Parks
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National Park
Badlands
Southwestern, SD
The rugged beauty of the Badlands draws visitors from around the world. These striking geologic deposits contain one of the world’s richest fossil beds. Ancient horses and rhinos once roamed here. The park’s 244,000 acres protect an expanse of mixed-grass prairie where bison, bighorn sheep, prairie dogs, and black-footed ferrets live today.
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National Monument
Jewel Cave
Custer, SD
Immerse yourself within the third longest cave in the world. With over 208 miles of mapped and surveyed passages, this underground wilderness appeals to human curiosity. Its splendor is revealed through fragile formations and glimpses of brilliant color. Its maze of passages lure explorers, and its scientific wealth remains a mystery. This resource is truly a jewel in the National Park Service.
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National Historic Trail
Lewis & Clark
Sixteen States: IA,ID,IL,IN,KS,KY,MO,MT,NE,ND,OH,OR,PA,SD,WA,WV
The Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail is approximately 4,900 miles long, extending from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to the mouth of the Columbia River, near present day Astoria, Oregon. It follows the historic outbound and inbound routes of the Lewis and Clark Expedition as well as the preparatory section from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Wood River, Illinois.
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National Historic Site
Minuteman Missile
Southwestern , SD
During the Cold War, a vast arsenal of nuclear missiles were placed in the Great Plains. Hidden in plain sight, for thirty years 1,000 missiles were kept on constant alert; hundreds remain today. The Minuteman Missile remains an iconic weapon in the American nuclear arsenal. It holds the power to destroy civilization, but is meant as a nuclear deterrent to maintain peace and prevent war.
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National Recreational River
Missouri
Yankton, SD,NE
Imagine a 100-mile stretch of North America's longest river, a vestige of the untamed American West. The Missouri National Recreational River is where imagination meets reality. Two free flowing stretches of the Missouri make up the National Park. Relive the past by making an exploration of the wild, untamed and mighty river that continues to flow as nature intended.
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National Memorial
Mount Rushmore
Keystone, SD
Majestic figures of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln, surrounded by the beauty of the Black Hills of South Dakota, tell the story of the birth, growth, development and preservation of this country. From the history of the first inhabitants to the diversity of America today, Mount Rushmore brings visitors face to face with the rich heritage we all share.
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National Park
Wind Cave
Hot Springs, SD
Bison, elk, and other wildlife roam the rolling prairie grasslands and forested hillsides of one of America's oldest national parks. Below the remnant island of intact prairie sits Wind Cave, one of the longest and most complex caves in the world. Named for barometric winds at its entrance, this maze of passages is home to boxwork, a unique formation rarely found elsewhere.
By The Numbers
- 6 National Parks
- 3,928,433 Visitors to National Parks
- $334,300,000 Economic Benefit from National Park Tourism »
- $90,173,148 of Rehabilitation Projects Stimulated by Tax Incentives (since 1995) »
- $39,935,617 of Land & Water Conservation Fund Appropriated for Projects (since 1965) »
- 20 Certified Local Governments »
- 31 Community Conservation & Recreation Projects (since 1987) »
- 201 Acres Transferred by Federal Lands to Parks for Local Parks and Recreation (since 1948) »
- 32,416 Hours Donated by Volunteers »
- 1 Wild & Scenic Rivers Managed by NPS »
- 1 National Trails Administered by NPS »
- 1,365 National Register of Historic Places Listings »
- 16 National Historic Landmarks »
- 13 National Natural Landmarks »
- 148 Places Recorded by Heritage Documentation Programs »
- 733,013 Objects in National Park Museum Collections »
- 617 Archeological Sites in National Parks »
- 2 Teaching with Historic Places Lesson Plans »
- 7 Discover Our Shared Heritage Travel Itineraries »
- Print the summary »
These numbers are just a sample of the National Park Service's work. Figures are for the fiscal year that ended 9/30/2019.