This coming summers big trip for DW and I will be to travel as quickly as is reasonable from home to relatives in the Minneapolis area for a short visit. Then the real fun begins. The ultimate goal is the Black Hills and surrounding area. So my trip planning questions are: What suggestions does anyone have for stuff to see between Minneapolis and the Black Hills that's outside of the usual "visitors guide" kinda stuff? Is there more worth seeing to stay off the big highway (I90)? The relatives are on US 212 west of Minneapolis - I could just drive straight west on that or I see US 14, too. No hurry in this part of the trip and we are even contemplating one or 2 nights boondocking - Possibly one of eth Grassland areas, but will go to a FHU site when we spend multiple days on one spot in the Black Hills.Thanks!

Unless you like crowds, reduced menus and double priced campsites, You should avoid the Black Hills at the end of July thru the middle of August. ;-)However, it is a great time to bring your Harley and experience the Sturgis Rally!I personally would go... Anytime! The Black Hills and the surrounding area are very special.Craig

cmoecmoe wrote:Unless you like crowds, reduced menus and double priced campsites, You should avoid the Black Hills at the end of July thru the middle of August. ;-)However, it is a great time to bring your Harley and experience the Sturgis Rally!I personally would go... Anytime! The Black Hills and the surrounding area are very special.CraigYeah, we're shooting for early June. I guess I should have put that in the first post.

The terrain is pretty flat until you hit the Black Hills. So it's the river valleys that provide the most points of interest. The Minnesota River makes a slow loop from the SD border to Mpls, while the Red River meanders north along the ND border to Canada.The Missouri River crosses the middle of SD, and has recreational dams, and L&C points of interest (including at the I90 crossing).Most of the attractions on I90 seem to have arisen as a way of taking advantage of the tourist traffic headed to the Hills (and Yellowstone). Wall Drug is the most notorious example of this.I'd check for state parks, and Corp of Engineers campgrounds. And look for roads the curve. There has to be a reason why they deviate from the normal grid pattern.

the spam musemum is closed until 2016 but the store is still opened. 701 18th Ave. NW, Austin, MN 55912kinda of neat place off of I90.

Just did this in reverse this last fall. We stayed at Wall to visit Badlands (very cool to see), stayed on the Missouri in Chamberlain, and cut up through backroads to Minneapolis. There are some scenic state parks but you are also in peak mosquito season.Check out Watertown SD, great parks, lakes, and museum. Pierre is another neat option with a nice campground in town and on the river Link

Minneapolis to the Black Hills -- any suggestions?

14 Replies

edbehnke
Explorer
Jan 13, 2015
the spam musemum is closed until 2016 but the store is still opened. 701 18th Ave. NW, Austin, MN 55912

kinda of neat place off of I90.
paulj
Explorer II
Jan 13, 2015
The terrain is pretty flat until you hit the Black Hills. So it's the river valleys that provide the most points of interest. The Minnesota River makes a slow loop from the SD border to Mpls, while the Red River meanders north along the ND border to Canada.

The Missouri River crosses the middle of SD, and has recreational dams, and L&C points of interest (including at the I90 crossing).

Most of the attractions on I90 seem to have arisen as a way of taking advantage of the tourist traffic headed to the Hills (and Yellowstone). Wall Drug is the most notorious example of this.

I'd check for state parks, and Corp of Engineers campgrounds. And look for roads the curve. There has to be a reason why they deviate from the normal grid pattern.
Heavy_Metal_Doc
Explorer
Jan 13, 2015
cmoecmoe wrote:
Unless you like crowds, reduced menus and double priced campsites, You should avoid the Black Hills at the end of July thru the middle of August. ;-)

However, it is a great time to bring your Harley and experience the Sturgis Rally!

I personally would go... Anytime! The Black Hills and the surrounding area are very special.

Craig

Yeah, we're shooting for early June. I guess I should have put that in the first post.
cmoecmoe
Explorer
Jan 13, 2015
Unless you like crowds, reduced menus and double priced campsites, You should avoid the Black Hills at the end of July thru the middle of August. ;-)

However, it is a great time to bring your Harley and experience the Sturgis Rally!

I personally would go... Anytime! The Black Hills and the surrounding area are very special.

Craig

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Minneapolis to the Black Hills -- any suggestions?

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