1880 Train: A 19th Century Train Ride Tour

This steam engine will give you the full effect with its soul-stirring whistle, smooth, powerful ride, and scenery that cannot be duplicated anywhere else. Before you heed the beckoning of the train whistle by heading onboard, you can get a few goodies at the High-Liner Snack Shoppe  and enjoy them on the train. Additionally, there is a gift shop at both train departure locations, offering everything from train whistles to engineer hats. Once you've looked through all your gift options, you can board this historic train and wind your way among the hills between Hill City and Keystone and back again.

If you are really looking for the full experience, eat your meal the way they did back in the "good ole days" with a box lunch, purchased at the Snack Shoppe. Additionally, whether you're visiting Hill City or Keystone during your time in the Mount Rushmore Area, the 1880 Train: A 19th Century Train Ride Tour departs from both, making it a convenient activity for all area travelers.

Train Options

Depart from either Hill City or Keystone and experience an exciting ride onboard the 1880 Train while viewing the following stunning scenery and features:

• Tin Mill Hill
  • Harney Peak Company placed a giant tin processing plant here.
• Kennedyville
  • 1880s mining community; holds the Kennedy House which once was the town's grocery store and bar.
• Addie Camp 
  • Leads to the 800 ft main shaft of Addie Mine.
• Palmer Gulch
  • Site of placer gold operations in 1875.
• Good Luck Tungsten Mine
  • Tungsten is used to harden steel; this mine flourished during both World Wars.
• Battle Creek
  • Home of the Bismarck School; a land of meadow and farmland.
• Baptist Camp Judson
  • Site of the old Overgaard saw mill.
• Bob Ingersoll Mine
  • Produced a remarkable variety of minerals including feldspar, mica, and tourmaline.
• Lafferty Gulch
  • Once housed the workers of a big feldspar quarry; now a group of summer homes.
• Etta Camp 
  • An 1880s tin mine and camp for the Harney Peak Company.
• Holy Terror Mine
  • Mine that went down 1,200 ft and was one of the richest in the Black Hills.
• Blue Bird Mill
  • Arsenic ore was ground here for further processing.