South Dakota is a patchwork of cornfields, dry earth, and straight talk. There are some wonderfully unique sights, from surreal landscapes to sculpture fields, a corn palace, and even the chance to travel back in time. There are also miles and miles of what I can only call “in-between,” because the flat emptiness of the land has a tendency to feel endless. That being said, there truly is gold in these black hills.
Having explored the wonders of the Badlands and beyond, we wanted to share our tips for how to road trip South Dakota like a pro. Because prospecting is a lot more exciting when you've already seen a glimmer of the gold awaiting you.
1880 Town*
We made it to 1880 Town without a moment to spare. The last ticket is sold at 8pm and the doors lock at 9pm. That sounds late, but when you’re covering so many miles each day and when the sun sets around 8:30pm, it’s easy to use up the day without realizing it. This is where a time zone change saved us. Part of South Dakota is in Central Time and part is in Mountain Time. Since we were coming from the East, we had the great fortune of gaining an hour as we drove, which allowed us to get to 1880 Town just in time.
You could easily spend half a day exploring, but it’s worthwhile even if you only have an hour. If you go, be sure to check out the Dances with Wolves exhibit, walk down Main Street, and stop into the saloon for a cold sarsaparilla soda. If you go after Memorial Day, there’s also the option to rent costumes so you can fully immerse yourself in the 1880s (we didn’t have the chance to do this but it’s earmarked for a future visit).
Oh, and as long as they are leashed, pets are welcome.
Porter Sculpture Park*
Porter Sculpture Park feels like something of a mirage amidst the cornfields and hay bales of I-90. It is an interactive exhibit, meaning you can touch the art, photograph it, and even play with it! There are golf carts for those who can’t walk between the sculptures.
The park is pet-friendly.
Corn Palace*
We didn't make it to the corn palace on this trip, but I had the chance to visit on a previous cross-country expedition, and since we're talking South Dakota, it only seemed right to include it here. The Corn Palace, which began in 1892, is likely different from anything you’ve seen before. It’s a large building with minarets and other features of Moorish architecture that’s decorated in, you guessed it…corn. Each year, different corn-based murals are designed and erected to showcase South Dakota’s agriculture. The palace is kitschy and fun and home to numerous events throughout the year, including an eponymous festival. The palace is open year-round and is free to visit.
Well-behaved, leashed pets are welcome.
Badlands National Park
The Badlands is one of the most surreal landscapes we’ve explored. Having visited in daytime and also around dusk, we’d suggest trying to time your visit close to sunset. In addition to enjoying slightly cooler temperatures, you’ll get to see the rock formations painted in watercolor hues as the sun sinks below the horizon. If you’re camping, you’ll get to experience Badlands in all different lights and you’ll see it from angles we haven’t been privy to. On this trip, we arrived close to dusk for that fairytale lighting and also spent a good portion of the next day exploring.
On day two, we had the pleasure of visiting Roberts Prairie Dog Town. Prairie dogs are what’s known as a keystone species. Other plants and animals depend on them for survival. They play a critical role in the ecosystem. They make room for new plants to grow as they eat the grasses on the prairie, they are a food source for larger animals, and the burrows they dig provide shelter for burrowing owls and rattlesnakes.
In Badlands, you can get out of your car and take photos of these adorable little guys—if you crouch down low and stay quiet, chances are good you’ll get to see more that your fair share—but be sure not to feed them. According to the NPS, “prairie dogs have sensitive stomachs and cannot process human foods.” As cute as they are, many also carry the plague (yes, the actual plague) so you really don’t want to get bitten by one.
The second highlight of our day—which was also a tad terrifying—was finding ourselves in the center of a herd of bison. We were driving through the park when the bison started running, which is how we ended up in the midst of them. While it’s never a good idea to approach bison, if you do find yourself in the middle of a herd, hopefully you are (a) in a car like we were, and (b) not in a hurry.
I can’t begin to do justice to the adrenaline rush that comes from realizing just how small and powerless you are compared to even one bison, let alone a charging herd. Bison, which weigh up to 2,000 pounds, can run 35 mph and are also known to pivot quickly and jump, meaning that when there are more than a dozen running toward you, it’s probably wisest not to try to outmaneuver or outpace them. They’re also nearsighted, so you’re blurry to them until they get up close. While bison aren’t likely to be particularly interested in you, it’s a good idea to remember that you are in their home and to try to stay out of their way as much as possible.
