A land of incredible biological diversity, the Black Hills are steeped in the legends and mystique of many different cultures. Island in the Plains contains tales of prehistoric dinosaurs and Ice Age mammoths, mighty bison and tiny mountain pine beetles, industrious beavers and majestic elk. Other chapters feature the migrations of the Plains Indians, the cultural history of Inyan Kara Mountain, and the search for fossil cycads from the Jurassic period. Island in the Plains is required reading for anyone who wishes to learn the fascinating story behind the rugged exterior of the Black Hills.