We’ve driven two road trips through the stunning Black Hills of South Dakota and we think it has to be considered as one of the most underrated vacation spots in America. Why? Because it has super-scenic byways, world famous attractions, national parks, a bunch of family friendly spots and a couple of awesome hikes. And to top things off, everything is located within easy driving distance.
In this guide we show you exactly how to plan the perfect South Dakota road trip itinerary for 4 days or 7 days, based on our own experiences.
Introducing South Dakota
South Dakota is undoubtably most famous for Mount Rushmore, but there’s so much more to see in the beautiful Black Hills region.
We’re confident you will be left stunned by the awesome hiking and scenic drives on offer. And if you’re the type of traveler who prefers to get away from the crowds, South Dakota’s Black Hills are definitely for you.
Our Experience
We’ve explored far and wide throughout South Dakota’s Black Hills on two separate occasions, first in the fall of 2019 and again in the spring of 2021. We love the area and consider the Black Hills as one of the best road trips in the US.
We’ve personally visited every place, attraction, park and scenic road listed in this guide. Our itineraries are tried and tested, so you can rest assured they work. Read more about us.
Here’s a short YouTube video we put together with a GoPro from our first visit to South Dakota.
About This Guide
Planning the perfect South Dakota road trip itinerary begins with creating a priority list of attractions, hikes and scenic drives.
We’re going to start by showing you the 4 most unmissable places to visit in the Black Hills, followed by other places you should visit with more time. Later in the guide we will show you exactly how to plan South Dakota road trip itineraries for 4 days and 7 days.
Unmissable South Dakota Road Trip Stops
So what are the places you simply cannot miss on your visit to South Dakota?
Well, we’ve seen all there is to see in South Dakota’s Black Hills and here are the 4 stops we think all first time visitors should prioritize.
- Badlands National Park
- Mount Rushmore National Memorial
- Custer State Park
- Black Elk Peak
Let’s take a closer look at each stop.
1. Badlands National Park
Badlands National Park should be included in every South Dakota road trip itinerary. It’s unique landscape is incredibly photogenic, there’s loads of fun short hikes and it can be accessed in less than one hour from Rapid City.
We think Badlands is one of the best US national parks because it’s so easy to visit, there’s never any crowds and the topography is spectacular. You’ll only need around 4 or 5 hours to fully explore Badlands.
Read more in our Badlands travel guides:
- Best things to do in Badlands National Park
- The best hikes in Badlands National Park
- How to hike Notch Trail in Badlands
- Best hotels near Badlands National Park
- Best Badlands National Park photo spots
2. Mount Rushmore National Memorial
How could you go to South Dakota and not see one of America’s most famous monuments? It would be like going to Paris and not seeing the Eiffel Tower. Mount Rushmore is located just 5 minutes drive from Keystone, which is one of the most popular places to set up base for a South Dakota road trip.
The iconic Mount Rushmore National Memorial is carved into a towering granite rock formation, which faces directly into the sun at dawn. We watched a stunning sunrise at Mt Rushmore when the former presidents faces turned from grey to pink and orange.
You can either look up at Mt Rushmore from a huge amphitheater or you can walk the Presidents Trail which is a boardwalk with over 200 steps taking you closer to the giant sculpture.
Read more in our Mount Rushmore travel guides:
- How to visit Mount Rushmore for the first time
- 10 best things to do near Mount Rushmore
- Best hotels near Mount Rushmore
3. Custer State Park
Custer State Park is one of the largest and best US state parks. We’ve been to dozens of amazing state parks and Custer is definitely up there as one of our favorites. If you’re planning a South Dakota road trip with your family, Custer State Park is one place you definitely can’t miss.
You can drive an 18-mile wildlife loop to see animals, hike several picturesque trails and take on 2 of the most scenic drives in America. Here’s a time-lapse for one of the two drives called Iron Mountain Road.
Read more in our Custer State Park travel guide:
4. Black Elk Peak Hike
Black Elk Peak is our top hiking recommendation for your visit to South Dakota. If you love to hike in new places, don’t miss the chance to summit this amazing trail. It’s a moderately difficult 7-mile roundtrip hike with magical views from the top.
We hiked Black Elk Peak during our first South Dakota road trip and it blew us away. You’ll find it included in our popular list of the 50 best hikes in the US.
