Rapid City, SD (August 20, 2008) – National Geographic Adventure Magazine has named Rapid City as one of 50 Next Great Adventure Towns in its September edition, which hit newsstands Aug. 12.

Moving to a new town is a long-term investment, the editors wrote. “So this year we selected 50 innovative towns that aren’t just prime relocation spots right now, but smart choices for the future,” the magazine said. “Not only do they have the action. They’ve got a plan. Now we’re giving you a plan too.”

Magazine Names Rapid City a 'Great Adventure Town'

Rapid City, SD (August 20, 2008) – National Geographic Adventure Magazine has named Rapid City as one of 50 Next Great Adventure Towns in its September edition, which hit newsstands Aug. 12.

Moving to a new town is a long-term investment, the editors wrote. “So this year we selected 50 innovative towns that aren’t just prime relocation spots right now, but smart choices for the future,” the magazine said. “Not only do they have the action. They’ve got a plan. Now we’re giving you a plan too.”

Rapid City got high marks for its efforts to develop for mountain biking and hiking trails. Cowboy Hill inside Rapid City and the Mickelson Trail in the Black Hills west of the city are two projects that have been getting a lot of national attention.

“These days, the glimmer of gold in the Black Hills may be the reflection off a mountain biker’s helmet,” the magazine wrote about Rapid City in the online edition. The piece touted the area’s 300 miles of two-wheeling trails and the recent construction of the dirt-jump park at the base of Cowboy Hill.

In addition, a sidebar story featured the 109-mile Mickelson Trail, or “Big Mick,” from Deadwood to Edgemont. “Gradients are gentle (it gains a bit over a thousand feet) and the southern half is mostly downhill,” the editors wrote. “But its surroundings (stunning black Hills landscapes of pines and prairies) and features (four tunnels and a hundred bridges) make the route anything but typical.”

Rapid City Convention & Visitors Bureau Executive Director Michelle Lintz stated, “Rapid City is a perfect hub for an adventurous lifestyle or just an adventure vacation. Rapid City is the largest community in Western South Dakota and is located in the middle of the beautiful Black Hills. Visitors and residents enjoy many outdoor activities including biking, hiking, rock climbing, horseback riding and a wide variety of other sports and activities.”

Rapid City joined Grand Marais, Minn., Traverse City, Mich., Bardstown, Ky., Mobile, Ala., Lafayette, La., Hermann, Mo., Mountain View, Ark., Peoria, Ill., Oklahoma City, Milwaukee and San Antonio, Texas among the dozen Central U.S. cities to make the top 50 list.

Although the 50 towns were not ranked, the editors of National Geographic Adventure selected a dozen towns as their overall national favorites. They are: Seattle, San Francisco and Hood River, Ore., in the West; Missoula, Mont., Ogden, Utah, and Carbondale, Colo., in the Rockies; Grand Marais and San Antonio in the Central region; and Boston, Battleboro, Vt., Islamorada, Fla., and Chattanooga, Tenn., in the East.

The Rapid City Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) is a division of the Rapid City Area Chamber of Commerce. The CVB's mission is to market the Rapid City area as a convention and leisure destination and to promote economic growth that will enhance the area for visitors and residents.

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To see the online story: http://adventure.nationalgeographic.com/2008/09/weekend-getaways/best-places-to-live/adventure-towns-text

Contact: Michelle Lintz, (605) 718-8485, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it