These craggy peaks in western South Dakota are where Mount Rushmore raises its stony head. The eerie Badlands are nearby, as are two of the world's biggest caves. And there's a mountain being moved by one man's dream (and dynamite).

Visitors easily can spend a week seeing the sights. While getting there may dent the wallet, food and lodging are reasonably priced, and most attractions are free or low-cost.

Stone crazy

No doubt about it: Mount Rushmore casts an enchantment. How else to explain the rock-hewn mugs of George Washington, Abe Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson and Teddy Roosevelt stirring the soul so? The spell starts with the twisting drive in, dashed by tunnels that open to gape-worthy views of the sight. At the monument itself (which costs $8 per car to enter), a half-mile trail skirts the base and brings visitors within presidential-nostril-viewing range.

To think just 400 men carved Mount Rushmore, blasting away almost a half-million tons of granite over 14 years. It's impressive, until you consider what's going on down the road.

Korczak Ziolkowski started sculpting the Crazy Horse Memorial in 1948. He had worked on Rushmore, and local Lakota chiefs invited him to create a similar monument to one of their heroes. Only this carving would be bigger. For scale, think of Mount Rushmore fitting into Crazy Horse's ear.

Korczak chipped away at the mountain by himself. When he died in 1982, it didn't look much different from when he started. But Korczak had a plan - and 10 kids to carry it out.

The Ziolkowski family is there today continuing the work. And Crazy Horse is there, too, or at least his noble profile. If you're lucky, you might catch one of the occasional dynamite blasts. If not, there's plenty to do ogling the crazy-huge sculpture and American Indian museum and crafts on site. Admission costs $27 per car.

More rockin'

Imagine you're a pioneer, wagoning across South Dakota's rich prairie land when all of a sudden the horses rear back, and whammo, you're standing at the edge of an otherworldly abyss. The Badlands appear that abruptly. The grass and wildlife vanish, and the land yawns open into desolate, bleached-pink rock formations, kind of like a mini Grand Canyon.

A loop road edges the area (now a national park) with plenty of places to pull over and have a look. Short hikes depart into the buttes and spires, where it will be just you, the lonesome wind and flickering birdsong. Admission costs $15 per car for a weeklong pass.

Where the buffalo roam

With 1,500 hungry members, Custer State Park's bison herd is one of the world's largest, and they're kind enough to share the land with pronghorn antelope, bighorn sheep, wild turkeys and feral burros. The 18-mile Wildlife Loop Road provides glimpses, but cut to the chase by stopping in the park's visitor center first. Rangers can tell you where the herds are grazing, often accessible via unpaved back roads, and you can drive right into their midst to commune (cautiously!) with the beasts. Don't worry, they'll be too focused on their beloved grass to pay you much attention. Admission is $12 per car for a weeklong park pass.

Cave craving

Jewel Cave is the world's second-longest, and it's still being explored, along with nearby Wind Cave.

Their names tell their stories: Jewel is filled with glittering calcite crystals. Wind Cave blasts visitors a heck of a gust upon entry (though it's not felt inside). Both caves are part of the National Park Service, and rangers lead tours through them for about $9 per person.

When you go: Braving the Badlands

Getting there: United, Delta and Northwest fly into Rapid City - certainly one of the world's few airports where the bathrooms double as tornado shelters. Mount Rushmore stares out from the hills 23 miles southwest, while the Badlands carve up the landscape 40 miles to the east. The South Dakota Tourism Office (800-732-5682; www.travelsd.com) publishes a visitors guide to the area.

Places to stay: The Black Hills town of Custer makes a good base. Mom-and-pop motels line the two main streets, and what they lack in flash they make up in down-home comfort. The Bavarian Inn (800-657-4312; www.bavarianinnsd.com; rooms $78-$115) tops the list. Or stay amid the bison in Custer State Park. Its four log lodges (888-875-0001; www.custerresorts.com) are open mid-May to mid-October. Rates start around $130.

Places to eat: The schedule is simple on Custer's downtown strip: breakfast at Baker's Bakery (605-673-2253; dishes $6-$8), where hubcap-size cinnamon rolls, mondo omelets and thick-cut toast fuel the day's adventures; and dinner at Sage Creek Grille (605-673-2424; entrées $8-$16), where bison pepper soup, grilled salmon and regional sips, like Montana's Moose Drool ale, help travelers unwind afterward.