Read more in our Black Elk Peak hiking guide:
Places To Visit With More Time
We’ve covered the absolute must visits on your South Dakota road trip, but there’s loads more fantastic places you can also explore if you have more time or you like to create action packed itineraries.
We consider South Dakota’s Black Hills to be one of the best US vacation spots for a reason!
Here’s a list of the places you should visit with more time:
1. Crazy Horse Memorial
Crazy Horse Memorial is a partially carved mountain sculpture, which has been under construction since 1948 but is still a long way from completion.
If it’s completed, Crazy Horse will be much larger than nearby Mount Rushmore. Entry fees are surprisingly steep for Crazy Horse but all proceeds go directly into furthering construction efforts.
2. Deadwood
Deadwood is a popular Wild West gold rush town, which has retained elements of its old western appearance.
You can stop for a hot chocolate in a quaint cafe next to the site where Wild Bill Hickok was assassinated in 1876, walk the historic main street and soak up the unique western architecture.
Further Reading: Where to stay in Deadwood SD
3. Devils Tower National Monument
Devils Tower is a remarkable and quite literally unmissable rock formation just across the border from South Dakota into Wyoming. The enormous igneous rock formation dominates the skyline and it’s even more impressive from close up.
You can hike an easy and relaxing loop trail around the base of Devils Tower but we also highly recommend the awesome view from Joyner Ridge.
Further Reading: How to visit Devils Tower National Monument
4. Wind Cave National Park
Wind Cave National Park is one of the longest and most complex cave systems on the planet. It features unique formations known as boxwork.
You must join a daily ranger-led tour in order to walk through the vast Wind Cave network. Here are tour times throughout the year. Some tours can be reserved in advance but others are first come first served only.
There’s also a handful of nearby hikes with excellent views and you might even see wildlife roaming freely on the surrounding prairie.
5. Jewel Cave National Monument
Jewel Cave is the third longest cave in the world with 208 miles of mapped and surveyed passages. Similarly to Wind Cave, ranger led tours at 9:00am and 2:45pm are the only way to go inside the Jewel Cave network.
Jewel Cave features more common cave formations like stalagmites and stalactites, whereas Wind Cave features boxwork which is a rare honeycomb-like formation. We think Jewel Cave is the more attractive cave, but there’s more to see and do around Wind Cave.
6. Spearfish Canyon
The 20 mile drive through Spearfish Canyon scenic byway is one of the best hidden gem spots in the Black Hills. It’s a lovely drive within itself, but there’s also loads of great places to stop along the way including waterfalls and hikes.
We stopped to hike Devils Bathtub Trail which turned out to be a really fun unmarked trail running alongside a creek with plenty of crossings.
Now you know the best places to visit on your road trip through South Dakota, let’s get into the itineraries.
4 Days South Dakota Road Trip Itinerary
We’re beginning with a 4 days South Dakota road trip itinerary that assumes you are booking a hotel in Keystone for the duration of your trip. Use the map above to see the attractions we recommend for each day.
Days 1, 3 and 4 are full with what we consider the most unmissable attractions. Day 2 has room for you to include your other top priorities, but we’ll also show you how we would spend the second day which you can see in the map above.
Day 1 – Badlands
Start the day by visiting the fantastic Minuteman Missile National Historic Site where you will learn all about the Cold War, including decommissioned US Nuclear Missile locations in South Dakota.
Next, enter Badlands National Park and spend the day hiking, exploring, wildlife spotting and taking photos of the alien-like landscape.
Later, drive to Wall which is just outside the northwest Badlands entrance to check out Wall Drug Store. Finally, drive to Keystone, grab dinner at old-west themed Red Garter Saloon and check into your hotel.
Day 2 – Mount Rushmore
The major thing to see on day 2 is Mount Rushmore. You can do that any time of day and it really only takes a few hours at the most. Personally, we think sunrise is the best time of day to see the sculpture because it’s really quiet and the colors are amazing. But we know sunrise isn’t for everyone!
Remember, you can go to an evening lighting ceremony at Mount Rushmore between June and September for a unique experience.
You’ll have action packed days 3 and 4, so day 2 in this itinerary is the day to visit other places on your Black Hills wishlist like Deadwood, Wind Cave or even Devils Tower.
