Hello all.....I'm in the beginning stage of planning our trip for next summer. We have a total of 2 weeks to get there and back. We are 2 adults, and two kids 13 and 4 years old (and maybe my 20 year old, not sure about her yet).We will be leaving from north of the Houston area, heading up thru Kansas and Nebraska, spend some time in South Dakota, then over to Devils Tower, down into Colorado before heading home thru Amarillo. So basically a big loop. I need help figuring out what to do and how long to spend at each location. All input is greatly appreciated.My plan is to spend the first couple of days driving as far as we can to get across Kansas and Nebraska. I know this is a long drive but my kids are used to long road trips and I would rather hurry and get there and take my time exploring and heading home. I am thinking one or two nights at the KOA in Interior and explore the Badlands. Next we would head to the Blackhills where I would like to stay at Custer SP which seems to be centrally located to everything we want to see. We would like to see Rushmore, one of the caves....but which one?, Sylvan Lake, as well as the Wildlife Loop, neeldes and iron mountain road, and possibly a chuck wagon supper. Is there a certain can't miss spot I am leaving out? How many nights should we plan for this area? After time here we would take a day thru Deadwood, Spearfish Canyon and on to Devil's Tower. Is it worth a night here?The next portion of our trip takes us into Colorado. Maybe RMNP? Then the Pikes Peak area? Any and all comments and suggestions are needed and appreciated. I've been to Colorado numerous times but never South Dakota.

We spent a week up there a few years ago and did a quick visit this June on our way north. Things to see:1) Badlands NP itself. For some reason a lot of people don't like this park but we do. Just doing a drive thru won't get you much you need to get out of the vehicle and walk around.2) Minuteman Missile National Historic Site. You can get a tour of a missile silo. You get to go down in the 'hole' and see the where the crew spent their days. They have tours but maybe only once or twice a week so if you are interested check into it when you get there and make a reservation.3) Walk Drug: a tourist trap but one of the best tourist traps around. It's worth a walk thru.4) Mt Rushmore5) Custer State park to see the buffalo herds.6) Devil's Tower, best seen at sunset or sunrise. Be ready to be ripped off by the KOA outside the gate. They are the main nearby CG and they have run the charges sky high since they have a monopoly. 7) Depending on how you get there you may drive right past Custer Battleground park which is right off I-90. It's worth a couple of hours8) The Crazy Horse monument. I haven't been and most people seem to think they didn't get their money's worth out of the place.

IMHO, it's best to have a toad to get around, especially getting to Custer SP. If not there will be lots of places that you won't be able to go such as Needles. Like agesilaus mentioned, you really need to get off the beaten path in Badlands, the kids will love it and they won't even realize that they are getting exercise. At Devils Tower make sure you take binoculars and try to find the climbers. I also agree about Crazy Horse, having been I wish we would have spent more time at Mt Rushmore and skipped CH. Be sure to do one of the Ranger presentations on the history and carving of the monument.Doug

Hill City Black Hills has a 1880 steam train. Two hours of not much to see but trees. One hour down the tracks and then back up the tracks. Wish I'd of skipped it. The train looks cool, but the trip was boring.

I enjoyed Crazy Horse. For one, its private. No government support. And the profit that they make goes to scholarships for Native Americans in the area. But the best part - I was the only one that wanted to pay extra to ride to the top in a van that day. So I had my own guide telling me all about the carving. And I even got a hunk of rock from the carving to take home. I still have it. Makes a good paper weight and conversation starter.You sure can see a long way from up there.

Jim Shoe wrote:I enjoyed Crazy Horse. For one, its private. No government support. And the profit that they make goes to scholarships for Native Americans in the area. But the best part - I was the only one that wanted to pay extra to ride to the top in a van that day. So I had my own guide telling me all about the carving. And I even got a hunk of rock from the carving to take home. I still have it. Makes a good paper weight and conversation starter.You sure can see a long way from up there.X-2 on Crazy Horse. We enjoyed going, (we got lucky & was there on Crazy Horse's Birthday). The original mountain carver (can't remember his name) has the same b-day as Crazy Horse. Boy, did they ever have one more fantastic lazer show & fireworks display at dark. Happened around 1st week of Sept in 2013.

