Reptile Gardens - Rapid City - a photo on Flickriver

Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapid_City,_South_Dakota

Rapid City is the second most populous city in South Dakota and the county seat of Pennington County. Named after Rapid Creek, where the settlement developed, it is in western South Dakota, on the Black Hills' eastern slope. The population was 74,703 as of the 2020 Census.

Known as the "Gateway to the Black Hills" and the "City of Presidents" because of the life-size bronze president statues downtown, Rapid City is split by a low mountain ridge that divides the city's western and eastern parts. Ellsworth Air Force Base is on the city's outskirts. Camp Rapid, part of the South Dakota Army National Guard, is in the city's western part.

Rapid City is home to such attractions as Art Alley, Dinosaur Park, the City of Presidents walking tour, Chapel in the Hills, Storybook Island, and Main Street Square. The historic "Old West" town of Deadwood is nearby. In the neighboring Black Hills are the tourist attractions of Mount Rushmore, the Crazy Horse Memorial, Custer State Park, Wind Cave National Park, Jewel Cave National Monument, and the museum at the Black Hills Institute of Geological Research. To the city's east is Badlands National Park.

Source: www.visittheusa.com/destination/rapid-city

Where a rugged landscape surrounds charm and culture
While Rapid City is best known for its proximity to national parks and enormous mountain carvings, including Mount Rushmore just 40 kilometers away, visitors to the heart of this Black Hills destination will be enthralled by a plethora of outdoor adventures, a charming and historic downtown and a salute to American Indian heritage in southwestern South Dakota.

The Famous Faces
Make Rapid City your headquarters for short jaunts to six national parks – Badlands National Park, Devils Tower National Monument, Jewel Cave National Monument, Wind Cave National Park, Minuteman Missile Silo National Park and Mount Rushmore National Memorial – as well as Crazy Horse Memorial.

No trip here would be complete without seeing the heads of four U.S. presidents, each about 18 meters tall, carved into granite on the side of Mount Rushmore. Once there, you’ll see why the sculpture, which took 14 years to complete, attracts nearly 3 million people a year. Nearby, work continues in the Black Hills on another mountain carving, this one of the famous Lakota warrior Crazy Horse astride his horse, that will become the world’s largest sculpture upon completion. The memorial serves to preserve the culture of North American Indians.

Find out more about the area at The Journey Museum & Learning Center, which features exhibits tracing some 2.5 billion years of history, from the earliest rock formations to Native American cultures and Western frontier exploration.

Large-Scale Outdoor Adventures
Options are plentiful for people who enjoy outdoor activities like hiking, biking, fishing, kayaking, rock climbing, wildlife viewing and off-the-beaten-path exploration. Traipse through all of those national parks and see a variety of landscapes, including mountains, hills, canyons, valleys, creeks and lakes.

Take in the natural beauty of the Black Hills National Forest and all of its hidden gems, including the Stratobowl clearing that was home base for historic balloon flights. Venture into Custer State Park, where the Wildlife Loop takes visitors through 29 kilometers of hills and grasslands, home to more than 1,300 free-roaming bison. Stop in the Wildlife Station Visitor Center to learn what other types of wildlife you might encounter. Sites along the George S. Mickelson Trail – a Black Hills rail trail route that is about 175 kilometers long – include tunnels, bridges and 15 trail heads.

A City of Culture
In addition to the prominent Native American arts and culture, Rapid City has become known for its culinary, winery and brewery scene as well as history tied to the original settlers. The Sculpture Project: Passage of Wind and Water is a five-year public art initiative with sculptor Masayuki Nagase working during the summer months to carve by hand granite sculptures in Main Street Square. As you tour the city, look for the City of Presidents, life-size bronze statues of 43 former U.S. presidents, including the famous four that are also on Mount Rushmore.

Comfort is key in Rapid City, which features smaller boutique hotels, larger hotel chains, vacation rentals, camping and bed-and-breakfast establishments. Perhaps you will find a place with a history that includes some of the nation’s presidents.

Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reptile_Gardens

Reptile Gardens is an animal park located south of Rapid City, South Dakota, on the road to Mount Rushmore National Memorial. The park is open the first Saturday in March through November 30 each year. Reptile Gardens was cited in the 2014 Guinness Book of World Records for being the world's largest reptile zoo. It was re-certified in the 2018 edition.

This family-oriented South Dakota attraction was founded by 21-year-old reptile enthusiast Earl Brock and officially opened on June 3, 1937.

Allegedly intrigued by the fear and interest people expressed when faced with a snake, Brock set up a small display of snakes, charging people to see them. After some initial success, Reptile Gardens went through difficult times in the 1940s while Brock was serving with the Army in Europe. Regaining momentum after World War II, the 1950s saw an increase in visitation to the Black Hills. Due to the widening and relocation of Highway 16, a new location and major expansion, including the Sky Dome, were completed in 1965.

Although Earl died in 1993, Reptile Gardens remains a family-owned-and-operated business that houses more species of reptiles than any other zoo or park in the world.

Additional Foreign Language Tags:

(United States) "الولايات المتحدة" "Vereinigte Staaten" "アメリカ" "美国" "미국" "Estados Unidos" "États-Unis"

(South Dakota) "داكوتا الجنوبية" "南达科他州" "Dakota du Sud" "दक्षिण डकोटा" "サウスダコタ" "사우스다코타" "Южная Дакота" "Dakota del Sur"

(Rapid City) "رابيد سيتي" "拉皮德城" "Ville rapide" "रैपिड सिटी" "ラピッドシティ" "래피드시티" "Рапид Сити" "Ciudad rápida"

Taken in: United States / South Dakota / Unorganized Territory of Mount Rushmore / Colonial Pine Hills (show map)

Taken on: June 8, 2022

Tags:

samsung galaxy A52 5G

SM-A526U

animal

wildlife

reptile

alligator

usa

north america

america

united states of america

united states

South Dakota

The Mount Rushmore State

Rapid City « less

Sets appears in: • Rapid City, SD • South Dakota

Groups appears in: • Amateur Shutterbugs • "Unlimited Photos: No Rules" more » • Amature Photographers « less

Camera: samsung SM-A526U, f/1.8, 1/24 sec, 5.2mm, ISO 640 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	samsung SM-A526U
Aperture:	f/1.8
Exposure Time:	0.042 sec (1/24)
Focal Length:	5.2mm
ISO:	640
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	No Flash
Exposure Program:	Program AE
Exposure Mode:	Auto
Metering Mode:	Center-weighted average
White Balance:	Auto
Light Source:	D65
Color Space:	sRGB
Software:	Adobe Photoshop CS5.1 Windows
Show full info

Stats: 133 views

Link to this photo view:
Link to this photo large view: