MN/SD/WY Road Trip

Since I seem to be sharing this with several friends, I might as well post it on my travel blog as well.

I left in some of the other ideas I had that we didn't. I generally have certain ideas of what we will do, but I like to have other options to reference so that I look quickly for something else to do if we need to. Also, I went for economical hotels that provided a free breakfast and has a pool so the kids had something to do at night.

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THE GREAT 8 OF SOUTH DAKOTA:

1. Mount Rushmore
2. Crazy Horse
3. Badlands NP
4. Historic Deadwood
5. Jewel Cave
6. Wind Cave
7. Custer State Park
8. Missouri River

Day 1 (Night): Sioux Falls, SD (3.25 Hr of driving)

GuestHouse Inn & Suites Sioux Falls

3101 W Russell St, Sioux Falls, SD

1-855-201-7819

Has Indoor Pool & Free Breakfast…...2Q Room

https://www.redlion.com/sioux-falls

• Jolly Green Giant Statue - Blue Earth, MN (1.25 hr in to our drive) http://blueearthchamber.com/featured/giant-attractions-in-blue-earth-mn/
• Falls Park (in SF) https://visitsiouxfalls.com/things-to-do/falls-park/
• As we leave or on the way home: (hour west of SF) Mitchell Corn Palace http://cornpalace.org/

Day 2: Rapid City, SD (5 Hrs driving from Sioux Falls)

Econo Lodge Rapid City (2 nights!)

625 E Disk Dr, Rapid City SD 57701

1-855-201-7819

Has Indoor Pool & Free Breakfast…..2Q Room

https://www.choicehotels.com/soth-dakota/rapid-city/econo-lodge-hotels/sd010

• Wall Drug http://www.walldrug.com/  (hr east of RC)
• Dinner - Firehouse Brewing Company https://www.firehousebrewing.com/
• Dinosaur Park (FREE) http://www.blackhillsbadlands.com/business/dinosaur-park

Mount Rushmore: (43 min from Custer State Park, on one of their “drives”)

• https://www.nps.gov/moru/index.htm
• $10 parking (national parks pass does not cover parking)
• Check hours at specific time of year: https://www.nps.gov/moru/planyourvisit/hours.htm
• Illuminated Hours over MEA: October 1, 2017 - March 10, 2018     Sunset to 9:00 p.m.
• A parking permit entitles a non-commercial vehicle unlimited entry to the memorial for one year from the date of purchase.

Bear Country

• https://www.bearcountryusa.com/

• 15 min S of RC
• $17/$11 -- $56 for us! Max: $65/car
• October 1st through October 31st: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Day 3:

Hotel -- see above

Devil’s Tower  (Wyoming):

• https://www.nps.gov/deto/index.htm
• $15 (National Parks Pass accepted)

Bear Butte SP (Didn't Go here)

• http://gfp.sd.gov/state-parks/directory/bear-butte/
• Sturgis, SD - 45 min N of RC

Spearfish Canyon

• http://www.spearfish.com/canyon/ http://blackhillsbadlands.com/drives/spearfish-canyon-scenic-byway
• (50 mi NW of RC, on way to Devil’s Tower which us 1 hr W)

Deadwood - Just Drove Through at NIght

• https://www.deadwood.com/
• 45 min from Rapid City, between Sturgis & Spearfish

Day Trip Idea - Crazy Horse (Didn't Do):  https://crazyhorsememorial.org/images/docs/Spirit%20of%20the%20Hills.pdf

Day 4: Hot Springs, SD (1 hr from Rapid City)

Baymont Inn & Suites Hot Springs

737 S 6th Street, Hot Springs, SD

1-855-201-7819

https://www.wyndhamhotels.com/baymont/hot-springs-south-dakota/baymount-inn-and-suites-hot-springs/overview

Custer State Park (30 min S of RC): http://gfp.sd.gov/state-parks/directory/custer/default.aspx

• Needles Highway Drive
• Wildlife Loop Road
• Poets Table, Little Devils Tower, Harney Peak, Sylvan Lake
• Geocaching - 8 locations in the park, get from visitor center
• $16/day or $37/3day fishing license
• $20 week long SD State Parks Pass
• Drive through rock cut out tunnels

Mammoth Site (Hot Springs, SD)

• http://mammothsite.com/

• $11/$7 Admission
• 9a-5p

Evan’s Plunge (Hot Springs, SD)

• http://www.evansplunge.com/

• $14/$10 - 50% off if you go the last 2 hours before closing
• Most days closes at 8pm, Hrs on the contact page

Buffalo Safari Tour (Didn't Do) https://custerresorts.com/activities/activities-in-the-park/buffalo-safari-jeep-tour/

Wild Mustangs (Didn't Do) (Hot Springs, SD): http://www.wildmustangs.com/

• Tours -  During the month of October tours will leave at 10 AM and 1 PM. 2 hrs $50/$7.50
• Lodging
• Will I still see Mustangs if I don't take the tour?
• Mustangs live in pastures beside the gravel road traveling in to the Visitors Center. So driving in to the sanctuary you will be able to view Mustangs. Mustangs also live next to the Visitors Center. Guests are welcome to view Mustangs there at no charge.

