Badlands National Park is supposed to be our leading travel destination in South Dakota. And yet, it did not disappoint. Additionally, we managed to see a whole bunch of other super cool places in the west part of this state. Even though the upcoming sightseeing list isn’t the shortest one, we could see all these places in 3 days. So here you are: Highlights of South Dakota, a state that holds many surprises. Enjoy!
Badlands National Park
Before our arrival, we conducted research and learned that the southern part, aka Stronghold unit, was closed to the public due to an agreement with the local Native American tribe. In times of Covid, tourists weren’t welcomed to this part of the National Park (NP) that includes the Ridge Indian Reservation, meaning we had more time to spare in the North Unit.
We arrived at the North Unit around 1 pm. The line at the Northeast Entrance was quite long. Luckily, we had a NP pass and didn’t need to wait at all. And then we started driving on the Badlands Loop Road, which later became the unpaved Sage Creek Rim Road, and eventually jumped back on route 44 that leads to the Interior Entrance. Basically, we drove around the whole North Unit. The unpaved road wasn’t bad; however, there were tons of dust due to the dry climate. After this trip, our car was begging for a shower.
While driving on the Badlands Loop Road, we stopped at every overlook and panorama point. The temperature on that day of July reached over 110 F, so we didn’t even try to start a long hike. Luckily, the majority of trails are really short and paved. Everywhere were placed signs warning of rattlesnakes along the trails.
These are two short trails we hiked in the afternoon while the sun melted my brain, and I was seriously concerned about getting a heatstroke:
- Cliff Shelf (0.5 / 0.8 km round trip)
- Fossil Exhibit Trail (0.25 miles / 0.4 km round trip)
The next morning we woke up at 4:30 to drive to the Big Badlands Overlook to greet a sunrise. We were not the only ones that had such a brilliant idea.
Later, around 6 am, we took two hikes that we missed due to the heat the previous day. The temperature was ideal for hiking, and we had the whole trail for ourselves. The views were stunning. It was hard to force myself out of bed so early, I even regretted it for a moment, but as soon as I saw the rising sun in the Badlands, I knew it was worth it. These are the two trails we conquered in the early morning:
- Window Trail (0.25 miles / 0.4 km round trip)
- If for some reason you need to pick just one hike, definitely go with a Notch Trail (1.5 miles / 2.4 km round trip). This hike requires climbing a steep ladder but it wasn’t scary at all.
Mount Rushmore
This monument is so iconic that it doesn’t even need any additional explanation. Not surprisingly, the nickname of South Dakota is “The Mount Rushmore State.” I doubt you could find anyone in the Western world, in general, who has never heard about these 4 giant faces carved in the mountainside. We took our time there and slowly walked down the Presidential trail, learning more about them.
While walking down the Presidential tail, unexpectedly, we found ourselves watching a Native American musical performance. The performers also talked a lot about their culture and strong ties with Mother Nature. I still remember their words: “We need to live in harmony with nature because our kids also deserve a gulp of clean water and breath fresh air.” I couldn’t agree more.
Crazy Horse
Crazy Horse Memorial is an ongoing project since 1948 and is sustained through admissions and private donations. The final goal is to carve the second tallest sculpture in the world. This sculpture represents the Oglala Lakota warrior, aka Crazy Horse, riding a horse and with one hand pointing to his tribal lands.
The admission fee for two people in a car is $30. The ticket will allow you to visit the visitor complex and to see this sculpture from a distant but better angle, let’s say. Yet, it still will be far away from you; therefore, it’s difficult to feel the magnitude of this project. On top of that, it’s far from being done. Like, really, really far. For an additional fee, a bus can take you closer to the base of the mountain. If you’re willing to support this project, even more, a bus can take you up the hill to see the Crazy Horse from closer. In that case, be ready to pay more than 100$ per person.
