As far as National Park Service passport cancellation stamps go, the one I'm given at Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site is historically significant. “Sep 14, 2024,” it reads. “Buffalo, NY.”
With a one-sentence ruling the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has refused to consider the helicopter industry's challenge to commercial overflight bans at Badlands National Park and Mount Rushmore National Memorial.
You could be excused if you only chose to spend a couple of hours touring Badlands National Park from your car, since there aren’t many trails and most of what you can see is from the road and overlooks. That would be a shame, though, because there is plenty to do in and around Badlands for a good three-day stay.
Gigantic carvings of four revered presidents on a cliff face are not the only draws to Mount Rushmore National Memorial. Many birds live within and around this area, including the cheerful orange and yellow western tanager.
South Dakota has its fair share of units within the National Park System, several of which are within a couple hours’ (or less) drive time of each other. So this latest quiz and trivia piece is about some of those Midwest park units.
"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."
Commercial air tours will be banned over Badlands National Park and Mount Rushmore National Memorial under plans completed by the National Park Service.
Visitors to Mount Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota on July 3rd and July 4th will have the opportunity to experience a variety of educational programs, patriotic tributes, and musical entertainment in celebration of Independence Day.
National Park Service proposals to reduce, and even ban, air tours over four national parks are being fought by the Helicopter Association International, which has asked its members and supporters to file comments against the proposals.