Witness unexplainable things occur before your eyes at Cosmos Mystery Area in the Black Hills. Watch a ball roll uphill, stand eye level with someone you know is taller than you, or feel gravity pull you in ways you’ve never experienced. It is the one location in the Black Hills where the laws of nature don’t seem to apply. To quote the sign upon entrance, its “a physical experience you will never forget.”
The story of how this topsy-turvy location called the Cosmos was discovered goes like this. In 1952, two college age boys were out in the Black Hills searching for a location to build their summer cabin. It was during that search that they stumbled across the mysterious world we now know as the Cosmos. It was here that the laws of physics and logic seemed nonexistent. In 1953, after experimenting and developing demonstrations to show just how strange this place is, they opened their discovery to the public. The location is still puzzling its visitors to this day.
The Cosmos tour lasts around 40 minutes and is full of unexplainable demonstrations your family won’t be able to stop talking about. We went with my cousins when I was in grade school and I can still remember the experience like it was yesterday. They have three main spots which are referred to as hot spots. It’s at these spots that the phenomenon at Cosmos is the strongest. See trees growing crooked back towards the earth, watch as your tour guide and others are able to stand on the walls inside this strange cabin and experience so much more. It’s a mystifying tour that’s hard to describe and even harder to understand, but 100% worth the experience.
Go beyond the Cosmos tour and try out their Geode Mine! A geode is a rock that features stunning crystals inside -- the gratifying surprise of colorful crystals is hard to beat. As an avid rock collector in my youth, this part of the attraction was outstanding. Cosmo’s Mystery Area allows you to search for your own geode, place it in their hydraulic press where it will crack open to reveal its stunning interior. Once you unveil the enchanting crystals within, it’s your souvenir to take home so you can continue to treasure the experience.
Recently, Cosmos added a new attraction for visitors to enjoy. After witnessing the wonders of the Cosmos and finding your own geode, you can now pan for gems, fossils and more! Get an extraordinary taste of what it was like to search for treasures during the Black Hills Gold Rush which began in 1874!
So, are you ready to question the laws of nature? It’s time to take your Rapid City and Black Hills vacation to an exciting and unexplainable new level with a visit to Cosmos Mystery Area.