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the USA🇺🇸 | regionsSouth DakotaRushmore faces, Badlands pinnacles, Needles Highway, Black Hills caves | things to do and best time to go

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Backpacking in South Dakota
👌 Worth visitingregion ranked #31
By Johan Kruseman 🇳🇱 | Updated October 20, 2026

Mount Rushmore draws the crowds, but the smarter move is skipping the midday scrum, because the granite faces sit east-facing and photograph best in morning. South Dakota lies in the north-central United States, split by the Missouri River. I expected the Badlands to be a gray moonscape, then watched them turn banded pink and rust at dusk. Distances are huge and buses are almost nonexistent, so experienced travelers rent a car and carry water.

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✨ Why go?
Ranked #31 region in the USAReasons people choose to visit here

South Dakota packs extremes into one road-trip loop: the pine-dark Black Hills sit a short drive from the eroded spires of Badlands National Park, so you swap forest for desert without repacking. Add the Lakota history around Wounded Knee and Pine Ridge and you get culture alongside the landscapes. Long, empty highways turn slow travel into the point: bison herds, prairie towns and cheap campsites appear every hour or so.

💡 HighlightsThe experiences that define the visit

  1. Mount Rushmore National Memorial: the 60-foot granite faces near Keystone are the reason most people come. Go early for softer light and thinner crowds; parking runs about US$10.
  2. Badlands National Park: eroded pinnacles and striped buttes, best walked on the Notch Trail, which ends with a log ladder.
  3. Custer State Park: Wildlife Loop Road brings you nose to nose with bison herds and begging burros.
  4. Crazy Horse Memorial: an enormous mountain carving still being blasted by hand and machine, with a Native American cultural museum at its base.
  5. Wind Cave National Park: boxwork formations of calcite fins, found in few other caves on earth, on ranger-led tours.
  6. Needles Highway: a twisting road through granite spires and one-lane tunnels, so slow down and tap the horn.
  7. Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway: waterfalls
… read more 👉
  1. Mount Rushmore National Memorial: the 60-foot granite faces near Keystone are the reason most people come. Go early for softer light and thinner crowds; parking runs about US$10.
  2. Badlands National Park: eroded pinnacles and striped buttes, best walked on the Notch Trail, which ends with a log ladder.
  3. Custer State Park: Wildlife Loop Road brings you nose to nose with bison herds and begging burros.
  4. Crazy Horse Memorial: an enormous mountain carving still being blasted by hand and machine, with a Native American cultural museum at its base.
  5. Wind Cave National Park: boxwork formations of calcite fins, found in few other caves on earth, on ranger-led tours.
  6. Needles Highway: a twisting road through granite spires and one-lane tunnels, so slow down and tap the horn.
  7. Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway: waterfalls such as Bridal Veil and Spearfish Falls beside limestone walls, with the road following a trout creek.
  8. Jewel Cave National Monument: a long cave lined with sparkling calcite crystals, rarely on first-timers’ lists.
  9. Sica Hollow State Park: a mossy, mist-prone forest in the northeast, tied to Dakota legend and almost empty of visitors.
  10. Falls Park, Sioux Falls: the Big Sioux River tumbles over pink quartzite beside a free park and old mill ruins, a locals’ hangout.
South Dakota’s best one-day pairing is Needles Highway with Custer State Park, since both sit within minutes of each other in the Black Hills.
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Things to do around South Dakota

Hot Air Balloon Flight Over Black Hills

Hot Air Balloon Flight Over Black Hills

5.0(547)
From €340
per personViator
PREMIER PRIVATE Tour: Mt Rushmore, CrazyHorse & Custer State Park

PREMIER PRIVATE Tour: Mt Rushmore, CrazyHorse & Custer State Park

5.0(236) 9h
From €431
per personViator
Private Tour of Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse and Custer State Park

Private Tour of Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse and Custer State Park

5.0(222)
From €408
per personViator
Private Mt Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Custer State Park Monument Tour

Private Mt Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Custer State Park Monument Tour

5.0(159) 8h
From €332
per personViator
Exclusive: Rushmore, Custer State Park & Crazy Horse

Exclusive: Rushmore, Custer State Park & Crazy Horse

5.0(100)
From €588
per personViator
Mt Rushmore, Crazy Horse and Custer State Park Wildlife Loop Tour

Mt Rushmore, Crazy Horse and Custer State Park Wildlife Loop Tour

5.0(95)
From €283
per personViator
Mount Rushmore Extended Expedition Tour

Mount Rushmore Extended Expedition Tour

4.9(88) 10h
From €268
per personViator
Private Badlands Package

Private Badlands Package

4.9(71) 8h
From €332
per personViator
Premier Private Badlands Day Tour

Premier Private Badlands Day Tour

4.9(61) 8h
From €408
per personViator
Badlands Sunset & Wildlife: Nature's Evening Glow

Badlands Sunset & Wildlife: Nature's Evening Glow

5.0(52)
From €603
per personViator

Ratings based on Tripadvisor reviews. When you book through this link, you support our work at no extra cost to you.

⌛️ 5 daysSeeing the highlights in 5 days

Day 1: Rapid City
A car-pickup and orientation day, since the region has almost no public transit and driving sets the pace. Base yourself here, see downtown’s president statues, and sleep early.
Day 2: Black Hills: Drive Rushmore at dawn, then Crazy Horse, then Needles Highway into Custer State Park. These stops cluster tightly, so one loop saves backtracking and fuel.
Day 3: Badlands: Head east on the interstate and take the Loop Road slowly. Stay near Wall to catch sunset when colors deepen.
Day 4: Wind Cave and Hot Springs: Go underground in the heat of the day, then see the mammoths.
Detour: Spearfish Canyon adds waterfalls to the northern edge without breaking the loop.
Day 5: Custer State Park: Spend the last morning on Wildlife Loop Road at sunrise. If one day justifies the trip, I would choose this one for the bison jams.

🌤️ When to go?Seasonal considerations and timing

  • Summer (June to August): Highs run 27 to 35°C (80 to 95°F) with long daylight, thunderstorms and peak crowds at the Black Hills and Badlands. Motels cost the most, and the Sturgis rally in early August spikes prices statewide.
  • Fall (September to October): Highs of 13 to 24°C (55 to 75°F), thinner crowds, aspen color and cheaper rooms.
  • Winter (November to March): Highs of -7 to 2°C (20 to 35°F), blizzards, and many attractions closed.
Book Black Hills beds months ahead for early August.

source: climatestotravel.comJANJanuary: below average for travelingFEBFebruary: below average for travelingMARMarch: fair for travelingAPRApril: highly recommended for travelingMAYMay: excellent for travelingJUNJune: highly recommended for travelingJULJuly: good for travelingAUGAugust: good for travelingSEPSeptember: excellent for travelingOCTOctober: highly recommended for travelingNOVNovember: fair for travelingDECDecember: below average for traveling
united-states-region-south-dakota
© Google | Cory Bowe

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🛏️ Where to stay?Where staying makes the most sense

Rapid City is the easiest base for backpackers, with the most budget beds, a walkable downtown and the Black Hills and Badlands within about an hour or two. Custer and Hot Springs are quieter small towns near Custer State Park and Wind Cave, good for hikers and early starts. Keystone suits a quick Mount Rushmore visit, though it is touristy. Deadwood has casinos, cheap summer rooms and a lively evening scene. Sioux Falls is the pick for a night near the airport, with breweries and a falls-side park. Camping is a cheap, social alternative in summer.
Best hostels in the USA


