I'm planning a trip up The Dakotas at the end og August. We'll be staying in the western part of the state (Custer State Park, Black Hills, Spearfish & up to Theodore Roosevelt NP for a couple of days)

We'll be doing a lot of hiking and checking out the NPs, but we'll have a few days in Rapid City. I've got a good idea of where we'll stay and what I'd like to do, but I've never been to North or South Dakota and want to make sure I'm not missing anything.

Do y'all have any recommendations for anything for that area?

South Dakota: Badlands NP and the Minuteman site just east on I90. There are three parts and they are spread out. The museum is open as is the Delta-9 Missile site. Right now the Delta-1 Site is closed but you might check. Normally the underground launch control facility needs reservations well ahead of time but if they suddenly reopen you might get lucky.

It's hokey and not outdoors but Wall Drug is pure Americana.

Kids ?? Read on another thread about Bear Country drive thru park. Seems cool. That area has a lot to offer. Wall drug as well

No kids. That's one of the things I'm trying to escape.

This. For kids, the bear country drive through is great

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/south-dakota-images-of-the-mount-rushmore-state/ss-BB17d5yR


saw this a few weeks back when doing research for that area for potential trip later on

As far as eats, get a reservation at Skogen Kitchen in Custer. We had a great meal there.

Don't forget Devils Tower.

We stayed in Rapid City but I wish we had stayed in state park instead. It's so beautiful there. Do some horseback riding in the park. The one hour ride we did was pretty awesome.

I haven't been in a long time, but the Deadwood area was nice when I was there. It was recently renovated at the time, so it may not be nice anymore.

The Big Horn mountains are a couple hours west of Devil's Tower. A lot of nothing, except some yuge, open pit coal mines, between them though.

Wicked Good Ag said:

---

Kids ?? Read on another thread about Bear Country drive thru park. Seems cool. That area has a lot to offer. Wall drug as well

---

Bear Country is entirely overrated and a waste of money (my $0.02 from living in that area).

If you go to Roosevelt, go to Medora. Its a really neat little tourist town, but its expensive.

Deadwood is nice. There are some pretty cool pubs in rapid city.

Medora has a hell of a golf course if you play golf and have your clubs. Unfortunately, I never got to play it when I lived up there.

Little Bighorn Battlefield is about 4 hours from Deadwood. You could also take a little detour to Devil's Tower and then on to Little Bighorn.

Hike the "Notch" trail in Badlands NP, but get there early (or late) as it can get crowded.

Check your dates vs Sturgis bike rally. Hotel prices are higher in Rapid City vs other towns on the interstate. The Mammoth Dig in Hot Springs is cool. Going out to Badlands is worth the drive. 90-95 mph on the interstate isn't a problem.

Bike rally gets about 100K per the duration of the rally so hotels can sell out and get expensive in the Southwest part of SD

I'm covered on that. My grandpa goes to Sturgis every year, so I'm well aware and have planned accordingly.

CDub06 said:

---

I'm planning a trip up The Dakotas at the end og August. We'll be staying in the western part of the state (Custer State Park, Black Hills, Spearfish & up to Theodore Roosevelt NP for a couple of days)

We'll be doing a lot of hiking and checking out the NPs, but we'll have a few days in Rapid City. I've got a good idea of where we'll stay and what I'd like to do, but I've never been to North or South Dakota and want to make sure I'm not missing anything.

Do y'all have any recommendations for anything for that area?

---

I was just there 6 weeks ago and posted my recommendations a few days ago in a different thread.
https://texags.com/forums/54/topics/3127680/replies/57056140

Quote:

---

Black HIlls, SD

• Sturgis
• Deadwood
• Mount Rushmore
• Crazy Horse Memorial

Devil's Tower, WY

---

I'd also add Sundance, WY - nice little restaurant downtown. Saw the sign on the highway.
And if you make it over to Pierre, the Cattlemen's Steak House (I think that was the name) got a good recommendation from the State Trooper who stopped me. I enjoyed it.

One thing I'd be prepared for is negative perception after they hold the Black Hills Motorcycle Rally in Sturgis in a few weeks.

This is going to be the first major public event of any kind since the lockdowns began in March.

