There are sights to see, activities to enjoy and camaraderie to build away from the meeting room in Rapid City, S.D., a picturesque locale near Mount Rushmore, one of the country’s most iconic landmarks.
Much like the Black Hills once beckoned prospectors in search of gold, today the Rapid City area calls groups outdoors to experience its riches, including Crazy Horse Memorial, Custer State Park, a variety of golf courses and other lures.
Mount Rushmore National Memorial
Mount Rushmore, a must-see for groups meeting in Rapid City, welcomes about 3 million visitors per year. Also known as the Shrine of Democracy, it features carvings of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln.
“While visitors will see the monument from a distance, there is a special stunning view as you enter,” says Lloyd Shelton, food and beverage manager for Xanterra Parks & Resorts at Mount Rushmore National Memorial.
Before starting down the three-quarter-mile trail to the base of the monument for unique views, attendees can stop at the gift shop for souvenirs, including Native American art, and at Memorial Team Ice Cream for a scoop of vanilla made from the first-known written ice cream recipe in the U.S.
“Not to be missed is the lighting ceremony in the evenings,” Shelton says, explaining that it runs from mid-May until the end of September and features a ranger talk, a film about the memorial and lights illuminating the monument.
Carvers Cafe, an eatery at the monument, is available for banquets and other group events, Shelton adds. There is an outdoor patio that seats 150 people and a dining room that seats up to 250. Menus range from outdoor picnic-style meals to full-course dinners.
Crazy Horse Memorial
Crazy Horse Memorial is a tribute to all Native Americans that annually welcomes more than 1 million visitors from around the world, according to Ruth Ziolkowski, wife of late sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski, who created Crazy Horse, and CEO for the nonprofit foundation operating the memorial.
“There are many reasons to visit Crazy Horse,” she says. “First, we are in the beautiful Black Hills. The Lakota and other first Americans believe this is the ‘heart of all that is.’ The mountain carving is awe-inspiring by itself, but we also have one of the foremost collections of historic and contemporary Native American items from all regions of North America.”
The growing visitor complex includes a welcome center, the Indian Museum of North America History, the Native American Educational & Cultural Center and Ziolkowski’s original log home and studio.
According to Ziolkowski, the mountain carving is nearly a mile from the visitor complex, so groups are encouraged to make advance arrangements for a step-on guide who will recap the memorial’s history on the way to the base, which towers more than 500 feet above its pine-covered surroundings.
From May through October, she adds, the nightly “Legends in Light” program illuminates Crazy Horse.
After spending a few hours exploring, groups might stop into Laughing Water Restaurant, which overlooks the landmark and is open year-round.PageBreak
Custer State Park
Free-roaming wildlife, Jeep tours, old-fashioned chuck wagon cookouts, non-motorized watercraft outings and hiking excursions are among the memorable options for groups visiting Custer State Park.
“I hear, ‘We made the best memories together’ all the time from meeting planners who bombard me with their group’s feedback about how much more everyone loved having their event out here compared to, say, a more metropolitan location,” says Gina Konechne, director of sales at Custer State Park Resorts.
She explains that attendees get a huge kick out of the up-close encounters with wildlife, appreciate the refined simplicity of the activities and enjoy the breathtaking natural surroundings.
“These elements all coincide so attendees walk away with that sense of bonding, refreshment and renewal that is oftentimes the company’s primary goal when arranging these types of outings and retreats,” Konechne says.
Guided geocaching or compass orienteering events can also be arranged for those groups seeking a “process-driven team-building activity,” she adds.
Additionally, there are four restaurants within the park, or groups can arrange catered banquets for up to 350 people or a chuck wagon cookout.
Golfing
While there are many courses for groups to choose from in Rapid City and the Black Hills, two are notable standouts: the Golf Club at Red Rock and Meadowbrook Golf Course.
Rated the No. 1 public golf course in South Dakota by Golfweek and Golf Digest, Red Rock welcomes all levels of play on its 18-hole championship course. A special event staff is in place to help facilitate tournaments, and an on-site bar and grill, clubhouse and tents are available for group gatherings.
Meadowbrook, which is also ranked among the best courses in South Dakota by Golfweek and Golf Digest, is located at the foot of the Black Hills and features 18 championship holes, a grill and pub, and a clubhouse. According to the Rapid City CVB, Meadowbrook is available to act as a host for gatherings in conjunction with a tournament or group golf lessons.
Outdoor Adventures
Biking along the Mickelson Trail, which according to the Rapid City CVB was voted one of the world’s top 10 bike rides by Fox News, is among the many additional outdoor pursuits available for groups visiting Rapid City.
Mickelson, which runs 109 miles from Edgemont to Deadwood, is prominently featured in a list that highlights the area’s biking trails. The trails are geared for bikers of all fitness levels.
There are also many hiking opportunities, summed up in a similar list provided by the Rapid City CVB.
Local outfitters that are popular with groups include Rushmore Tramway Adventures, where attendees seek thrills via a zipline course and alpine slide, and for particularly fit and adventurous groups there is Sylvan Rocks Climbing School and Guide Service, which offers “no experience necessary” climbing outings in the Black Hills.
Carolyn blackburn is a frequent contributor to Meetings Focus.
