South Dakota

South Dakota is a great state with tons of stuff to do. There are plenty of historical things to see and experience as well. Gregg and I have been to and through South Dakota on the motorcycle numerous times. This year we really just did a quick trip through the Badlands loop and then Needles Highway because our end destination was Idaho. Other places we have explored throughout the years include Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Custer State Park, Minuteman Missile National Historical Sight, Wall Drug, and The Corn Palace. These were all unique and fun places to visit. Go and check out the links above to find awesome things to do in South Dakota. Badlands National Park is one of my favorite national parks because of the cool landscape, the rock-climbing opportunities, and if you are lucky, the animal viewing. It storms a lot at night, but when the sky is clear, it has amazing sunsets. The rocky landscape makes interesting formations, and you can actually go out and free climb on them! We have seen bison, pronghorn (aka funny faces), mountain goats, big horn sheep, and prairie dogs. Gregg and I are from the mid-west and there are no pronghorns where we live. On our first trip out west, we kept seeing these weird deer, so I nicknamed them “the funny faces”, because they had bodies similar to deer, but their faces are totally different! I must sadly confess that we had to ask at a gas station what these “funny faced” animals were. To this day, we still call pronghorns funny faces! Anyway, go check out Badlands National Park. There is also a campground if you want to stay overnight. Needles Highway is a 14-mile road through Custer State Park and is part of Peter Norbeck National Scenic Highway. The road is windy, and portions of it go through the rocks using a one lane road. There are some tight spots that have height and width restrictions. Needles Eye Tunnel is 8’0 ft wide and 9’9 ft high. I think that is the narrowest part, but I would check all the tunnel sizes before taking a larger vehicle through the tunnels. The Ponderosa Pines (my favorite tree) smell amazing, so roll down the windows and take in some fresh air during the drive. This is a slow leisurely drive; don’t go if you are in a hurry. There are many other roads and places to visit at Custer State Park and it is close to Mount Rushmore and other attractions. In the past we have spotted bison, elk, wild donkeys, pronghorn, and deer throughout Custer State Park. Go check it out for yourself.

The rest of the sights mentioned on the lists are well worth the visit, but we just didn’t have time this year to do everything. We decided to skip some of the things we have already seen in South Dakota to be able to explore more of Idaho this year. However, Gregg loves history, and the Minuteman Missile National Historical Sight is kind of a hidden gem. It is near the east entrance of the Badlands and north of I-80. It is part of our history that not very many people know about, and I was even interested in it too. We stayed one night in South Dakota this year. We stayed at The Stroppel Hotel and Mineral Baths in Midland, SD. This place was something and could have been super awesome

with some renovations. You do get a free mineral bath plunge with your stay and the lady checking us in was extremely helpful and so nice. She gave us a full tour and made us feel at home. The rooms are very, very dated and the mineral baths need updating. The bed was clean and comfy. There are many different room options with hostile type rooms if you are looking for something a bit cheaper. However, let’s be honest, it was shady, we stayed to experience the shadiness, probably should have kept driving.

Wherever you decide to visit in South Dakota, it is bound to be a good time. There is literally so much to do in South Dakota. It is great for everyone, even families. You can spend a few quick days or a few weeks depending on what you want to see and experience.

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