Discover all of the best things to do on a South Dakota road trip in this itinerary! South Dakota is an underrated U.S. state that is full of beauty and outdoor adventure. There are incredible hiking trails and lots of beautiful nature to discover. This makes a great road trip for all ages!
Many people think of Mt Rushmore when they think of South Dakota. While the famous rock carving is interesting, the state has so much more to offer! From the expansive beauty of the Badlands to the lush waterfalls in Spearfish Canyon to the underground world at Wind Cave and Jewel Cave, there is so much to see on a Badlands and Black Hills vacation.
Keep reading to get the perfect Badlands and Black Hills itinerary for your visit to South Dakota!
Tips for a South Dakota Road Trip
- Download the Guide Along audio tour and listen as you explore the area! The guide will teach you history, share information about stops to make and more while you drive.
- Make sure to reserve your cave tour tickets in advance for Wind Cave and Jewel Cave.
- Badlands National Park charges $30 per vehicle. If you’ll be visiting multiple national parks over the course of a year, you should purchase an America the Beautiful Pass to save money! You can also use this pass at Devil’s Tower. However, Wind Cave does not charge an entrance fee.
- Make sure to leave no trace when you’re exploring. Keep your distance from wildlife, respect those around you, pack out all of your trash and never carve on trees or rocks.
The Perfect Badlands and Black Hills Itinerary (4 Days)
Here is a quick overview for this South Dakota road trip itinerary! These days are packed with adventures. If you prefer to take things slower and/or want to have time to explore the cities in addition to hiking, I recommend spending 5-7 days instead of 4.
- Day One: Badlands National Park
- Day Two: Custer State Park
- Day Three: Wind Cave, Jewel Cave, Crazy Horse and Mount Rushmore
- Day Four: Devil’s Tower and Spearfish Canyon
Day One: Badlands National Park
Spend your first day exploring Badlands National Park! If you’re staying in Rapid City, the east side of the park is about an hour and 15 minutes away.
Catch the Sunrise at Big Badlands Overlook
If you don’t mind getting up early, sunrise is a great time to see the Badlands aglow with pinks, oranges and reds. The Big Badlands Overlook is perfect for sunrise because it faces east. It’s also a very short walk from the parking lot for a stunning view. It was smoky during my visit, but still cool to see the sun peeking through the haze.
Whether you visit for sunrise or not, the Big Badlands Overlook offers a beautiful view of pink stripes in the white rocks. Plus, it’s one of the first stops on the east side of the park, making it the perfect place to start your day trip to Badlands National Park.
Hike the Notch Trail, Window Trail and Door Trails
These three iconic trails share a parking lot and are relatively short, making it easy to combine them all. The one with the most unique feature is the Notch Trail, which features a 25-foot tall ladder strung together with wooden beams. It’s a bit of a choke point on this 1.5-mile trail, so I recommend getting an early start.
After climbing the ladder, you’ll continue on a rocky ledge to a beautiful viewpoint of the valley below. This is a fun trail for all ages!
The Window Trail is short and quick. The trail is 0.3 miles and follows along a flat boardwalk. It leads to an opening in the rock wall that has a stunning view.
Finally, the Door Trail is another unique hike from the same parking lot. It starts on a boardwalk, but then you can step off of it and walk among the rocks. You’ll follow some markers and step over various rock formations before reaching a viewpoint. It’s a quick but fun hike with epic views.
Fun Fact: Badlands National Park has an Open Hike Policy, meaning you can hike off-trail in areas such as the Sage Creek Wilderness Area. Make sure you exercise caution and stay prepared with the 10 essentials when exploring.
Hike the Cliff Shelf Nature Trail
The Cliff Shelf Nature Trail is another quick and fun trail on the east side of Badlands National Park. The hike is a half mile and includes steps. You’ll actually be right below the viewpoint from The Notch Trail!
I liked this trail because you got to enjoy some greenery mixed in with the rocks. It’s a great reminder of how much diversity this park has, even though it may not seem like it.
Hike up the Saddle Pass Trail and make a loop of the Medicine Root and Castle Trail
The Saddle Pass Trail is one of the steepest trails in the park. This was used as a route for homesteaders in the early 20th century, but it was so steep they would leave their wagons at the top and guide their horses down the wall in order to collect supplies.
To reach the top, it’s only about a quarter mile, but with over 200 feet of elevation gain. It’s certainly steep and a little slippery, but a fun trail if you’re up for it.
When you reach the top, you have the option to hike the Medicine Root or Castle Trail. We made a loop of them, which was 4 miles, plus the Saddle Pass portion. The loop is mostly flat but has a lot of overgrown areas (wearing pants is a great idea).
