9 Close-Knit Towns To Visit In South Dakota
South Dakota, a diverse doubly landlocked Midwestern State and the 40th State to be ceremoniously admitted to the Union is acclaimed for its rolling prairies, scraggy Badlands, lush woodlands, serpentine waterways, and monumental mountains. Even though holidayers from all around the globe are charmed by the state’s urban metropolises Sioux Falls and Rapid City, as well as the assorted buildings of historical importance, the numberless closely allied settlements peppering the Mount Rushmore State’s 75,811 sq. mi terrain flawlessly provide a glimpse into South Dakota’s eventful past, booming Native American customs, open-air activities, and tourism-focused lifestyle.
Custer
Set up by European Americans in 1875, ensuing gold discovery in French Creek, Custer occupies the kernel of the state’s southern Black Hills, nearly 40 miles southwest of Rapid City. This administrative center of Custer County, thanks to its handy location near favorite tourist magnets such as the Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Jewel Cave National Monument, Crazy Horse Memorial, Wind Cave National Park, and Custer State Park, serves as an impeccable layover station for any South Dakota holiday. The 1,919-inhabitant town’s Main Street is also stuffed with premium diners and brews like The Canteen at Custer Beacon, Black Hills Burger & Bun Co., and The Custer Wolf- Food & Drink.
Dell Rapids
Primarily called Dell City and renamed after the local cataracts on the Big Sioux River, this adorable town in Minnehaha County is situated just 20 minutes north of Sioux Falls. Bynamed “The Little City with the Big Attractions,” Dell Rapids welcomes voyagers to take note of the phenomenal downtown reconstructed using Sioux Quartzite and dozens of old buildings like the Grand Opera House and Carnegie Public Library lining the town’s cardinal financial hub. Plus, both sightseers and residents get to engage in a slew of recreations at the Sioux River Red Rock Trail and the different city parks besides attending entertaining fiestas like ‘Quarry Days’, ‘Easter Egg Hunt’, ‘Cootie Days’, and ‘Christmas at the Dells’ hosted by the town.
Lead
An enthralling alpine town in western South Dakota’s Lawrence County, Lead is situated in the Northern Black Hills close to the state boundary with Wyoming. The town is far-famed for housing the Homestead Mine - the Western Hemisphere’s most expansive and deepest gold mine. Spanning a significant proportion of the town, the 580-acre Lead Historic District comprises more than 400 classic properties. While on a vacay to Lead, the Black Hills Mining Museum, George S. Mickelson Trail, Sanford Lab Homestake Visitor Center, and Historic Homestake Opera House & Recreation Building should not be missed. Daring individuals must advance straight to the manmade Sheridan Lake for fishing and swimming and Spearfish Canyon for rock climbing activities.
Deadwood
Deadwood, named after the ‘dead trees’ sited in a gorge formed by Whitewood Creek in the Northern Black Hills, is located in Lawrence County immediately northeast of Lead. Recognized for the scrupulously preserved Gold Rush-era structures, the complete town was designated a ‘National Historic Landmark District’ in 1961. Tourers can take a stroll through the streets where Wild West legends footed in the past and drop by the tourist lures like Days of ’76 Museum, Mount Moriah Cemetery, Homestake Adams Research & Cultural Center, and Adams House Museum. The encircling Black Hills National Forest provides plethoric hiking, mountain biking, skiing, horseback riding, and snowmobiling opportunities.
Hill City
Dubbed “Heart of the Hills” owing to the town’s placement at the geographic core of the Black Hills, this oldest existing city of Pennington County is located approx. 26 miles southwest of Rapid City. A quick drive from this 872-inhabitant town provides sightseers mind-boggling views of the Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Custer State Park, Cathedral Spires, Crazy Horse Memorial, Black Elk Peak, and the George S. Mickelson Trail. Similarly, the Black Hills Museum of Natural History, Wade’s Gold Mill & Mining Museum, CCC Museum of South Dakota, South Dakota Railroad Museum, and 1880 Train/Black Hills Central Railroad are some unmissable attractions. Furthermore, check out the town’s prospering creative arts scene featuring Western-themed art galleries like ArtForms Gallery, Jon Crane Gallery & Custom Framing, and annual art events such as Arts & Crafts Fair, Art Extravaganza, and Native American quilt show.
