Where to Go
Print
Email
Save to Favorites
Trip Ideas
View This Map
--- Click to Enlarge ---
If You Have…
Three Days:
Spend a day visiting Mount Rushmore, the Needles Highway, and Sylvan Lake. Add a day to hike Harney Peak, followed by a trip to Hill City to enjoy the boardwalk shops and art galleries. The best attractions include Reptile Gardens and Bear Country U.S.A.
On the third day, Prairie Edge is a must see in Rapid City, and the Journey Museum provides the best overall introduction to Native American culture and to the history and geology of the region.
Five Days:
Add a visit to Crazy Horse Mountain and Custer State Park. Drive the Wildlife Loop, traveling from the State Game Lodge south. Continue south to Wind Cave National Park for a cave tour, and visit the Mammoth Site in Hot Springs.
One week:
Add a day trip to Badlands National Park and a day trip to Deadwood.
Two Weeks:
Slow everything down. Do the Badlands with an overnight stay to enjoy the park at its best at sunrise or sunset. Expand your time in the Northern Hills to include a trip to Spearfish. Visit the D. C. Booth Fish Hatchery and the Termesphere Gallery. Drive down the Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway.
Hike one or more of the falls trails, visit the Homestake Mine in Lead, and spend the night in Deadwood.
Spend a night in Custer State Park, dine at the State Game Lodge or the Bluebell Resort. Enjoy horseback riding in the park or a chuck wagon dinner. Add Jewel Cave National Monument to your itinerary.
© Laural A. Bidwell from Moon Mount Rushmore & the Black Hills, 1st Edition
Buy Moon Travel Guides
Search
Moon Travel Guides make independent travel and outdoor exploration fun and accessible. With expert and adventurous travel writers delivering a mix of honest insight, first-rate strategic travel advice, insider travel tips and an essential dose of humor, Moon Travel Guides ensure that travelers have an uncommon and entirely satisfying experience. Each travel book is filled with unique trip ideas, easy-to-use maps, and detailed information on sights, restaurants, and accommodations. Moon Travel Guides not only point you in the right direction, they inspire new ideas and adventure. Whether you are seeking a relaxing beach trip to Hawaii, or an adventure travel trip to the rainforests of Costa Rica, Moon guidebooks—and Moon.com—are with you every step of the way. Founded in 1973, the Moon Travel Guides series includes Moon Handbooks, Moon Outdoors, Moon Metro, Moon Living Abroad and Moon Spotlight travel books. Moon is based in Berkeley, California and is a proud member of the Perseus Books Group.