11 Things to do in South Dakota including Mount Rushmore
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11 Fantastic Places to Visit in South Dakota
My family and I went on a vacation to South Dakota to visit Mount Rushmore and the surrounding area with my parents a few years ago. It was a wonderful experience and educational as well. You will find natural wonders and iconic landmarks from the granite faces of Mount Rushmore to the cascading waters at Sioux Falls, the Native American tribute at Crazy House Memorial, pristine waterfalls in the wilderness, and taking time to visit burros in Custer State Park inviting all ages to experience a historical connection to the area while uncovering the beauty of the area. South Dakota does not disappoint with a state full of adventure and amazing landscapes.
Falls Park in Sioux Falls
Our first stop on our way to Mount Rushmore was at Falls Park in Sioux Falls. This park is situated on 128 acres and has multiple smaller waterfalls for you to enjoy. We enjoyed sitting by the water’s edge on the larger rocks enjoy the mesmerizing sounds of the water cascading over the rocks. Typically, you could spend an hour or two at this park. Mount Rushmore is about a 5-hour drive from Falls Park.
Address: 131 East Falls Park Drive, Sioux Falls
Park Hours: 5am to 11:59pm
Visitor Center Hours: Vary depending on season, check visitor center website for details. Closed Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day
Falls Park Farmer’s Market: Open May to October, every Saturday from 8am to 1pm. Vendors sells flowers, fresh vegetables, meat, coffee, foods, plants, soaps and more.
Amenities: Viewing Tower offering 360-degree views of the falls and city line. Visitor Center & Gift Shop. Picnic shelter with electricity.
Falls Overlook Café: Offers sandwiches, soups, salads, and ice cream. Hours vary by season. Open in the spring and summer.
AmericanInn Hotel by Wyndham in Rapid City
We stayed at the AmericInn by Wyndham in Rapid City. We chose this hotel because it had a waterslide within the hotel making it fun for the kids. This recently renovated hotel (2024) makes for an easy stop within the Black Hills area. This hotel is pet friendly and has free continental breakfast. You can use booking.com or Trivago.com to book this hotel or any hotel in the area.
Address: 1631 Rapp Street, Rapid City, South Dakota
Stop and eat at South Dakota’s oldest brewery. This historical landmark offers signature brews along with a good variety of food. Check them out when you are in the area. Address: 610 Main St, Rapid City.
2. Mount Rushmore National Memorial
At Mount Rushmore National Memorial you can spend time admiring the views of Mount Rushmore, walking on the trails, and climbing rocks. It was absolutely amazing to see Mount Rushmore up close. In the summer it can get hot in this area, so use caution when hiking and bring plenty of water. Mount Rushmore is an amazing historical formation carved with 4 presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln.
Address: Keystone, South Dakota
Hours: Hours vary depending on season. Check website for details. Open all year except Christmas day. The park remains open on Christmas Day, but all buildings are closed.
Typical hours for parking and memorial grounds: Winter hours: 7am to 9pm. Spring/summer hours: 5am to 11pm, fall hours: 5am to 9pm.
Information Center & Lincoln Borglum Visitor Center: Vary by season
Gift Shop: Hours vary
Carver’s Café: 8am to hours vary
Ice Cream Shop: 11am to hours vary
Cost: No fee for visiting Mount Rushmore
Parking: $10 per private vehicle. NOTE: No annual park passes can be used for parking fees. Cash or most credit card accepted. No reservations are needed.
Hiking: Take the Blackberry Trail is a strenuous hike along a gravel path
Pets: Are only permitted in the parking areas and on Blackberry Trail if on a leash.
Camping: No overnight camping at the memorial but there is camping nearby.
Don’t forget: Sunscreen, hat/sunglasses, water
Map: Mount Rushmore, Badlands National Park, Custer State Park and more.
Just look at this view. Amazing view taken from my phone!
Take in fantastic views of Custer Park tour in a convertible-top safari van. Take in the views from a fire lookout and spend time driving around in search of wildlife. You'll also stop at scenic Stockade Lake for an included picnic lunch and visit the scenic Sylvan Lake during your tour.
