South Dakota: Winter Break Family Vacation Fun – Snow Tubing, Snowmobiling, and Snow Skiing.
Snow has its benefits when kids are involved. Whether it's snow tubing, snow shoeing, snowmobiling, downhill or cross-country skiing, South Dakota offers families plenty of ways to enjoy time off together.
"South Dakota is known around the world as a great place for a family vacation and winter is no exception,” said Richard Benda, Secretary of the Department of Tourism and State Development. “Our state provides endless opportunities for families to enjoy everything from snow shoeing to snowmobiling.” Bonus Points: Many South Dakota state parks have camping cabins that are available all winter and the average winter temperature in the Black Hills is 30 degrees.
Snow tubing at its best. Two spots make the grade for thrilling rides. The first, Blizzard Tube Park at Deer Mountain near Lead offers riders day passes for weekend family fun. Mystic Miner’s Blizzard Tube Park is the largest tubing area in the Black Hills.
Bonus points: Mystic Miner Mountain Resort offers Winter Wonderland old-fashioned sleigh rides along tree lined snowy pathways. (Deer Mountain (605) 584-3230 or http://skimystic.com/blizzard_park.php.) And on the eastern side of the state, Great Bear Recreation Park near Sioux Falls operates a non-profit recreation area with outstanding snow tubing possibilities available everyday of the week during the winter months plus the park offers downhill and cross-country skiing, snowboarding, and snow-shoeing.
Bonus points: On Tuesdays purchase one admission and get a second admission for free at Great Bear. (Great Bear Recreation Park, Sioux Falls (605) 367-4309)
Jump on a snowmobile and escape. Snowmobilers will find plenty of space to open the throttle and enjoy a winter on the prairie. South Dakota offers snowmobilers more than 1,690 miles of scenic well-groomed trails throughout the state. The Black Hills - one of the top snowmobiling destinations in the country - offers more than 350 miles of groomed trails spread over 1.3 million acres. The area offers terrain that ranges from deep canyons and summit views to powder meadows. Across the state, the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks grooms more than 1,300 miles of snowmobile trails in eleven locations with many conveniently located near warming shelters.
Sample downhill skiing and snowboarding. South Dakota’s three ski areas offer some of the best skiing and snowboarding values anywhere in the world. Two resorts in the Black Hills, located just outside of historic Deadwood, get an average of 150 inches of snow every year, providing plenty of powder and a season of fun. Terry Peak has an elevation of 7,052 feet and 30 trails spread out over 450 acres of mountain. Mystic Miner at Deer Mountain features 44 trails and a five-acre snowboard terrain park, built for affordable family fun. Located in the state’s largest city, Sioux Falls, Great Bear is located near ample lodging, shopping and entertainment opportunities.
Cross - country skiing and snowshoeing. It’s no secret that South Dakota is known for its wide open spaces, making cross-country skiing and snowshoeing opportunities virtually endless. What many might not know is that the state provides groomed trails at 12 of its state parks. Many of the trails begin and end near heated warming shelters and lead skiers off the beaten path and through beautiful South Dakota scenery.
Make it happen. For the bigger picture go to
www.travelsd.com/Outdoors Content and images provided by South Dakota Tourism. Copyright 2010.