For many people only Mount Rushmore comes to mind when thinking of what to see or do in South Dakota. But, there is so much more than just the colossal sculptures cut into mountain faces. Two national parks as well as other fascinating attractions should be a part of your South Dakota itineraries. In this post, I’ll share a little about three other stops on my road trip through the area last summer.
Wind Cave National Park
Wind Cave National Park is one of two national parks in this corner of South Dakota. Like a few other parks in the country, this national park preserves a spectacular subterranean wonder. This one has special significance for the indigenous people of the region. The Lakota believe this is the site of emergence of people from the spirit world to the Earth. You can read one version of this mythology on the park’s website.
Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, the cave itself was closed to visits last year. However, just like the other national parks protecting caves, there is so much more than just a cave in the park. Wind Cave National Park is in the heart of the Black Hills with great hiking opportunities, grand overlooks, and lots of wildlife. We did two short hikes and drove the scenic route through this spectacular landscape.
Our first hike was right by the cave entrance. The 1-mile Prairie View Trail offers broad vistas in the lovely prairie landscape. It’s also very near the natural cave opening, so we could experience the place the people emerged to inhabit the Earth.
Our second hike took us to the top of a hill with amazing views of the Black Hills stretching for miles before us. The Rankin Ridge Trail loops up to the top of a hill with a fire lookout tower on top. From there, we could see a herd of bison grazing, the gap in the hills that allows bison to come and go from the circle of hills, and the majesty of this beautiful place.
The Mammoth Site of South Dakota
Discovered in 1974, The Mammoth Site in Hot Springs, South Dakota has revealed more than 60 mammoths. Additionally, remnants of many other prehistoric beasts have been unearthed including camels, llamas, bears, and oxen. Like another mammoth site I’ve visited in Waco, Texas, an active paleontological dig continues. To me, this is super fascinating. I love seeing the fossils in situ and the process of excavation. It helps me understand the forces and events that brought so many fossils to one place.
In addition to the actual excavation site, visitors observe fossil preparation in the lab and learn about mammoths. In the gallery space, there are reconstructed skeletons and exhibits showing the difference between types of mammoths and where they resided. They also discuss the relationship between mammoths and prehistoric peoples.
Badlands National Park
Badlands punctuate the prairie to the east of the Black Hills. Similar to those in Theodore Roosevelt National Park, the badlands of South Dakota are inarable lands with eroded hills. These hills vary in color with stripes of yellows, whites, oranges, reds, and grays. However, unlike the badlands of Theodore Roosevelt where you get to drive into and through the hills, in Badlands National Park you mostly drive along the rim of the hills. This allows for spectacular views and broad panoramic photo opportunities.
Along the side of the road and ambling on the crumbling hillsides, we saw many bighorn sheep. This was the highlight for me. We also saw bison very far in the distance. I also enjoyed the several view points and short hikes we ventured to. I wish we had had more time to explore this park and that many sections of the park were closed due to the pandemic.
The southwestern corner of South Dakota has so much to see. It offers so many options for visitors that could fill several days. There’s so much more than the sculpted mountains, and that’s only in the small corner of the state.
