The Pinnacles Entrance is one of the most common ways travelers first experience Badlands National Park. Located just a few miles from the small town of Wall, South Dakota, this entrance quickly brings visitors into one of the most dramatic landscapes in the American Midwest.
South Dakota
Explore South Dakota’s landscapes, historic sites, and lesser-known places through thoughtful travel and field-based exploration. From wide-open prairies and state parks to small towns and roadside landmarks, this collection highlights destinations shaped by land, history, and time.
South Dakota Here We Come
South Dakota had been on my travel list for years. The Badlands, ghost towns, the Black Hills, Needles Highway, and Custer State Park all sat at the top of places I hoped to see someday.
Exploring Wind Cave National Park in South Dakota
Wind Cave National Park in South Dakota offers a very different side of the Black Hills. While many visitors come for the cave itself, the park also protects rolling prairie, ponderosa pine forest, prairie dog towns, bison, elk, and scenic drives that make it worth exploring above ground too.
Palisades State Park South Dakota
Palisades State Park is one of the most scenic natural areas in eastern South Dakota. Located near Garretson along Split Rock Creek, the park is known for its dramatic pink Sioux quartzite formations, scenic creek views, historic bridge, and opportunities for hiking, photography, picnicking, fishing, and camping.
Wall Drug in Wall South Dakota: A Classic Badlands Road Trip Stop
Wall Drug is one of those places that almost every South Dakota traveler has heard about long before they arrive. Billboards for hundreds of miles promise free ice water, five-cent coffee, and a stop that has become something of a roadside legend.
Custer State Park South Dakota
Nestled in the heart of the Black Hills of South Dakota, Custer State Park is one of the most scenic and wildlife-rich parks in the Midwest. Granite peaks rise from pine forests, bison roam the grasslands, and winding scenic drives reveal breathtaking overlooks around nearly every corner.
We spent part of our South Dakota road trip exploring this beautiful park and quickly discovered why it is considered one of the must-see destinations in the Black Hills.
Spearfish Canyon and Pactola Lake
Spearfish Canyon and Pactola Lake were two stops I had quietly been looking forward to all trip. Spearfish Canyon meant waterfalls, and waterfalls nearly always pull me in. I was also excited to try out my newer filter system and hoped for one of those days where the light, water, and scenery all came together.
Deadwood and Sturgis
Deadwood and Sturgis made for one of those travel days where the miles between stops were just as much a part of the experience as the destinations themselves. Between historic streets, rally-town energy, and a few unexpected detours, this stretch of our South Dakota trip offered a very different side of the Black Hills region. … Read more
Black Hills National Forest UTV Adventure
Exploring the Black Hills National Forest by UTV was one of the most memorable adventures of our South Dakota trip. Between winding forest trails, mountain views, wildlife sightings, and the scent of pine in the air, it offered a completely different way to experience the Black Hills beyond the main scenic roads.
If you enjoy backroad exploring, scenic overlooks, and a little adrenaline mixed with beautiful scenery, a UTV ride through the Black Hills can be a fun addition to your South Dakota itinerary.
Needles Highway and Iron Mountain Road: Scenic Drives in the Black Hills
Two of the most scenic drives in the Black Hills of South Dakota are Needles Highway and Iron Mountain Road. Together, these routes wind through dramatic granite formations, forested hills, narrow tunnels, and sweeping overlooks that make the journey just as memorable as the destination.
Cottonwood South Dakota Ghost Town: Abandoned Prairie Church and Old Buildings
Sitting quietly on the open prairie of western South Dakota, the ghost town of Cottonwood, South Dakota is one of those places you might drive past without realizing the history sitting along the roadside.