Planning our Badlands/Blackhills 2016 Trip | Good Sam Community

agesilaus
Explorer III
Aug 18, 2015
We spent a week up there a few years ago and did a quick visit this June on our way north. Things to see:

1) Badlands NP itself. For some reason a lot of people don't like this park but we do. Just doing a drive thru won't get you much you need to get out of the vehicle and walk around.
2) Minuteman Missile National Historic Site. You can get a tour of a missile silo. You get to go down in the 'hole' and see the where the crew spent their days. They have tours but maybe only once or twice a week so if you are interested check into it when you get there and make a reservation.
3) Walk Drug: a tourist trap but one of the best tourist traps around. It's worth a walk thru.
4) Mt Rushmore
5) Custer State park to see the buffalo herds.
6) Devil's Tower, best seen at sunset or sunrise. Be ready to be ripped off by the KOA outside the gate. They are the main nearby CG and they have run the charges sky high since they have a monopoly.
7) Depending on how you get there you may drive right past Custer Battleground park which is right off I-90. It's worth a couple of hours
8) The Crazy Horse monument. I haven't been and most people seem to think they didn't get their money's worth out of the place.
ddndoug
Explorer
Aug 18, 2015
IMHO, it's best to have a toad to get around, especially getting to Custer SP. If not there will be lots of places that you won't be able to go such as Needles. Like agesilaus mentioned, you really need to get off the beaten path in Badlands, the kids will love it and they won't even realize that they are getting exercise. At Devils Tower make sure you take binoculars and try to find the climbers. I also agree about Crazy Horse, having been I wish we would have spent more time at Mt Rushmore and skipped CH. Be sure to do one of the Ranger presentations on the history and carving of the monument.

Doug
longdrive
Explorer
Aug 18, 2015
Hill City Black Hills has a 1880 steam train. Two hours of not much to see but trees. One hour down the tracks and then back up the tracks. Wish I'd of skipped it. The train looks cool, but the trip was boring.
Jim_Shoe
Explorer
Aug 19, 2015
I enjoyed Crazy Horse. For one, its private. No government support. And the profit that they make goes to scholarships for Native Americans in the area. But the best part - I was the only one that wanted to pay extra to ride to the top in a van that day. So I had my own guide telling me all about the carving. And I even got a hunk of rock from the carving to take home. I still have it. Makes a good paper weight and conversation starter.
You sure can see a long way from up there.
gat75
Explorer
Aug 19, 2015
Jim Shoe wrote:
I enjoyed Crazy Horse. For one, its private. No government support. And the profit that they make goes to scholarships for Native Americans in the area. But the best part - I was the only one that wanted to pay extra to ride to the top in a van that day. So I had my own guide telling me all about the carving. And I even got a hunk of rock from the carving to take home. I still have it. Makes a good paper weight and conversation starter.
You sure can see a long way from up there.

X-2 on Crazy Horse. We enjoyed going, (we got lucky & was there on Crazy Horse's Birthday). The original mountain carver (can't remember his name) has the same b-day as Crazy Horse. Boy, did they ever have one more fantastic lazer show & fireworks display at dark. Happened around 1st week of Sept in 2013.
Rangerman40
Explorer
Aug 19, 2015
Well I just finished planning my two week trip for next summer out that way and it ended up like this:

7 days at Blue Bell campground in Custer State Park. That being our home base to see the park itself, the Badlands, Wind Cave NP, Mt. Rushmore, Devils Tower, ect...

5 nights at Fishing Bridge Campground to explore Yellowstone

2 nights at Colter Bay Campground in the Grand Tetons.
SDcampowneroper
Explorer
Aug 19, 2015
gat75 wrote:
Jim Shoe wrote:
I enjoyed Crazy Horse. For one, its private. No government support. And the profit that they make goes to scholarships for Native Americans in the area. But the best part - I was the only one that wanted to pay extra to ride to the top in a van that day. So I had my own guide telling me all about the carving. And I even got a hunk of rock from the carving to take home. I still have it. Makes a good paper weight and conversation starter.
You sure can see a long way from up there.

X-2 on Crazy Horse. We enjoyed going, (we got lucky & was there on Crazy Horse's Birthday). The original mountain carver (can't remember his name) has the same b-day as Crazy Horse. Boy, did they ever have one more fantastic lazer show & fireworks display at dark. Happened around 1st week of Sept in 2013.

The visionary and sculptor was Korshak Ziolkowski of Crazy Horse , a contemporary and fellow artist of Mt. Rushmore sculptor Gutzon Borglum.
Uppercrust
Explorer
Aug 19, 2015
Wind cave is a nice cave, especially if they still offer there candle light tour. You need to reserve this in advance, but you explore the cave like it was first done, no paths and candle in a bucket.
Tjuice
Explorer
Aug 19, 2015
I reccommend Moon's travel guide for Mt Rushmore/Black Hills. It's laid out so you cn pick a direction to explorefor the day and works well with Custer being your central base. It also has info on the caves in the area, most importantly the difficulty level of the trails. (Crawling on knees through some tight spots, going down/up 300 stairs, etc.)
We stayed in Custer for 10 days last year. It was wonderful!
I would visit Crazy Horse near dusk and stay for the laser show.
southerngirl76
Explorer
Aug 19, 2015
Thank you for all the information. It seems as though Custer SP is a good base location. Two questions remain.....

#1 how many full days in the area is enough? Would four days be enough? We would then head to Devils Tower and on to Colorado. That portion of my trip is not planned at all yet.

#2 which cave do most people prefer? I am fairly certain my kids wouldn't want to do two caves so I probably should pick one. I understand they have very different formations.

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