This five-day, fun-filled adventure will allow you to see and learn all about the Black Hills and Badlands and see why so many people call it home!
Day 1
Badlands
Start by traveling on I-90, and head towards exit 131 for the Badlands Loop State Scenic Byway (SD 240). Badlands National Park is located in southwestern South Dakota, serving as the eastern edge of the Black Hills and Badlands region and consists of nearly 244,000 acres of sharply eroded buttes, pinnacles, and spires. Badlands Loop is one of the most recognized scenic byways in the county and consistently places it on "Top Ten" lists by many media outlets.
Continue on Highway 240 where the change from prairie to the Badlands will leave you stunned. Don’t miss out on the visitor’s centers, and of course, stop to admire the views! You can also visit the Prairie Homestead, which is one of the very few sod dwellings that are still intact. As you begin to head towards Rapid City, don’t miss out on the famous Wall Drug! Get a maple-glazed donut, check out the amazing collection of western art and take some time to visit the store in downtown Wall. Also, don't miss the Wall Drug backyard, it offers some fun photo opportunities.
Rapid City
Once you’ve made your way to Rapid City, visit the vibrant downtown and the Journey Museum where you will be given a historical and cultural overview of the Black Hills. This information from the Journey will also help prepare you for the days to come!
You can catch the City View Trolley at the Journey Museum and with 15 stops, you will have a narrated tour of Rapid City as you wind around downtown and continue to the Stavkirke Chapel. This ride allows guests to get off and interact at each stop.
There are also a lot of options in the Rapid City area you might want to check out on this day. For those interested in Black Hills history and geology, you might want to give Petrified Forest of the Black Hills a visit. It provides a great nature walk through trees that have turned to stone.
Day 2
Rapid City
Just minutes up the road from Rapid City on Hwy 16, your first stop will be at Reptile Gardens. This site features the finest collection of reptiles in the world. Walkthrough to see all the slithery creatures as well as attend some of the informative demonstrations!
Your next stop, which is not far from Reptile Gardens, is Bear Country, USA. This fun for all ages drive-through park features North American wildlife roaming free. Make sure to check out Babyland, where you can learn about and see the baby bears.
Head West down Hwy 44 towards Black Hills Caverns. Explore the expansive, awe-inspiring cave system on a specialized tour or try your hand at gemstone panning.
Keystone
Keep heading south towards Keystone and explore the Rushmore Borglum Story! Learn all about Gutzon Borglum in the museum and gallery that displays his paintings, sculptures and artifacts. It will also give you a better understanding of the creation of Mt. Rushmore.
Take Hwy 244 to Mt. Rushmore to see the amazing monument, which is carved out of solid granite, and enjoy the nightly lighting ceremony. While there, you can take a guided walking tour; visit the information center and gift shops.
Day 3
Hill City
The Black Hills is filled with an abundance of gorgeous scenery, jump onto the 1880 Train, which will depart from Hill City, take you to Keystone, and back to Hill City. This allows you to enjoy the Hills from a different view. The ride will last about 4 hours in total, and you will want to arrive about 15 minutes early. This vintage steam train is famous for the scenic route it provides. Once back in Hill City, make your train adventure complete with a visit to the South Dakota State Railroad Museum. You'll discover many interactive displays of railroad equipment and memorabilia expressing the ever-changing historical material specific to South Dakota and related American Railroads. Railroad buffs and children of all ages will enjoy the miniature train displays and a walk through the timeline and history of trains in South Dakota.
An easy couple of blocks away, you'll be able to step WAY back in time to "Everything Prehistoric", the gift shop connected to the Museum at Black Hills Institute. For a small fee, you can wander through this incredible natural history museum with amazing dinosaurs, fossils, minerals and collectibles from all over the world. After your visit, plan to browse the shops on Main Street. Nearby you'll discover The Handbag Store. Shop here for all types of bags as well as scarves, wallets and coin purses. Looking for some great snacks? The Beef Jerky Experience is just a few doors down... Stop in there for some tasty "try before you buy" beef jerky as well as exotic jerky flavors like alligator, kangaroo, elk, and ostrich. They also offer snacks and unsual sweets. When done shopping, dine at one of the many delicious restaurants.
Day 4
Hot Springs
Take Hwy 16 south out of Rapid City- take the truck route to Hwy 70 and travel 50 miles to Hot Springs.
Once here, visit The Mammoth Site, which allows you to learn about the Ice Age, and the animals that came along with it, also you can take a guided tour, watch a great film, and the kids can participate in the Junior Paleontology Dig. Make sure to grab a snack at the Bonebed Bistro and try your hand at "Sluicing" for fossils and gemstones.