Personally we would do Mt Rushmore for sunrise, then drive to either Wind Cave or Jewel Cave (pre-booking a tour in advance), stop at Crazy Horse next on the way up to Deadwood, drive Spearfish Canyon and visit Devils Tower. It would be a long and busy day but it would mean seeing everything.
Day 3 – Custer State Park
Start the day by driving the super-scenic Iron Mountain Highway from Keystone to Custer State Park. You’ll love driving Iron Mountain Road which is essentially non-stop curves, hairpins, narrow tunnels with Mount Rushmore views and even pigtail turns.
Go to the Custer State Park visitor center and watch the movie narrated by Kevin Costner. Next, pay the $20 entrance fee for Custer State Park (good for 7 days) and drive the one way wildlife loop for 18 miles, Hopefully you’ll be able to see plenty of animals roaming. They’re most active in the morning and late afternoon.
After the wildlife loop, enter the east entrance to the awesome Needles Highway and drive as far as Cathedral Spires Trail, which is a popular short but moderately difficult hike. Complete the scenic Needles Highway drive, leaving to the west and without stopping at Sylvan Lake.
Day 4 – Black Elk Peak
Start the final day by driving to Sylvan Lake and the trailhead for Black Elk Peak. This amazing hike is the perfect way to finish a short but sweet South Dakota road trip. You already have your 7 day pass for Custer State Park so you won’t have to pay again to enter the Sylvan Lake area.
Hiking the moderately challenging 7-mile roundtrip Black Elk Peak Trail will take up a huge chunk of your day. However, if you’re an experienced hiker you can also take on the tough Sunday Gulch Trail which is located on the opposite side of Sylvan Lake.
Not a hiker? No problem!
You can change day 4 on this itinerary to instead visit the northern parts of the Black Hills. Your day would include Deadwood, Lead, Spearfish Canyon and Devils Tower. In this case, change your day 2 to focus more on the southern areas of the Black Hills.
7 Days South Dakota Road Trip Itinerary
Let’s move onto our 7 days South Dakota road trip itinerary which covers all points of interest and takes things slowly. This itinerary assumes you are booking different hotels throughout your trip for the most efficiency.
Use the map above to see the most efficient one week South Dakota road trip. We’ve included hotel icons at the end of each day so you know where to stay every night.
Day 1 – Badlands National Park
Pick up your hire car at Rapid City airport and drive east on I-90.
Stop at Wall Drug and visit the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site before spending the afternoon soaking up extra-terrestrial views from scenic overlooks, hiking and spotting wildlife in Badlands National Park.
Our to hiking picks are Notch Trail and Door Trail. We highly recommend you stop at every overlook but definitely don’t miss Yellow Mounds for something a bit different. Stay in Badlands for sunset.
Either camp in Badlands, stay at Cedar Lodge inside the park or drive to Wall to stay in one of five hotels.
Day 2 – Badlands + Wind Cave
The beauty of having more time is that you can make the most of the best light. We highly recommend heading back into Badlands in the morning for sunrise.
This is also the time to hike any trails you missed yesterday like Castle Trail. If you didn’t arrive into Badlands until later on day 1, hike Notch Trail and Door Trail today. Once you’re done in Badlands, drive all the way down to Wind Cave National Park.
There’s a great little hike you can do near Wind Cave called Rankin Ridge Trail, which leads a wonderful viewpoint overlooking the park. Next, stop in at Wind Cave visitor center to get information about cave tours for the next morning if you haven’t already booked a tour online.
Check into a hotel in nearby Hot Springs.
Day 3 – Wind Cave, Needles Highway + Cathedral Spires
Get an early start and be at Wind Cave visitor center around 30 minutes before it opens for the day. Cave tours are split between advanced tickets and first come first served which sell out quickly after opening. And you can do more than one tour.
Grab lunch in Custer and then drive the famous Needles Highway scenic byway beginning on the east side. You’ll pay $20 entrance fee for Custer State Park at Needles Highway south entrance and it’s good for 7 days.
Stop at Cathedral Spires trailhead and park on the tight U-bend. The Cathedral Spires trail really showcases the natural beauty of the famous granite rock formations in the Black Hills.
Drive back to a Custer hotel for the night.
