The classic American family vacation: Mount Rushmore. Most people think of South Dakota as a great place to visit with family in the summer, but what about winter? Visiting Mount Rushmore and other sites around this iconic destination during winter can be just as fun.
A spontaneous trip to South Dakota is just what you need sometimes! Andrew and I decided to visit this underrated gem of a state after we both finished our finals for the fall semester. This meant that we were taking a road trip across the very flat state of South Dakota in December. Luckily for us, the weather was mild. If you are planning on driving to South Dakota in winter, keep in mind that a snowstorm could cause road closures and difficult travel conditions.
What can I do in winter? You can do just about anything you would do in the summer in South Dakota during the winter as well. Some places have limited hours due to it being the slow season, but almost everything is still open and excited to have visitors! Andrew and I visited a lot of places during our one day adventure: Mount Rushmore, Black Hills, Custer State Park, Wall Drug, the Badlands, and Pierre.
Mount Rushmore was exciting to see in person. There were no crowds, parking was a breeze, and we could see everything we wanted to. Besides Andrew and I, there were only a few other visitors that we saw that morning. This made for a very peaceful, serene experience that allowed for reflection and further appreciation of the site. We went very close to opening in order to get the most out of our day. Due to the season, a few trails were closed and were unable to be used. Some shops, mainly those that sold ice cream, were closed, but the main ones remained open. You could easily stop in and have a meal onsite or buy a few souvenirs in the gift shop.
Next stop, Black Hills National Forest. Our drive from Mount Rushmore to Custer State Park took us on a beautiful route through this National Forest. The road we took can be closed due to winter weather conditions. Because of this, Google Maps will reroute you. Don’t let this lead you away; if the conditions are adequate, the road is open for visitors! If you follow the signs to Custer State Park from Mount Rushmore, you will be treated to a beautiful drive. This drive is especially exciting when few other visitors are here. During our drive through the forest, we only saw one other car and were lucky enough to spot some wildlife.
Custer State Park was our next destination. Entrance to the park is $20/car. Be sure to bring cash for the license because you need exact change to purchase the South Dakota State Park pass. There are plenty of places to stop and purchase a pass. We were fortunate enough to see a whole herd of bison and even got to see a few up close on the road! Be sure to drive through the Wildlife Loop for a better chance of seeing bison and other wildlife. You can also stop at the corrals along the way to see some other wildlife up close. We got to see baby bison along with some other animals.
We stopped at Wall Drug before driving through the Badlands for a restroom stop, to mail some postcards, and to have some pie. The town of Wall is cute, but not worth a stop if it’s out of your way. Wall Drug has almost everything you can imagine. It’s a fun place stretch your legs or get a bite to eat if you’re passing by.
The Badlands National Park is worth a stop! Our drive through the badlands was quiet. We were able to stop off and take pictures while taking in the scenery and feeling as if we were the only people for miles. Seeing these dramatic landscapes covered in snow was breathtaking. Entrance to the park is a bit steep at $25/car, but it is worth it to see this natural wonder.
The capital city, Pierre was on my list. My current travel goal is to visit all of the US State Capitol buildings. Since we were going to be fairly close to the capital on our drive back to MN, we took a but of a detour to cross one more capitol off my list: Pierre, South Dakota. This capitol visit was particularly special because we visited a few days before Christmas while they were having their “Christmas at the Capitol” event. There was an abundance of beautiful Christmas decorations throughout the building. If you’re in the area around Christmas, it is definitely an event worth checking out!
Our South Dakota winter adventure came to an end and we began our drive back to Minnesota! From the Twin Cities to Keystone, SD, it’s about a 9 hour drive.
Other things that could be added to your SD winter adventure include the Corn Palace in Mitchell, Deadwood, Crazy Horse Memorial, Devils Tower National Park, Jewel Cave National Monument (currently [winter 19/20] closed due to construction), and more!
Moe Travels 