Vacation in the Black Hills

[CYdTracked]

Going to take the family through the Black Hills area this summer for a few days. Kids are 11 and 8 years old, going to see Mount Rushmore. Any hidden gems or places anyone recommends to visit while in the area? Probably only going to spend 2-3 days before containing on to Wyoming for an extended family gathering later in the week. Probably going to stay in Rapid City I would guess but also would like to visit Deadwood while in the area either as a day trip or maybe stay our last night there before we head out. Would like recommendations for lodging too if you have any.

 

[DSMCy]

Needles Highway
Reptile Garden
Bear Country
Hike up to Harney Peak - highest point in South Dakota

Badlands is cool but it’s a fairly long drive and could be “boring”

 

[Cyhig]

Custer State park for good bison viewing (but roads can get backed up)
Nice caves in the area
1880 train
Pan for gold at Keystone

Lodging: we stayed at the comfort inn at Hill City. Lodging will always be more expensive during the peak tourist season. But we enjoyed staying at Hill City and it has a nice downtown area that is easily walkable from the hotel

 

[theDuke11]

Going to take the family through the Black Hills area this summer for a few days. Kids are 11 and 8 years old, going to see Mount Rushmore. Any hidden gems or places anyone recommends to visit while in the area? Probably only going to spend 2-3 days before containing on to Wyoming for an extended family gathering later in the week. Probably going to stay in Rapid City I would guess but also would like to visit Deadwood while in the area either as a day trip or maybe stay our last night there before we head out. Would like recommendations for lodging too if you have any.

Lake Sylvan, Custer State Park

 

[Letterkenny]

Going to take the family through the Black Hills area this summer for a few days. Kids are 11 and 8 years old, going to see Mount Rushmore. Any hidden gems or places anyone recommends to visit while in the area? Probably only going to spend 2-3 days before containing on to Wyoming for an extended family gathering later in the week. Probably going to stay in Rapid City I would guess but also would like to visit Deadwood while in the area either as a day trip or maybe stay our last night there before we head out. Would like recommendations for lodging too if you have any.

Here are some cool spots I've been:

-Sylvan Lake
-Black Elk Peak
-Custer State Park wildlife loop (lots of buffalo)
-Jewel Cave
-Wind Cave
-Legion Lake campground (has cabin rentals)
-Stopping in the Badlands is a must
-Wall drug gets some hate for being a tourist trap, but I think it's pretty cool if you've never been.

Honestly, Mount Rushmore is cool, and a bucket list item if you've never seen it. But it's cool for about 10-15 minutes, then I've had enough. The Black Hills has so much to offer beyond Mount Rushmore.

Where are you going in Wyoming? I've found some hidden gems there depending on where you'll be.

 

[TitanClone]

Needles Highway
Reptile Garden
Bear Country
Hike up to Harney Peak - highest point in South Dakota

Badlands is cool but it’s a fairly long drive and could be “boring”

Badlands is barely off the interstate if you're driving from the East. I loved visiting it several times as a kid, a lot of it is like a natural playground.

 

[jimonalog]

South Dakota State School of Mines museum-fossils

Flag Mountain is off the beat and beautiful

Reptile Gardens

Crazy Horse

Custer and State Park

Needles drive!

 

[psycln11]

Drive through the Badlands NP on the way there. Our family likes to hit as many NP's as possible.
Wind Cave
Custer State Park loop drive
Mammoth Site in Hot Springs
Circle B Chuckwagon in Hill City
Bear Country

We stayed at a cabin adjacent to Bear Country the first trip and a brand-new Hyatt in Rapid City the second time through. The Hyatt was cheap as it had just opened, and they were trying to fill up. We did a last-minute reservation.

Avoid Crazy Horse. No way near being done and too expensive in my opinion.

 

[ianoconnor]

We did it last summer. Stayed at Palmer Gulch Campground in one of their cabins - which is very close to Rushmore.

