South Dakota

Congress established Sand Lake National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in 1935 as a refuge and breeding grounds for migratory birds and other wildlife. The Refuge has 21,498 acres of prime wildlife habitat consisting of open lakes and wetlands, grasslands, woodlands, and croplands. Famed for its spectacular concentrations of wildlife, Sand Lake NWR has been listed as one of the top 15 birding sites in the country. It is also a designated a Wetland of International Importance and a Globally Important Bird Area.

http://www.nps.gov/badl/planyourvisit/directions.htm

The Black Elk Wilderness now contains a total of 13,426 acres and is managed by the U.S. Forest Service. All of the wilderness is in the state of South Dakota.

Public land becomes wilderness through legislation passed by the United States Congress in the form of public laws. For the Black Elk Wilderness, this process began in 1980 when 10,700 acres were designated by Public Law 96-560.

The Lake Andes National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) Complex is comprised of Lake Andes NWR, Karl E. Mundt NWR, and Lake Andes Wetland Management District (WMD). The Complex headquarters is located on the east shore of Lake Andes.

"Waubay," means "a place where numbers of birds make their nests" in the Dakota language. The Refuge encompasses 4,650 acres of wetlands, native tallgrass prairie, and bur oak forest that provide a wide variety of nesting habitat for more than 100 species of waterfowl, song birds, and upland game birds as well as 140 additional bird species during migrations. Mammals include species from the ever present white-tailed deer to the more elusive coyote and the diminutive pygmy shrew.

The Rapid Valley Unit of the Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program consists of Pactola Dam and Reservoir located on Rapid Creek about 15 miles west of Rapid City, South Dakota. The Dam is a zoned earthfill structure, 230 feet high, 40 feet wide at the crest, and 1,255 feet long. Numerous facilities associated with outdoor recreation are provided at Pactola Reservoir, including picnic grounds, campgrounds, boat ramps, a visitor center and scenic overlooks.

The Angostura Dam and Reservoir are located at the southeast edge of the Black Hills on the Cheyenne River in southwestern South Dakota near the Nebraska border. Recreation on this 4,706 acre reservoir is managed by the SD Department of Game, Fish and Parks for the Bureau of Reclamation and includes campgrounds, boat ramps, fishing pier and a marina.

The Badlands Wilderness now contains a total of 64,144 acres and is managed by the National Park Service. All of the wilderness is in the state of South Dakota.

Public land becomes wilderness through legislation passed by the United States Congress in the form of public laws. For the Badlands Wilderness, this process began in 1976 when 64,250 acres were designated by Public Law 94-567.

The Badlands Wilderness is part of the 106 million acre National Wilderness Preservation System.

5 miles west of Hot Springs just off Highway 18.

http://www.nps.gov/wica/planyourvisit/directions.htm