3. Chuck Wagon Dinner Show
Enjoy a show and amazing food at the Chuck Wagon Dinner Show at Palmer Gulch, Hill City, South Dakota. The “show” is geared more toward younger children with musical instruments and corny jokes. My kids really enjoyed this tour when they were younger but older kids might be bored. At the start of the tour, you will be escorted to the covered wagons where you will be led by horses to the location of the dinner and show. Two of my kids were allowed to ride up front with the driver which was a fun experience for them. After a 30-minute ride, we arrived at the open field where our tables were set up for us so we could sit as we watched the staff perform for us by playing their musical instruments and singing with added jokes mixed in with the music. Although not the best entertainment, I appreciate their intent to entertain us. The kids could sit and enjoy the show or watch the horses graze in the open field while we waited for our food to be done.
What made this trip worth it was the food. The food they prepared was AMAZING!!! Locally grown beef steak, potatoes, slow cooked baked beans, potatoes with bacon and veggies, and peach or pear cobbler. Hot dogs are available for the kids. So yummy! The steak was prepared on the grill while we waited, and I cannot comment enough about how good the food was. Drinks included coffee, tea and lemonade.
Cost for wagon ride: $80 for adults, $55 for kids aged 6-12, $30 for aged 3-5, Free for babies. Again, this wouldn’t be as fun for older kids, but younger kids would enjoy the wagon ride and like I said the food was so delicious and was worth the trip alone!! (2024 prices)
Half hour horse ride is available if you prefer instead of riding in the covered wagon. Prices are $110 and up for adults and $100 and up for children ages 6-12. One-hour long horse ride plus show is $135 for adults and $125 for children aged 6-12. (2024 prices)
Time: This was a 2 1/2-hour wagon ride, dinner and show.
Dates: They are only doing 50 shows in 2024 so hurry and book your trip soon!!
Address: The Stables at Palmer Gulch, 12620 Highway 244, Hill City, South Dakota
A side note…There is no cell reception in this area (US Cellular). My parents were supposed to meet us there but they could not find the place and there was no way to call them, so they missed this tour.
TripAdvisor rates this as a Best of the Best show 3 years in a row. Book tickets below
4. Custer State Park
The next day we drove through Custer State Park to drive their scenic route and view the grazing buffalo. This was such a fun drive! Custer State Park has 71,000 acres to explore within the Black Hills where you will see the 1,300 bison roaming free. There are several spots where you can pull over on the side of the road to watch the bison roam in the field. They do not recommend getting out of your car for your safety, so we just watched them graze from afar. It is against park regulations to feed the wildlife at this park.
Address: 13329 US Highway 16A, Custer, South Dakota
Cost: $20 for 7-consecutive day pass per private vehicle.
Hours: Open year-round, 24 hours a day.
Visitor Center: Open year-round, see hours below. Where you can enjoy learning about the history of the park.
Amenities: Restrooms, concessions. Some facilities may be closed in the winter months.
What to do: Hiking, camping, biking, fishing, swim beach, horse trails, playground, snowshoeing, and educational programs
Hiking: There are several hiking trails in Custer State Park
Badger Clark Historic Trail - 1 mile
South Dakota Centennial Trail - 111 miles with 22 of those miles being in Custer State Park
Iron Creek Trailhead - 7.3 miles
Badger Hole Trailhead - 4.2 miles
Fresh Creek Trailhead - 10.3 miles
Creekside Trail - 3 miles
Lovers Leap - 3 miles
Prairie Trail - 3 miles
Stockade Lake Trail - 1.5 miles
Barnes Canyon Trail - 4.7 miles one way
10 Campgrounds: click HERE for details. Some showers and flush toilets may be closed in the winter months.
Custer State Park map
5. Wildlife Loop Road
An area you must drive through when in Custer State Park is the Wildlife Loop Road. This 18-mile drive is open year-round and is surrounded by most of the wildlife that call this park home and this park has one of the largest herds of American bison in the world. You might see burros, deer, elk, coyote’s, prairie dogs, eagles, hawks, and multiple birds. Along this drive I recommend taking a bag of carrots so you can stop and get out of the car to feed the burros. My kids LOVED this! If you’re not careful the burros will poke their head in your car for food. Don’t forget to buy a bag of carrots before you start this journey!
Location: entrance is on the east entrance of Custer State Park near the Visitor Center
Time: It will typically take 1.5 to 2.5 hours to drive the entire loop with stops along the way
Buffalo Roundup: Plan your trip to coincide with the yearly Buffalo Roundup where over 1,300 bison create a thundering herd and are led to corrals to complete the annual sorting of the bison. This takes place in September during their Art Festival.