Make sure to stop by Evans Plunge, which is the world’s largest natural warm water indoor swimming pool. Try out the waterslides and relax in the naturally warm mineral water.
Head out on Highway 385 out of Hot Springs and continue on Hwy 87 to Wind Cave National Park. The park includes a wildlife sanctuary of almost 29,000 acres for many animals and creatures to roam. Here, the pine forest meets the prairie, make sure to observe and enjoy the beauty of nature here.
Custer State Park
Once you’ve left Wind Cave National Park, continue on Hwy 87 into Custer State Park. Here, you have a very good chance of seeing abundant wildlife, and don’t be shocked if you get stuck in a "Buffalo Jam"! About 1,300 buffalo roam freely throughout the park; the herd is one of the largest public-owned herds in the world. Custer State Park encompasses 71,000 acres and is home to many outdoor activities and wildlife, as well as Black Elk Peak (formerly Harney Peak). At 7,242 feet it is the highest point between the Rockies and eastward to the Swiss Alps.
This drive will lead you towards Blue Bell Lodge, Mt. Coolage Lookout, and Legion Lake. Wind on up and take a drive on Needles Highway (still Hwy 87), a National Scenic Byway which curves through 14 miles of rock formations called “Needles." NOTE: Be prepared for narrow roads and low, one-vehicle tunnels! If you have an RV be sure to check the height and width restrictions before entering. There are no pull-offs large enough to turn around! You’ll soon find the Needles Eye which reaches almost 40 feet in the air with a 3-foot wide slit – a perfect spot for climbing and taking pictures. Towards the end of the drive, reward yourself with a stop at Sylvan Lake, which is a part of Custer State Park. This gorgeous body of water is surrounded by rock formations and is the perfect place for a hike, picnic or some R&R.
Tip - There is so much to see in what South Dakota considers the "crown jewel" of its state park system that we recommend hiring a personal guide service to make the most of it. A stay at the State Game Lodge will have you resting comfortably in the heart of history. But book early as they fill up quick!
Continue on to the intersection and hang a right onto Hwy 244, driving past Mount Rushmore and turning onto Hwy 16A which turns into Iron Mountain Road. The same cautions for height and width restrictions must be observed here too! This road takes you through pigtail bridges, curves, and tunnels that frame Mt. Rushmore (in your rearview mirror).
Custer
Proceed into the town of Custer, and visit the 1881 Custer Courthouse Museum, which offers a lot of history on the area.
Head back towards Custer and jump on Hwy 385, which will take you to the Crazy Horse Memorial. Here, you can enjoy the abundance of history, educational center, gift shop, and don’t miss the laser light show in the evening!
Day 5
Belle Fourche
Head back on I-90 for about 65 miles towards Belle Fourche. Here, you can see the Center of the Nation Monument as well as the Tri-State Museum. Belle Fourche is true Cowboy Country. The Black Hills Roundup and Rodeo has been going on for over 100 years! If you're in the region around the Fourth of July make plans to attend the Black Hills Roundup Rodeo. It's been voted the best PRCA medium-size rodeo of the year for 4-years in a row! And you'll see two nights of awesome fireworks too. If you take Hwy 34 to the west, out of Belle Fourche you'll be traveling to Devils Tower.
Wyoming
Devils Tower is the nation’s first National Monument and you will see it rise unexpectedly out of the prairie and grasslands of eastern Wyoming. This monument rises 1,267 feet above the Belle Fourche River. Once hidden, erosion has revealed Devils Tower. This 1,347-acre park is covered with pine forests, woodlands, and grasslands. You can also see wildlife daily.
Once you depart from Devil’s Tower, head south on Hwy 24, then to Hwy 14. You'll cruise right into the "cowboy" town of Sundance. Nestled at the base of Sundance Mountain, in the valley of the Bearlodge Range in Northeastern Wyoming on the western edge of the Black Hills, history and folklore abounds. Wide streets that were made for freight wagons and teams of horses, now allow for easy parking and walking along the shops and restaurants. The Sundance Kid did his only jail time here. You can relive all the history in our free, Crook County Museum.
Spearfish
As you head back towards the South Dakota state line, take exit 199 off I-90 towards the service road (Old US Hwy 14) and keep going east. In just 3 miles you will see a big tipi on your right. That marks the historic site of Vore Buffalo Jump. Learn how the Plains Indians hunted bison back in 1500-1800 AD by running them over a natural sinkhole. Explore artifacts and exhibits, wander down into the sinkhole to view layers of bones and take away knowledge you can't get anywhere else.