Some things we did that I'd recommend:
Needles Highway
Custer Wildlife Loop
Hike around Sylvan Lake
Horseback rides at Blue Bell Stables
Bear Country
Rushmore

Our kids swam in Legion Lake, which is in Custer and was way less busy than Sylvan. There's a Dockside Grill restaurant there that was a solid lunch spot too. This is very near the south entrance to Needles.

I'd also recommend checking out Wind Cave NP which is like 30 mins south of Custer. The caves were closed last year for elevator replacements but the visitor center is cool and there are tons of prairie dogs.

As others have suggested, definitely do at least a half day in Badlands on the way. And IMO, Wall Drug is worth the stop at least once.

 

[MustardTiger]

Flintstone Park

 

[mitten1975]

Here are some cool spots I've been:

-Sylvan Lake
-Black Elk Peak
-Custer State Park wildlife loop (lots of buffalo)
-Jewel Cave
-Wind Cave
-Legion Lake campground (has cabin rentals)
-Stopping in the Badlands is a must
-Wall drug gets some hate for being a tourist trap, but I think it's pretty cool if you've never been.

Honestly, Mount Rushmore is cool, and a bucket list item if you've never seen it. But it's cool for about 10-15 minutes, then I've had enough. The Black Hills has so much to offer beyond Mount Rushmore.

Where are you going in Wyoming? I've found some hidden gems there depending on where you'll be.

Our kids loved the caves, just thought I would throw that in, and my wife and I loved Deadwood, and I even got to take part in the assassination of Wild Bill play.

 

[CYdTracked]

Here are some cool spots I've been:

-Sylvan Lake
-Black Elk Peak
-Custer State Park wildlife loop (lots of buffalo)
-Jewel Cave
-Wind Cave
-Legion Lake campground (has cabin rentals)
-Stopping in the Badlands is a must
-Wall drug gets some hate for being a tourist trap, but I think it's pretty cool if you've never been.

Honestly, Mount Rushmore is cool, and a bucket list item if you've never seen it. But it's cool for about 10-15 minutes, then I've had enough. The Black Hills has so much to offer beyond Mount Rushmore.

Where are you going in Wyoming? I've found some hidden gems there depending on where you'll be.

Brother lives in Thermopolis which is home to the world's largest hot springs. Also they have a buffalo herd just outside of town so we get plenty of fill of buffalo on our trips out there and they have a dinosaur museum with and active dig site. We are staying in an Air BNB in the mountain valley just south of town that we stayed in a couple years ago, the view is awesome and very peaceful. Have a great view of the mountains along with the river that runs through the valley.

There are some hidden gems in that area, Ten Sleep is a neat place, went to a brewery just outside of town there last visit. The Wyoming Whiskey distillery is just north of Thermopolis and have toured that twice, once before they even began to bottle and distribute which was probably more interesting than the 2nd time when they had already been on the market for a few years.

As for the Black Hills area Bear Country, the reptile garden, and the caves already been recommended to me by people that I know that have visited.

 

[Beernuts]

Sylvan Lake is beautiful. Needles Highway is a must.

Take in Mount Rushmore at night and attend their evening closing ceremony - very moving experience as you stand together with your fellow Americans. We went during covid...I think only 10% of people were wearing masks.

Deadwood is ok...a bunch of stores and casino's.

Stay in Hill City area and eat at the Alpine Inn one night. We stayed at the Double Diamond Ranch at Three Forks.

 

[VeloClone]

I second some that have already been listed:

• Custer State Park - Ask at the rangers where bison have been spotted. They will help your experience.
• Wind and Jewel Caves - Probably Wind Cave if you are just doing one.
• Sylvan Lake to Harney/Black Elk Peak - Peak has been renamed. I was confused by this on my last visit.
• Badlands - Doesn't add that much to the drive out...
• Devil's Tower - bit of a drive from Black HIlls proper but pretty damned cool. Will fit in well with your continuation into Wyoming.
• 1880 train - good for some downtime if you have been going pretty hard.
• Bear Country - pretty good for the kids.
• Rushmore - try see both in full daylight and at night.
• Iron Mountain Road - If you take South to North you have distant framed views of Rushmore going through tunnels. Cool both daytime and nighttime.
• Hot Springs Mammoth site - A bit of a drive south but pretty cool if kids are into fossils.
• Needles Highway - Fun drive
• Crazy Horse - Very distant view of the monument in progress. Museum is interesting if you are into Native Amercan history and culture. Cool for kids to see progress in their lifetime. It was cool for me to see progress from when I saw it as a kid in the '70s to when I was last there in the late 2010s.

