are home to 14 mountain lakes and more than 300 miles of meandering streams containing brook, brown and rainbow trout. On the surrounding prairie, reservoirs and ranch stock dams also provide angling fun, more than 50,000 stock dams brimming with largemouth bass, northern pike and a variety of panfish.

Horseback Riding
You can really appreciate South Dakota from the back of a good saddle horse. About a dozen trail ride outfits and guest ranches offer one hour, two hour and half-day rides. For longer rides and more freedom, try the outfitters who run Centennial Trail pack trips, Dakota Badlands Expeditions, or local dude ranches. Many vacationers trailer their horses to the Hills, then ride on their own, or join up with weekend treks organized by local horse clubs. Custer State Park is the most popular riding area, but much of the hiking trail network in the Hills is for trail riding.

Mountain Climbing
The technical face-climbing offered in the Black Hills is considered some of the best in the world. Mountaineers say most climbs are short, but very difficult. They range from Easy 5.0 to Extremely Difficult 5.14. It's a great place to practice the purist style of free climbing because there are so many individual summits within this miniature mountain range. Black Hills granite is sharp and abrasive, but is almost always sound. The premier climb in the Black Hills is the 865 foot face of Devil's Tower. More than 80 separate routes to the summit have been described since climbing records were started in 1937.

Water Sports & Country Fun
Fourteen man-made lakes provide boat launching, water skiing, sailing, paddleboating, canoeing, wind-surfing, swimming and scuba diving. There is a never ending list of places to "explore" in the Black Hills. Four-wheel-drive treks are popular because they often lead to unexpected ghost towns, gold mines, homesteads or fire lookout towers.

Excerpt from http://www.visitrapidcity.com

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