I recently returned from a 5-day trip to South Dakota. As I have mentioned before, my wife and I love National Parks. We planned to visit the Badlands and Wind Cave National Parks on the trip. There was the added bonus of visiting Mount Rushmore and Devils Tower National Monuments.  All the places have great stamps for a National Park Passport geek like me.

Our adventure was based in Rapid City, where we found the convenience of staying in one hotel for the entire trip a significant advantage. With our planned destinations all within an hour’s drive from Rapid City, we were able to maximize our time and energy for exploration.

As usual, I used Dirt In My Shoes to plan the itinerary for this trip. For an over-the-top planner like me, using these itineraries helps ease my mind and enjoy the journey.

Our first stop was Badlands National Park. I quickly found out why this place is called Badlands. There are very few trees, and not much vegetation grows here. The landscape is beautiful and unique. I was planning to hike the Notch Trail, the most famous trail in the park. Upon arrival, we discovered that Notch Trail was closed because so many hikers had broken their ankles while using the ladder that was part of the trail. I was disappointed, but my wife reminded me of my orthopedic track record, and the closure stopped me from becoming a statistic. We saw some wildlife, such as prong-horned sheep, bison, groundhogs, and many birds.

On the second day, we visited Wind Cave National Park. The Wind Cave was closed due to a broken elevator. We decided to visit Jewel Cave instead. Jewel Cave is another National Monument close to Wind Cave. Jewel Cave was just okay. It is a big cave but lacks many features of more famous caves such as Carlsbad Caverns. The ranger tour guide was excellent. After the cave tour, we drove on some gravel roads in Wind Cave National Park, hoping to see more wildlife. We saw some of the same wildlife as earlier and some “wild” donkeys. These donkeys did not seem too wild as they were sticking their heads in windows looking for a handout.

We started day three by driving the Needles Highway in Custer State Park. Custer State Park ranks right up there with many National Parks. The fall foliage and mountain scenery were spectacular, making Needles Highway one of my “must-see” sights on a trip to South Dakota. Another beautiful spot in Custer State Park is the “must-see” stop of Sylvan Lake. Next on our list was the famous Mount Rushmore. While highly touted, Mount Rushmore was just “okay” for me. While the sculptures are impressive, I could not help but consider what Abraham Lincoln and George Washington would think about seeing giant carvings of their heads on the side of a mountain. I do not believe they would approve; however, Theodore Roosevelt probably would have loved it.

On day four, we drove through Spearfish Canyon. This is a beautiful drive with plenty of scenery and stunning waterfalls. It is another item on my “must-see” list. We ate lunch in Deadwood. I was expecting an old West sort of town, but Deadwood is more of a restaurant and tourist place. Next, we ventured to the Crazy Horse Monument. This is a massive monument that will take decades to complete. The back story of the monument creation is fascinating and makes the visit worthwhile. We finished the day at the Fort Hayes Chuckwagon Dinner and Show. The theater is located at the movie set of Dances with Wolves. I had never seen the movie, so the location did not mean much. The food and entertainment were very good at the “Branson-like” establishment.

On the final day, we drove to Devils Tower in Wyoming. This monument is one of the most unique natural features I have seen. It is a vast singular monolith poking out of the landscape. The movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind was filmed here. The hike around the tower is inspiring, with never-ending, breathtaking views.

The food in South Dakota was pretty nondescript. There were many Bison burgers, and the rest of the fare was predictable. Our favorite place to eat was the State Game Lodge. Their lunch buffet was excellent.

South Dakota is excellent if you like the outdoors, hiking, and seeing unique natural wonders!

Make the most of this day.