Dinosaur Park: Rapid City SD Dinosaurs are very popular in Rapid City, SD. There is a park and museum dedicated to them. We did not get an opportunity to visit the museum but did go to the park. It opened to the public on May 22, 1936. The park is atop a sandstone ridge that encircles the Black Hills and overlooks Rapid City. Dinosaurs found here are from the Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous period. This equates to 163.5 to 100.5 million years ago. On a clear day the Park enables you to see up to 100 miles and if you look east you can see the Badlands in South Dakota. As posted the park is open to the public June through October.

Thanks to the Rapid City Chamber of Commerce, the park became a great depression‐era project. It was also a way to provide jobs, have the federal government pay for the project and capitalize on visitors going to Mount Rushmore. The five concrete sculptures were created by Emmit A. Sullivan, sculptor. Some say that though they are life size, they tend to have a cartoonish look. The park is free and does create a curious desire to see these giants above the city. PS: Their ice cream was delicious! The Brontosaurus is 80 ft long and 28 ft tall. He stands on the highest point of the ridge and one can see it from several downtown Rapid City locations, the best being the Hotel Alex Johnson roof restaurant. Dinosaurs at the park: Apatosaurus or Brontosaurus, Stegosaurus, Triceratops, Tyrannosaurus and Edmontosaurus annectens. According to the Rapid City Journal, the Black Hills has five places to learn more about those prehistoric creatures. Besides Dinosaur Park, the others are the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology Museum of Geology, the Journey Museum, Museum @Black Hills Institute and The Mammoth Site. This photo program shares our long walk up steps to see the dinosaurs of Rapid City. You may also wish to check out are other acuri.net tours to Journey Museum and The Mammoth Site.

Edmontosaurus annectens ‐ herbivore ‐ Late Cretaceous period Tyrannosaurus Rex ‐ carnivore ‐ Late Cretaceous period

Stegosaurus ‐ herbivore ‐ Late Jurassic Triceratops ‐ herbivore ‐ Late Cretaceous period

Sources: https://www.blackhillsbadlands.com/business/dinosaur‐park, https://www.blackhillsbadlands.com/business/dinosaur‐park, https://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/10514 and https://rapidcityjournal.com/outdoors/places‐to‐see‐dinosaurs‐or‐fossils‐in‐the‐black‐ hills/collection_5a9a9d8c‐b90b‐11e3‐8815‐001a4bcf887a.html, https://www.thoughtco.com/apatosaurus‐or‐brontosaurus‐1093773, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triceratops, https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/dino‐directory/stegosaurus.html, https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/prehistoric/tyrannosaurus‐rex/ and http://www.bhigr.com/store/product.php?productid=83. acuri.net John R. Vincenti Dinosaur Park: Rapid City SD