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South Dakota is one of our favorite US States! Western SD in particular is stunning and perfect for family vacations or road trips.

We road tripped through Mount Rushmore, Custer State Park and Badlands National Park on a 5 day adventure. The scenery was breathtaking and we can’t recommend a visit highly enough.

But there are so many more fun things to do near Mount Rushmore.

Black Elk Peak is an awesome hike for nature lovers and offers unrivaled views from its summit. Custer’s 18 mile wildlife loop is home to the largest herd of Bison in America.

Two scenic drives called Needles highway and Iron Mountain Road are unmissable, but you’ll need nerves of steel on these roads!

Here’s our popular South Dakota road trip itinerary to get you started.