South Dakota Road Trip Itinerary –
6 Epic Days
South Dakota road trip itinerary
South Dakota Road Trip Itinerary
When I was a kid, my family used to pile in the minivan and go camping in the Black Hills during summer break. It had been well over a decade since I had been back so I couldn’t wait to revisit this childhood favorite as an adult.
The entire trip exceeded my expectations in every way and I completely fell in love with this state all over again.
If you follow me on Instagram, you know I went in January and was blessed with unusually warm weather! And because I was traveling in the off season, I was also blessed with a total lack of crowds. I had the Badlands nearly to myself.
If you don’t mind a few of the tourist shops or hotels being closed, the winter can be a perfect time to road trip South Dakota. Just be check the forecast ahead of time for possible snow!
Here’s my complete 6 day South Dakota road trip itinerary!
Day 1: Road trip to Badlands National Park
Day 1 Overview:
- Hit the road towards South Dakota
- Spend the night near the Badlands so you can be there for sunrise (I stayed here!)
Depending where you are coming from, your first day might just be a travel day.
It’s 7 hours and 30 minutes from Minneapolis, Minnesota (where I am often based) to Badlands National Park. I left early but stopped at a few roadside attractions along the way!
Have you heard of the Corn Palace?! I made it in time to see the sun setting over the Badlands and checked into an Airbnb nearby so I could come back in the morning for sunrise.
If you travel in the winter like I did, some hotels in Wall will not be open so just plan your route accordingly.
Day 2: Hike at Badlands National Park &
stay at a working cattle ranch
Day 2 Overview:
- Watch the sunrise at Big Badlands Overlook
- Hike Door Trail
- Hike Notch Trail
- See the Prairie Dogs by Pinnacles Ranger Station
- Stop by Wall Drug on your way
- Stay at Dennis Ranch- a homestay at a 100 year old cattle ranch
- Tour the ranch & eat dinner with the family
Sunrise at Big Badlands Overlook
Set your alarm because sunrise at Big Badlands Overlook is an absolute must!!
Since I was there in winter, I was the only person there at sunrise and it was a spectacular way to start my day.
Big Badlands Overlook is perfectly positioned to see the sunrise.
It’s located right next to the parking lot and requires no hiking to see the sun coming up over the rugged landscape. You won’t want to miss this!
Hike Door Trail
.75 miles & only 20 minutes
After sunrise, head over to hike Door Trail.
This is a flat, easy hike that is less than a mile but so fun and the views are spectacular.
You will get to venture off the boardwalk and follow yellow markers across the landscape. It’s fun to hunt for the yellow markers as you go!
Read: ONE DAY IN BADLANDS NATIONAL PARK
Hike Notch Trail
1.5 miles & 1.5-2 hours
After your short easy morning hike, head over to do the Notch Trailhead for a really unique trail!
This hike scales up a ladder and brings you near the edge of some cliff sides so it’s not recommended for people with a serious fear of heights.
I absolutely loved this hike. I’ve never hiked a trail quite like it.
You’ll need good shoes for this trail.
See the Prairie Dogs By Pinnacles Ranger Station
These adorable little pipsqueaks call Badlands National Park home and it’s very easy to spot them near the Pinnacle Ranger Station.
The prairie dogs will be scuttling from hole to hole and making all sorts of noise, you can’t miss it!
Visit Wall Drug
As you drive through South Dakota, it’s impossible to not see signs for Wall Drug everywhere. “350 miles until Wall Drug…. 300 miles to Wall Drug…”
You will bombarded with advertising for this infamous roadside attraction.
It started in 1931 as a small town drug store that drew in weary travelers with the promise of free ice water. Now more than 2 million people stop each year in Wall, South Dakota to see the shops and quirky oddities at Wall Drug.
Some people love it and some think it’s a waste of time. But did you really road trip South Dakota without a stop at Wall Drug?
It’s located just 12 minutes from the Badlands.
Stay at Dennis Ranch
I wanted to experience what life in South Dakota was like outside of the tourist hotspots. After searching through South Dakota tourism websites, I came across a local homestay on a 100 year old cattle ranch.
