Best things to do in South Dakota

South Dakota Essentials

South Dakota’s landscape spans from the granite peaks of the Black Hills to the eroded spires of the Badlands. This selection features iconic monuments like Mount Rushmore and the Crazy Horse Memorial alongside vast subterranean systems like Wind Cave and Jewel Cave. Highlights include the 1890 history at Wounded Knee, the 50-foot Dignity statue, and the prehistoric Mammoth Site. Scenic routes like the Needles Highway and Wildlife Loop offer encounters with unique geological formations and free-roaming bison herds.

South Dakota Essentials — Map

Dean Franklin / CC BY 2.0

A

Mount Rushmore

The Mount Rushmore National Memorial is a national memorial centered on a colossal sculpture carved into the granite face of Mount Rushmore…

B

Needles Eye Tunnel

A narrow, one-lane tunnel carved through a granite spire on Highway 87. Measuring 8 feet 4 inches wide, it is a signature feature of the Black Hills' rugged terrain within Custer State Park.

Epsota24 / CC BY-SA 3.0

C

Sylvan Lake

Sylvan Lake is a lake located in Custer State Park, in the Black Hills of South Dakota, United States.

DaveBo206 / CC BY-SA 3.0

D

Crazy Horse Memorial

The Crazy Horse Memorial is a mountain monument under construction on privately held land in the Black Hills, in Custer County, South…

Konrad Summers / CC BY-SA 2.0

E

Wall Drug

Wall Drug Store, often called simply Wall Drug, is a roadside attraction and tourist stop located in the town of Wall, South Dakota,…

Thomas Knapp / CC BY-SA 3.0

F

Wind Cave National Park Visitor Center

Wind Cave National Park is an American national park located 10 miles north of the town of Hot Springs in western South Dakota.

Parkerdr / CC BY-SA 3.0

G

Mitchell Corn Palace

The Corn Palace, commonly advertised as The World's Only Corn Palace and the Mitchell Corn Palace, is a multi-purpose arena/facility…

sporst / CC BY 2.0

H

The Mammoth Site of Hot Springs, SD

The Mammoth Site is a museum and paleontological site near Hot Springs, South Dakota, in the Black Hills.

I

Jewel Cave National Monument

Jewel Cave National Monument contains Jewel Cave, currently the fifth longest cave in the world and second longest cave in the United…

Cogdog / CC BY-SA 4.0

J

Needles Highway

A spectacular drive full of sharp turns and low tunnels surrounded by forests and meadows.

K

Wounded Knee Massacre Site

A National Historic Landmark on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation marking the 1890 site where hundreds of Lakota people were killed by the U.S. Army. It serves as a solemn memorial to Native American history.

Colin.faulkingham / Public domain

L

Falls Park

Falls Park is a public park in north central Sioux Falls, South Dakota, surrounding the city's waterfalls.

hakkun / CC BY-SA 3.0

M

Pinnacles Overlook

An elevated observation point in the North Unit of Badlands National Park. It provides expansive views of the rugged 'Wall' formations and the Sage Creek Wilderness, often used for spotting bighorn sheep.

Klemdy / CC BY-SA 4.0

N

Dignity

Dignity is a sculpture on a bluff overlooking the Missouri River near Chamberlain, South Dakota.

O

Wildlife Loop Road

An 18-mile scenic drive through the grasslands and ponderosa pine forests of Custer State Park. The route is known for frequent sightings of bison herds, pronghorn, elk, and the park's 'begging burros'.

Other Lists

Historic Churches of South Dakota Scenic Dams and Reservoirs Historic South Dakota Parks & Natural Areas Scenic Viewpoints