Central Hills Communities
The Mystic Ranger District is in the central portion of the Black Hills National Forest with an office located outside of Rapid City and a work center in Hill City, SD.
Community of Rapid City, SD
Rapid City is the regional trade center and second largest city in South Dakota. Rapid City, at an elevation of 3,200 feet, lies along the eastern edge of the Black Hills. It is the major population and retail center for the region. Rapid City has a population of over 80,000 citizens (as of 2025) and is a rapidly growing and vibrant community. This modern city offers a Regional Hospital, the Regional Eye Clinic, Neurology Center and Sleep Clinic, 27 parks with many connected by a 20-mile city bike path, Ellsworth Air Force Base, the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, National American University, scores of local and national chain restaurants, 90 churches, two public high schools/four middle schools/17 elementary schools, and several shopping malls. Rapid City, bisected by Interstate I-90, serves as the hub for dozens of tourist destinations in the Black Hills and is a popular stopping point for visitors passing through on their way to Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming and Montana. Three major airlines serve the Rapid City Regional Airport.
The following web sites offer information on Rapid City and the Black Hills: www.rcgov.org & http://www.visitrapidcity.com/.
Nearby community in the central Black Hills: