12 Best South Dakota National Parks and Recreational Areas

Proudly serving as the entry point to the American West, South Dakota is rich in heritage, exploration, and breathtaking scenery. It is home to a wide variety of natural wonders, including glacial lakes and plains in the state’s northeast and west, all of which are showcased in the area’s extensive network of state and national parks.

So, if you plan to visit the area, you should know that there are many wonderful parks there to explore. Don’t know where to start? We got you covered! Tune in to this article until the end to get to know the top South Dakota National Parks. 

Our Top South Dakota Park Recommendations

• Best Scenic Landscapes in South Dakota – Badlands National Park
• Best Cave Park Attraction in South Dakota – Wind Cave National Park
• Best For Outdoor Activities – Palisades State Park
• Best Largest State Park In South Dakota – Custer State Park
• Best For Water Activities – Hartford Beach State Park
• Best Historical Park In South Dakota – Mount Rushmore National Memorial
• Best Park With Underground Landscape – Jewel Cave National Monument

Best South Dakota National Parks:

1. Best Scenic Landscapes in South Dakota – Badlands National Park

When it comes to the Great Plains states, Badlands National Park receives the most visitors being one of the national parks in SD. This is due in no small part to the three million annual tourists to nearby Mount Rushmore. The park safeguards, not just the natural stone formations but also the adjacent grasslands and the wildlife that calls them home.

Buttes and spires are two types of rock formations that occurred due to deposition and erosion in Badlands National Park. The park’s rocks date back as far as 75 million years.  They started to deteriorate about 500,000 years ago due to wind and water erosion. This is to say that the formation of the craggy pinnacles and other features we see now only took 500 thousand years.

The park sees the most visitors in June, July, and August, but the best time to go is in late August or early September. There are fewer visitors and cooler weather in the late summer and early fall. If you plan to stay longer, Badlands Budget host and Badlands Frontier Cabins are some of the highly-rated accommodations near the area.

Activities you can enjoy in the park:

• An exciting tour of the Big Badlands Overlook, the Ben Reifel Visitor Center, and the Fossil Exhibit Trailhead
• Stargazing when you decide to stay the night.
• See the fossil beds off Highway 240 in South Dakota by taking the Badlands Loop Road.
• Spotting wild animals

2. Best Cave Park Attraction in South Dakota – Wind Cave National Park

Wind Cave National Park, in the Black Hills Forest, features two distinct environments. Prairie grass as well as forested hills characterize the scenery above ground, while a vast cave network lies hidden below. Wind Cave national park is one of the longest cave systems in the United States, with over 140 miles of explored passages.

The little elevation or lowering of atmospheric pressure at the cave’s undeveloped, organic entrance is the inspiration for this national park’s name. The only way to see the magnificent tunnels of this underground maze is on one of the several ranger-led tours available. Nearly any day of the year, you can take a tour here.

To reach the Wind Cave National Park, most guided tours use an elevator down 12 stories. Once inside, they follow a cement trail illuminated by electric lights that were installed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s. 

Cave speleothems or formations are abundant and can be seen in dark crevices and under high ceilings along any route.  Boxwork formation is the most distinctive speleothem in Wind Cave national park and can only be found in this cave. After the cave exploration in this national park, you can then stay at the Stay USA Hotel and Suites.

Activities you can enjoy in the park:

• Cave Tour in the Wind Cave national park
• Wander one of wind cave’s wonderful trails
• Camping at the Elk Mountain Campground in the wind cave national park

Related: Epic Must-See National Parks in Montana

3. Best For Outdoor Activities- Palisades State Park

Address: 25491 485th Ave, Garretson, SD 57030, United States

One of the places in South Dakota that stands out for its singular character is Palisades State Park. The stretch of Split Rock Creek that runs through the park is flanked on either side by Sioux quartzite formations that range from towering cliffs to shelves that are just a few feet above the water’s surface.

Palisades is a well-known vacation destination due to its breathtaking vistas and lively waterfalls. Campers, photographers, tourists, people interested in sightseeing, picnickers, rock climbers, and hikers frequent the park.

These stunning Sioux quartzite formations are also traversed by four different hiking paths that wind and turn around the area. Rock climbers put their climbing and rappelling skills to the test on the cliffs and formations that can be seen at the park.

Activities you can enjoy in the park:

• Golfing
• Camping
• Biking on park roads
• Bird watching
• Geocaching

4. Best Largest State Park In South Dakota – Custer State Park

Address: 13438 US Highway 16A, Custer, SD 57730, United States

Custer State Park is one of the biggest South Dakota national parks, covering over 71,000 acres of Black Hills National Forest. In addition to its beautiful landscapes, diverse animals, and breathtaking geology, Custer State Park is a popular destination for visitors to South Dakota.

It is a multifaceted destination worthy of several days of exploration, whether you’re in search of scenic drives, fishing holes, or South Dakota’s finest campsites. Sylvan Lake is a must-see, and the Needles Highway is a beautiful route going there. Additionally, tourists love keeping a lookout for buffalo along the 18-mile Wildlife Loop Road and participating in naturalist programs at the Peter Norbeck Outdoor Education Center.

Harnessed rope and harness climbing of the park’s granite spires is another popular pastime. Various interpretive events are available in Custer, such as chuckwagon cookouts supervised by knowledgeable rangers. Wildlife viewing, cross-country skiing, and a stay at the cozy Creekside Lodge and the Hermosa Home with Blackhills View, Gas Grill, and Deck! will surely complete your stay.

Activities you can enjoy in the park:

• Explore the Needles highway and tunnel
• Enjoy the wildlife road loop
• Picnics at the man-made Sylvan lake
• Hiking at the Black Elk Trail

5. Best For Water Activities – Hartford Beach State Park

Address: 13672 Hartford Beach Road, Corona, South Dakota

The magnificent stretch of the Warren River, known as Big Stone Lake, defines Hartford Beach State Park, which is located in the glacial lake region of the northeastern part of South Dakota. Visitors can engage in a wide variety of water-based adventures, such as fishing, boating, and swimming at a sandy beach in one of the best South Dakota national parks. Outdoor enthusiasts are drawn to the park by its variety of hiking paths which totals five, and its disc golf course, with nine total holes.

The Village View Trail is a hike that is both highly interesting and easily accessible, making it suitable for people of all ages to do while they are at Hartford Beach State Park. This informative walk offers visitors a view of American Indian Mounds as well as an insight into a way of life that extends back far deeper than our own.

Over eighty of the campsites in Hartford Beach State Park’s campground are equipped with electricity, and the park also provides camper cottages that can be used for overnight stays. You may also opt to stay at the Peaceful Clinton Retreat with Lakefront Views located near the area.

Activities you can enjoy in the park:

• Camping at their campgrounds
• Disc Golf and Fishing Pole checkout.
• Geocaching
• Biking on the  park roads
• Cross-country Skiing and Ski Rental

6. Best Historical Park In South Dakota – Mount Rushmore National Memorial

Address: 13000 SD-244, Keystone, South Dakota

Mount Rushmore is undoubtedly one of the natural attractions that bring in the most visitors to South Dakota. This iconic portrait of former presidents, which is maintained as a National Memorial by the National Park Service, is worthy of the millions of tourists who see it each year.

Other visitor attractions at the National Memorial include a Sculptor’s Studio and a half-mile interpretative walk in addition to the gigantic carving that was done into the slope of the Black Hills. Admission to the Mount Rushmore National Memorial is free, although parking has a small fee. The memorial is open all year. However, the hours it is open change depending on the season.

As one of the best South Dakota national parks, this park can only be visited during the day. In addition to the top campgrounds near Mount Rushmore, a trip here can be more exciting by taking advantage of the many other outdoor activities available in the Black Hills, which are located nearby.

