Rapid City Dinosaur Park

Rapid City Dinosaur Park is located in South Dakota, set atop the Black Hills.  Varied concrete prehistoric monsters dot the skyline, entertaining young and old alike, and standing strong as one of the city’s premier attractions for over seventy years.  In fact, it is a fun place for vacationers and locals, providing a historic look at the Black Hills history of long ago.

History reigns strong in the Black Hills of South Dakota with the Rapid City Dinosaur Park.  For more than seventy-nine years, the park has provided people from across the state and world with insights into the lives and habitats of the prehistoric mammals that once roamed freely across the local landscape.

The Rapid City Dinosaur Park is as much about education as it is about fun.  Though the dinosaurs are as true to form as was envisioned in the 30’s, the concrete dinosaurs have a cartoonish air to them, making them equally as awe inspiring as they are amusing.  However, after generations of studies, the modern realistic outlook of dinosaur reconstructions is considerably different from these cartoon-like renditions. 

Five of the Rapid City Dinosaur Park’s massive sculptures are classics in their own right, brought to the city during the Great Depression of the 20^th century.  Locals and tourists alike have been flooding the park with their children, which is just a short distance from Mount Rushmore and other major Rapid City and area attractions.

The park was dedicated in 1936 with five dinosaurs constructed from iron type pipes and concrete.  These include the 80 foot by 28 foot Brontosaurus, which stands on the park’s highest ridge.  The Tyrannosaurus Rex, Stegosaurus, Triceratops and Apatosaurus stand nearby, lining the lower slopes and varied walkways.

The best part about the Rapid City Dinosaur Park is that admission is completely free.  Children can climb and scramble over and under the dinosaurs, entering their own little imaginary worlds reminiscent of recent dinosaur movies and cartoons.  In fact, these massive displays are no longer as austere in their carvings as they once were.  Edges are worn and well-rounded, but the park staff is more than happy to splash on some paint when required to do so.

As the Rapid City Dinosaur Park enters the new millennium, its popularity never ceases.  Millions of tourists visiting the local Rapid City and Black Hills attractions relive their childhoods again and again.  Amusingly, the most popular adventures include climbing the Brontosaurus’ tail, clambering onto the Stegosaurus’ back and trying to loosen the Triceratops’ horns.

The Rapid City Dinosaur Park is easy to get to, located at 940 Skyline Drive, just off Exit 57 on the I-90.  The park is open throughout the year, from sunrise to sunset, though it is best to call ahead for the specified hours as they vary depending on the weather and time of year.