City: Rapid City, SD
Category: Tours & Attractions
Address: 1715 US 16 Bypass (Catron Boulevard)
17. Cosmos Mystery Area
City: Rapid City, SD
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (605) 343-9802, (605) 343-7278
Address: US 16
Description: You’ll be confounded by the Cosmos, where balls roll uphill, people get shorter, and the laws of physics are unenforceable. What’s more, your guide on a half-hour tour will do everything possible to confuse you. Don’t expect to get an explanation for the odd things that occur here; according to the staff, even scientists can’t agree on what causes folks to feel off-balance at the Cosmos. It’s been a tourist attraction since 1952, when two college boys discovered the area known as “the strangest location in the Black Hills.” The Cosmos is open 7 a.m. to dusk daily, June 1 to Labor Day; and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mon through Fri during Apr, May, Sept, and Oct. Cosmos is 18 miles south of Rapid City; look for signs pointing to the turnoff.
City: Rapid City, SD
Category: Tours & Attractions
Address: Skyline Drive
19. Storybook Island
City: Rapid City, SD
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (605) 342-6357
Address: 1301 Sheridan Lake Rd.
Description: Nursery rhymes are the theme at Storybook Island, where tykes and grown-ups enter the world of characters from some of the best-known children’s stories. Cinderella and her pumpkin coach are here, along with Dorothy and Toto, the Crooked Man, and many others. The Storybook Island Theatre Troupe performs all season; call for the schedule. The park is open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. It reopens on weekends from the day after Thanksgiving through Christmas, when miles and miles of lights deck the trees and displays, and special events are planned. Call for more details. The Rapid City and Rushmore Rotary Clubs support Storybook Island. However, donations are always welcome.
20. Bear Country U.S.A.
City: Rapid City, SD
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (605) 343-2290
Address: 13820 South US 16
Description: Lions and reindeer and bears, oh my! Look who’s looking at you, kid, as you drive through this wildlife park. Here, you’re in a “cage” and the animals get to wander around. For more about Bear Country, turn to the Attractions chapter.
21. Reptile Gardens
City: Rapid City, SD
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (605) 342-5873
Address: US 16
Description: Like rattlesnakes? How about tropical flowers? Either way, you’ll find what you’re looking for at Reptile Gardens. Plus, you’ll get to know more about alligators, birds, and other animals. See the Attractions chapter for a more complete description of one of the Black Hills’ most popular stops.
City: Rapid City, SD
Category: Tours & Attractions
Address: US 385