Perkins County: Appreciation for the Outdoors

PIERRE, S.D. – Situated along South Dakota’s northern border, Perkins County is home to the towns of Bison, Lemmon, Lodgepole, Meadow, Prairie City and Shadehill. Explore its sprawling landscape of creeks, rivers and prairies.

Lemmon holds the county’s most unique attraction, the Petrified Wood Park. The largest of its kind anywhere in the world, visitors here can explore the ancient man-made towers and distinctive plant specimens from the historic ages. Originally constructed in 1930, the park features over 100 structures to investigate.

Also in Lemmon, enjoy the annual fall fest, where visitors welcome the change of seasons with a kid’s parade, kiss-a-pig contest, scarecrow walk and more. The event also includes a fireman’s tractor pull and supper. It will be held October 6, 2007.

Nearby Shadehill Recreation Area offers 5,000 surface acres of water and 100 miles of shoreline where enthusiasts can fish for popular species like smallmouth bass, crappie, perch and walleye. The reservoir here is one of the few large lakes in western South Dakota, offering ample opportunity for water recreation, in addition to the multitude of land-based activities the park offers.

The outdoorsman will also appreciate Perkins County’s location as a major hunting ground for antelope and turkey. The recreation areas in the vicinity also provide opportunities for camping, hiking and enjoying the scenic prairie.

The Uniquely South Dakota series is a project of the South Dakota Office of Tourism designed to highlight unique aspects and attractions in each of South Dakota’s 66 counties. This profile was researched and compiled by Jennifer Anderson, public relations intern for the Office of Tourism.

Click on the special "Uniquely South Dakota News Series" link at MediaSD.com to access the complete list of articles.

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