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Want to spend a few days exploring nature and some of the most fantastic sites the United States has to offer in a totally unpopulated area?  If so, a South Dakota road trip should be on your radar.  I love to get out and explore the beauty of nature – like we did on our float trip – and South Dakota unmatched in its natural beauty, and rugged landscapes will not disappoint. The terrain here you won’t find anywhere else in the country. It’s also underrated and that that may be good news for you as you can explore all this state has to offer and avoid the crowds!   Read on to check out our guide on what to see & do and where to stay for your awesome South Dakota Road Trip.

What are the Top Things to Do in South Dakota?

Here’s the list of the most popular attractions in South Dakota. At least some of these make people’s bucket list when they plan their South Dakota Road trip.

1. Mt. Rushmore
2. Badlands National Park
3. Custer State Park
4. Wind Cave National Park
5. Jewel Cave National Park
6. Crazy Horse Memorial
7. Deadwood & Lead and Spearfish
8. The Black Hills
9. Corn Palace – Mitchell SD
10. Wall Drug – Wall, SD

Read on For Our Ultimate Guide to Planning a Trip to South Dakota!

And with any road trip there are essentials you won’t want to leave home without! Here are the things we consider essential items for our road trips.

Our South Dakota Road Trip Itinerary

• Day 1 & 2 – Badlands National Park & Wall, SD
• Day 3 – Mt. Rushmore
• Day 4 & 5 – Custer State Park: Needles Hwy & WildLife Loop Rd and Jewell Cave
• Day 6 – Deadwood
• Day 7 – Spearfish & Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway/Wind Cave

How to Get to South Dakota?

OK so now that you’ve decided you want to trek to South Dakota, you may be asking yourself where to start.  I recommend getting to the Rapid City area and hitting the road from there.  

You can either drive or fly to Rapid City.  The Rapid City Regional Airport serves various airlines.  Delta, American and United all fly to Rapid City.  Denver and Minneapolis are popular layover spots. 

Of course, you can always drive to South Dakota.   If you’re coming from the East, you can start your trip in Sioux Falls and drive through the state to Rapid City – it is about a 5 hour drive across 1-90.    And, if you drive from the East, we recommend a stop in Mitchell, SD to check out the Corn Palace.

After your stop in Mitchell, stay on 1-90 until you hit Rapid City- if you want to stay in a bigger town. To be even closer to all the action, stay in Keystone (closest to Mt. Rushmore) or Custer. Any of these towns will be good starting points for all your adventures in the Black Hills area of South Dakota.

Best Places to Stay in Rapid City, Keystone & Custer

Rapid City Places to Stay

• Holiday Inn Express & Suites – Nice & New Budget price – $125/night
• Fairfield Inn & Suites – Free Breakfast – $100/night

Keystone Places to Stay

• Moderate Choice: Holiday Inn Express & Suites – Great Indoor Pool & Breakfast Buffet.
• Budget Choice: Baymont by Wyndham – Great Location & Price less than $80/night.

Custer Places to Stay

• Days Inn – Great Location, walk to downtown-only $100/night.
• Super 8 By Wyndham – Great Location but a little more pricey at $170/night.

Itinerary & Map

• Day 1 & 2 – Badlands National Park & Wall
• Day 3 – Mt. Rushmore
• Day 4 & 5 – Custer State Park: Needles Highway & WildLife Loop Road & Jewell Cave
• Day 6 – Deadwood & Lead
• Day 7 Spearfish & Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway/Jewell Cave/Wind Cave

Day 1 & 2: Badlands & Wall

The Badlands and Wall, SD are close enough together that you can see both in two days. We recommend checking out Wall either before or after your tour of the Badlands. Plan to spend about 1/2 day or so in Wall. In the Badlands, spend at least one night in the park – it’s a must! . t

Where are the Badlands?

• The Badlands National Park is located about an hour East of Rapid City via I-90.

Best Places to Stay in the Badlands Area

Where to Stay in the Badlands Area

• Cedar Pass Lodge – Within the Park for amazing sunrises & sunsets.
• Keystone – Holiday Inn Express & Suites – Great Indoor Pool & Breakfast Buffet.
• Keystone – Baymont by Wyndham – Great Location & Price less than $90/night.

What to See at the Badlands?

