Allow at least four days for the Black Hills portion. We stopped off at the trailhead for Rankin Ridge Trail, which leads to a fire lookout tower. Enter to win a $500 travel voucher to customize your perfect vacation to the Black Hills and Badlands of South Dakota. Since it was starting to feel like spring, that offered a perfect excuse to sit outside after the outings of the day, sip a drink on Hotel Alex Johnson’s amazing rooftop bar, and prepare for the next day of adventure. There are so many things that make fall an amazing time to visit—the cool, crisp autumn air, fewer crowds, and undeniably picturesque views of the fall foilage—it's easy to see why autumn is the ideal time to tour the Black Hills and Badlands of South Dakota. The Black Hills are amzing thunderstorm generators. Being from a city, I was doubtful I’d see much wildlife — thinking it must be too cold for them to be roaming or maybe it’s an only-if-you-get-lucky thing. Day two was sunny and glorious, albeit quite windy. This road is a short loop south of Spearfish. After breakfast and checking into the beautiful, historic Hotel Alex Johnson in downtown Rapid City, it was time to explore. What we did see next was pretty amazing, though — a bighorn sheep and its baby! high of 47˚ with a low of 23˚. Below you'll find a guide that covers the Great 8 of the Black Hills of South Dakota. • Hottest months: July, August, June, September (average 62°F) Beauty like that has to be experienced at least once in a lifetime, and springtime is the perfect time to do it because it isn’t too hot and you can take all that beauty in without being too cold or sweating bullets. Bear Country U.S.A. is located on Highway 16, on the way to Mount Rushmore from Rapid City. These furry little guys were in that precious baby-animal stage where they look like they’re standing on stilts and still learning how to walk. The first significant snowfall of the season is usually in October, although higher elevations sometimes receive snow as early as September. What Mike loves most is time spent around the Hills with his family, whether it's in Spearfish Canyon, at a Black Hills attraction or at Spearfish City Park and the DC Booth National Historic Fish Hatchery. The Black Hills and Badlands region of western South Dakota is an outdoor recreational paradise, covering over 10,000 square miles of vast prairies, grasslands, badlands landscapes, and rugged mountains. But head southwest and all hell breaks loose – in the best possible way. '&charset='+document.characterSet : '')); Hill City. All Rights Reserved. It's Epic! Then we headed into Badlands National Park, and wow! var m3_r = Math.floor(Math.random()*99999999999); Known as an "Island in the Plains,” the hills rise up out of the prairie creating a variety of terrain for activities ranging from mountain biking to rock climbing to hiking. Fossil Exhibit Trail. Enter to win a $500 travel voucher to customize your perfect vacation to the Black Hills and Badlands of South Dakota. And while, yes, it had snowed, the roads were fine and the snow-capped president heads were stunning. Started in 1973 and still under the same owner, we are widely regarded as the local experts in the bus tours for Mount Rushmore and the Black Hills. The deep canyons and spires reaching into the sky were breathtaking. You're not quite at peak season but it's close. We were immediately glad that we’d visited in the spring to get to see these little guys. Assuming this is a 2 to 3 week trip, my preference would be to start in South Dakota in mid-June and go west from there. We happened to fly in just following a freak snowstorm, but that doesn’t stop anyone in South Dakota from getting outdoors and into the parks, so it wasn’t going to stop us either. document.write ("<\/scr"+"ipt>"); It had started to warm up by the time we finished the Wildlife Loop, and that made for a perfect time to stretch the legs and try to find a little hike. They’re wild animals that can be dangerous doing their thing. Also include Grand Teton with Yellowstone. Located just north of Norbeck Pass on Badlands Loop, Fossil Exhibit Trail is a … Enter to win a $500 travel voucher to customize your perfect vacation to the Black Hills and Badlands of South Dakota. Fall / Autumn. Arrive at opening time to beat the crowds and see the animals at their most active. September sees an average high of 73˚ with a low of 45˚; October averages a high of 60˚ and a low of 34˚; November sees an avg. The Black Hills National Forest covers more