When was the last time you gazed on the faces of four former presidents? If you can't remember then you have probably never visited the world-famous "Shrine of Democracy" Mount Rushmore. The Autumn Expedition to Mount Rushmore offers your watching evening lighting ceremonies along with walking trails Yes, South Dakota provides this opportunity and so many more national treasures for fortunate residents.

Natural wonders abound. The Badlands National Park was created by millions of years of erosion. The Lakota Indians called it "mako sica" meaning "land bad." This harsh landscape provides fantastic formations for those seeking both hiking trails and scenic roads. The Black Hills National Forest consists of 1.2 million acres of breathtaking scenery. Surrounding the granite core of the Black Hills is one of the largest cave complexes in the world. The underground wilderness of Jewel Cave National Monument and Wind Cave National Park attract thousands annually. The nine-story high face of the legendary Lakota leader, Crazy Horse, casts a gaze over the Black Hills at the Crazy Horse Memorial.

The state park system amazes all here. They showcase the state's recreational variety, scenery, and history. For example, Custer State Park is the home to a herd of 1500 free-roaming bison. Each October this park hosts the annual Buffalo Roundup which makes for a great camping adventure. Outdoor enthusiasts can't help but be impressed with fishing and hunting opportunities. Listen to this: Twenty species of waterfowl, thirty species of fish, seven species of small game, along with five million acres of public hunting lands and 12,000 camping and picnicking sites, can be found as well as twelve state parks, and fifty state recreation areas not to mention the three state nature areas. This state park system includes historic forts, glacial lakes, and long stretches of riverfront.

Diversity resonates throughout the state also. More than 62,000 Dakota, Lakota, and Nakota Indians comprise the Sioux nation, the largest native peoples presently living there. Towns, lakes, landmarks, galleries displaying tribal art, all reflect the native cultures. European immigration in the 19th century brought settlers from Germany, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Ireland, and Czechoslovakia. When fertile land opened to outsiders, ranches soon followed and the wide-open prairie gave range to cattle. This soon became the land of cowboys. Then with the discovery of gold in 1874, the Black Hills were overrun with prospectors as new towns such as Deadwood literally sprang up overnight. These famous gold towns were home to such notables as Wild Bill Hickock and Calamity Jane.

Diversity is also demonstrated by myriad summer festivals South Dakota offers. August and September calendars are jam packed with: Gregory's Oscar Micheaux Film Festival, White River's Frontier Days, Elk Point's Lewis and Clark Heritage Days, Scotland's South Dakota Highland Festival, Vermillion's Lewis and Clark Spirit Mound Festival, Custer's Mickelson Trial Trek, and Chamberlain's St. Joseph Indian School Days and Pow Wow. Perhaps the nationally renowned event is the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally each summer.

In the west Rapid City offers the Stavkirke Chapel which copies an 830 year-old Borgund Church of Norway. This building is most unusual with its dragon heads and wood carvings. At the Rapid City Memorial Park there is a section of the Berlin Wall for visitors to see. The surrounding area known as the Badlands is known for its fossils and minerals and local specimans of these can be found at the Museum of Geology run by the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. There is also an art museum there as well as two others in the city at the Dahl Fine Arts Center. There are numerous formal gardens and various parks available for tourists and residents to enjoy.

At the eastern side of the state is Sioux Falls. Be sure to visit the David and Moses statues and the Civic Fine Arts Center there. Falls Park and the Japanese Gardens are must-sees. Other areas of interest are the Great Plains Zoo and the Museum, the Pettigrew Home and Museum, and the Old Courthouse Museum and historic district.

Truly South Dakota is a state with offerings for people with varied interests.