The Annual Buffalo Round Up and Art Festival is held each year at the end of September, when the autumn foliage is spectacular. Spice up your mouth for the chili cook-off, or watch in awe as hundreds of bison are corralled for branding and vaccinations by cowboys and cowgirls.  Western activities are available for young and old alike. Local artisans let you view their skills and purchase finished works.

The Park is the haven for bicyclists from around the world who enjoy both the fat tire and the dirt road rides. Hikers can appreciate the state hiking system, designed to provide all levels of physical ability trails around the numerous lakes, meadows and ponds. Motorcyclists, bikers and horseback riders can explore countless paths left behind by ranchers and loggers. Several well known trails include the Centennial Trail that winds through a good portion of the area, the Grace Coolidge Walk-In Fishing Area on US Hwy 16A, and the George S. Mickelson Trail where it is claimed the ghosts of Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane still roam. The Mickelson Trail, which opened in 1998, is designed for hikers and bikers of all levels with gentle slopes, easy access and hundreds of converted railroad bridges. The panoramic views of nature in spring and fall are breathtaking. However, except in the springtime, no water is available along the trail, so please bring plenty in environmentally friendly containers.

For a more sophisticated evening out, book reservations to watch a play at the Black Hills Playhouse, established in 1946. It is one of the oldest, continuously running summer playhouses and boasts some of the best off Broadway acting in the country. Funded by the University of South Dakota, the theatre now has five dormitories to house the actors and stage crew. The Children’s Theatre of South Dakota is an outreach program designed to introduce the younger generation to the arts.

Finally, do not forget to visit the Crazy Horse Memorial and Mount Rushmore, both located at the edge of the Park. The memorial to Crazy Horse began to emerge from the mountain in 1948 and is still under construction. It is a privately funded operation.  Mount Rushmore is a National monument depicting the heads of four presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln.