Rapid City’s urban trails are rich with history, nature and beauty. A favorite of locals is M Hill, a 1.4-mile hike located minutes from downtown. A tradition was established in 1912 when students used horses to carry rocks up the hill to create the M (for Mines). Freshman students make the climb on homecoming to clean and whitewash the letters. Downtown’s Memorial Park is a convenient and interesting place to stretch your legs. The 27-acre park grew from the ruined landscape of a disastrous 1972 flood which killed 238 people. Now, walking trails pass by rose gardens, sculptures and an actual concrete chunk of the Berlin Wall. An area around Dinosaur Park has more primitive paths (see below).