Department of Tourism
For Immediate Release:  July 3, 2002
Contact:  Lee Harstad, (605) 773-3301 or lee.harstad@state.sd.us

Black Hills Remain A Top Visitor Destination

The Black Hills area is open for business. That's the message hoteliers and attraction managers want to get out to visitors. It's a message repeated by current visitors to the popular vacation destination.

Business owners are working on changing a misguided public perception that sites in the Black Hills have been shut down by a wildfire near Deadwood and Lead in the northern Black Hills. "Some people think that the entire Black Hills are burning up," said Stan Anderson, owner of the Gold Dust/Holiday Inn Express in Deadwood. "We should be full on a day like this, but we aren't. Some people have or are considering canceling their reservations for later this year. But everything really is fine. Deadwood and the rest of the Black Hills are open for business. I’m right here on Deadwood’s Main Street, and it’s a beautiful day." 

On Tuesday, Tim Learman and his family from Elkhart, Ind., were taking full advantage of the open signs hanging in Deadwood storefronts. They had made plans weeks ago to visit the Black Hills, including Deadwood. The Learmans were touring the southern and central Black Hills when the fire started in the northern region. "We heard it was evacuated but found out at a rest area that Deadwood was open. So we drove up, pulled off the exit into Deadwood and came in. The fire didn't scare me away. If we were in danger, officials would have flagged us out of the area," Learman said.

Learman wouldn't tell anyone to stay away. "Deadwood is a great community and it is not at all burned. It's still beautiful in this area. We'll make it a point to get back here in the future." 

According to Learman and Anderson, visitors strolling on Deadwood's Main Street wouldn't notice that a fire had come close to town. "You may smell a little smoke, but not enough so as to know it was from a forest fire," Anderson said.

The rest of the Black Hills are open for business as usual. John Brockelsby of Reptile Gardens near Rapid City said visitation is strong with the Grizzly Gulch Fire having little or no affect on attendance at the attraction. "Yesterday and today have been excellent. Visitors don't appear worried. They are happy as heck and having great vacations," Brockelsby said.

Stacy Morgan of Craig, Colo., said there is so much to do in the Black Hills that a fire near Deadwood wasn't going to keep her family from coming. "We are seeing whatever we can find time for. We are also going to try and make it to Deadwood. We haven't changed our plans. Everything is great and how we expected to find it," Morgan said.

Brockelsby said there's nothing to fear in the Black Hills, and invites visitors to come and see for themselves. "By all means, still make plans for your Black Hills vacation," he said.

There are some 11,000 rooms in the Black Hills of South Dakota, and 1,100 are in Deadwood. 

For updated information on travel in the Black Hills and the Grizzly Gulch Fire, visit www.travelsd.com. A link from that site will take you on a virtual tour of the area, including 360-degree photos and links with maps and other information. Daily updates will be available, and video images will be added during the afternoon of July 4.

More than 35 vacation packages are listed on www.travelsd.com. All package providers are unaffected by the fire. 

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