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

southerngirl76
Explorer
Aug 19, 2015
Rangerman40 wrote:
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.

You're trip sounds wonderful!

I wish we could add Yellowstone to this trip but we simply don't have enough time. We are going to spend some time in Colorado on the route back to Texas. However we did discuss Yellowstone/Tetons/Glacier for a future trip.
lbrjet
Explorer
Aug 19, 2015
More formations in Jewel. Get there by 8:30 am otherwise can be a long wait. We did both caves last week. We are at the Interior KOA right now at be aware that there is no cell service. Not a big deal, but it surprised us.
hitchup
Explorer
Aug 19, 2015
We did nearly the whole month of June, leaving GA with a 14 yo GD, heading to the Oregon Coast, up into WA and over to SD.

We spent 2n in Sturgis to do Laundry and see Deadwood before we headed to Rapid City for Reservations. But we should have stayed at the KOA outside of Devil's Tower on our way to Sturgis from Little Big Horn, MT instead of backtracking. But it was worth it just for a day trip.

Day 1) We went to Days of '76 Museum in Deadwood, and walked around town. It was mostly Bars and not much to see or many places to eat. So went to historic Fort Meade. Very small museum.

Day 2) Devil's Tower and then headed straight to Rapid City RV Park

Day 3) Mt Rushmore, we walked around the loop and then headed over to Crazy Horse. I almost liked Crazy Horse better. Easier to park and while we didn't get as close, they had a good restaurant onsite.

Day 4) Went to Bear Country USA, after Ziplining in Keystone, then the Reptile Gardens. DH and GD did the Keystone Zip Line, quick, but worth the $'s.

Day 5) Wall Drug was a nice diversion heading home. We spent an hour walking around, ate Lunch, then continued to the Loop through the Badlands. From there we spent the night in Mitchell, but didn't need to see the Corn Palace.
southerngirl76
Explorer
Aug 19, 2015
Thank you to all who have responded so far. This is giving me a much better idea of things. I have another question.....this one regarding the chuckwagon suppers. I've done some checking and it looks as if there are three to choose from.

1. Fort Hays
2. Circle B
3. The chuckwagon supper at Custer State Park

We only want to do one. Does anyone have any insight on these three?
Kevin_B_
Explorer
Aug 19, 2015
If you visit Devil's Tower, skip the KOA and stay at Keyhole State Park just to the west in Pine Haven. It's a very nice park. You can see Devil's Tower from parts of the park.

Kevin B.
Uppercrust
Explorer
Aug 19, 2015
We did the adventure park in Keystone, awesome! Then we went to to Mount Rushmore and stayed for the night lighting ceremony.
SDcampowneroper
Explorer
Aug 20, 2015
southerngirl76 wrote:
Thank you to all who have responded so far. This is giving me a much better idea of things. I have another question.....this one regarding the chuckwagon suppers. I've done some checking and it looks as if there are three to choose from.

1. Fort Hays
2. Circle B
3. The chuckwagon supper at Custer State Park

We only want to do one. Does anyone have any insight on these three?

There's a new one. Call Jill or Allen at 605 - 393-5555 or the Custer Chamber of Commerce about the new show.
dverstra
Explorer
Aug 21, 2015
Here is another spot to consider.
Mammoth Site in Hot Springs.
http://mammothsite.com/
Kentucky_Joe
Explorer
Aug 22, 2015
IMHO I would skip Wall Drugs, the Corn Palace and the train ride, since you don't have a lot of time. We needed one day at the Badlands. One afternoon and evening at Mount Rushmore.(We visited the museum and took a ranger led tour.) One day at Crazy Horse.(they had a rodeo going on) and saw the lazor show at night. We needed one day for Lead, Hill City, and Deadwood. (Gun fight, bus tour in cemetery, museum, gold mine.) We spent one day over in Spearfish. One whole day in Custer Park. We went to Jewel Cave one morning. Devils Tower was a couple hours for us. We spent nine nights in Hill City and had plenty to keep us busy.

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