Caves, Hot Springs and even 1880 train are good things to do if inclement weather limit your outdoor activities.

KOA's Kamping Kabins are a fun way to stay. They are rustic but generally clean. They generally have access to flush bathroom facilites and hot showers. You will want your own sleeping bags and such. They are also a good way to save a few bucks since you are spending your waking hours out and about so why do you need an expensive hotel room for just sleeping?

 

[Cyched]

With kids:

Mt Rushmore, at night as mentioned
Crazy Horse
Custer SP
Bear Country
Cosmos
Needles highway
Hill City and Custer are cool “mountain” towns to explore/shop.

Consider the Badlands on the way in, you’ll have to gauge if your kids will like it at that age.

Haven’t made it up to Deadwood/Lead, so can’t speak for those.

 

[GMackey32]

Going back up next week. I highly recommend Custer State Park and everything that entails (Needles Highway, Lake Sylvan, etc.)

Deadwood is really touristy.

Custer is a neat little mountain town (where I'm staying)

Badlands on the way and there's an old underground NORAD missile silo just East of the Badlands that you can tour now.

Any of the cave tours.

If you really want to make the extra little drive, I highly suggest Devil's Tower. It's impressive in person.

 

[Letterkenny]

Brother lives in Thermopolis which is home to the world's largest hot springs. Also they have a buffalo herd just outside of town so we get plenty of fill of buffalo on our trips out there and they have a dinosaur museum with and active dig site. We are staying in an Air BNB in the mountain valley just south of town that we stayed in a couple years ago, the view is awesome and very peaceful. Have a great view of the mountains along with the river that runs through the valley.

There are some hidden gems in that area, Ten Sleep is a neat place, went to a brewery just outside of town there last visit. The Wyoming Whiskey distillery is just north of Thermopolis and have toured that twice, once before they even began to bottle and distribute which was probably more interesting than the 2nd time when they had already been on the market for a few years.

As for the Black Hills area Bear Country, the reptile garden, and the caves already been recommended to me by people that I know that have visited.

I drove through Thermopolis once. That's an amazing drive coming from the South on highway 20. The whole Bighorn mountains and valley to the west is a hidden gem. I love that area. Don't think I've been to Ten Sleep specifically. Both times I've driven over the Bighorns we went across the north part on highway 14. What a view.

 

[ISUTex]

Rush Mountain
Deadwood - they do a fun reenactment of Bill Hickock's card game in the saloon where he was shot.
Sylvan Lake
Custer Park
Badlands and Frontier Town on the way there.
The Dinosaur park and ice cream shop
Bear Country
Reptile gardens

Stay in Custer if you can. Beautiful town.

 

[drmwevr08]

Flintstone Park

Long closed far as I know.

Do Touristy stuff, kids will remember more than museums, although there are some good ones mentioned above. Mt Rushmore is cool in person , Keystone is fun on the way for lunch, taffy, ice cream.
Cosmos is fun for kids and the caves are great too.

 

[GMackey32]

Rush Mountain
Deadwood - they do a fun reenactment of Bill Hickock's card game in the saloon where he was shot.
Sylvan Lake
Custer Park
Badlands and Frontier Town on the way there.
The Dinosaur park and ice cream shop
Bear Country
Reptile gardens

Stay in Custer if you can. Beautiful town.

Not only that, I think the actual place is still a bar and you can see bullet holes in the wall.