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He sits down at the poker table in Saloon No. 10 and violates his own rule that his back must always be against the wall to guard against crazed desperadoes.

As the game starts, a low-life named Jack McCall edges in back of Wild Bill and suddenly puts his six-shooter to Bill's head and pulls the trigger.

The date is Aug. 2, 1876.

The cold-blooded murder of Wild Bill is reenacted three times a day during the summer in Deadwood, the historic mining town in the Black Hills of South Dakota.

Every night during the summer the trial of Jack McCall is performed in Deadwood's Masonic Temple.

The colorful story of Wild Bill--army scout, gunslinger, frontier lawman, and gamblerÑlives on in Deadwood, infamous for its wild old days of rowdy bars and brothels.

Some locals say the ghosts of Wild Bill and Calamity Jane still stalk the streets of this town that has been preserved in a 19th Century time warp. Legends of the Old West, Bill and Jane traveled to Deadwood during the gold rush of 1876.

The discovery of that precious metal had been made during an expedition in 1874 by another famous personalityÑCol. George Armstrong Custer. The gold rush put this area on the map, and eventually led to a gold rush of tourism. Deadwood is a fascinating place to start your personal prospecting for vacation nuggets. The region is rich in major attractionsÑMount Rushmore National Memorial, the Crazy Horse Memorial, Badlands National Park, and Custer State Park where 1,500 buffalo roam. Rapid City, some 900 miles west of Chicago, is the gateway to the Black Hills. Deadwood is about an hour's drive northwest of Rapid City. To follow the trail of Wild Bill in Deadwood, start at Saloon No. 10. This is where the reenactments of his murder are staged. Mounted above the entrance to the saloon is "Wild Bill's Death Chair." A wall display memorializes the fallen gambler. His final poker handÑblack aces and eightsÑwill forever be known as the Dead Man's Hand.

Across historic Main Street is the Lucky Nugget Casino, which occupies the site of the original saloon where he was shot. A mockup of that scene can be viewed there.

For a peek at Wild Bill's Colt revolver, check out the Adams Museum. Then climb above town to Mount Moriah Cemetery, Deadwood's "Boot Hill." Wild Bill's grave is marked by his bust. Nearby is the gravesite of Calamity Jane, who known as a lady of the night. She claimed to be Wild Bill's sweetheart.

Step back in time at the Days of '76 Museum, where the old Deadwood stagecoach still looks like it's ready to roll.

At the nearby town of Lead, visitors can pan for gold and tour a realistic replica of a mine at the Black Hills Mining Museum. Behind the Homestake Visitors Center a vast open cut mine engulfs the side of a mountain.

Wild Bill came to Deadwood in search of fortuneÑnot in the mines but at the gambling tables. Modern day visitors can do the same by testing their luck at 18 casinos along Main Street, plus others nearby. The 24-hour action ranges from slots to poker and blackjack.

You may exit one of the Main Street casinos and find yourself in the middle of a gunfight. Actors engage in gunfire three times a day in summer.

Showbiz is definitely part of the scene here. The town's past was dramatized in the HBO series "Deadwood" that ran from 2004 to 2006.

Kevin Costner owns the Midnight Star casino/restaurant, which showcases posters of his movies. Costner also established Tananka: Story of the Bison, an attraction a mile north of Deadwood that recalls the days when millions of buffalo roamed the American West. The centerpiece is a larger-than-life outdoor bronze sculpture showing 14 bison being chased by three Native American riders.

Within a short drive from Deadwood is a National Scenic Byway through dramatic Spearfish Canyon. Hikes near Spearfish Canyon Lodge lead to cascading waterfalls.

After enjoying this natural beauty, head for two manmade superstar attractionsÑMount Rushmore and the Crazy Horse sculpture.

The famous faces of the PresidentsÑWashington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, and LincolnÑhaven't changed since they were carved into the side of a mountain in 1927 by sculptor Gutzon Borglum and 400 workers.

But the base of Mount Rushmore National Memorial has been spiffed up. The Avenue of Flags has created a colorful frame for the faces above. The terrace in front of the visitor center offers spectacular views. Those who want a closer look can hike the half-mile Presidential Trail. At night, the Presidents are illuminated year-around.

While the Rushmore figures are huge (Washington measures 60 feet from his chin to the top of his head), Crazy Horse's face is even biggerÑ87 feet.

The Crazy Horse Memorial, 17 miles from Rushmore, is the monumental dream of sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski. He blasted the first rock in 1948 on the world's largest mountain carving. Meant to honor the North American Indian, it now shows the face of Crazy Horse. Still to come are his arms and the head of his horse. A scale model of the completed sculpture stands on the veranda of the visitor center.

Progress has been slow because the project is funded by admission charges (no state or federal money). After the sculptor's death in 1982, his vision is being carried on by his family.

Special tours now include treks up the mountain to the flat area just below Crazy Horse's head.

Another not-to-be-missed highlight in the Black Hills is Custer State Park, where 1,500 buffalo ramble over 71,000 acres.

Expect to see plenty of the shaggy beasts along the Wildlife Loop Road. But stay in your car. Though they may seem peaceful, they can be dangerous. It's best not to get up close and personal with a wild animal weighing 2,000 pounds.

For an exciting look at buffalo on the move, come early on September 29, the date of the 43rd annual Buffalo Roundup. That's when the herd is moved to corrals for a checkup. The buffalo will be counted, branded, and sorted. Most will be released back into the park, while some will remain to be sold at the annual auction in November.

(Before leaving the area, you might want to try a buffalo burger.)

Other four-legged creatures in the park include mountain goats, burros, elk, and bighorn sheep. Accommodations in the park include campgrounds and lodges.

Badlands National Park, 88 miles east of Rapid City, offers a completely different kind of beauty compared to the Black Hills. This is an arid moonscape of multi-colored buttes and spires rising up from the prairie. The eroded rock has been painted by nature with bands of colorÑwhite, yellow, orange, and purple.

Favorite spots for viewing include Big Badlands Overlook, Panorama Point, Pinnacles Overlook, and Conata Basin Overlook.

A vacation in this part of South Dakota may also include these sightseeing options: Wind Cave National Park, Jewel Cave National Monument, Devil's Tower National Monument, South Dakota Air and Space Museum, and several attractions in Rapid City.

Now back to Deadwood. What happened at the trial of Jack McCall?

Surprisingly, he was acquitted of Wild Bill's murder. However, a later court found him guilty and he was hanged. And Wild Bill lives on in the colorful saga of Deadwood.

For more information, contact:

Deadwood Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau, 800-999-1876; www.deadwood.com.

Rapid City Convention and Visitors Bureau, 800-487-3223; www.VisitRapidCity.com.