These are 3 of the Most Treasured Views in South Dakota. How to find them

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The Black Hills in South Dakota is a tapestry of wildlife trampling along topography that is rolling until its spired, pine-laden until it is prairie and pillars of granite until it is fresh mountain water that wears it.
It is an edge of South Dakota you would not expect but will not soon forget. Below are three locations within the Black Hills to consider for a summer vacation. But first, tips:
For each of these locations, visit early in the morning or late in the day. The morning and evening light is prettier, the weather is cooler, and the crowds are less.
Be safe. There will be hiking, animal encounters, forests and vastness that is as risky as it is beautiful. Cellphone service is spotty, so always have a map and essentials like sun protection, first aid, matches, water and a whistle.
Stay on the trails, watch for fallen rock, and drive slower than the speed limit allows. Those hairpin curves and switchbacks command your attention and awe.
Lastly, the 85th annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is Aug. 1-10. Unless you plan to dance to ZZ Top at the Buffalo Chip, plan your vacation before or after this week to avoid increased traffic, prices and tourists.
This story is part of a new USA TODAY Network project showcasing breathtaking views throughout the United States. These are some of the most beautiful landmarks, scenic vistas and hidden gems to consider for your summer vacation.
[ Most Treasured Views in America: National | West | South | Middle America | Northeast ]
With both the haunting vastness of fictional planet Arrakis in the 'Dune' films and then the fiery, jagged landscape of real planet Mars, Badlands National Park is indeed transcendental.
At first sight, you'd think it's devoid of man and grace, but ah, the humbling prairie, lakes and backcountry camping spoil you with the kind of night sky views you feel like you could reach for a star and put it in your pocket.
Visitors are intimidated by the chaotic, 244,000 acres of crater-like vistas, but the national park is very family-friendly and a grandiose memory for all. Here are some trails to trek:
Door and Window trails: These are each less than a half mile and connected to the same parking lot, so knock out both. They are handicapped accessible and only subtly winding.
Notch Trail: This one's a 1.5-mile round trip and more difficult but oh, so rewarding. March up the 50 steps of the 45-degree-angled 'Badlands Ladder' to an endless viewpoint of the White River Valley, known as a ghostly paleontological site with fossils dating back to the Late Cretaceous Period. Skeletons of ancient horses, rhinos and saber-toothed cats still lay in the valleys.
The must-do Badlands Loop State Scenic Highway is a nice and slow two-hour tour of an earth that seems to have frozen mid-eruption millions of years ago. The rust-orange layers of ancient rock and soil look just as hot to the touch.
Off the Loop is Sage Creek Rim Road, a narrow and unpaved six-mile path that mimics Lamar Valley in Yellowstone because of all its wildlife encounters. Hear the hooves of the Bighorn sheep on stiffened land and be wary of the sneeze-like snort from the statuesque bison – that means back off, my friend.
Details: Check out the Badlands National Park's Ben Reifel Visitor Center for a proper welcome to the park. The Badlands has a few different entry points: 25216 Ben Reifel Road, Interior, S.D. 57750; Exit 131, off Interstate 90, 21020 S.D. Hwy 240, Interior, S.D. 57750; and the Pinnacles entrance, exit 110 off Interstate 90, 24240 Hwy 240, Wall, S.D., 57790. Cashless entry is $15-$30 per person; annual passes are $55. This does not include camping costs. Call 605-433-5361 or visit www.travelsouthdakota.com.
Will you spot any of the 1,500 buffalo free roaming among 71,000 acres of grasslands and hideaways?
Absolutely you will, and you'll be delighted to see many antelope, elk and Big Horn sheep, too.
Custer State Park is a blast. From the Mount Rushmore National Memorial near Keystone, head south on Iron Mountain Road – known for its oscillating altitude – and into a wonderland of old-growth spruce forest and history. Here are stops:
State Game Lodge: After being built in 1921, President Calvin Coolidge spent his summer at this historic hotel. It has since been renovated for more modern amenities and offers jeep safari and chuck wagon tours, horseback riding, fishing and guided hikes. Enjoy a Buffalo filet mignon or rack of lamb at their restaurant.
Wildlife Loop: This 18-mile, safari-like trek will take at least an hour, and that's dependent on 'bison jams.' Make this your priority in Custer State Park.
Mt. Coolidge Fire Tower: At 6,000 feet, Mount Coolidge Fire Tower is the highest point in the park. This is your spot for that panoramic sunset shot. On a clear day, you'll be able to spot from the tower Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse Memorial and maybe even the Badlands over 60 miles to the south.
In the Black Hills, always keep binoculars around your neck.
Needles Highway: If you get carsick, do not attempt this dodgy 15-mile stretch. Otherwise, wee! Starting at Legion Lake on the north end of the park, follow cathedral-like spires and slate rock walls into an 8-by-9-foot tunnel before arriving at a stunning Sylvan Lake that will feel like you've found The Great Valley.
Planning a late-season trip? The 60th annual Buffalo Roundup will be Sept. 25-26 and is perhaps the most beautiful sight of all in the park. Rangers corral 'em to the south for testing, branding, sorting and selling for over 25,000 spectators each year. But the organized chaos is a critical management tool for a strong and healthy herd.
Details: 13329 U.S. Highway 16A, Custer, South Dakota, 57730. A daily park license is $15 per vehicle or $25 for seven days. Call 605-394-2693 or visit www.gfp.sd.gov.
Boom went the dynamite on a rock in 1927 until the faces of four presidents appeared.
Ok, not exactly, but the masterpiece in the Black Hills seems impossible enough to speak of in jest.
Sculptor Gutzon Borglum (1867-1941), who previously completed infamous works at Georgia's Stone Mountain and for the United States Capitol, imagined the feat now known as the 'Symbol of America' and attracts over two million visitors a year.
But the park is more than a spectacle, it's an experience. Enjoy:
Nightly lighting ceremonies, just past sunset.
Interpretive ranger-led activities with history lessons.
The half-mile Presidential Trail carved through fragrant Ponderosa pine that affords a view underneath the 20-foot-long noses of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt.
The Sculptor's Studio to see the scale models and a 15-minute video on Borglum's sculpting methods.
Mount Rushmore is a delicacy in South Dakota, being monitored four times a day for even .0001-inch-movement for utmost preservation. But the 60-foot-tall faces are in good shape. Mount Rushmore is granite, which only erodes about an inch every 10,000 years, according to Travel South Dakota. That means our dear presidents are frozen in time for at least a couple million years before completely disappearing.
Do still make time for that iconic family photo sooner than later.
Buy a photo: Purchase select prints of Mount Rushmore and other treasured views
Details: Keystone, South Dakota, 57751. Parking is $10 per vehicle; cost adjusts for buses, RVs, trailers or commercial vehicles. Pets are allowed in the parking garages. No reservations required. Call 605-574-2523 or visit www.nps.gov.
Angela George is the trending news journalist for the Argus Leader in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and for the USA Today Network. Email [e-mail] or visit ArgusLeader.com.
This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Best South Dakota road trips: The top scenic views