Pierre
Pierre, the state capital and Hughes County’s seat of government, sits atop craggy river bluffs by the side of the eastern shores of the Missouri River at South Dakota’s geographic center. Christened in honor of Pierre Chouteau Jr. - an American merchant and affluent fur trader, the town in conjunction with its sister city Fort Pierre, which is placed right across the Missouri River, mesmerizes tourists with incredible vistas of the surroundings and abundant recreation opportunities. When in town, the State Capitol building, South Dakota Cultural Heritage Center, Fort Pierre National Grassland, South Dakota National Guard Museum, Museum of the South Dakota State Historical Society, South Dakota Discovery Center & Aquarium, and Farm Island State Recreation Area are must-visits. Created due to the Oahe Dam’s construction, Lake Oahe - the fourth-largest manmade reservoir in the nation, is just a couple of miles north of Pierre and offers hiking, fishing, boating, camping, and picnicking activities.
Keystone
A teeny settlement in Pennington County’s Black Hills region, Keystone is home to only 240 inhabitants as per the latest US Census. Initially founded in 1883 as a mining community and labeled after a local mine, the town has metamorphosed over the years into a prominent ‘resort town’ housing several family-centric recreation destinations, including the Rush Mountain Adventure Park, Keystone Historical Museum, Black Hills Central Railroad, Big Thunder Gold Mine, and National Presidential Wax Museum. In addition to being an entryway to the Mount Rushmore National Memorial, sightseers can also survey the adjoining Black Hills National Forest as well as multitudinous antique stores like Holy Terror Antiques, gift shops like Dahl’s Chainsaw Art, old-time portrait studios like Goodtyme Photo, and small pubs & restaurants like Halley’s West and Carvers’ Café.
Sturgis
Baptized after the American Civil War Union General Samuel Davis Sturgis, this Meade County seat is set along Bear Butte Creek on the Black Hills National Forest’s northeastern edge, around 25 miles northwest of Rapid City. Sturgis’s inviting downtown is jam-packed with numerous landmark structures, antique furniture stores like Prairie Emporium, boutiques like Just For Looks Boutique, gift shops like Sturgis Photo & Gifts, and top-notch eateries like Uncle Louie’s Diner serving appetizing cuisines. Explorers must stop by the Fort Meade Recreation Area, Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame, Bear Butte State Park, Poker Alice House, and Black Hills National Cemetery, or experience the multiple zigzags of the Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway, Needles Highway, and Iron Mountain Road. Every August, the seven-day-long Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, considered one of the world’s largest motorcycle events, lures motorcycle fanatics from worldwide to partake in races, concerts, and cycle shows.
Vermillion
This Clay County administrative capital is situated in the state’s southeastern corner, close to the junction of the Vermillion and Missouri Rivers, exactly north of the South Dakota-Nebraska state boundary. Aside from the tranquil campus of the University of South Dakota, vacationers touring this archetypal college town get to observe thousands of exquisite musical instruments from different traditions and bygone eras displayed at the internationally recognized National Music Museum. Additionally, acquire knowledge about the town’s distant past at the W.H. Over Museum and Austin-Whittemore House and laud the colorful murals in the downtown business district. Adventurous souls can camp at Clay County Park, kayak on the Missouri River, hike to the Spirit Mound Historic Prairie pinnacle, splash down at the Prentis Aquatic Center, and play some golf at Bluffs Golf Course. Yearly take some time off to partake in the South Dakota Shakespeare Festival and the University of South Dakota Wacipi (powwow).
From the Black Hills’ oldest town - Custer to the ‘Heart of the Hills’ - Hill City, each tightly knit community in the country’s 5th least populous and 17th largest state offers unique experiences for every visitor. Boasting unimaginable natural landscapes, noteworthy time-honored edifices, nonpareil attractions, intimate food joints serving mouthwatering fare, and a wide variety of outdoor pursuits, these less-explored South Dakota towns are ideal locales to nurture togetherness with loved ones.
