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
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