On to Rapid City, this is a small town in western South Dakota that is nicknamed "Gateway to the Black Hills." Although the town itself is not that well known, the sights in the neighborhood are. Immediately after the start of this route, you can make a stop at the Wounded Knee Museum, this museum provides a deeper insight into the massacre at Wounded Knee from December 1890. Then you take the Purple Heart Memorial Highway, Interstate 90 in South Dakota is officially known as the Purple Heart Memorial Highway. It is a small measure of gratitude from the people in South Dakota to Purple Heart recipients, who have put their lives at stake for the country. Before you leave the Purple Heart Memorial Highway, you can choose to get off the route and visit the South Dakota Air and Space Museum. The South Dakota Air and Space Museum is one of the best things to do in the Black Hills, with its many different exhibitions and fun activities.

After the views we continue towards Deadwood, this route is beautiful to drive and Deadwood is a city in the style of the turn of the century. Deadwood is the capital of Lawrence County, in the Black Hills in western South Dakota. The city is named after the dead trees that were found on site by the first settlers. The place has a glorious history as a gold digger site in the Wild West.

After Deadwood we visit Sturgis, where you can visit the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum, or if you are here during the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, you can enjoy this unparalleled event.

In Rapid City you do not stay 1 night, but several days, so that you can do part of this route again, such as to Deadwood or to Sturgis, where the Sturgis Bike Rally, 10 days and nights ride, food and music is held every year in August. 500,000 motorcyclists, concert enthusiasts and street food enthusiasts attend the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally every year, so don't miss out!

In Rapid City you can visit the Dinosaur Park, among other things, which is freely accessible and located on a hill overlooking the city. Dinosaur Park consists of seven images of dinosaurs. Almost all of these images are based on fossils found in South Dakota and the western United States.

In this 4-star route you will drive along beautiful good roads, with a nice stop at the Crazy Horse Memorial and of course shopping in Wall.

History:
The year 1874 is an important year in the history of Rapid City. In that year, gold was found in the nearby Black Hills. The subsequent gold rush led to the establishment of various settlements, where sawmills and livestock farms subsequently emerged. Rapid City was founded in 1876 by John Brennan and Samuel Scott under the name Hay Camp. The new settlement was promoted as the 'Gateway to the Black Hills'. Hay Camp grew steadily due to the growth of new families and half a year after the arrival of Brennan and Scott it already had a hundred inhabitants. Hay Camp was later renamed Rapid City, to the Rapid Creek River that flows through the area.

The life of the first pioneers was tough and sometimes required courage. The laws of the law of the strongest applied. Without a horse you were nothing and stealing a horse was punishable by death. The place where horse thieves were hung is still a historic place in Rapid City. Due to the favorable location of the city, railways from both the south and the east came together at the end of the 1880s.

Tourism only really started after the First World War. The popularity of cars and the improved highways made it easier for tourists to visit the Black Hills. During the Great Depression in the 1930s, tourism also remained an important source of income. The construction of a large work of art in the mountains, Mount Rushmore, contributed to this.

The city fared well during and after the Second World War. The population doubled due to the opening of Rapid City Army Air Base. Even after the Second World War the army remained of great influence in Rapid. Rocket installations were installed during the Cold War.