You can drive through Badlands with your pets in the car but note that there are not any trails or hikes that are pet-friendly due to the wildlife that call the park home.
Wall Drug
No trip to South Dakota would be complete without a visit to Wall Drug, which advertises its existence for what feels like 1,000 miles. As the story goes, Wall, South Dakota was once known as “the geographical center of nowhere,” which made it challenging for Ted and Dorothy Hustead, the original owners of Wall Drug, to attract customers. That all changed when they started offering free ice water to travelers in the 1930s. If you’ve not yet been to South Dakota, you might be unaware of how thirsty and tired you get traversing the lowlands and prairies, especially in summer heat.
You might also be unaware of the fact that I-90, while bucolic, starts to become a bit mind-numbing when you’ve seen nothing but farmland for hours. Spotting as many of the 300 hand-painted Wall Drug signs as possible is a fun road-trip game that also reminds you that there is a non-farm related attraction to see just a few hundred miles ahead. So of course, of course, you have to stop to see what all the fuss is about.
Wall Drug is more of a town than a pharmacy. With a mall, its own Zoltar (I’m a sucker for Zoltar and will pay to have my “fortune” read every time), a restaurant, a giant jackalope (!!), and at least a dozen other things to fascinate and delight, Wall Drug is a must.
The backyard is also dog-friendly, though, to our knowledge, the shops and restaurant are not.
Mount Rushmore
Mount Rushmore is beautifully maintained and quite busy and offers places to get ice cream and souvenirs along with lots of tourists talking about things like the distinction between buffalo and bison—and generally getting it wrong.
Note: Contrary to popular belief and FDR’s favorite song, Home on the Range, we do not have buffalo in the US. We have bison. Buffalo are found in Asia and Africa.
Other than that, it’s what you’d expect except, well, smaller. It feels anti-patriotic to say that but having been to Mount Rushmore a few times, it always looks little less impressive than I want it to. Here’s the thing, I could never carve a recognizable face out of any material, let alone a 60-foot face in a wall of granite. It’s just that from the Avenue of the Flags, it doesn’t seem all that big. Still worth seeing, of course, just maybe with your expectations managed. If you go, the President’s Trail is said to offer the best close-range views.
Dogs are only allowed in the parking lot, so this is a take-turns-waiting-with-the-pup experience if you’re traveling with four-legged friends.
Know Before You Go: Eating in South Dakota
If you have food allergies or restrictions of any kind, the struggle to find something to eat along I-90 in South Dakota will be REAL. Our best advice is to pretend you’re camping. Plan on eating only what you bring across the state border. We'll post a list of our favorite long-haul road trip snacks and on the go meals soon. Also bring more water than you think you'll need, yes even if you're not hiking or camping. If you're driving cross-country this will be the stretch where it's most challenging to find a place to rehydrate. We factored in 1L of water per person with an extra L for the animals and that worked well.
If you are gluten free... In the Eastern part of the state, Sioux Falls appears to have some good gf options. We were racing to 1880 Town and didn't get to investigate, which meant a long stretch with only what food we had in the car. Also be aware that many restaurants in South Dakota close earlier than you'd expect if you're coming from the Northeast.
Before leaving the state, and after some rough food poisoning for our non-gf traveler in Wall, we finally found a rock-and-roll themed spot in Deadwood that made us a wonderful gluten free lunch. If you’re in the area, check out Dale’s. We only had time to grab a bite before getting back on the road, but Deadwood seems like a pretty cool town. We were bummed to miss the town square shootout and panning for gold at Broken Boot—if you’ve been, leave us a comment and tell us about it!
And for those keen to try prospecting, check out this article from the Smithsonian on where to find natural gold deposits across the US. If you're in Washington, the state has a handy map and guidelines for beginning panners (how awesome is that?) Turns out you don't necessarily have to go to 1880 Town to live out your gold rush dreams.
Happy journeying!
* = pet friendly destination
Next week: The magic that is Montana...
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