Ready to head for the Hills? Don’t miss these road trip destinations

This paid piece is sponsored by Travel South Dakota.

There has never been a better time to plan a trip to the Black Hills.

The newly released Head for the Hills Passport, in partnership between Travel South Dakota and the Black Hills & Badlands Tourism Association, is ready to guide guests toward great attractions. The passport features 39 locations for family-friendly attractions and experiences.

From water parks and gold mines to discovering history and fossils, the Head for the Hills Passport has something for all ages and interests – plus lots of special offers along the way. Here are five great options for a family trip.

Big Thunder Gold Mine 

605 Blair St., Keystone

Big Thunder Gold Mine was discovered by two German immigrant miners in 1892 in Keystone. It was an active mine until 1914, then opened as an attraction in 1915. The McLain family bought the mine about 30 years ago and have helped turn it into the award-winning destination it is now.

Sandi McLain speaks passionately about the history of the area and what guests can enjoy.

“You can experience what it was like to be a miner in the 1800s,” she said. “That’s what our whole theme is about.”

The mine has a restaurant that opened in the 1800s, and the food served there is reminiscent of that history.

“For example, we have an emphasis on wild game and historic recipes,” McLain said. “Things people would have eaten back then – like rattlesnake brats, with rattlesnake and pheasant mixed together.”

It’s all part of creating an authentic experience.

“It gives us an idea of how hard the times were and what people had to do to survive,” McLain said. The restaurant can seat about 110 people.

Visitors also can enjoy a gift shop. But the real draw is experiencing what it was like searching for gold. Guests can look for gold on Forest Service and private property sites, where they also might find items left behind by miners.

“Customers find collectibles like old bottles, nails and bullets,” McLain said. “But they also find gold. We teach them how to find the gold by digging it, classifying it, using sluices to get the gold out of the dirt and panning it.”

The mine was featured on the Discovery Channel’s “Gold Rush”  earlier this spring in an episode promoting the town of Keystone.

“If you think about having to be in the creek or to live in the winter, trying to survive by finding gold and working in the mines, which were not very safe with chemicals that were killing them, it was a trying time,” she said. “Keystone was basically the very last gold rush town in the Black Hills.”

The mine is open daily March through October and by reservation in the winter. You’ll receive 10 percent off when you check in with your Head for the Hills Passport.

The Mammoth Site

1800 U.S. 18 Bypass, Hot Springs

If you’re interested in the Ice Age, you definitely want to check out The Mammoth Site in Hot Springs.

The nonprofit is dedicated to the mission of preservation, research and interpretation of the late Ice Age. It’s the world’s largest mammoth research facility and one of the top fossil interpretive sites in North America, according to the website.

Claire Scarborough, public relations coordinator for The Mammoth Site, said guests will find a lot to enjoy.

“They start with our video that explains how the mammoths came to be here and how the site was discovered,” Scarborough said. “Then, they get to go on a dig site and see bones and learn about the late Ice Age.”

Visitors also can go through the exhibit hall, which includes more educational information. “We have a pretty vast collection,” she said.

In the summer, guests can see paleontologists at work, digging in the bone bed, and people repairing bones in the prep lab, using methods to conserve the bones and preserve their natural structure, she said.

“I think people are surprised by how big the bone bed is,” Scarborough said. “You get an idea of it, but you don’t understand how big it is and how many bones have been found until you’re in it.”

At least 60 mammoths have been found and 87 other Ice Age species, she said. The site is active in the summer with volunteers, students and scientists. In the off-season, paleontologists come to study parts of the site, scientists study the soil and others study certain bones.

“At this site, you are seeing science in action,” Scarborough said.

She recommends summer guests take a class that includes digging. “We also have an ancient spear-throwing class that’s super fun,” she said.

Tickets and classes are available on the website. Plus, check in on your Head for the Hills Passport and you’ll receive a complimentary vial of sinkhole sediment.

Museum at Black Hills Institute  

117 Main St., Hill City

The Museum at Black Hills Institute in Hill City is one of the largest privately held fossil collections in the world. That includes more than 1,300 fossils and more than 1,000 rocks, minerals, meteorites and agates.

It also includes more than 150 research-quality replicas.

And, of course, don’t forget the largest compilation of Tyrannosaurus rex.

“Every time I go through, I see something new,” said Jill Burch of the museum. “That’s my favorite part – discovering new things. One of the big thrills for people is seeing a T. rex.”

Guests also are able to see fossils up close.

The museum is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Plus, you’ll receive half off admission when you check in with your Head to the Hills Passport.

WaTiki Indoor Waterpark Resort

1314 N. Elk Vale Road, Rapid City

After a weekend of visiting museums and sites,  WaTiki Indoor Waterpark Resort in Rapid City is a great place for the whole family to relax.

The resort offers more than 30,000 square feet of indoor fun, including slides and hot tubs.

The resort complex has five hotels and several on-site dining options, as well as an arcade.

The resort is open all year.

Admission packages include a variety of options. Bonus: You’ll enjoy the buy one general admission pass, get one half off with your Heads for the Hills Passport.

The Journey Museum 

222 New York St., Rapid City

The Journey Museum in Rapid City is the perfect stop to learn more about the region, from people and cultures to science.

The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday.

Exhibitions include “Painted Tipis of the Blackfeet Nation,” which features dozens of traditional painted tipis and their stories. “The exhibition seeks to cultivate a deep respect and appreciation for the work of talented artists and culture bearers who have continued this tradition for centuries,” the official website reads.

The museum is home to the Sioux Indian Museum, operated by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Indian Arts and Crafts Board. It displays an array of clothing, plus horse gear, weapons, household implements, cradleboards and toys.

The museum was founded in 1939 through the cooperation of the federal and Rapid City governments. You’ll also receive $1 off admission with your Head to the Hills Passport.

And that’s just the beginning! For a closer look at all destinations included in the passport, click here.