Explore Custer State Park in a Jeep as you see multiple wildlife and enjoying a lake view with a picnic lunch (included in tour). Group prices start at $449.
6. Waterfalls in Spearfish Canyon
Take time to visit the waterfalls within Spearfish Canyon. Each waterfall trail offers a peaceful walk along the paths as we listened to the nature and the birds singing while we enjoyed the waterfalls. We stopped at Spearfish Falls and Bridal View Falls. Both walks were fairly easy to navigate but be careful of the slick path due to the water. Multiple animals can be spotted in Spearfish Canyon from deer, mountain goats, porcupines, and bobcats. Tag #spearfishcanyon on Instagram or visit them @visitspearfish
Visitor Center address: 603 North Main Street, Spearfish, South Dakota
Visitor Center hours: Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm and in the summer they are also open 10am to 2pm
There are several campgrounds and RV parks in Spearfish
Spearfish also has several hotels that can be reserved at booking.com
Activities in Spearfish Canyon
fishing
hiking
rock climbing
biking
The kids dipped their toes in the water near some of the falls, which was rather cool, but they braved the cold and enjoyed our time at the falls. There were picnic tables in this area, allowing time for a picnic or snacks while visiting Spearfish Canyon.
Waterfalls
Spearfish Falls - 12.8 miles from the Spearfish Canyon north entrance
Bridal Veil Falls - A 60-foot waterfall located 5.8 miles south of the Spearfish Canyon north entrance
Roughlock Falls - multi-tiered waterfall
Bridal Veil Falls with cascading water of 60 feet tall is located 5.8 miles south of Spearfish Canyon’s north entrance.
7. Sylvan Lake
Head over to the 42-acre picturesque Sylvan Lake which is a favorite view of travelers that is located within Custer. This was definitely one of our favorite places to visit on this trip. This lake area is very popular and can get quite busy. This too will become one of your favorite lakes in the US. This area might look familiar if you have seen National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets with Nicolas Cage.
The kids will love climbing on the huge rock formations along the water. It was rather windy, but we felt so tall and brave on top of the large rocks. Picnic tables allow the opportunity to pack a lunch and eat while visiting the area.
Amenities: Restrooms, picnic tables, paddle boat/canoe/kayak rentals
Things to do: kayak, canoe, hiking trails and a small beach area to swim, fishing.
Camping: Sylvan Lake Campground offer 39 camping sites for (flush toilets, showers, potable water) $15 a night for tent camping or $30 a night for electric hookups. Make Sylvan Lake Campground reservations online.
Hiking: There is a 1-mile round trip trail that takes you around the beautiful lake.
This is a wonderful place to stop and enjoy the lake view, and take time to have a picnic or kayak along the lake.
Where to stay near Sylvan Lake
Looking for a place to stay around Sylvan Lake? Book a hotel at booking.com or a house at VRBO.com to stay and experience more this area has to offer.
Just look at all the beautiful rocks to climb on. The kids could have climbed all day! Yes there were some places that were a little nerve racking to climb on but slowly we made it to the top!
Enjoy a sunrise hot air balloon tour with champagne while flying above Black Hills in Custer State Park.
8. Crazy Horse Memorial
Crazy Horse Memorial is located in Black Hills and is a continual process of carving a sculpture of the Native American leader Crazy Horse. This project started in 1948 in the vision of Crazy Horse to honor the culture, traditions, and resilience of the Lakota people. A dedicated crew is actively working on the Mountain to finish the vision of Crazy Horse by the Sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski who dedicated the rest of his life to creating the Crazy Horse Memorial. On property you can also find the Indian Museum of North America describing the heritage of Native American tribes.
Address: 12151 Avenue of the Chiefs, Crazy Horse, South Dakota
Visitor Center and The Museum of the Memorial hours: 9am to 6pm daily
Gift shop: hours vary throughout the year. Offers Native American wares, glassware, clothing, jewelry and more.
Cost: October to May - 1 person $12.00, 2 people $24.00, 3 or more people is $30.00. June to September - 1 person $15.00, 2 people $30.00, 3 or more people is $35.00.
Pets: allowed outside only, not in any buildings or on the tour bus
Bus tours: Ride to the base of the Mountain $5 per person. Ride to the top of the Mountain is $125 charitable donation per person.
Laughing Waters Restaurant: Enjoy an excellent cuisine with a view of Crazy Horse Memorial. No reservations needed. Hours: Monday to Friday 11am to 4pm, Saturday and Sunday 9am to 4pm. Hours vary throughout the year.
