THE
PONDEROSA
POST
Hey neighbor! Welcome back to The Ponderosa Post.
We made it through the biggest holiday weekend of the summer! If you’re still recovering from the fireworks, the lake days, and the extra company in town, this is the perfect week to settle back into the groove. The Hills are staying hot, the trails are gorgeous, and we have a fantastic lineup of laid-back evening events to keep you entertained without burning you out.
Grab your favorite iced coffee, and let’s get you caught up on the week in 5 minutes flat.
Source: visitrapidcity.com
📰 The Big Scoop (Regional Updates)
Stage 1 Fire Restrictions Continue: With the summer heat persisting, Stage 1 fire restrictions remain in effect for the Black Hills National Forest and local areas. This means no open campfires outside of designated, metal fire rings in developed campgrounds. Let's continue to keep the Hills green and safe!
Needles Highway Construction Resumes: The ongoing summer repaving and maintenance project on the Needles Highway in Custer State Park officially paused for the holiday rush, but crews are back at work this week. Plan for some minor delays if you're taking the scenic route.
Highway 385 Detours: A 15-mile stretch of Highway 385 is undergoing major summer construction, bringing pilot cars, narrowed lanes, and rock blasting. Expect to be detoured onto Highway 44 and U.S. 16, and double-check your GPS before you head out into the Northern Hills.
Monument Health ER Reminder: As a quick reminder for those busy summer days, Monument Health has officially opened Rapid City's second emergency room. The new Emergency Services and Medical Campus will remain open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, year-round.
🍽️ Local Bites & Brews
Source: visitrapidcity.com
I love a good burger and I love me some pub food. If you love a good drink and a good burger, you have to hit up Murphy’s Pub downtown.
This is one of my main go to places for pretty much any event. Going to dinner with the kids and extended family? They handle it, hosting friends from out of town? That’s Murphy’s. Just a dinner with friends and I don’t want to have to clean the house to host? Yep, Murphy’s.
When I go, I generally get the same exact thing everytime…The Murphy Burger. Here it is straight from the menu:
Sautéed granny smith apples, caramelized onion & brie cheese
Sounds simple…but it’s fantastic. Especially if you pair it with the sweet potato fries and some ranch (I’m from the midwest, you didn’t think I was going to eat something fried without dipping it in ranch did you?)
My go to drink there is a pear martini. It’s sweet, a little bitter and just goes with everything. Especially a warm summer day on the patio.
It’s a main staple here in Rapid City for a reason and I’ll keep going back time and time again.
I’ll see you there.
Murphy’s Pub
510 9th St, Rapid City, SD 57701
🎉 The Trailhead (Events & Things to Do)
Happening This Week (July 7 – July 9)
Midweek Trivia (July 8): Gather your smart friends, grab a cold pint, and test your knowledge at the Firehouse Sky Box in Rapid City on Wednesday night. Click here.
Rapid City Summer Nights (July 9): Keep the party going on 7th Street in downtown Rapid City on Thursday from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Expect local food vendors, refreshing beverage gardens, and incredible live music echoing through the blocks. Click here.
Live On The Lawn (July 9): Bring a lawn chair down to Main Street Square for a free weekly Thursday night summer concert series. Click here.
Open Mic Comedy (July 9): Catch local stand-up comics and regional talent dropping jokes at the West River Comedy Club on Thursday night. Click here.
The Weekend Lineup (July 10 – July 12)
Friday Night Acoustic Picks (July 10): Unwind from the workweek with casual, rotating acoustic musicians playing folk, bluegrass, and Americana sets on the patio at Cohort Craft Brewery this Friday at 7:00 p.m. Click here.
Deadwood Historical Walking Tour (July 11): Meet up on the historic Deadwood cobblestones for an evening interactive ghost and history walk detailing the Wild West legends of 1876. Click here.
Hill City Vintage Market (July 12): Browse an open-air collective of local Black Hills artisans, antique pickers, and hand-crafted goods right off the highway in Hill City. Click here.
💡Black Hills Trivia
Source: Freepik
Question: What famous 1990 Academy Award-winning movie, starring and directed by Kevin Costner, was filmed heavily throughout the Black Hills and Badlands regions?
(Keep scrolling for the answer!)
🗣️ A Word From Our Sponsor
That's all the news that's fit to print in the pines this week, folks! Go enjoy that July sunshine, find a shady trail to explore, and make sure to share a wave with a neighbor.
If you found a new weekend plan in today's issue, forward it to a friend!
— The Ponderosa Post Team
Trivia Answer: Dances with Wolves! (Filming locations included the Badlands National Park, Spearfish Canyon, and private ranches right outside of Rapid City).
