Introducing Find Your Park “Activity 99”

Date: December 18, 2015
Contact: Blaine Kortemeyer,, 605-574-3170

KEYSTONE, SD: "Activity 99" is a list of 2 - 4 activities, places, events or fun things to do or items to find in several locations around the Black Hills, a scavenger hunt within our local parks, communities, museums, and visitor centers.

How can you participate? Print the check list at home or keep it on your mobile device. Complete a listed activity or find the unique or obscure thing on the list. An employee signature at the site or taking a picture provides proof and the activity is completed. Start your journey by printing or downloading the activity sheet found on the Mount Rushmore web site at https://www.nps.gov/moru/index.htm.

When your group completes the list, bring your inventory of achievements to Mount Rushmore National Memorial. If several groups accomplish this amazing feat, one will be chosen at random at the end. In the event that no one completes the list, the group or individual with the most activities accomplished shall be declared the winner. The "activity" begins now and ends on December 31, 2016 at midnight.

The tangible prize cache is growing and currently includes an America the Beautiful pass which covers entrance fees at national parks and national wildlife refuges as well as standard amenity fees at national forests and grasslands. The prize cache also includes an awesome story to tell and bonding moments to recall.

Thank you to the participating local sites for their enthusiasm to provide this opportunity for our citizens to Find Your Park. Participating South Dakota State Game Fish and Parks sites are Custer State Park, Angostura State Park, Outdoor Campus West, and the George S Mickelson trail. Your adventures will lead you to rediscover Crazy Horse Memorial, the Mammoth Site, the Air and Space Museum located near Ellsworth AFB, the Museum of Geology on the SDSMT campus and the Journey Museum. Also joining the fun will be local community parks and chambers of commerce in Custer, Hill City, Hot Springs, Keystone, Lead-Deadwood, Rapid City and Spearfish. Finally your explorations will also lead to United States Forest Service land, Wind Cave National Park, Jewel Cave National Monument, Badlands National Park, Minute Man Missile National Historic Site, Devils Tower National Monument and Mount Rushmore National Memorial.

This idea began with the National Park Service's 100th birthday to be celebrated on August 26, 2016; the Find Your Park campaign coordinates local, state and federal organizations, to help you re-connected with your special places. A whole year of adventure awaits!

Please present your activity list to Park Ranger Blaine Kortemeyer at Mount Rushmore National Memorial by January 13, 2017. Contact Blaine Monday through Friday at [e-mail] or call [phone].

For more information about the activity, please visit Mount Rushmore National Memorial's official website at www.nps.gov/moru.