Angostura Recreation Area (Didn't Do) (Hot Springs, SD)

• http://gfp.sd.gov/state-parks/directory/angostura/

• Fee included in week long pass

Day 5: (Kadoka, SD - 2 hr 39 min from Hot Springs taking scenic lower route through Badlands)

HOTEL:

Wyndham Rewards #: 164067485F

Super 8 - Mitchell (2.5 Hr drive from East Badlands Entrance)

1700 South Burr Mitchell, South Dakota 57301-0867

+1-605-996-9678

2Q, Free Breakfast, Pool

https://www.wyndhamhotels.com/super-8/mitchell-south-dakota/super-8-mitchell/overview?brand_id=SE&checkin_date=10/21/2017&checkout_date=10/22/2017&useWRPoints=false&children=2&corporate_id=1000008323&ratePlan=S3A&childAgeParam=7-11&adults=2&rooms=1&radius=25&brand_code=BH,DI,RA,BU,HJ,KG,MT,SE,TL,WG,WY,WT,WP,VO,DX,TM,CE&PriceFilter=0-2147483647&

Badlands NP:

https://www.nps.gov/badl/index.htm

• Drive the Hwy 240 Loop https://www.nps.gov/badl/planyourvisit/directions.htm
• $20 ntrance fee (NP pass covers it)
• Norbeck Overlook (get views of Mt Rushmore w/ high zoom)
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Day 6: ( 4 hr ride home)

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Other options of things to do, but we didn't

Wind Cave:

https://www.nps.gov/wica/index.htm

Tours: Natural Entrance 10 & 1 or Garden of Eden @ 3pm (Oct - early 2018)

$12/$6 cave tour fee, Natural Entrance is ⅔ mile and 1.25 hrs

Jewel Cave (Custer, SD):

https://www.nps.gov/jeca/index.htm

$12/$8 cave tour fee

Scenic Tour offered at 10:00 a.m., 12:40 p.m., and 2:40 p.m.

The Journey Museum (Rapid City, SD):

http://www.journeymuseum.org/visit

Winter Hours

(October 1st – April 30th)

10 AM – 5 PM Monday through Saturday

1 PM – 5 PM Sunday

$10/$7 Admission

Kirby Science Center Discovery Center (Sioux Falls SD):

https://www.washingtonpavilion.org/online/default.asp?doWork::WScontent::loadArticle=Load&BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::article_id=F4BB5B58-4D98-4284-80B8-CC6BDB8802A2

$14/$7 Admission (FREE admission with SMM pass)

South Dakota Discovery Center (Pierre, SD - a bit out of the way, but not too bad):

http://www.sd-discovery.org/

$4 admission (FREE with SMM Pass) - not really sure what there is to do, not enuf info on website

Winter Hours (Start Sept 1)

Sunday - Friday

1PM - 5PM

Saturday

10AM - 5PM

Pipestone NM (Minnesota):

https://www.nps.gov/pipe/index.htm

$7pp - National Parks Pass Accepted

Crazy Horse Monument (47 min SW of RC, 15 min from Custer SP) https://crazyhorsememorial.org/

• $28/ car (no passes)

Big Thunder Gold Mine http://www.bigthundermine.com/tours/

• 9a-6p
• $11/$8

Black Hills Gold Factory Tour (Rapid City) - ck Groupon for a deal for this https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g54774-d208691-Reviews-Mt_Rushmore_Black_Hills_Gold_Factory_Tour-Rapid_City_South_Dakota.html

Cosmos Mystery Area

http://cosmosmysteryarea.com/index.html

CLOSED WHEN WE ARE THERE, BUT TO REMEMBER FOR ANOTHER TIME

STORYBOOK ISLAND https://storybookisland.org/

1880 TRAIN https://www.1880train.com/

Children’s Museum of the Black Hills (still building it) ww.childrensmuseumbh.org ½ off admission with MCM pass

Hotel Ideas we Didn't Do

Circle View Ranch http://www.circleviewranch.com/