There wasn’t a lot of information about it online but I reached out to the owners and scheduled a stay!
If you want an authentic, off-the-beaten path experience, this is it. You will feel like you’re part of the family from the moment you arrive.
Robert’s family has been here since they homesteaded the land after the civil war, this place is steeped in South Dakota history!
You can find the guest ranch on Airbnb if you are interested in just staying at the house.
However if you want the full package deal with all your meals and activities like horseback riding included, then I suggest reaching out to the family over the Dennis Ranch website and coming for a few days to get the full Western experience!
If you go, be sure to tell them Emily says hello 🙂
I stayed two nights and it was the perfect amount of time to get an introduction to the ranch and help with chores and spend time with the family. (One day will fly by so I recommend booking for 2-3 days!) Their prices are really reasonable!
You will have a standard bedroom in the basement of the house.
Read: AN AUTHENTIC WESTERN VACATION AT A SOUTH DAKOTA GUEST RANCH
If staying at a ranch doesn’t interest you, there are a lot of great Hipcamp options in South Dakota as well. Hipcamp is like Airbnb but for campsites & more outdoorsy lodging. Get $10 off your first stay here!
Day 3: Explore the ranch &
go exploring with the local family
Day 3 overview:
- Help feed the cows in the morning
- Go horseback riding
- See how the family makes custom saddles
- See a cattle auction or drive along Spearfish Canyon
- Have dinner with the family at Dennis Ranch
Get ready to experience a day in the life of a working cattle rancher.
Start your morning off by riding along on the tractor while they feed the cows and horses- this was my favorite part! As soon as the cows see the tractor, they come running for you. And if you stay in the spring, you can even bottle feed the baby calves.
If you’ve booked to try horseback riding, you might spend the afternoon riding.
Robert also took me to see a live cattle auction at the Belle Fourche Livestock Market. Sales happen every Thursday and it’s truly unique to see the ranchers bidding on the cattle while the auctioneer spits numbers rapid fire into a mic. If you plan to visit over a Thursday, request a short visit here!
We also went for a drive up Spearfish Canyon, a scenic by-way. Around every corner, there are hiking trails and waterfalls. But even if you just drive the highway through the canyon, you’ll get to see some awe-inspiring views!
In the basement of the house, Robert has a leather and saddle shop. It was fascinating to watch him work. His finished products are jaw-droppingly beautiful.
Each saddle is intricately designed with original patterns and involve countless hours of work.
Between ranching, playing guitar, cooking and all the leatherwork…this family has no shortage of amazing skills.
Have dinner with the family, stargaze off the deck and enjoy some live music in the evening!
Day 4: Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse
& Custer State Park
Day 4 Overview:
- Start early because it’s a long day with lots to do!
- Have breakfast with the family then head out
- Visit Mount Rushmore
- Hike up to Crazy Horse and tour the museum
- Drive the wildlife loop at Custer State Park
- In the summer, drive Needles Highway
- Drive to Deadwood to spend the night
Have breakfast at the Dennis Ranch then say your goodbyes because you’ve got a full day ahead of you!
It’s about 90 minutes from the ranch to Mount Rushmore then 30 more minutes to the Crazy Horse Memorial.
Crazy Horse Memorial
Crazy Horse is the world’s largest mountain carving located in the Black Hills of South Dakota. It is considered The Eighth Wonder of the World in progress.
There is also a museum onsite and informational video.
Did you know you can hike to the top of the memorial twice a year? Right up on top of his arm and under his face? Check it out here.
Custer State Park
After you finish at Mount Rushmore & Crazy Horse, it’s another 20 minutes to Custer State Park.
Here you can drive the scenic wildlife loop. Sometimes you may be caught in a full-fledge buffalo jam, other times the buffalo might be farther from the road.
It’s a beautiful scenery though, so blast your road trip tunes and enjoy the slow, leisurely drive as you look for wildlife! It can take anywhere from 1 to 2 hours to drive the wildlife loop. Speed limits are often 25mph and you may have to pause for wildlife on the road.