Badlands National Park is one of the premier national parks in all the United States. First and foremost, take time to enjoy all the spectacular scenery in the Badlands. The Badlands is truly unique and you won’t find geological formations like this anywhere else. Other things you must see:

• Loop Road – for one of the most amazing drives ever! This 31 mile two lane road goes thru some of the most beautiful country you will ever see.
• Badlands Wall – mind blowing escarpment that is millions of years old
• Sunrise & Sunets – stay within the park to view the most spectacular sunrise & sunsets ever. The light on the rocks at different times of day makes for unique and always changing colors.

Where is Wall, SD?

• The town of Wall, SD is located 8 miles from the entrance to Badlands National Park.

What to See in Wall, SD?

• Of course, you can’t miss the world famous Wall Drug! Check out this old western store and art gallery; and have a great meal or some fresh, homemade donuts. Make sure you check out the old fashioned soda fountain, too! Who doesn’t love ice cream?

Day 3 – Mt. Rushmore

Where is Mt. Rushmore?

• Mt. Rushmore is located approximately 30 minutes South of Rapid City via Hwy 16 & State Rd 44. The exact address is 13000 SD-244, Keystone SD.

Best Places to Stay in Mt. Rushmore Area

Where to Stay in Mt. Rushmore Area

• Keystone – Holiday Inn Express & Suites – Great Indoor Pool & Breakfast Buffet.
• Keystone – Baymont by Wyndham – Great Location & Price less than $90/night.

When is the Best Time to Go to Mt. Rushmore?

• Go to Mt. Rushmore in the morning to avoid crowds and also to avoid seeing the faces covered in shadows as happens later in the day.
• Mt. Rushmore is open every day except Christmas Day, but I wouldn’t go beyond June-September because the South Dakota weather can be wicked in Spring and Fall–not to mention Winter.

What to See at Mt. Rushmore?

Mt. Rushmore is more than just the famous granite Presidential heads. There’s much more to be seen here apart from the obvious – checking out the awesomeness of the monument! Aside from that, check out all the great options below.

And, plan on spending at least a few hours here. It’s not the easiest place to get to, but it’s definitely worth your time to visit and explore Mt. Rushmore.

• Hike the .05 mile long Presidential Trail that circles the base of the monument. Then, take the stairs to reach the summit. (over 400 steps!)
• Check out the interactive exhibits in the Lincoln Borglum Visitor Center
• Go to Guzton Borglum’s Studio.
• After your visit, drive the Iron Mountain Road which is a 17 mile awe-inspiring road that goes from Mt. Rushmore to Custer State Park. You’ll be able to view Mt. Rushmore from the various tunnels. This is one cool road and definitely not to be missed!

Quick Facts About Mt. Rushmore

• The 4 U.S. President’s heads on Mt. Rushmore: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt.
• Doane Robinson, a South Dakota historian, thought of the idea to carve the faces of famous people into the Black Hills.
• Robinson’s idea was to have famous people of the West like Chief Red Cloud, Buffalo Bill Cody and Lewis & Clark. The idea morphed into Presidents instead.
• Sculptor Guzton Borglum created the monument over 14 years.
• Cost in today’s dollars to create Mt. Rushmore: over 17 million.

Day 4 & 5: Custer State Park & Jewell Cave

Along with the Badlands, Custer State Park is one of the true jewels of the United States. There’s something magical about these parks in South Dakota that you won’t find anywhere else.

Where is Custer State Park?

• Custer State Park is located in the Black Hills right next to Mt. Rushmore.

Best Places to Stay Near or in Custer State Park

Where to Stay Near Custer State Park

Both of these options are in Custer since Custer is the closest town to CSP.

• Renegade Log Cabin – Super Cute Budget Friendly Choice – $165/night
• Holiday Inn Express – Newer with Pool – Moderate Price – $200/night