Activities you can enjoy in the park:

• Explore the Sculptor’s Studio and the Lincoln Borglum Museum
• Tour the Hiking trails and the Avenue of Flags
• Junior Ranger Programs for kids
• Interpretive ranger-led activities
• Evening Sculpture Lighting Ceremony

7. Best Park With Underground Landscape – Jewel Cave National Monument

Address: 11149 US-16 B-12, Custer, SD 57730, United States

Over 208 miles of underground channels have been laid out within Jewel Cave National Monument. As one of the best South Dakota national parks and the third-longest cave in the world, you will love to headfirst into the delicate structures and brilliant flashes of color. This crowning achievement is one of the most well-known national monuments in the Great Plains and welcomes visitors of any age.

Since its discovery in 2021, more than 208 kilometers of the cave’s interior have been mapped and investigated. Due to the fact that there is still more of the cave that needs to be explored and documented, it is considered to be one of the last frontiers in the globe.

Visitors to Jewel Cave can take part in a guided tour to discover the underground world.  There are a total of four different tour options available to pick from, and these include scenic tours, discovery tours, and tours with historic lanterns. During the historic light tour, guests may have the opportunity to encounter bats. It is highly recommended that you bring along a jacket and shoes that are comfortable for walking in because the cave is 49 degrees Fahrenheit. 

The park is open all year; however, hours change according to the season. But if you plan to stay longer, Elk Ridge Fire Place Custer is the nearby place to take some rest. 

Activities you can enjoy in the park:

• Hike inside the cave and the Canyons Trail
• Guided Cave Tours
•  Wildflower and wildlife viewing 
• Jewel Cave Ranger Programs 

8. Best National Historic Trail – Good Earth State Park

Address: 26924 480th Avenue, Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Despite the fact that Good Earth State Park is a more recent addition to the South Dakota State Park system, the region where the park is located has been inhabited for quite some time. Good Earth State Park, which is a component of the broader Blood Run National Historic Landmark, pays homage to one of the earliest areas on the continent where human history has been documented. This is one of the national parks near Sioux falls SD and one of the best South Dakota national parks.

The land that is now Good Earth State Park at Blood Run was originally a major trading hub and meeting spot for the Oneota peoples, including the Omaha, Ponca, and Ioway tribes, back in the pre-colonial periods. Today, the park is named after the nearby blood run.

The park has a visitor center that is 11,000 square feet in size, and inside it, you can discover more about the native tribes that once inhabited the area. The interactive exhibits at this state-of-the-art Visitor Center showcase historic antiques as well as lifelike reconstructions of Oneota culture.

The Visitor Center is the starting point for a network of hiking paths that cover a combined distance of six miles and take hikers through both woodland and prairie. If you decide to stay the night, Grand Falls Casino & Golf Resort and the Friendly Falls Staycation are some of the highly-rated accommodations near the area.

Activities you can enjoy in the park:

• Biking on the park roads
• Binocular and Hammock Checkout
• Geocaching
• Lawn Game Checkout.
• Tour the Museum and the Visitor Center

9. Best Historical Park – Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail

To honor the Lewis and Clark Expedition, which took place between 1803 and 1806, with the goal of preserving historical, natural, and cultural treasures in the United States, the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail was established. You might be able to guess why this trail was established.

This national historic trail is approximately 4,900 miles long and passes through the states of Kansas, Nebraska, Montana, Idaho, Pennsylvania, Iowa, South Dakota, North Dakota, Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Washington, and Oregon. 

The trail crosses the state of South Dakota by following the route of the Missouri River as it proceeds in a northwesterly direction. Although it would be a lot of work to try to follow the full trail, there are some spots of interest along the way that are worth visiting if you happen to be in the area.

The visitor centers and museums located along the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail have varying hours of operation and are open throughout different seasons. The entrance costs to these landmarks and museums are likewise variable.

Activities you can enjoy in the park:

• Bike through the woods and across the fields.
• Raft the Missouri River’s turbulent whitewater 
• Canoe the serene section of the Yankton Sioux’s home state of South Dakota.
• Skis or snowshoes in the winter.

