Location and Local Attractions

Granite Springs is located 15 miles to the east of Mitchell South Dakota or 45 miles to the west of Sioux Falls. Wild life and open fields surround us. Transportation is available for all guests arriving by air. We will pick you up in either Sioux Falls or Mitchell and deliver you back to the airport when your stay is over.

Northwest Airlines, United Airlines, and American Airlines are the three commercial airlines servicing Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Rental vehicles are available at the airport. Ground travel time from the airport to our lodge is approximately 1 hour.

Suggested airports to consider investigating prior to arriving for those piloting their own private planes include Sioux Falls, Madison and Mitchell

Guests who choose to drive to the lodge can park your vehicles and let us provide the transportation once you arrive.

Some of the local attractions are:

Cabela's Mitchell, South Dakota Retail Store is located just off I-90. In addition to offering quality outdoor merchandise, the 80,000 sq. ft. showroom has educational and entertainment attractions, featuring a décor of museum-quality animal displays, huge aquariums and trophy animals interacting in realistic re-creations of their natural habitats.

The World's only Corn Place is Mitchell's Premier tourist attraction. Some 500,000 tourists come from around the nation each year to see the uniquely designed corn murals. The city's first Corn Palace was build in 1897 as a way to prove to the world that South Dakota had a healthy agricultural climate. The present facility is 80 years old and currently under repair. The south wall of the Corn Palace was damaged in a snow and ice slide on the roof in March. Three of the domes have since been removed. One of them from the snow and ice slide and another dome taken down after being blown down during a wind storm. Replacement of those domes is still uncertain. Crews hope to finish shoring up the south wall by early fall. The Corn Palace is also used for several community activities including High School basketball in the winter and several community organization hold annual events in the building.

Approximately 1000 years ago, a fortified village of semi-nomadic farmers/hunters flourished along the banks of a stream valley that is now Lake Mitchell. The site they chose is carefully preserved by the Mitchell PreHistoric Indian Village and Thomsen Center Archeodome. Who were these people? Where did they go? And what is their legacy to modern man? Answers to these and other questions lie buried just beneath the surface. Today you can visit this rich archeological site, designated a National Historic Landmark and get a dramatic glimpse into their ancient way of life.

The Enchanted World Doll Museum offers excitement, enchantment and education as you pass through the doors of this English style castle, complete with moat, turrets and drawbridge. The 'castle across from the Corn Palace' is home to over 4,800 dolls set in approximately 435 different and unique scenes which or added to, changed or updated yearly. These antique and modern dolls are exhibited in detailed dioramas depicting life in the early 1800 and 1900's. Nursery rhymes, fairy tales and last but not least, Star Trek, and the American girl series. Also featured are over 2,000 ethnic dolls from more than 125 countries. You'll be enchanted with the "Enchanted World Doll Museum."

Dakota Discovery Museum located at 1300 E University in Mitchell, offers year-round discovery of the bold and moving paintings by South Dakota's Artist Laureate Oscar Howe. You can also walk through the recreated art studio of famous western illustrator Charles Hargens. Discover the adventures of the Lewis & Clark expedition, as they traveled across the Dakotas. Tour the Victorian home of the founders of the Corn Palace - Louis & Mary Beckwith. Slip back through time and discover pioneer education in an 1885 one room school house. Take a 'time capsule' trip through life on the prairie from the time of the earlier Native peoples, through to the Great Depression & drought of the 1930's. Pre-arranged guided tours are available for groups at no extra charge. "It is impossible to know where we are going, until we discover where we've been". Discover Art, History & Culture at the Dakota Discovery Museum.

Sioux Falls which is 45 minutes to the east is a town of about 140,000 and has everything you'd expect. www.siouxfalls.com

The Royal River Casino. www.royalrivercasino.com

Also, there are the Dakota Sioux Casino & Hotel near Watertown, South Dakota, and Dakota Connection Casino in Sisseton, South Dakota. The Dakota Nation Gaming Enterprise is owned and operated by the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate. www.dakotanationgaming.com