Top 10 Reasons to go to the Black Hills with the Columbia Ski Club
Join the Getaways and Adventures Black Hills trip, taking place from May 17-25! This 9-day trip, customized for the Columbia Ski Club, includes 8 nights at the Rushmore Hotel Best Western in Rapid City, SD; daily sightseeing in luxury vans to all included sites and activities; 8 breakfasts, 5 lunches, a welcome party and group dinner. Still not convinced? Our Trip Leaders, Curt Phillips and Rob Foard, present their top 10 reasons to join them for this Western adventure!
10. Take advantage of the free shuttle service from the Rapid City airport to and from our boutique hotel, the Best Western Rapid City, where we’ll stay for 8 nights. You’ll be just steps from restaurants, bars, and nightlife in Rapid City.
9. Visit quirky Wall Drug to enjoy 5-cent coffee, or ice cream, fresh doughnuts, and other snacks. Shop in dozens of stores for Western wear, jewelry, leather goods, Americana souvenirs and other items. See the old-time animatronic musical revues!
8. Savor fresh, local ingredients, such as bison, elk, beef, and local fish, farm-fresh produce, local brews, wines, and distilled liquors. Enjoy a traditional ranch house lunch at a rustic historic lodge in Custer State Park.
7. Ride an authentic 1880’s steam train through the scenic Black Hills from Hill City to Keystone, with live narration about the heritage of the railroads and the stunning scenery.
6. Visit the Minuteman Missile National Historic site for a virtual tour of the nuclear missile silos that were at the forefront of national defense during the Cold War. Browse the exhibits at the Visitor’s Center and gaze across the vast South Dakota prairies as you imagine working beneath the plains.
5. Tour the Homestake Mine, once the largest gold mine in the Western Hemisphere, and now home to the Sanford Research Facility, where Nobel-prize winning research takes place on the origins of the universe.
4. Choose-your-own adventure! Take a bike ride on the Mickelson Trail (e-bikes available), take a guided hike on a local trail, or if these activities are not your style, visit the classic Old West towns of Keystone, Deadwood, or Hill City to visit museums, shop for Black Hills Gold jewelry and enjoy mid-Western hospitality.
3. Walk the streets of the historic towns of Lead and Deadwood; see a re-enactment of a historic gunfight and visit Mt. Moriah Cemetery, the resting place of such Old West characters as Wild Bill Hickock and Calamity Jane.
2. Get stunning up-close views and sweeping vistas at two of the region’s most picturesque geologic formations: hike around Devil’s Tower National Monument in eastern Wyoming, and stroll among the striated rock formations in Badlands National Park.
1. Get your thrills on the Iron Mountain and Needles Highways in the hands of our expert driver/guides for spectacular views of rocky spires, castles, and other magnificent formations throughout Custer State Park. Experience the iconic Mount Rushmore National Memorial and Crazy Horse Monument situated within the park.
Sign up at the member meeting on February 10 or by contacting Curt and Rob at BlackHills2025@columbiaskiclub.org. The trip package price is $3225. Please note, this trip does not include airfare from BWI to Rapid City; contact Curt or Rob for arrival requirements.