4.5Mount Rushmore National Memorial(11.8k reviews) - Amazing evening show and monument in person is very memorable Saturday: 5:00 AM - 11:00 PM Spent 1-2 hours National Parks • Monuments & Statues
Sculptor Gutzon Borglum created this famous mountainside carving of the visages of four great American presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt.See more..
4.5Jewel Cave National Monument(1.415 reviews) - A Must for Cave Lovers! Saturday: 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM Spent More than 3 hours National Parks • Caverns & Caves
Jewel Cave National Monument is home to one of the longest caves in the world. Offering an assortment of cave formations and recreational opportunities, many visitors are truly amazed by this underground wilderness. Most impressive is the fact that exploration and discovery continue to take place at this significant natural resource. Please be advised that during the off-season (2020-2021), the visitor center, Park Store, surface trails, and picnic areas are open Thursdays through Sundays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. MDT. However, cave tours are suspended, due to an elevator construction project. For those visiting the monument, a one-way flow path is set up inside the visitor center, with directional signage for visitor awareness. Park rangers are on-site to answer questions and to assist with the ever-popular Junior Ranger and Pee Wee Ranger Programs. For specific questions and/or assistance, do not hesitate to contact the monument by phone or email in advance.See more..
5.0Badlands National Park(1.045 reviews) - Incredible views! Spent More than 3 hours National Parks
I was a little surprised to find that it was $25 to drive a motorcycle through the loop road, but it was worth every dollar. The views are incredible. The Badlands is such a unique place and worth the time. If driving I-90 take the extra time to go through.See more..
5.0Black Hills National Forest(909 reviews) - Black Elk Peak National Parks • Nature & Wildlife Areas • Forests
This empty expanse where Native Americans once roamed is now a national forest.See more..
We drove from Rapid City on hwy 90 and started from the west from a town named Wall. We stopped at the Ranger entrance and the cost was $30 or you can buy a one year pass for senior citizens for all parks for $20. The loop 240 road trip was wonderful. We stopped on all view sites. We enjoyed going there.See more..
4.5Minuteman Missile National Historic Site(850 reviews) - Very Interesting Saturday: 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM Spent 1-2 hours Historic Sites • National Parks • History Museums
The Cold War was the defining historical event of the last half of the 20th century. It led to fear, panic, and distrust symbolized by a nuclear arms race between the United States and Soviet Union. The Minuteman Missile is an iconic weapon in the American nuclear arsenal. Minuteman Missile National Historic site consists of three sites along a fifteen mile stretch of Interstate 90 in Western South Dakota. The Visitor Center is located immediately north of I-90, exit 131. The Launch Control Facility Delta-01 is located four miles west (tickets required for entry) and the Delta-09 missile silo is fifteen miles west of the visitor center.See more..
4.5Wind Cave National Park(713 reviews) - Intricate Formations Spent 1-2 hours National Parks • Nature & Wildlife Areas • Caverns & Caves
We took the Natural Entrance tour. Our tour guide Abby was excellent! This tour takes you down through the caves to view the various formations including the popcorn, frost and box cut which was very intricate and different from anything else I have seen in other caves. The gallery is interesting and worth the walk through before the tour. I would recommend buying your tickets on line ahead of time if you don’t want to spend a lot of time waiting around. We arrived at 9:20 (on a Weekday) and the first available of any tour was 11:30. After purchasing our tour tickets, we were able to drive around the rest of the park and enjoy the views-including several bison! Enjoyable and worth the ride.See more..
5.0Yellow Mounds Overlook(208 reviews) - Highlight of the Park Spent < 1 hour National Parks • Lookouts • Geologic Formations
The Yellow Mounds are stunning. This area of the park is the most beautiful and the place to be as the landscape begins to change and wildlife begins to want to hang out more. Be sure to make a special trip to be around the Mounds in the evening to get some fantastic sunset pics and see the wildlife coming out and about. Great area!See more..
5.0Panorama Point Overlook(60 reviews) - The WOW factor comes to life here. Spent < 1 hour National Parks • Geologic Formations
Breathtakingly beautiful landscapes, beyond our wildest imagination! We arrived after a raging thunderstorm that turned the sky purple with huge thunder clouds.The short burst of torrential rain washed the spires and formations to reveal their rich colors in the late afternoon sunshine that followed. The kids (and adults) loved climbing and adventuring in the moonscape-like terrains. What nature and God conspired to create is truly a marvel worth experiencing at least once in your lifetime.See more..
4.5Bigfoot Pass Overlook(35 reviews) - read the history Spent < 1 hour National Parks • Geologic Formations
Bigfoot Pass was a route used by Lakota leader Spotted Elk to evade the US Army. there is a history associated with this pass. approximately 200 Hunkpapa Lakota fled to join Chief Spotted Elk, also known as Big Foot, and his band of Miniconjou Lakota at the Cheyenne Reservation. This group departed for the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation on December 23, seeking refuge with Chief Red Cloud. Five days later, a detachment of the 7th Calvary met the traveling group and escorted them to Wounded Knee Creek. The next day (December 29, 1890), tensions rose and the 7th Calvary massacred an estimated 150-300 men, women, and children at Wounded Knee. another great stop during the Badlands scenic drive. It is perfect for photos and it shows a different type of vegetation than the rest of the park.See more..
4.5White River Valley Overlook(34 reviews) - Spectacular Overlook in the Badlands Spent < 1 hour National Parks • Geologic Formations
Spectacular views. This was one of my favorites stops of the many overlooks along the Badlands Loop Road. Make sure to walk out onto the rocks for an even better experience.See more..
4.5Homestead Overlook(32 reviews) - Where the Prairie Meets the Badlands Spent < 1 hour National Parks • Geologic Formations
From Homestead Overlook, one can look down at the last few jagged, colorful ridges of the Badlands and then the vast expanse of the prairie beyond; as one peers out over the prairie one can imagine the trials of pioneers as they homesteaded this unforgiving land. Visiting in mid-June, this turned out to be one of our favorite Badlands overlooks as the fresh, bright-green grass of the prairie contrasted beautifully with the reds and buffs of the layered rocky ridges. The scene was made even more beautiful by the scattered storms in the area making for dramatic skies and lighting.See more..
4.5Burns Basin Overlook(28 reviews) - Ravines, ravines, ravines Spent < 1 hour National Parks • Geologic Formations
Rocky barren hillsides veer off into steep ravines. So many ravines, in fact, you could easily get lost in them.See more..
4.5Conata Basin Overlook(27 reviews) - Short boardwalk to see view Spent < 1 hour National Parks • Geologic Formations
The Conata Basin Overlook can be viewed by walking to the end of a straight boardwalk. The boardwalk is about 500 feet long. It is was worth a 10 minute stop.See more..
4.0Fort Pierre National Grassland(16 reviews) - Spring Prairie Chickens drumming and puffing - Great Observation National Parks • Nature & Wildlife Areas
Just a few miles outside of Pierre is a 116,000-acre block of public land made up of rolling hills and prairie and serving as home to antelope, mule deer, prairie dogs, prairie chickens and myriad waterfowl. Many small, scattered dams offer great fishing.See more..
Stark, Simple, Beauty. What an amazing view! Slow down and take the time to visit. It is definitely worth it!See more..
4.0Hay Butte Overlook(3 reviews) - Get out of your car and take a look National Parks • Nature & Wildlife Areas
There are numerous overlooks in the park that are well worthwhile to take the time to stop and get out of your car. This is one of the better ones. You don't need to spend more than a total of 20 to 30 minutes here, but it is great place to really take in how special this place is.See more..
3.0Ancient Hunters Overlook(3 reviews) - Great Place for viewing wildlife National Parks • Nature & Wildlife Areas
On top of grassy butte near this pull over, we saw several female sheep and their young eating grass in the late day sun. We had already seen groups of males but these flocks were totally females with young. Just showing that there is so much to do in Badlands NP. It is well more that dry clay formations There is also a significant amount of wildlife in this park be sure to take the opportunity ot capture photos of the park widlifeSee more..
