Like a little gambling, frontier history that’s been immortalized in films countless times, and mountainous natural beauty rivaled only by the Alps (maybe), but right here in the good ol’ U S of A? Then the Black Hills of South Dakota and Deadwood are calling your name, poddner!
The town derives its name from the seeming perpetual crop of dead trees on the hills above and around it. However, with the look and feel of some upscale ski resort town, Deadwood is clean, safe, and even though its all old, everything looks like it is brand new, well for the 1870s gold rush era, at least. You want to see one of the best collections of old cars outside Hershey Pa; got ‘em. You want to see where Wild Bill Hickock was murdered by the cowardly Jack McCall – stop by the Nuttal & Manns #10 saloon in downtown Deadwood. How about memorabilia and props from some of the most notable Hollywood movies of days past – got that too. Perhaps possibly brushing elbows with Kevin Costner is more your fancy? Then try a few hands of blackjack or some slots at his Midnight Star Casino. With a couple of famous name casinos and plenty of local independents, there is ample opportunity to sate your appetite for games of chance (but only slots, blackjack, and poker).
In addition to the casinos providing accommodations, there are restored Victorian architecture B&Bs, house rentals, primitive and RV camping, and national motel chains. There are various festivals throughout the late spring through early fall. From Deadwood, travelers can easily jump off to a working gold mine in Lead, visit the Crazy Horse memorial (a work in progress), Mount Rushmore (do see the nighttime 4th of July spectacle if you can), or Devils Tower (of the movie Close Encounters fame), in neighboring Wyoming, only 80 miles distant. Be advised, the first full week of August, the town and all the surrounding Black Hills are virtual crawling with motorcycle enthusiasts for the annual Sturgis/Black Hills motorcycle rally, the largest attended, continually held, annual event in America. But almost any “A-list” celebrity you can imagine is likely to be in the area during the event and every conceivable variation of the motorcycle will be on display.
Whether it is natural beauty to escape to, history to revisit, a chance at finding or winning your fortune, or twisties for your sports car or motorcycle, Deadwood and the Black Hills have you covered. There’s nothing dead about Deadwood!