Just past the buffalo jump, you can get back on I-90 at exit 205 and travel on the the lively town of Spearfish. You can explore their downtown that is lined with shops and boutiques. A must stop is DC Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery. Here you can feed hundreds of trout that are raised to supply the many creeks and lakes we have in the Black Hills. Stroll through the beautiful grounds, learn the history at the Archives and Booth House then browse around the gift shop.
For a peek into the western history of the area, plan to stop at the High Plains Western Heritage Center. Explore 20,000 square feet of authentic displays of the pioneer, ranching, mining, forestry, and transportation history - all from the five-state area of Nebraska, Wyoming, Montana, North and of course, South Dakota. For an evening of great food and fun, consider reserving your seat at the new "Spirit of the American Cowboy" Supper and Comedy/Music Show! When you're done exploring there, take a drive on Highway 14, also known as Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway - just south of Spearfish.
Spearfish Canyon is unique because the view is always close to the visitor and always upward. The canyon walls rise skyward from Spearfish Creek and the Scenic Byway is sculpted along the canyon floor. Make sure to stop and see Roughlock Falls. Take a left onto Highway 85 and proceed into Lead/Deadwood.
Lead Me There!
Your first stop will be Lead, take drive through the downtown and visit the Homestake Visitor’s Center. Observe the deep “Open Cut” at the Homestake Mine and enjoy the history of the Miners that created it. Follow that with a fun and interesting tour at the Black Hills Mining Museum. Here you will learn through numerous exhibits, a tour and even gold-panning, how the miners lived and either profited or lost at their ventures.
Just up the street is the Historic Homestake Opera House. Plan to take a tour and learn how this magnificent venue has close-ties to the Homestake Gold Mine of years past. If your schedule allows, catch a show - the acoustics (and the talent) are amazing! Relax in a toasty outdoor hot-tub after your day of exploring at the newly renovated Blackstone Lodge & Suites, again just up the street, at the top of the hill. In the morning after your complimentary continental breakfast, get back on Highway 85 and drive the scenic 3 miles north into Deadwood.
Deadwood
Named one of the picture-perfect towns by Forbes magazine. With its beautiful natural setting and the architecture, this historic town is your last stop on this journey. You will want to stay a few nights to explore all it has to offer. One of the best ways to do that is to hop on the Original Deadwood Tour bus. Journey through time as you travel down Deadwood's cobblestone streets and learn about an era gone by. History is hilarious fun as the guide tells you about Deadwood's famous characters as the bus climbs the hill to Mt. Moriah Cemetery where most of them are buried.
Wild Bill Hickok remains Deadwood's most famous resident, even though he was only in town a few short weeks - and he’s been dead since 1876. You’ll find his likeness all over Historic Deadwood – reenactors, photos, paintings, statues, signs, life-size cutouts and more. Explore that history through a fun, new game! #WildBillMe is a selfie treasure hunt in Historic Deadwood (and the surrounding area). Find Bill (any likeness will do) and take a selfie with him. So grab your camera and fire away! (Sorry, Bill)
Continue your step back in time with a visit to Mt. Moriah Cemetary where Wild Bill, Calamity Jane, Preacher Smith, Potato Creek Johnny, and Seth Bullock are buried. In the evening, attend the Trial of Jack McCall, which takes place at the Masonic Lodge next door to the Silverado Casino. They will capture Jack McCall at Saloon #10 on Main Street and drag him up to the Masonic Temple for the trial. It starts about 7:45 and the actual trial is at 8 PM. And don’t forget about the "Shootouts" that happen on Main Street as well as the many chances you'll have to try your luck and chase similar fortunes as those who settled Deadwood in the 1870s.
Another way to get to what locals call the "Northern Hills" is to take Hwy 385 up through the center of the Black Hills. Deadwood, Lead, and Spearfish all offer year-round outdoor adventure. Park your RV at Fish 'N Fry Campground. You'll be near all the action and have direct access to explore hundreds of miles of ATV trails near Deadwood, During the warm weather months of May through mid-October, cast a line and catch your dinner at Fish 'N Fry's Trout Pond! No license is needed and you're pretty much guaranteed to catch a fish. They provide everything you need from fishing poles to bait and they'll even clean and cook it up for you if you want. It's great fun for old and young alike.
There are a variety of lodging options nearby. Choose from a cozy cabin stay at Cole Cabins where you can relax in a beautifully furnished log cabin in the pines and Strawberry Creek meanders along - just outside your door. There is plenty of parking and your well-mannered pets are welcome too!
We're sure you will love every part of our beautiful area. Most everything is within an easy 1-2 hour drive from Rapid City or Mount Rushmore. All roads are well marked and easily accessible. Drive yourself or book a guided tour. With so much to see and do, make sure to allow enough time, or plan to come back. Happy trails!
