Black Hills, SD

We did Texas to Rushmore, to Tetons this past summer. We stayed at Legion Lake Campground in Custer State Park. It was a great location central to most of the attractions in the area, and a very nice, clean park!!

Be sure to take the Needles Rd drive!! Lots of fun!!

Mark

WICampers wrote:
If we spent one night in a hotel in Spearfish and then 2 nights at Stockade Lake (Custer State Park) or another private campground, do you think that would be sufficient or is another night needed? My husband and I were in the area in 2011 and this time we are traveling with a 6 year old. We will most likely take in Reptile Gardens and do some driving taking in the scenery and wild life.

With a 6 year old I think the southern part of the Black Hills would better for more animals in Custer State Park, Reptile Gardens and maybe McDonalds Farm (petting zoo haven't been there) and other attractions not to forget Crazy Horse. Hill City is somewhat more central to the above attractions but Custer State Park is the only campground where one can find a buffalo at their doorstep (not at all campgrounds) in the am. Spearfish has a campground called Chris Camp and did have some baby animals but not sure as it has been awhile since I was there. Spearfish also has the fish hatchery (nice place) and a lot of fish to see. I left out some attractions like Mt Rushmore and Spearfish Canyon just because as I remember a couple of 6 year olds they could give a hoot about the scenery but remembers the animals. I need to add the Chuck Wagon dinner out of The Bluebell Resort at Custer State Park good wagon ride pulled by a pick up with singing or The Jeep Rides at the park.

Most of this you can lookup on the internet and be sure to reserve as the Hills get full fast.

Now for the disclaimer I have volunteered in the Black Hills for 4.5 summers and will return this summer in the southern hills but I think a child would like that more than some of the other attractions.

JimR

WICampers wrote:
If we spent one night in a hotel in Spearfish and then 2 nights at Stockade Lake (Custer State Park) or another private campground, do you think that would be sufficient or is another night needed? My husband and I were in the area in 2011 and this time we are traveling with a 6 year old. We will most likely take in Reptile Gardens and do some driving taking in the scenery and wild life.

Why the hotel? Spearfish City Campground is one of the nicest in the area. The city park, and the D.C. Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery & Archives, adjoins the campground and park, and there is another small city park about a block away. The campground is full hookup and right in town, so pizza places and other fine dining (for a 6 year old) is just a few blocks away if you don't want to cook at the campground. The CG also has very decent showers and restrooms (with 6 or 8 shower stall/dressing areas) on each side. Its a great campground and park to spend the evening unwinding after a day of sightseeing/museums/touring/etc, especially for a 6 year old. I saw people walking around the fish pools at the hatchery at all hours of the evening, watching the fish.

Warning, you must enter the campground from the town, you cannot enter from the Alt US14/Spearfish Canyon Hwy side, Google Maps shows the road going all the way thru, and many GPS's will try to take you this way, but take exit 12 off the interstate and drive thru town. Coming in the back way will take you to a dead end with no turnaround.

Spearfish is a great place to base out of to see Devils Tower, Spearfish Canyon (though I don't think a 6 yo will appreciate its beauty) and Deadwood (which is all hotels and casinos now, sadly).

The museums such as The Journey in Rapid City, The High Plains Western Heritage Museum in Spearfish, are places a 6 yo will enjoy.

Do not miss the train ride in Hill City/Keystone, this is something that a 6 yo will remember for a long time. (hint, do not take the first trip of the day, as it is run with a diesel locomotive, the other trips are run with the steam engines, which is what you want).

Moving south don't make the same mistake I did, drive the wildlife loop in Custer in the late evening, shortly before dark, as that is when the wildlife will be out. I drove it in the afternoon and saw nearly nothing. Not sure what you will see as the fires in December burned over this area.

It sounds as if you are very limited on time (which I understand) so hit the high points that a 6 yo will enjoy and leave the rest for later trips.

Links to the train, museums, Spearfish Campground, and a few other things are found in my trip report thread HERE.

Charles


Click For Full-Size Image.

We stayed at Stockade Lake South 2 summers ago and loved it. It is one of their smaller campgrounds so you might be limited length wise, but it worked perfectly for us. We were in site #16. The bath/shower facilities were kept clean, it was just a few miles from Custer so easy to run into town for provisions.

Wife said last night she'd like to go back this year, but she'd have to start preparing mentally now for the long drive from Texas....but everything is.

There is an incredible amount of things to see/do so you really won't scratch the surface with just being there a couple of days. We were there a week and still left enough to see to warrant a return trip.

If you're traveling with kids, you can easily spend an entire day at Evans Plunge Mineral Springs swimming pool in Hot Springs SD.

We were in Yellowstone/JH a few years back as well. Yellowstone was cool for what it is, but we REALLY enjoyed the Tetons and JH area ALOT more. If you can swing it, I recommend taking a horseback trail ride. Try finding one that is at least 3 hours minimum, the longer the better.

Also take the ferry at Jenny Lake and hike up to Inspiration Point, see the barns on Mormon Row, walk the downtown square, etc.

In all actuality, either place could be considered a sole destination trip, and trying to split up one trip into two awesome places will be doing a disservice to both of them.

I also have stayed a Beaver Lake campground. Very convenient to a lot of sites in the area. Owner is very friendly and helpful, and also a member of this forum.
They have nice sites and water slides and a pool for the kids if that is important. Most of the sites were nice and shaded and bathhouses were updated and clean any time we used them.
Also as has been stated you could spend months in this beautiful area if you have the time. What are you interested in?

Films? Geography? History?

Parts of How the west was won, Hidalgo, several episodes of Gunsmoke, Bury my heart at wounded Knee. Many other well and lesser known films.

The Black Hills are geologically unique in the world. The badlands are the result of fantastically swift erosion from the then 19000' high hills into that then 2000' lower inland sea.

History is an other aspect that had, has a massive impact on what makes America. The black hills gold rush led to the great indian wars, to massacres, broken treaties on both sides to inequality that exists to this day.

To see the Black Hills, to take with you an iota of understanding ? Plan on months. I dont have it all after 45 years.

Movies that I know of that were actually filmed there were Dances With Wolves, and National Treasuer 2 Book Of Secrets. I’m sure there are some more, but those are the most recent that I know of.

Edit, The Revenant and Thunderheart.

If we spent one night in a hotel in Spearfish and then 2 nights at Stockade Lake (Custer State Park) or another private campground, do you think that would be sufficient or is another night needed? My husband and I were in the area in 2011 and this time we are traveling with a 6 year old. We will most likely take in Reptile Gardens and do some driving taking in the scenery and wild life.

Dick_B wrote:
Take one or more of the bus tours and see more and leave the driving to others. What movie was filmed in the Black Hills?

“North by Northwest”. Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint, James Mason, Martin Landau.

Dick_B wrote:
Take one or more of the bus tours and see more and leave the driving to others. What movie was filmed in the Black Hills?

The Black Hills was the setting for "Calamity Jane" with Doris Day and Howard Keel (look it up on YouTube). Doris Day sings "The Black Hills of Dakota" in the movie.

I know there are others that have their setting there too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p59nrGixAYY

http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=19224

Dances with Wolves was also filmed there.