10. Best Park For Religious and Ceremonial Events – Bear Butte State Park

Address: N Highway 79, Sturgis, South Dakota

Bear Butte State Park and the mountain that gives the park its name continue to be places of cultural significance for the indigenous peoples of South Dakota. The park may be found to the north of the Black Hills National Forest, close to the motorcycle-friendly city of Sturgis.

Bear Butte towers over the surrounding topography by more than a thousand feet, earning it the name Mato Pahu, which translates to “Bear Mountain.” At the peak of the holy mountain, there is a trail that extends for 1.85 miles and offers views that other vantage points cannot match.

Bear Butte is also the location of many contemporary American Indian religious and ceremonial events. It is also home to wandering herds of buffalo. Every visitor to this one-of-a-kind state park in South Dakota is expected to show respect for the area and the religious observances there.

The mountain is separated from Highway 79 by a state park that features a rustic campground with 15 usable sites. The campground is located close to the water’s edge of Bear Butte Lake.

Activities you can enjoy in the park:

• Boating and  Fishing 
• Historical Interest · 
• Horseback Riding 
• Tour the Museum and the visitor Center 
• Picnicking 
• Hiking on the park roads

Related: Epic Must-See National Parks in Montana

11. Best Park To Know About American History – Minuteman Missile National Historic Site

Address: 24545 CottonWood Rd, Philip, SD 57567, United States 

Minuteman Missile National Historic Site is one of South Dakota’s lesser-known but interesting National Parks. It first opened its doors in 1999. The site is significant because it preserves a piece of the Minuteman II ICBM system, a key component of the United States Cold War security strategy.

It was in the 1960s that the United States first put into action the system that would become known as the Minuteman II ICBM, whose purpose was to deliver a swift and destructive retaliation to a nuclear strike on the United States. The purpose of creating the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site was to preserve a piece of this Cold War relic and to teach people about the significance of the Minuteman missile system.

Guided tours as well as ranger-led programs are available at this site, along with a rebuilt missile silo, visitor center, and museum. Today, Minuteman Missile National Historic Site is a poignant reminder of America’s role in the Cold War and the decisions that were made that had far-reaching consequences. If you want to continue your tour on the second day, Days Inn by Wyndham Wall is one of the nearest places you can stay near the place.

Activities you can enjoy in the park:

• The Mobile Tour
• The Delta 01 Launch Control Facility
• Explore the visitor center and the bookstore

12. Best Woodland Environment – Newton Hills State Park

Address: 28767 482nd Ave, Canton, South Dakota

A little more than 1,000 acres of undulating hills and lush forest make up Newton Hills State Park, which is located in the southeastern region of the state and approximately 30 miles south of Sioux Falls. In this South Dakota national park, visitors come from near and far all year round to take in the park’s breathtaking views of the surrounding forest.

Most of the trails at Newton Hills are multi-use, meaning that hikers, cyclists, and horse riders can enjoy them all. Six miles of Blue Diamond multi-use trails are spread out around the region.

Each year, the region is visited by around 200 different species of birds. In addition to squirrels and red and gray foxes, the park is home to white-tailed deer, wild turkeys, marmots, red foxes, and gray foxes.

Bow hunting is permitted in the park every year from 1st October through 30th April. The hunters will not utilize the high-traffic zones located close to the hiking trails. Both weapons and bows, without cases, are prohibited from being brought into the campground or picnic areas.

When winter arrives, the distinctive grassland plateau that is Newton Hills transforms into an exciting location that may be explored on snowshoes and cross-country skis. And the fun doesn’t have to be confined to a single day, and with more than one hundred campsites accessible, this state park in the eastern part of South Dakota is the ideal location for setting up a tent and staying for a while. You can also stay at nearby hotel accommodations like the GrandStay Hotel & Suites Rock Valley, and the Heartland Hotel & Suites.

Activities you can enjoy in the park:

• Basketball and Basketball Checkout.
• Bicycle Rental and Biking on the trails
• Cross-country Skiing.
• Fishing Pole Checkout.
• Floating Water Mat Rental.
• Geocaching.

Frequently Asked Questions