Best way to spend half day in Rapid City?

[bigbassfish]

I’ll have an afternoon to kill in Rapid City this week, any suggestions on how to spend it?

I’ll have two dogs and my boat with me, but either or both have somewhere to stay for the day if need be.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Bearded Bowhunter]

Take the boat over to Pactola Lake.

 

[hiker270]

Last year stayed overnite in Rapid City before heading to Wyoming to hunt elk. Killed a couple hours at Cabelas and Black Hills Harley Davidson. Did'nt buy another Harley and only bought a pair of Darn Tough socks at Cabelas.

 

[thegrouse]

Either hit the retail places or drive through the Black Hills

 

[jmez]

What kind of dogs? Do you fly fish?

 

[bigbassfish]

Great ideas thanks!

 

[bigbassfish]

Two labs and yes we do fly fish

 

[Tilzbow]

Mt Rushmore

 

[Fowl Play]

You have Custer, wind cave national park, and badlands national park in driving distance. Wind cave probably too long for a half day if going to tour the cave. Sylvan lake area of Custer is gorgeous. Watching the sunrise at the wall in the badlands is worth it as well. Cool landscape.

 

[Tilzbow]

You have Custer, wind cave national park, and badlands national park in driving distance. Wind cave probably too long for a half day if going to tour the cave. Sylvan lake area of Custer is gorgeous. Watching the sunrise at the wall in the badlands is worth it as well. Cool landscape.

Jewel Cave is also close by. Custer State Park is worth a drive through, too, tons of bison there. Spearfish Canyon highway is another nice drive and you can pass through Deadwood on the way out. All that said, Mt Rushmore would be at the top of my list if I only had a half day. There’s a good walk up to the base and back.

 

[jmez]

I would recommend fly fishing. You can fish right in/through town in Rapid Creek. A short drive you can fish Rapid Creek in the Black Hills. Go to Dakota Angler, great guys. They will tell you what and where the fish are biting. A few walk in areas east of Rapid City if you want to grouse hunt. Likley going to be waaaaaay to hot for an afternoon hunt this week with dogs though.

 

[cnelk]

Drive over to Deerfield Res. Hang out, bring dogs if you want.
There’s a nice little cafe on the south end.

 

[FranklinBluth]

Can't go wrong with Deerfield, Pactola, or Sheridan reservoirs. Last fall we took the kids to Deerfield and shore fished - had no issue catching our limits of stocker rainbows with nightcrawlers under a bobber.

 

[FranklinBluth]

Should add - a drive through Badlands NP is worth the time. It's a cool place to see and there's often some large bighorn sheep near the road. I brought my glass with last year and spotted sheep, buffalo, pronghorn, and coyotes.