Imagine you have a nice little farm community of friendly people who are busy growing corn and beans in the summer months. When winter comes, they catch up on chores and make plans for the summer. Magically surround the town with towering granite spires and pine-filled mountain valleys. Scatter gold in the streams. Trade the sheep for mountain goats and the cattle for elk and deer. Recruit an amazing artist to carve (with dynamite, no less!) an immense memorial to American democracy. Voila! You have Keystone, where 350 hard-working people host 2 million or more guests through all four seasons. For the 2 million, here are some insider tips on how enjoy the unique little town below Mount Rushmore.

Mount Rushmore may be the main reason you’re here, so don’t gaze and then go away. There’s much to be found below the faces. Here are a few tips: 1) Sample the ice cream at the restaurant; the vanilla is made from Thomas Jefferson’s own recipe. 2) Don’t skip a visit to the 1939 sculptor’s studio, where you’ll sense the history of the monument. 3) Hike the Presidential Trail, not just for better views of the faces but also for the nature (you might even meet a mountain goat). 4) Hang around for the patriotic lighting ceremony, which begins at 9 p.m. daily from late May to late September.

Remember the old quip that dancer Ginger Rogers could do everything Fred Rogers could do — and do it backwards in heels? That’s also true of people who create bridges, roads and buildings in rugged mountain terrain as opposed to the flatlands. There’s no better example than the Keystone area. As you arrive from the north, watch for the laminated timber-arch highway interchange, the only one of its kind in the world. The three-level bridge is an architectural marvel. As you descend the canyon, you’ll pass under Miner’s Tunnel, one of seven stone underpasses in the area. As you explore the town, note the unusual stone retaining walls and foundations.

Keystone is the northern gateway to the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway, heralded as one of America’s most scenic and historic roadways. The route was chosen by Norbeck, a U.S. senator who championed Mount Rushmore. When engineers told Norbeck the terrain was too rugged for roads, he personally walked the forest, looking for possible paths and the best scenery. Depart Keystone to the south on Highway 16-A and you’ll encounter Iron Mountain Road, a captivating series of pigtails, stone tunnels, dips, climbs and hairpin curves. It leads to the heart of Custer State Park and the Wildlife Loop. Depart Keystone to the west on Highway 244 and watch for a parking lot just beyond Mount Rushmore’s main entrance, where you’ll find an amazing profile of Washington in stone. Proceed on Highway 244 for unusual camping, hiking and picnic spots. Soon you’ll come to Highway 87, which leads to more tunnels, pigtails, Black Elk Peak, Sylvan Lake and Custer State Park. Get a map. Norbeck’s roads are so crooked that it’s easy to confuse north and south.

Keystone is a one-of-a-kind shopping experience. You’ll meet candy-makers, chain saw artists, rockhounds, fine art aficionados, gold miners, wild game chefs, t-shirt designers, cowboy comedians and other interesting characters. Their life’s work is to welcome the never-ending parade of pilgrims to the Shrine of Democracy from late spring to autumn. In winter, some take a break — but fortunately not the candy-makers.

Don’t be misled by those four stony faces above town; Keystone is fun and games — especially in the heart of summer. Enjoy scenic chairlifts, an Alpine slide, zip lines that span a mile, mini golf by a gold mine and helicopter tours of the faces and surrounding mountain peaks. Pan for gold in a real mine. Dip your toes in the cool waters of Battle Creek. Cool off in nearby Rushmore Cave. Watch a gun fight at the Red Garter Saloon. This is a mountain playground for families.

A town that hosts 2 million-plus visitors a year is going to look snazzy at first glance, but Keystone has an old soul. Mining began in the 1870s, and the town was created in 1891. For a look at the “old town,” take Highway 40 south. You’ll find a delightful old general store, small shops, and mine and mill ruins. Maps for a self-guided tour are available in kiosks. Look above Highway 40 for the town’s longtime school building, now a museum (free admission) with exhibits on mining history, the carving of Rushmore and Carrie Ingalls of “Little House” fame, who lived in Keystone for years. Discover even more history of the mountain carving at the Rushmore Borglum Story and at the Sculptor’s Studio at the memorial.

There’s something for any guest in Keystone, and there are some things you won’t find just anywhere — such as rattlesnake sausage (at the Big Thunder Gold Mine). Keystone’s chefs have embraced wild game. You’ll find offerings at the Red Garter Saloon on the boardwalk and several other eateries. Watch for prime rib on the menu, because South Dakota is renowned for high quality beef. Bison dishes are also a favorite‚ from the bison stew served at Mount Rushmore’s Carvers’ Cafe to bison brats, burgers and steaks in restaurants around town.

Even before carving was completed on Mount Rushmore, many politicians have imagined themselves as the Fifth Face. Another figure was carved in the winter of 2020 but it represents a man who never won an elective office. He never shook a hand or kissed a baby. He’s Sasquatch, aka Bigfoot. The sculpture, made of Black Hills pine by Jarrett Dahl and his team at Dahl’s Chainsaw Art, measures over 22 feet. That makes it the largest Bigfoot sculpture in the world — though it barely exceeds the length of Washington’s nose on Rushmore. Visitors are welcome to visit and photograph Big Foot and the other fanciful creations at Dahl’s.

Travelers drawn to cemeteries are welcome at Keystone’s Mountain View Cemetery, a nicely-tended resting place on the west side of town. Just follow Cemetery Road. This is the only cemetery with a view of Mount Rushmore. A handcrafted wrought iron fence separates gravesites from the surrounding pines. Miners, cowboys and Mount Rushmore carvers are buried there, including a colorful character who claimed to have survived Custer’s Last Stand even though he was born 20 years after it occurred. Carrie Ingalls’ husband David Swanzey is among the resting. He was a miner who promoted the concept of Mount Rushmore. Carrie is buried at the Ingalls family plot in De Smet. Visitors are welcome, but please remember to be respectful, especially when mourners are present.