than 1.2 million acres in western South Dakota and northeastern Wyoming, with activities for just about anyone who likes to spend time outdoors. Prairie Edge Trading Co. and Gallery in downtown Rapid City offered a view into what makes South Dakota so special. The best The Black Hills hotel deals are here with our lowest price guarantee. Depeending on the age of the sons Deadwood alone might not offer that much if not old enough (21) to gamble. Just photograph them from your car and let them continue to walk and graze in peace. If it weren’t for the “wiwila kata,” this valley tucked in the southwestern corner of South … Between (generally) moderate temperatures, plenty of sunshine and daylight time, beautifully blue skies and baby animals, it’s clear we picked the right time to visit this gorgeous part of the country. Things to Do in The Black Hills, South Dakota: See Tripadvisor's 82,939 traveler reviews and photos of The Black Hills attractions. Fly into Rapid City, … While we didn’t see any mountain goats hopping around, we hear those sightings are fairly frequent, so that’s on the to-do list next time around. if (document.mmm_fo) document.write ("&mmm_fo=1"); While the snow made it so the trails were mostly closed, we were able to check out the informative and interactive museum inside the visitor center. Read more The average first freeze in Rapid City is October 4 and late August through September in the Black Hills. There are other waterfalls in South Dakota, but two of the grandest are in Spearfish Canyon in the northern Black Hills. Springtime really is magical here. This historic experience is narrated and fun for railroad enthusiasts of all ages! Custer State Park. Business: Museums . And then that view, wow. Rapid City. If you choose one town in the Black Hills that comes alive during the summer, it's definitely Sturgis. 412 posts, read 855,916 times Reputation: 671. Custer State Park. Year round opportunities abound, and beg to be explored and experienced. If your health is of concern to you, feel free to wear a mask and keep yourself safe. There is nothing like seeing the beauty of nature from a bird's-eye view, and we were lucky to have that opportunity. That was wrong. Hot Springs. if (!document.MAX_used) document.MAX_used = ','; Black Hills & Badlands Tourism Association(605) 355-3700 (Information Center)(888) 945-7676 (Booking Information), Business: ATV and Snowmobile (Attractions). There were so many buffalo, it really almost moved you to tears because they are gorgeous creatures. If you're going to the Badlands, you'll want to include the Black Hills--Custer State Park and Mount Rushmore at a minimum. You'll find quaint specialty shops -- including South Dakota Fudge and Black Hills Gold Jewelry -- restaurants and lodging (the Econo Express, the President's View Lodge) on their 1880's Boardwalk. Around the 15th of June, the weather usually warms up and the end of June can even get hot. 'https://adserver.mediablackhills.com/www/delivery/ajs.php':'http://adserver.mediablackhills.com/www/delivery/ajs.php'); Our final outdoor experience may have been our favorite — horseback riding with Hurley Butte Horseback on the outskirts of the Badlands. var m3_u = (location.protocol=='https:'? We maybe hiked a half-mile before the snow got too deep to navigate well but, man, was it gorgeous. Visit Hill City, SD – Black Hills Vacation Destination 605-574-2368 Travel the oval-shaped Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway for a trip through some of South Dakota's most scenic country. Travel through the Black Hills of South Dakota in winter and discover a wondrous land filled with adventure, wildlife and quiet passages through some of America’s most spectacular settings. If you can ever do it, we highly recommend it with Black Hills Aerial Adventures. This post was produced in partnership with Travel South Dakota. Together they make for a great American road trip. Instead of riding Interstate 90 from Spearfish down to Sturgis, you can take this little loop and visit the waterfalls. As we were driving through Custer State Park, you could see ahead where cars would start to slow and stop to take photos of wildlife or to let it pass in front of them. Bird'S-Eye view, and wow three weeks in July are a good time beat! Hear chipmunk squeaks as they popped their heads in and out of your car and let them continue to and... Depeending on the way to Mount Rushmore you choose one town in Black... 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