What to See in Custer State Park

• The best thing to see in Custer State Park are the bison (and all the wildlife)!! Custer has more bison than anywhere else in the world – over 1300 in the herd. With so many bison, you’re bound to see at least a few in the park.
• To see even more wildlife like elk, mountain goats and antelope, and to get a great feel for the park, spend at least one night in the park.
• Explore the park’s 71,000 acres with a fun jeep safari! What better way to get up close & personal with the park wildlife?
• Within the park, drive the spectacular 18 mile WildLife Loop Road & Needles Highway, a National Scenic Byway. These are not to be missed! You’ll probably want to take snacks & drinks with you in the car – check out which soft-side coolers we think are best!
• Go swimming or fishing at Sylvan Lake.
• Go horse back riding. Blue Bell Stables is within the park.
• Hike Black Elk Peak- the highest natural point in South Dakota-for fabulous views!
• Hike or drive to the Mt. Coolidge Fire Tower & see awesome distance views of Crazy Horse, Mount Rushmore, Badlands National Park & Harney Peak.
• Check out park from the water. Custer has canoes, kayaks & stand up paddle boards (my favorite!) that you can rent by the hour. This is a great way to get a completely different view of the park.
• We recommend spending at least one night in the park so you really get a feel for the atmosphere at all times of day.

Day 6 – Deadwood

Where is Deadwood?

• Deadwood is about an hour North of Mt. Rushmore & Rapid City.

Best Places to Stay in Deadwood

Where to Stay in Deadwood

• The Lodge at Deadwood – Great moderate price -about $135/night, great location with indoor pool.
• Hampton Inn at Tin Lizzie Gaming Resort – Great price – about $135/night with free breakfast and on site casino!

What to See in Deadwood?

• For a scenic route, take US Highway 385 from Rapid City to Deadwood for a beautiful 45 minute drive.
• Once in Deadwood, try your luck at some of the casinos.
• Check out the graves of Calamity Jane & Wild Bill Hickok

What to See in Spearfish

• Drive the Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway from Deadwood to Spearfish
• Stop to hike, fish and take awesome photographs

When is the Best Time to Go on a South Dakota Road Trip?

South Dakota has 4 distinct seasons. Winters are long and brutal. Spring can be slow to come. I’d recommend planning your South Dakota road trip for the Summer months or early Fall.

The weather is decent in the Summer, but it can definitely get hot. Early Fall may be my favorite time to go because the weather is usually gorgeous and crowds are less with all the kids back in school.

Check out the South Dakota average temperatures to get a feel for what to expect month by month.

Month	Low	High
Jan	11.3°F	33.6°F
Feb	15.9°F	38.6°F
Mar	23.2°F	46.6°F
Apr	32.3°F	57.1°F
May	42.7°F	67.2°F
Jun	51.8°F	77.4°F
Jul	57.9°F	85.5°F
Aug	56.6°F	85.5°F
Sept	46.0°F	75.2°F
Oct	34.7°F	61.7°F
Nov	22.1°F	44.8°F
Dec	13.3°F	36.1°F

Where to Stay on Your South Dakota Road trip? Our Recommendations:

Best Places to Stay in Rapid City

• Holiday Inn Express & Suites – Nice & New Budget price – $125/night
• Fairfield Inn & Suites – Another great Budget option with Free Breakfast – $100/night

Best Places to Stay Near or in Badlands/Wall

The closest town near the Badlands is Wall, SD (about 30 Miles) so stay in the park or stay in Wall.

• Stay in the Park for one at at Cedar Point Lodge.
• Days Inn – Wall, SD.

Best Places to Stay by Mt. Rushmore

Since Keystone is just outside the entrance to Mt. Rushmore, stay in Keystone.

• Keystone – Holiday Inn Express & Suites – Great Indoor Pool & Breakfast Buffet. Moderate price at $150/night.
• Keystone – Baymont by Wyndham – Great Budget Price & Location! Price less than $80/night.

Best Places to Stay Near or in Custer State Park

Stay atleast one night in the park, then choose a place below in Custer, SD.

• Renegade Log Cabin – Super Cute Budget Friendly Choice – $165/night
• Holiday Inn Express – Newer with Pool – Moderate Price – $200/night

Quick South Dakota Fun Facts

• South Dakota is the 40th state in the Union.  Founded in 1889.
• Borders the States of:  North Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming and Montana.
• South Dakota has more miles of shoreline than the state of Florida!
• Famous Food is Bison.

Wrap Up

South Dakota has lots to offer in the way of beautiful scenery and history. It’s often overlooked and sometimes known as a fly-over state. This is unfortunate, because it’s really a state you need to see – especially the Black Hills region. The Badlands and Custer State Park will take your breath away. You’ll wonder what took you so long to discover South Dakota.

I’d LOVE to hear about your trip to South Dakota. Did you see any bison at Custer State Park? How were the sunsets in the Badlands? What else did you enjoy?!!

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