Even if everybody plays it safe, there will no doubt be at least 2,000 virus infection cases that will be linked to Sturgis (facts don't matter anymore). So, if you start telling people you've been to Sturgis, Black Hills, etc., you might get a lot of negative reaction.

Also, it's unlikely but, something could happen in the wake of Sturgis 2020 that causes more severe protocols to be taken. So, you might have to look for alternative options.

You might check into Montana or Wyoming as a backup plan just in case.

If you want to stay away from some of the more populated areas of SD, you could do Roosevelt NP, Medora, and then make the 60ish mile drive to Glendive, MT (Where we lived for 5 years). There is a pretty cool state park there that is known as the Montana badlands (Makoshika State Park). If you play frisbee golf, they have one of the harder courses in the nation.

If staying in Deadwood, is the drive to Devils Tower worth it?

I think so. The drive itself is interesting. A lot of small Wyoming towns that are fun. I enjoyed walking around the base of Devil's Tower with the family.

Go explore the northwest area of the Black Hills. Instead of being trampled by 1000s of people you will be just about the only person around. Homestake Road from Beulah will get you to Boundary Gultch Road or Bear Ridge Road. Both will get you back into the forest. Boundary Gultch will get you all the way back to Iron Creek and Iron Creek Lake. I much prefer the northwest part of the Blackhills to the Southeast. Also if you can make the trip to The Bighorn National Forest, do it. It is awesome. Buffalo Jump Saloon and Steakhouse in Beulah is my pick for restaurant. It is awesome, off the beaten path, and you can hear yourself think.

Just booked our trip to the Dakotas for next summer. We have an RV so typically book our annual big summer trip 9-10 months out. Coming from Houston our plan/sequence is below:

• Badlands NP - 2 days
• Theodore Roosevelt NP (Medora) - 2 days
• Devils Tower - 1 day
• Deadwood - 2 days
• Mount Rushmore KOA at Palmer Gulch - using this as our base camp for 10 days to explore Mount Rushmore, Black Hills, Wind Cave NP, Custer State Park, etc

We are planning 2.5 days travel each way from Houston. Never been to that part of the country so pumped for the trip next year!

That whole area is fascinating. What are those land features called? Buttes? I don't know but it made that state very distinctive. I loved it. .

It's a bit of a drive but if you have time i would encourage you to visit the Battle of Little Bighorn. Custers last stand. If memory serves it's a 3 1/2 hr drive from Rapid city but well worth it. Of all the battlefields I've been to it's one of the most memorable.

Does the whole area (West SD) go back to normal now that the Sturgis rally is over?

Hope so we're heading out Friday

Pahdz said:

---

Hope so we're heading out Friday

---

Monday for me, but heading to Bozeman area for a few days. Thinking of heading east if things quiet down over there.

https://www.travelsouthdakota.com/trip-ideas/article/custer-state-park-buffalo-roundup?utm_actcampaign=62980&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIxKiKtbSo6wIVmubjBx3OHA9iEAAYASAAEgJ-n_D_BwE

This is the last week of September, but it's kind of cool if you're in the area then. The actual roundup is pretty underwhelming, but they have an arts and crafts type flea market going on in the state park then and it has some neat stuff you won't typically find in Texas.

Not to spread more misery than we already have these days - a friend of mine (who is a tent camper/hiker) just got back from up there and said the Dog Ticks were "trip ruining" - to use her words. Also said biting flies were swarming like killer bees.

Might be wise to plan accordingly. Just FYI.

Yikes. Whereabouts were they camping & hiking?

You can rent a boat on lake Pactua (spelling?), Deadwood is a bit touristy but we stayed there for 5 days and had fun. Tons of great hiking around there. If you want to go to Devil's peak in Wyoming it's not a bad drive from that area.

Back from a great trip! Plenty of wide open spaces to socially distance.

We didn't camp, but we did 10 days worth of day hikes all over the area and had no issues with any insects. though I packed deep woods bug spray. I shall contribute a full report at some point. Beautiful and underrated part of the country.

Red Rover said:

---

You can rent a boat on lake Pactua (spelling?), Deadwood is a bit touristy but we stayed there for 5 days and had fun. Tons of great hiking around there. If you want to go to Devil's peak in Wyoming it's not a bad drive from that area.

---

Pactola Lake. Really pretty scenery.