Day 4 – Custer State Park, Sylvan Lake + Black Elk Peak
Arrive at Custer wildlife loop as early as you can to stand the best chance of seeing animals when they’re most active. Drive slowly through the one way park and maybe even get out of your car to walk up a hill for a better view.
Drive Needles Highway again or take SD-89 for a more direct route to Sylvan Lake. There’s loads to do around Sylvan Lake, especially when the weather is warmer. Families can relax and have a picnic, the kids can swim or hike around the lake in a loop, and the adults can even take on Sunday Gulch.
However, our top recommendation for day 4 is to hike Black Elk Peak. You can see into 4 US states from the summit and even the trail itself is picturesque.
Once you are down, drive back to Custer again for the night.
Day 5 – Jewel Cave, Crazy Horse, Iron Mountain + Mount Rushmore
Arrive to Jewel Cave early to ensure you get onto a cave tour before they sell out. Jewel Cave is just 15 minutes drive from the town of Custer. After your cave tour you could hike the 5.5 mile roundtrip Hell Canyon Trail or you can drive straight to Crazy Horse.
You can actually see Crazy Horse from the main road without having to pay entry, which is helpful to know if you’re trying to balance the budget or you’re short on time.
Next, grab lunch in Custer before driving to the southern entrance for Iron Mountain scenic byway near Custer State Park visitor center. At the other end of the awesome Iron Mountain Road it’s finally time for you to visit Mount Rushmore!
By now it will be getting to the later part of the afternoon or early evening. You might be able to see the sun disappear behind the presidents heads and you also might want to stay for the evening light show.
Check into a Keystone hotel.
Day 6 – Deadwood + Spearfish Canyon
If you’re interested in photography, we highly recommend you wake up early and see Mt Rushmore at sunrise. It is just a few minutes drive from Keystone so you are perfectly located.
Later in the morning you can take US-385 north for 1 hour until you reach the small town of Deadwood. Once you arrive, walk down the historic main street, learn about famous Wild West characters and stop in somewhere for a coffee or a beer.
Spearfish Canyon is one of our favorite parts of the Black Hills. From Deadwood, take US-14 southwest as far as Cheyenne Crossing and Savoy. Stop first at Savoy to see Roughlock Falls. You can also hike Iron Creek or Devils Bathtub, before stopping at Bridal Veil Falls on the roadside.
Check into a hotel in Spearfish.
Day 7 – Devils Tower + Rapid City
Take either I-90 and US-14, or WY-24 to Devils Tower. We took the latter and it was a very peaceful drive. Spend the late morning walking around the base of Devils Tower and enjoying the views over this unique geological feature.
Before leaving, don’t forget to drive up to Joyner Ridge which has the best views of Devils Tower across the meadows.
Finally, you’ll drive I-90 to Rapid City to spend the afternoon relaxing around town. Rapid City is filled with excellent restaurants and it’s the best place to spend the night before flying out of Rapid City airport the next morning.
South Dakota Road Trip Packing
Packing for your South Dakota road trip will depend entirely on what time of year you decide to visit.
We first visited South Dakota in October when the weather was perfect for hiking in shorts and t-shirts but it was cold in the morning and at night.
The second time we visited the Black Hills in April and there was a lot of snow on the ground, which of course meant it was much colder.
If you visit in summer you can expect hot days so your packing list will look very different to a spring or fall trip.
Here’s a quick packing list of items to remember no matter when you visit the area:
- America the Beautiful Pass – REI
- Car emergency kit – First Secure
- In case of snow – Snow Brush
- Hiking shoes – Men | Women
- Day hiking backpack – Best day bags
- Down Jacket – Men | Women
Further Reading: Essential road trip packing list
Where To Stay
You won’t have any issues finding places to stay on your South Dakota road trip.
We’ve written a comprehensive guide to the best hotels near Mount Rushmore, which goes into far greater detail on choosing the perfect places to stay in the entire region.
You might also want to read our ultimate guide on how to book the cheapest hotels to learn about ways you can save money.
Below you will find our recommended lodging options for each stop along this South Dakota road trip itinerary.
1. Badlands Lodging
Campgrounds
There are 2 campgrounds inside the National Park: Cedar Pass RV Park and Campground has facilities but Sage Creek Campground is primitive (without facilities).