The Castle Trail has some great views, but the Medicine Root portion was a bit boring at times and tough in the heat of the day. This is a great trail if you’re trying to see a backcountry portion of the park, but it’s also the first thing I would skip on this itinerary if you’re short on time.
Eat fry bread at Cedar Pass Lodge
If you’re in need of a meal inside the park, Cedar Pass Lodge has a casual restaurant with local dishes! They’re most known for their Sioux Indian Tacos which feature fry bread and toppings.
This is a great spot to spend some time inside and fill up on a meal before more exploring. Also be sure to stop at the Ben Reifel Visitor Center next door. It's a great place to learn more about the geology and nature of the park!
Drive the Badlands Loop Road
After a morning of hiking, make your way from East to West on the Badlands Loop Road. This scenic drive has tons of beautiful overlooks where you can stop and take in the views.
A few not to miss are:
The Fossil Exhibit Trail, which has a short boardwalk that features some fossil replicas.
Panorama Point, which offers widespread views looking towards the White River Valley.
Yellow Mounds Overlook, which is one of the most colorful areas of the park. You’ll be right next to hills that are colored bright yellow, purple and orange.
Pinnacles Overlook, a sweeping overlook that has a view of the expansive Sage Creek Wilderness Area.
Other great overlooks include the Bigfoot Pass, Prairie Wind and Burns Basin.
Also be sure to keep an eye out for bison, pronghorn, big-horned sheep, prairie dogs and other wildlife as you drive!
Drive the Sage Creek Rim Road
When you reach the west side of the park, it’s worth taking the unpaved, Sage Creek Rim Road to see a few more overlooks. Stop at Hay Butte Overlook and the Badlands Wilderness Overlook for great views of the area. And be sure to continue onto Roberts Prairie Dog Town, which is the best place to see prairie dogs in the Badlands! Make sure to keep your distance from the animals and not feed them.
Explore Wall Drug
Don’t miss this quirky stop near the Badlands! Wall Drug is a sprawling drug store opened in 1931 and put the tiny town of Wall, SD on the map. Inside, you’ll find endless souvenirs, a plethora of food, a chapel, an animatronic band, historic photos and always-free ice water. It’s a sight to behold and a great place to grab some food or a gift. It’s located right outside of the Pinnacle Entrance of the park.
Fun Fact: You’ll also see signs for Wall Drug along the highway for 100’s of miles in every direction. The signs advertise the always-free ice water, 5 cent coffee and free coffee and donut for honeymooners.
Minuteman Missile Museum
If you have time and are interested in Cold War History, visit the Minuteman Missile Museum located just outside the Northeast entrance of the park. Many nuclear missiles were hidden in the South Dakota plains during the Cold War and this small museum explains their role in the Nuclear Arms race.
The museum serves as a visitor center and gateway to visiting the missile silos that have been made open for viewing nearby. Stop at Delta 09, which is right off of I-90, and gaze down at the missile in a preserved silo. If you want more, you can reserve a guided tour of the Delta-01 launch facility. Tours can be booked up to 90 days in advance and fill up quickly in the summer months.
Fun Fact: There were 100’s of silos hidden in this area during the Cold War, but most were destroyed in the 90’s. The park service has preserved one, the Delta 09, that you can gaze down at today.
Day Two - Custer State Park
Spend a full day exploring the beautiful Custer State Park! At 71,000 acres, Custer State Park is the 8th largest state park in the United States. It’s an incredible place to hike, kayak, take a scenic drive, camp & more.
Hike to Black Elk Peak
If you enjoy hiking, it’s worth the trek to the iconic Black Elk Peak, which is the highest peak in South Dakota and the highest US summit east of the Rocky Mountains.
There are a few different ways to reach the peak. I really enjoyed making a loop out of the trail and adding on a bit of the Cathedral Spires Trail and Little Devil’s Tower. The entire loop with these additions was 9.6 miles and just under 2,000 feet of elevation gain.
The peak features an observation tower and sweeping views of the area. However, we actually enjoyed the Little Devil’s Tower view better. You could see the higher peak and enjoy beautiful rock formations from all angles. Just keep in mind there is a bit of rock scrambling required to reach Little Devil’s Tower.
Cathedral Spires is also a nice trail where you can stand among tall, rocky fins. To reach the top of this hike from the Black Elk Peak loop, you’ll need to hike down and back up a steep hill.
Overall, the entire loop is full of variety and fantastic views, and it’s an amazing trail to enjoy when you visit Custer.
Scenic Drives in Custer
After a big hike, make sure to drive the Needles Highway. This 14-mile road has hairpin turns, narrow tunnels and fascinating needlelike granite rocks. The best part of the drive is the famous Needles Eye Tunnel. The tunnels do not fit large recreation vehicles, so be sure to check the dimensions ahead of time.
