Photos courtesy of Allison Kaplan
South Dakota Badlands
Good times in the Badlands
My Minnesota childhood was born of Dayton’s and the Lincoln Del restaurant. Roughing it meant an ice cream cone consumed outside, near the Lake Harriet Band Shell. Road trips in the family Honda took us to desolate cities such as Madison and Chicago and once to Des Moines, where we stayed at a Hilton.
I like to think of myself as somewhat more outdoorsy than my endearingly urbane parents. I’ve whitewater rafted the Colorado River and ziplined through the rainforest in Costa Rica. (I barely cried!) So when my husband and I were thinking about options for an affordable summer trip with our boys, then ages 8 and 11, I looked westward, across the plains, to the Black Hills of South Dakota. It struck me as the American road trip I couldn’t believe I’d never taken, particularly as a native Midwesterner living within a day’s drive of Mount Rushmore.
“Mom, why didn’t you ever take us to Mount Rushmore?” I asked one day in the throes of travel planning.
“We took you to Martha’s Vineyard!” she said. “And Paris.”
Fair enough. But reading travelogues, I realized South Dakota offered more than a road to a monument. The journey would be filled with natural wonder (the Badlands, breathtaking as they rise from the prairies, contain one of the world’s richest fossil beds), outdoor activity (hiking, horseback riding, camping), and, of course, American history.
And so, my family unit of four set out for lands unseen by our ancestors. By the third day of texting snapshots to my mother at home in Edina, she and my father were miffed. “Why didn’t you take us to South Dakota?!”
Everything went wonderfully right on this road trip, thanks to good planning (and low expectations). Of course, my family history influenced more than a few decisions, like opting for an air-conditioned cabin over a tent at Custer State Park. It’s important to know your limits.
So here it is: an urban cowgirl’s road-tested itinerary for the ultimate South Dakota experience.
Mitchell Corn Palace
Mitchell Corn Palace
Day 1
Mitchell Corn Palace
We left the Twin Cities at dawn with the goal of powering 300 miles to Mitchell, South Dakota, by lunchtime. We toured “The World’s Only Corn Palace,” a crop art–decorated expo hall built a century ago to promote local agriculture. Today, a half-million tourists a year take “corny” selfies in front of murals made with actual corn. Tour complete in about 30 minutes, we headed across the street to the Bread and Batter take-out stand for toasted waffle sandwiches, which we enjoyed at a picnic table on the plaza with a palace view. We were back on the road in an hour, having gotten what we needed out of our time in Mitchell. $8–$10 sandwiches, 417 N. Main St., Suite 104, Mitchell, S.D., 605-990-3990, facebook.com
Circle View Guest Ranch
By late afternoon, sandy peaks and canyons appeared out of nowhere. We’d made it to the Badlands. We felt compelled to stop the car at every scenic overlook, each one seeming more incredible than the last. Just six miles past the heart of Badlands National Park, we arrived at Circle View, a bed and breakfast on a cattle ranch. Before we checked in, the proprietors’ three sun-kissed kids (in cowboy boots and shorts) had already recruited my wide-eyed boys (in Nikes) to collect eggs at the chicken coop for the next morning’s literally farm-fresh breakfast. We could not have chosen warmer, more authentic accommodations. Rooms with two beds and a private bath start at $160 a night during high season and include a ranch breakfast; bunkhouse berths cost $80; 20055 E. Hwy. 44, Interior, S.D., 605-433-5582, circleviewranch.com
Badlands National Park
We pulled the kids off the ranch—where they would have happily stayed to play in the barn—so we could set out on a sunset hike along Notch Trail. (Reminder: This was still the same day we woke up in our beds at home!) We finished the one-and-a-half-mile loop in time to catch a spectacular pink sunset behind the sand formations.
Day 2
Wall Drug Store
You can’t avoid this South Dakota landmark less than an hour west of the Badlands, so embrace the kitsch. Before you set foot inside, set a time limit and a budget in order to avoid meltdowns. Take photos on the giant jackalope out back. Wander through the souvenir shops (yes, plural). Eat if you’re hungry, but the billboards along I-90 are more memorable than the food. Drink the free ice water—it’s tradition. Just follow the signs.
Blue Bell Lodge
My ideal family vacation involves sweat and physical exertion by day, air conditioning and clean sheets by night. But a generic hotel didn’t feel right, so we splurged on a log cabin rental within Custer State Park in the Black Hills. And for us, it was worth it. We strolled the woods, read books on the porch, made s’mores over our own campfire (pro tip: pick up supplies before entering the park!), and enjoyed a lovely dinner on the patio of the Blue Bell Lodge Dining Room. Overnight cabins with two beds (sleeping four people) start at $240 a night, 25453 S. Hwy. 87, Custer, S.D., 888-875-0001, custerresorts.com
South Dakota
Buffalo in Custer State Park
Day 3
Blue Bell Lodge Stables
We set out on a horseback ride from the stables, just a short walk from our cabin. The guided ride took us along peaceful, scenic trails we wouldn’t have discovered on foot.
Sylvan Lake
Another favorite stop within Custer State Park—and there are many—is the Sylvan Lake area. Here, we attempted to climb the Harney Peak Trail and still felt accomplished when we settled for the more moderate Sunday Gulch Trail. We bumped into mountain goats along the way. The trails start and end at the picturesque lake. Climb the rocks near the shore, take a dip, or rent a paddleboat.
Kaplan/Wolfe Family in South Dakota
Day 4
Mount Rushmore National Memorial
We expected this spot to be the highlight of the trip. And while it was neat to see, Mount Rushmore fell short of our days exploring the surrounding parks. Of course, you should still go and check it off the bucket list of iconic American monuments. Aim for a weekday when crowds are thinner and plan for a couple of hours—all you need to walk the half-mile Presidential Trail.
Wind Cave National Park
South Dakota is home to some of the longest caves in the world. Wind Cave and Jewel Cave stand out as popular tourist attractions, albeit not for those with claustrophobia. The tour takes visitors a half-mile underground (300 steps!) and past one of the world’s largest displays of boxwork: a honeycomb-like pattern of calcite on the walls and ceilings. Watch for bison and prairie dogs on the drive to the cave!
Day 5
Keystone
Given the amount of time spent in the car already, we skipped the trek to Deadwood. Instead, we capped a few peaceful days in nature with the unabashed commercialism of nearby Keystone. Its picturesque main drag is a tourist’s delight: pizzerias, souvenir shops, mini-golf, a historical steam train. The town serves as a centralized base for all the area’s big attractions. We tried to make it somewhat educational by visiting an original gold mine. Of course, the highlight for the kids was “panning for gold” at the end of the Big Thunder Gold Mine tour. For $8.95 each, they drenched their T-shirts and came away with bottles of sand. Nonetheless, we set out on the long ride home richer for the experience.