Much more than staring at an unfinished statue, I enjoyed exploring the visitors’ center. In the gift shop, one can buy handmade Native American souvenirs, jewelry, fill up on calories at Laughing Water eatery, or gain knowledge in an Indian museum. The visitor complex is big, and everyone will find things to do there.
Needles Highway
Our plan was simply to drive through Needles Highway in the Black Hills region and introduce our car to a severely winding road. Poor Suzy (yes, our car has a name!) hasn’t seen any before. What we did not foresee was that almost a 38-mile long highway is in the Custer State Park. Thus, we had to pay $20 for a weekly pass even though our drive took just a bit more than an hour.
However, it was worth paying these $20. The drive was scenic, curvy and it’s clear why it was called that way. Tall pointed rocks actually looked like giant needles from far away. In certain places, the road gets super narrow; therefore, your ability to stay calm will strongly benefit you and your fellow passengers. We saw just a small fraction of the Custer State Park in such a short time, but we added it to our future bucket list.
Deadwood
So far, Deadwood is one of the most beautiful towns I’ve seen in the US. This town became wildly popular in 1876-1879 after gold deposits were discovered. And then started the Black Hills Gold Rush that attracted all kinds of people and was not always the best kind of citizen. Among them was Wild Bill Hickock, who stayed in Deadwood forever. You can actually have a drink at the bar where he was assassinated.
The main downtown historic street is like an open-air museum. All buildings represent the Gold Rush era: saloons, taverns, and a bunch of casinos. The architecture was exactly the same I was used to seeing in old western movies. Walking there felt like traveling back in time with every step we took.
Honorable mentions
I haven’t heard anything before about the Wall Drug Store not far from the Badlands National Park, but it’s hard to miss it when tens of billboards on both sides of the highway persuaded us to stop there. So we did. Basically, it’s a cowboy-themed shopping mall. It felt like walking in a maze entering from one store to another and not seeing an end of it. I can’t say I liked it a lot, but I need to admit that I admired the local community’s efforts to bring money to the tiny town of Wall in South Dakota. And clearly, they’re excellent at that.
After driving the whole day in Badlands National Park, we got hungry like vultures. We didn’t want to go all the way back to Wall or any other bigger town, so we courageously decided to look for food in the Interior. And we found one of the best prime ribs we ever had in the Cowboy Corner gas station.
Don’t judge a book by its cover – this proverb fits perfectly. Cowboy Corner, first of all, is a gas station. At least, this is what I think. Once you enter inside this small gas station, you understand that it serves as a multipurpose center. In one corner, there was a small grocery store. In another corner, some lady was selling books to raise money for some charity. At one small table, some elderly ladies were sitting and chatting. In the middle of the room was a big table where we waited for our steaks. We got lucky because they don’t serve prime rib every day. A lady who works there made us a dinner to die for. I stand by that! I need to admit: I felt a little uncomfortable in Cowboy Corner. However, I was glad I could at least remotely experience that small rural town life.
During this trip to South Dakota, our best decision was to spend a night in Circle View Ranch right next to the Badlands National Park. When we were looking for accommodation online, everything was so pricey or sold out for July 4th weekend. And then I found this ranch that offered a tidy room, with a shared bathroom, for almost half the price comparing with motels nearby.
But the point is not in the price. The Circle View Ranch is located on a hillside in a remote, peaceful, and yet, strategically perfect location. We turned our head one way, and we saw Badlands in the distance. We turned it to another, and here it was – a river right in front of us. There, I learned that peacocks could fly on the rooftops or sit in a tree. We peacefully sat on the porch, watching how the night unfolds, listening to cicadas, and gazed at the lightning show in the night sky. Damn, I wish I owned a place like this, right in the heart of Badlands!
Highlights of South Dakota in a nutshell
In 3 days, we visited a lot of wonderful places in the southwest part of South Dakota. The main highlights are Badlands National Park, Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse Memorial, Needles Highway, and Deadwood. If you asked me what I liked the most, I would answer immediately – sunrise in Badlands National Park and a night in a family ranch next to it.