Another amazing drive in Custer State Park is the Wildlife Loop. For your best chance of seeing wildlife, drive it at sunrise or sunset. The drive is 18 miles long and you’ll have great chances to see bison, pronghorn, prairie dogs, burros and more.
Other things to do in Custer State Park include paddling around Sylvan Lake (rentals are available or you can bring your own!) and hiking around the lake. Another unique trail is the Sunday Gulch Trail, which is a fun and unique trail that involves climbing up or down several boulders (railings are built into the rocks in the tougher areas).
Dinner in Custer
After a day of exploring, the town of Custer is a great place to eat dinner. I enjoyed the Begging Burro Mexican Bistro, a Mexican restaurant with great service and flavorful food. And for dessert, make sure to stop by Purple Pie Place. I loved their Raspberry-Rhubarb Jalapeno pie!
Day Three - Wind Cave, Jewel Cave, Crazy Horse and Mt Rushmore
Wind Cave National Park
Badlands isn’t the only national park in South Dakota - the state is also home to Wind Cave National Park.
Wind Cave offers both cave tours and hiking above ground. Unfortunately during my visit in the summer of 2024, cave tours were closed as they replaced the elevator. This has been a common occurrence over the past few years, but it sounds like this elevator replacement should mean many less closures going forward.
As of this writing, the cave tours are expected to resume in late 2024 or in 2025. In my opinion, the park is worth visiting whether you can tour the cave or not! It’s full of wildlife and has some beautiful trails.
I enjoyed a portion of the Lookout Point and Centennial Trails, a 4-8 mile loop that takes you out in the rolling hills and grasslands. We had to turn back due to many bison trotting around and blocking the path!
I also loved the Rankin Ridge Interpretive Trail, a 1-mile loop that leads to an observation tower. You cannot go up in the tower, but the viewpoint still has great views.
It’s also worth a stop at the visitor center, which has extensive museum exhibits about the cave, the history of the area and more.
Jewel Cave National Monument
Jewel Cave National Monument is another beautiful park nearby where you can take an epic underground tour of a cave!
I took the Scenic Tour, the most popular tour in the park. It lasts an hour and 20 minutes and leads past features such as 30-foot cave bacon, calcite crystals, boxwork, cave popcorn, flowstone and more.
The tour has a lot of steps and is considered moderately strenuous. You’ll be going up and down on metal staircases that have been carefully built around the cave features.
Fun Fact: A lot of Jewel Cave is still undiscovered and explorers are still finding new passageways. Eventually, it could connect to Wind Cave.
Jewel Cave was beautiful to explore and is well worth a visit during your time in the Black Hills of South Dakota.
Crazy Horse Memorial
If Mt Rushmore and Crazy Horse are on your travel list, this is a good time to visit.
The Crazy Horse Memorial was commissioned by Lakota Chief Henry Standing Bear, who felt that the Oglala Lakota warrior Crazy Horse was fitting to be near presidential figures like Washington and Lincoln. While it was originally commissioned by the Lakota Chief, it was later taken over by the sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski and his family.
Today, there is some discomfort that Ziolkowski’s non-Indian family is profiting off of the Lakota history. There have also been questions of whether Crazy Horse would have wanted a sculpture this size to represent him, as he was known for his humility.
The completion of the carving has been a very slow process. The head and face were completed in 1998, but the goal is for there to someday be a man riding a horse. The project is a non-profit and does not accept state or federal funding, meaning that it is mostly funded by the expensive entrance fee. During your visit, you can explore the large museum and see the memorial from there, or pay a few dollars more to be driven out to the base of the sculpture.
Fun Fact: The completed head and face of the sculpture are quite impressive in their size - the eyes are 17 feet apart.
Mount Rushmore
Mount Rushmore is an obvious destination when you’re in the area, as it is such a well-known and iconic American landmark. I have mixed feelings about visiting. On the one hand, it is an impressive work of art. On the other hand, I don’t love the idea of glorifying these men to the extent of carving up a beautiful mountain. Whatever your feelings are, it’s definitely one of those “must-sees” while in the area.
Need to Know: There is no entrance fee for Mount Rushmore, however there IS a $10 parking fee and you cannot use your America the Beautiful Pass.
As you walk up to the monument, flags representing all of the states and territories of the United States line the walkway. At the end of the walkway, there is an informative and well done museum that shows a movie and exhibits about the creation and history of the monument.
You can also walk the Presidential Trail to get a little closer to the sculpture. Along the same path, you’ll find the Sculptor’s Studio, where there is a 1:12 replica that was used as a guide for carving the real sculpture.
Day Four - Devil’s Tower and Spearfish Canyon
Devil’s Tower National Monument
If you haven’t been, it’s worth a side quest into Wyoming to visit the famous Devil’s Tower National Monument during your trip to South Dakota. Devil’s Tower is located a little over an hour and a half from Rapid City.