Best quality hotels in the USA

🚌 Getting aroundGetting around like a local

South Dakota has no real transit, so the most common ride is a rental car at roughly US$40 to 80 a day, paid by credit card, and the state is built around that fact. Distances are huge (Sioux Falls to Rapid City is about 5 hours by interstate), and the sparse buses run mostly along the interstates.
  • Rental car: Airport counters in Rapid City and Sioux Falls charge extra fees, so experienced travelers pick up in town and book early for summer. Gas runs about US$3 to 4 a gallon.
  • Jefferson Lines bus: Fares of US$30 to 90 connect Sioux Falls, Rapid City and a few towns, but only about once a day. Check schedules before you plan anything around them.
  • Rideshare and taxis: Uber and Lyft work in Sioux Falls and Rapid City, with rides at US$8 to 20, and nearly vanish elsewhere. Use them for airport runs
… read more 👉
South Dakota has no real transit, so the most common ride is a rental car at roughly US$40 to 80 a day, paid by credit card, and the state is built around that fact. Distances are huge (Sioux Falls to Rapid City is about 5 hours by interstate), and the sparse buses run mostly along the interstates.
  • Rental car: Airport counters in Rapid City and Sioux Falls charge extra fees, so experienced travelers pick up in town and book early for summer. Gas runs about US$3 to 4 a gallon.
  • Jefferson Lines bus: Fares of US$30 to 90 connect Sioux Falls, Rapid City and a few towns, but only about once a day. Check schedules before you plan anything around them.
  • Rideshare and taxis: Uber and Lyft work in Sioux Falls and Rapid City, with rides at US$8 to 20, and nearly vanish elsewhere. Use them for airport runs only.
  • Hitchhiking and carpooling: Rides exist, but traffic thins fast away from the interstates, and a two-hour wait in the sun is normal. Hostel boards and Facebook groups for the Black Hills are the smarter route.
Split a car with two or three other travelers, since it costs less per person than every bus.

🍲 FoodWhat to Eat & Drink

Start with the chislic, cubes of fried or grilled lamb or beef skewered and shaken with garlic salt, a staple of bars across eastern South Dakota. Bison burgers and jerky turn up in the Black Hills, and the Indian taco (fry bread piled with chili and toppings) is a Lakota staple at powwows and roadside stands. Expect diners with big breakfasts, farmers markets in summer, and brewpubs pouring local pale ales. Kuchen, a German custard pastry, is the state dessert. Portions are huge, tipping is 18 to 20 percent, and kitchens often close by 9 p.m.

FAQCommon questions from travelers

Five to seven days covers South Dakota's main sights if you have a car. Give two days to the Black Hills (Mount Rushmore, Custer State Park, Crazy Horse), one to Badlands National Park, one to Wind Cave and Hot Springs, and add Deadwood or Sioux Falls for the rest.
Without a car, South Dakota is difficult, because public transit is nearly absent. Jefferson Lines buses link Sioux Falls and Rapid City for about US$30 to 90, Uber and Lyft work in those two cities, and in summer some Black Hills and Badlands tours depart from Rapid City for around US$60 to 150. Carpooling with other travelers is the practical option.
South Dakota is known for Mount Rushmore, Badlands National Park and Custer State Park, where about 1,400 bison roam. The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally draws hundreds of thousands of riders each August, and Crazy Horse Memorial, Wall Drug and Deadwood are other famous stops. Mount Rushmore parking costs about US$10 and the Badlands entry about US$30 per vehicle.
⚠️ Things can change over time, so always validate details locally before you go.

Other American regions near South Dakota

Explore more nearby:

  • North Dakota—Badlands bison, Medora, scrap-metal sculptures, prairie border| 284 km away
  • Nebraska—Sandhill cranes, Oregon Trail landmarks, Niobrara tubing, Panhandle badlands| 314 km away
  • Minnesota—Boundary Waters canoeing, North Shore cliffs, Mississippi headwaters, rail trails| 458 km away

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We 💚 feedbackKey takeaways before you go

South Dakota rewards those who notice the prairie between the famous stops, where meadowlarks sing from fence posts and the horizon never ends. I would leave at least one empty afternoon, pull over somewhere unmarked, and just listen.

✈️ When did I visit the USA?
In January 2023 I visited New York. Many years before, before digital cameras existed, I discovered most of the national parks in the West.

✍️ Help improve this page!
The information on this page is based on my own backpacking experience in the USA, supplemented with up-to-date research and feedback from other travelers. Travel details can change, so if you notice anything outdated or incomplete, feel free to let me know.



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