stratobowl
Along Highway 16 , about 12 miles southwest of Rapid City , is a natural bowl where the world ’ s “ space age ” was born in 1934- 35 . The U . S . Army Air Corps and National Geographic set a balloon altitude record and sent the first manned space flights into the stratosphere . Commemorative markers are on the westbound lane of the highway .
gordon stockade
The Gordon Party followed the wagon tracks left by Lt . Col . George Armstrong Custer ’ s Expedition in 1874 and built this stockade between the city of Custer and Custer State Park . The stockade kept the first “ gold seekers ” relatively safe from attack from Indians who frequently came into this area . The fort was abandoned when the miners were forced out by the Army . The builders consisted of 26 men , one woman and one boy . hippie hole
A rock wall with a waterfall dropping into a deep pool provides a great place for swiming and jumping off a cliff . It is about a 15-minute hike off of Foster Gulch Rd ., which departs from S . Rockerville Rd . Stay right on all forks until the road comes to an end at a parking area .
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