Although this is an amazing piece of history, I am not sure I would spend the money to go again.
9. 1880 Train
Enjoy a train ride on the 1880 Train for a scenic view of the Black Hills. Picture the nostalgia of riding on an older wooden train car with open windows as you view the natural setting in a vintage steam locomotive. Train runs between Hill City and Keystone.
You can delay your return departure and spend time exploring the city, shopping, and eating local foods.
Hill City departures 4 times a day from 9:00am to 5:00pm and from Keystone from 10:15 to 6:15. November and December departs from Hill City only and hours differ.
*Optional events from the 1880 train include
*Special rates apply
Shootouts
Wine express
Oktoberfest express
Holiday express
Free parking at Hill City Depot.
Address: Hill City - 222 Railroad Avenue. Keystone - 103 Winter Street.
Cost: Adults $39.00 round trip or $34.00 one way, Child ages 2-12 $19 round trip or $17.00 one way, Infants free on lap. (2024 prices)
Pets: are not allowed on the trains except service animals
10. Badlands National Park
A final stop should be at Badlands National Park. The kids loved climbing on all the rocks and exploring the area known for its richest fossil bed. This park is something of historical prominence with its 75-millon fossils and 12,000 years of archaeological finds. Keep an eye out for bison, black-footed ferrets, big horn sheep, prairie dogs, birds, snakes and more.
Hours: Open 24 hours every day of the year
Ben Reifel Visitor Center hours: 8/9am to 4/5pm depending on season
White River Visitor Center hours: 9am to 4pm. Open only in the summer months on the Pine Ridge Reservation.
Cost: $30 per private vehicle for 7 consecutive days. We were able to use our National Park pass to get into this park for FREE.
Things to do: Night sky viewing, wildlife viewing, junior ranger programs, hiking, horseback riding, bicycling, back country camping, camping.
Camping at Badlands National Park
Cedar Pass campground has 96 sites and some with electrical hookups. Limit to 14 days. No campfires allowed but you can use a grill. Pets are allowed. Cedar Pass campground reservations can be made online.
Sage Creek campground is FREE with 22 sites on a first come first served basis on an unpaved road. No RV’s trailers or vehicles over 18 feet are allowed. Pit toilets and covered picnic tables are available. No water. No fires allowed. Pets are allowed. Limited facilities in the winter. Sage Creek campground reservations can be made online.
Look at the beauty of the valley in this picture! View the map of Badlands National Park below.
11. The Mammoth Site
Visit one of the largest mammoth indoor research facilities. They have unearthed 60 mammoths and at least 87 other Ice Age animals. Mammoth Site allows self-guided tours and hands on activities. Take the kids and explore this magical exploration site.
Address: 1800 US 18 Bypass, Hot Spring, South Dakota
Hours: May 22 to August 19 - 8am to 6pm, August 20 to October 31 - 9am to 5pm, November 1 to February 28 9am to 3:30pm, March 1 to May 21 - 9am to 5pm
Cost: Adults $14, Seniors $12, Children 4-12 and active/retired military $11, 3 and under Free (2024 prices)
South Dakota offers a diverse array of landscapes from pristine lakes to mountain views, historical presence, and discovering rugged beauty aboard an 1880 train. Explore majestic granite faces of Mount Rushmore to serene beauty of Sylvan Lake where each destination offers a unique array of the state’s diverse landscape. Whether you want to explore the outdoors, are an adventure seeker, or prefer solitude sitting lakeside, South Dakota has boundless opportunities to discover.
Check out this page to see how we were able to obtain a National Access Park pass due to our child’s disability, one you might not consider.
I hope you can sit down with a map (AKA computer) and find a place you wish to take your family. Find places that are close if traveling several states away is out of your budget. Most states or surrounding areas have some pretty fantastic sights to see and almost every state has a state park with multiple adventure options. Google or use Pinterest to see where others have traveled. Our family loves to explore and I hope you too can make memories with your children as you spend time traveling as a family!
Before you go, check out these other posts with more park options
Enjoy the journey,
Meet the author: Jennifer
I am a girl who loves to travel and enjoys sharing expert family travel advice. I am a content creator and influencer on Instagram with years of travel experience and provide readers with advice, tips, and details on adventurous family travel and tips on saving money while boondocking or traveling across the US.
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@adoptinglifesjourney
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