Rapid City's Dinosaur Park

Walking the streets of Rapid City, S.D., it isn’t hard to locate one of the community’s most famous parks. All you need to do is look up. When you’ve spotted the giant green dinosaur, you’ve found it.

The massive concrete Apatosaurus sits high atop a ridge that splits Rapid City in half, making it visible from nearly every corner of the city. It’s just one of seven life-size dinosaur statues that make up Dinosaur Park, a 71-year-old monument to the giant prehistoric beasts that continue to capture the popular imagination.

One of the first
Although roadside dinosaur sculptures are now relatively commonplace across America, Rapid City’s visitor attraction was one of the first. Dedicated in 1936, Dinosaur Park was conceived and constructed in the depths of the Great Depression by the Works Progress Administration, a federal program designed to generate jobs for the unemployed.

Local officials hoped the unusual park would attract the growing number of motorists who were traveling to see Mount Rushmore National Memorial, then in its infancy.

American sculptor Emmet Sullivan designed the original five dinosaurs. He also designed the Wall Drug dinosaur in Wall, S.D., and the Christ of the Ozarks statue near Eureka Springs, Ark. in the 1960s.

Although the bright green statues are an undeniable reminder of outmoded American kitsch, Dinosaur Park has remained one of Rapid City’s most-visited sites, and the city continues to lovingly maintain the scenic spot. In fact, because of the park’s historic significance, the site was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1990.

Requires moderate hike
Because it was constructed on a rocky ridge, modern visitors to Dinosaur Park should plan on a moderate hike up several sets of flagstone steps. The ascent occasionally levels out, presenting an opportunity to rest on a flattened terrace and to admire the concrete sculptures.

There are seven creatures in all: a Tyrannosaurus rex, a Triceratops, a Stegosaurus, an Anototitan (a duck-billed dino), a Protoceratops (like a Triceratops, but without the horns), a Dimetrodon (a long creatures with a sail on its back) and the 80-foot-long Apatosaurus, which crowns the park.

The ascent to the Apatosaurus might leave you a little short on breath, but those who conquer the climb are rewarded with a dazzling 360-degree view of Rapid City, which spills around the base of the hill more than 800 feet below. The scene is especially vivid at sunset, when vibrant hues of orange and pink illuminate the western horizon while the lights of the city twinkle on to the east.

Dinosaur Park is open year-round from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Admission is free.

The park is located on the top of the hill on Skyline Drive. The route is well-marked with signage. A large parking lot is located off Skyline Drive at the base of the park. The stairs to the park begin at the west end. A gift shop and refreshment stand, open in summer, is located at the east end.

Dinosaur Park
www.dinosaurpark.net