You can also book a buffalo safari to guarantee you get to see these animals up close.
If you visit in the summer, don’t miss driving the spectacular Needles Highway! The road is closed in the winter.
There are a number of towns you could stay in near Custer State Park but I was particularly interested in the Wild West town of Deadwood.
This historic town was once a lawless land of the Black Hills and is rich with a history of cowboys, gambling, murder, gold mining, ghost stories and brothels.
Gold Country Inn
I stayed at the Gold Country Inn. And while this hotel is nothing too fancy, it is perfectly located within walking distance of mainstreet. And it’s only $35-$45 a night for a room!
Day 5: Deadwood, South Dakota
Day 5 Overview:
- Grab a coffee and walk around Deadwood
- Go on a historic brothel tour
- Have lunch at the Buffalo Steakhouse
- Visit the graves of Calamity Jane & Wild Bill Hickok
- Have dinner at Bodega Bar & Brew
- Go on a ghost tour at the Fairmont Hotel at 8:30pm
- Go for a drink at Saloon #10 where Wild Bill was famously killed
- In the summer, watch the free Yancey De Veer show
- Stay at the centrally located budget hotel Gold Country Inn
If you look up reviews of Deadwood online, you will see there is mixed opinions. Some people love this little gambling town while others think it’s trashy for a small town to be filled with so many gambling halls and saloons.
To be honest, I LOVED IT.
Deadwood is like a tiny Las Vegas mixed with a small Colorado mountain town. I can’t think of a more fitting evolution for a town that used to be nothing more than gambling and brothels to become something of a nightlife town mixed with modern day gambling halls.
Yes there is a lot of gambling still there today but somehow, I think that’s what Wild Bill Hickok would have wanted.
Deadwood Brothel Tour
If you go to Deadwood, make sure you go on the brothel tour!
Did you know brothels ran in this town until the 1980’s?! A mere 40 years ago… fascinating! The tour is really informational will give you the chance to see inside one of the actual buildings that was a working brothel.
Fairmont Hotel Ghost Tour
You may also want to do a ghost tour of the Fairmont Hotel. If you’re into paranormal shows, this 1898 former brothel was featured on Ghost Adventures, the Dead Files, and Ghost Lab.
Yancey DeVeer Show
In the summer, visit the outdoor venue for a free show by the legendary Yancey DeVeer show. You can get sandwiches, alcohol beverages and watch this one man band & comedy show. Yancey performs daily starting at 11:30am and going into the evening, through mid-September.
Have a drink at Saloon #10 where Wild Bill was killed
“Wild Bill” Hickok, one of the greatest gunfighters of the American West, was playing cards at Saloon #10 with his back to the door in August 1876.
At 4:15pm, a young gunslinger named Jack McCall walked into the saloon and shot him right in the back of the head. Hickok died instantly. They still have the chair and his hand of cards on display inside.
Even without the interesting history, it’s a fun bar to visit with Wild West pictures and decorations covering every inch of the walls. There is frequently live music and dancing, this place is a blast on the weekends!
And check out some of the HBO series Deadwood before you go! You can find the series online or on Amazon.
Day 6: Drive Home
Day 6 Overview:
- Hit the road to drive back home!
- Stop at the Corn Palace on way if heading east
Or if you’re like me and you fall in love with Deadwood, you might stay an extra couple days 🙂
If you have the U.S. Park Pass (and you should if you plan to visit more 2 National Parks a year!) you can always swing through the Badlands again if it’s on your way.
Since I was heading back to Minnesota, it was right along my route home from Deadwood.
It provided a good chance to stretch my legs and appreciate the beauty of South Dakota one last time before heading home!
A road trip you’ll want to do over & over!
Road tripping through South Dakota was every bit as good as I remembered, better even! I can’t wait to return to visit Dennis Ranch during the spring to bottle feed the calves or hike up to the face of the Crazy Horse Memorial. Have you been to South Dakota? I’d love to hear your favorite spots!