The natural rock formation is a sacred monument for over twenty Native American tribes and resembles a giant tree trunk slashed by bear claws. When visiting, you can walk around the monument and hike one of the 5 trails in the park. Check out the 2.8 mile Red Beds Trail for good views of the tower and the valley and be sure to walk through the South Side Trail to experience the prairie dog town.
Note that climbing on the tower is allowed here (a technical type of climbing called crack climbing), but that many Native Americans see the activity as a desecration to their sacred site. The park service has agreed to a voluntary no climbing period in June when many Native American rituals take place.
Spearfish Canyon
Spearfish Canyon feels like nowhere else in the Black Hills! This lush canyon is full of greenery. The area has been carved away by Spearfish Creek and is home to waterfalls and beautiful views.
Here are some stops to make in Spearfish Canyon, from North to South:
Community Caves Trail
The Community Caves Trail is a 0.6-mile, steep trek up to a cave. This trail may be short, but hike it at your own risk. It’s not well marked and you’ll need to climb up and back down steep, slippery rocks. However, it’s a neat view at the top to see a large cave.
Bridal Veil Falls
This waterfall is located right off the road and is approximately 60 feet high. Cross the road to the falls to get a closer look.
Devil’s Bathtub
Devil's Bathtub is a unique, 1.1-mile hike that leads to a secluded swimming hole. The hike is technical and includes some boulder crossings, rock scrambling and river crossings (which are more difficult in the spring when water is flowing). When you reach the swimming hole at the end, there is a natural waterslide that you can slide down!
Spearfish Falls
Speafish Falls is a stunning, 80-foot tall waterfall at the bottom of Spearfish Canyon. The hike is just 0.8 miles and brings you face to face with the incredible roaring waterfall.
Roughlock Falls
Roughlock Falls is a gorgeous multi-tiered waterfall that cascades in all directions over a limestone ledge. There are a few different ways to get there, the quickest being a half mile trail.
Dinner in Speafish
End your day with dinner and dessert in Spearfish Canyon, which has some great restaurants! I enjoyed the sour beers at Spearfish brewing and loved the creamy ice cream at Leone’s Creamery.
Where to Stay on a South Dakota Road Trip
For a central location in between attractions, I recommend staying in Rapid City. For a more unique and charming town with a historic western vibe, stay in Deadwood. Below are a couple options of accommodations in each.
Deadwood, South Dakota
Deadwood is located about an hour from Rapid City and an hour and a half from the Badlands. There are several historic hotels and inns in town.
There are also many cabins in the area, surrounded by the natural beauty of the Black Hills. Check out the 1899 Inn bed & breakfast to stay in a charming and historic home or Black Hill Cabin Rentals to find a cabin that meets your needs!
Rapid City, South Dakota
Rapid City is a lot bigger than Deadwood and has a wide variety of hotels to choose from. A little outside the city, check out the Big Sky Lodge for a beautiful view looking down on the city. You can even see the Badlands from there if the sky is clear! To be centrally located downtown, look at Hotel Alex Johnson, a historic 1920’s building one block from Main Street.
When To Visit South Dakota
South Dakota has hot summers and harsh winters. It’s also worth noting that Badlands National Park tends to be a lot hotter than the Black Hills region.
Many say that the best months to visit South Dakota would be June, September or October. These are great times to avoid the hottest and most crowded months, and have mild weather.
I’ve been to South Dakota in July and the end of October. July was hot (especially in the Badlands) but was a great time to enjoy all of the outdoor adventures in the area. During the end of October, I experienced a lot of snow and ice, and it was brutally cold.
How To Get To Western South Dakota
If you're flying, fly into the Rapid City Regional Airport. It’s a very small airport, but the major US airlines fly there. Flights mostly come from Dallas, Denver and Minneapolis, with some other cities as well. Rental cars are available at the airport from the major chains.
Final Thoughts
I hope this guide helps you plan an epic South Dakota vacation! From the roaming bison to the waterfalls to the unique landscapes, this underrated state has so much to offer.
For More Midwest Travel Guides, check out these blogs:
- A Guide to Visiting Badlands National Park in October
- How to Spend One Day in Theodore Roosevelt National Park
- The Perfect Weekend in Madison, Wisconsin
- The Best Things To Do in Hocking Hills, OH
- The Perfect Itinerary for Isle Royale National Park
- The Perfect Minnesota North Shore Itinerary
- The Best Things To Do in Cedar Rapids, IA
- An Epic Michigan Upper Peninsula Road Trip
- The Best Hikes in Indiana
- The Best Outdoorsy Things To Do in Warren County, Ohio
- The bests Outdoorsy Road Trips in the Midwest
- Unique Things To Do in Kansas
Thanks for Reading!
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