Lodge
Cedar Pass Lodge is the only accommodation located within the park.
Hotels
There are five hotels in Wall near Badlands National Park:
- Badlands Frontier Cabins
- Best Western Plains Motel
- Americas Best Value Inn Wall
- Days Inn by Wyndham Wall
- Travelodge by Wyndham Wall
Further Reading: Where to stay near Badlands National Park
2. Mount Rushmore Lodging
Campgrounds
Camping is very popular around the Mount Rushmore area. Black Hills National Forest has around 30 campgrounds to choose between.
Hotels
Keystone is the most convenient place to stay near Mt Rushmore. It has a very central location among the best things to do in the area.
Here are some of the top rated hotels in Keystone:
- Rockerville Lodge + Cabins
- Comfort Inn + Suites
- Powder House Lodge
- Roosevelt Inn
- Rushmore Express + Suites
Further Reading: The best hotels in Keystone SD
3. Custer State Park Lodging
Campgrounds
Custer State Park has 10 campground options available, including in the foothills of Black Elk Peak near Sylvan Lake.
Hotels
If you’d prefer to set up a base closer to Custer State Park’s wildlife loop and Black Elk Peak, stay in the town of Custer which is in between the two attractions.
Here are the best value hotels in Custer to consider:
Further Reading: The best hotels in Custer SD
Camping Special
Are you planning to camp during your road trip through South Dakota?
We’ve teamed up with The Dyrt to offer our readers an exclusive no strings attached 30 day free trial with The Dyrt PRO.
This is our favorite camping app because it finds the best campgrounds along any driving route and there are no additional booking fees. You can also use Dyrt Alerts to receive notifications when sold out campgrounds have cancellations.
In Conclusion
South Dakota’s Black Hills region has a wide range of attractions and activities to suit travelers of all ages and preferences. If it’s your first time in South Dakota, you shouldn’t miss Mount Rushmore, Custer State Park and Black Elk Peak.
We’ve enjoyed two fantastic road trips through South Dakota. We think 4 days is easily enough time to see the highlights of South Dakota’s Black Hills but 7 days would allow you to slow down, see fewer attractions each day and have a more relaxing experience.
More From South Dakota
- Best things to do in Badlands National Park
- Exactly how to hike Black Elk Peak Trail
- The best things to do in Custer State Park
- Complete Mount Rushmore vacation planner
More US Road Trips
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- Best places to visit on a New England fall road trip
- How to plan a Mount Rushmore to Yellowstone road trip
- How to plan a Salt Lake City to Yellowstone road trip
- Complete guide to the best Utah road trips
- The perfect 3 day Zion to Bryce Canyon road trip itinerary
Want more South Dakota content? Head over to our South Dakota Travel Guides to explore Mount Rushmore, Badlands, the Black Hills and beyond.
We hope our South Dakota road trip itinerary guide helps with planning your Black Hills vacation!
Please let us know if you have any questions in the comments section below.
Happy Travels,
Mark and Kristen
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Mark and Kristen Morgan are travel, hiking and photography experts. Over the last 6 years traveling full time, they have explored more than 40 countries and 30 US states.
Where Are Those Morgans has been featured in USA Today, Gestalten, Get Your Guide, CityPASS and Condé Nast Traveler along with various other publications. Read more about us.
6 Seniors going on a South Dakota trip in May, Not many hikers in our group. What would be the best location to stay so we only have 1 location to drive out from each day. Moving each day is not real practical for us. Also, any ideas replacing the hiking parts of the tour.
Great info, thanks so much.
Hi Jim, great to hear you have a trip to SD planned. Rapid City could be the best place for you to stay – it has a greater hotel selection, more places to eat and drink, and it has easy access to I-90 so you can easily reach Badlands, Devils Tower and all other spots in the Black Hills. If you’d rather be right in the Black Hills, you can stay in Keystone near Mt Rushmore, or in Custer which is close to Sylvan Lake and Wind Cave. It depends on how many days you are going for and what you would prefer to see, but there’s plenty to keep you occupied even without the hikes. Have a great trip!
Really enjoying your national park posts, keep them coming.
Glad you’re enjoying the US National Park posts Graham, we’re enjoying writing them!