Rapid City
The School of Mines Museum is not an enormous affair. It is contained in
one large room belonging to the School of Mines.
The bones of prehistoric animals are probably the best known and most
widely advertised part of the museum. This collection includes skulls,
jaw bones, teeth, leg bones, and in fact whole skeletons of the
prehistoric monsters. One cannot but wonder what life was like, and how
these animals acted in the days when they lived. The size and contour of
these skeletons are truly remarkable.
[Illustration: On the Cheyenne]
In cases throughout the room are displayed a vast variety of minerals,
ores, types of rock formations, replicas of famous diamonds, and
numerous other curios. On the south wall is an American flag, weighing
400 pounds, made of Black Hills minerals. On the east wall are two
excellent relief maps of gigantic proportions, showing relative heights
in the Black Hills. Guns and various other relics adorn the walls. No
visitor to the “Hills” can afford to miss this part of the trip. It may
take one half hour to a day, depending on one’s interest in the
displays, but the time is excellently spent.
[Illustration: Camp made]
From the School we drive into Rapid City, and after a bit of shopping,
on to the Municipal Tourist Camp. This camp is about four miles up Rapid
Canyon west of the city.
By the time the tent is pitched and camp made a dinner does not meet an
unwelcome reception. Why the camp stove should choose this time to balk
is a still unanswered question. Somehow these appliances know when they
can aggravate one the most.
Here in the Municipal Camp we receive a pleasant surprise. Instead of
the expected camp grounds we find a beautiful spot for pitching our
tent, “Old Swayback,” modern toilet facilities, a laundry with hot
water, stores, and best of all an honest to goodness “swimmin hole” in
Rapid Creek.
True to the spirit of the Black Hills, Rapid City Municipal Camp has its
neat log cabin, with reading table, fireplace, electric lights, and
other conveniences for its guests. Tourists are welcomed there at any
and all times. These log cabins are a decided thrill to the traveler who
is not familiar with them. Later in this account there will be a
description of the typical log cabin.
The camp cots, in which we have so much confidence at first, have begun
by this time to feel a bit hard, to seem a bit cold, and to afford a
rather meager sort of rest. But here Yankee ingenuity might come into
good play.
The desirability of light steel camp beds instead of the cots and the
need of light mattresses becomes evident.
Sunday morning proves an excellent time to get acquainted with the
habits of the Rapid Creek trout. Only three consent to being lured from
their swim, however. The fishing is rather slow but nevertheless
enjoyable. To a more experienced angler the luck is usually different.
[Illustration: Warren-Lamb Saw Mill
Rise Photo]
From fishing we turn to swimming. This proves to be a more lively sport.
The water is fine, just a least bit cool. The current is the feature of
this plunge. One no sooner gets out into it than he feels himself being
pulled very rapidly downstream. The sensation is not exactly reassuring.
In fact it frightens one. But it takes only a few strokes to get out of
the swift water into more placid pools. This learned, it becomes
pleasant to defy the current. Another surprise awaits. When one attempts
to swim back to the side from which he entered, the current carries him
past the precipitous rocks before he can pull himself out. No amount of
trying results otherwise. This is almost terrifying. Fortunately, at
this point a man happens along who is familiar with the pool. He shows
us where there is a small quiet spot where the swimmer can climb up on
the rocks without danger of being carried downstream. Again a precarious
situation develops into a pleasure.
We wish to attend church, but have no clothing along except our camping
equipment. This convinces us that we should have brought along some more
respectable clothing for it will not be amiss on several occasions
during the trip.
[Illustration: Rapid Canyon, near Dark Canyon
Photo by V]
After lunch we drive up Rapid Canyon to Lockhart Inn. We go up the
mountainside to see the moss sculpturing by Mr. Lockhart called “A
Miner’s Dream.” Then we start the ascent up the Canyon on foot. This is
a climb that will pay one well. From Rapid Canyon we turn into Dark
Canyon ascending by rock ledge paths and canyon floor through beautiful
formations of nature’s handiwork. One cannot imagine the thrill, not
only of the scenery but also the thrill of accomplishment, a hundred per
cent pleasant that goes with this trip. Some of the sidelights of the
trip are “Sitting Bull’s Kitchen,” “Victoria Falls,” (a beautiful
waterfall), “Jungle of the Gods,” “Bridge of the Gods,” (a natural
bridge formerly over the canyon but now fallen in), and “Bear Cave.” The
picturesque grandeur of the panorama, the stupendous rocks, the great
precipices, the straight tall trees, the swift, cold, clear streams and
many other awe inspiring and pleasant experiences stamp themselves
indelibly upon our minds. The experiences include climbing precipitous
places, jumping and climbing over rocks, looking down over precipices
hundreds of feet below, continually discovering something new to enjoy.
The effect is invigorating, exhilarating, satisfying. The path is not
dangerous at any place, though filled with thrills, especially on the
paths built on ledges around the mountain. These are the rambles that
mean most to vacationists, and unfortunately they are too often left out
because of the time needed and the effort necessary to make them.
[Illustration: Rim Rock Highway in the Black Hills
Rise Studio, Rapid City, S. D.]