STRATOBOWL
Along Highway 16, about 12 miles southwest of Rapid City, is a natural bowl where the world’ s“ space age” was born in 193435. 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 15minute 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.
34 Black Hills Adventure Guide 2025