More than anywhere else in the Midwest, visitors to the Black Hills become part of a nationwide fraternity.
On the Wildlife Loop, my family and I waited patiently behind an Illinoisan in a Volvo who was mesmerized by the bison and wouldn’t move. At our State Game Lodge cabin, my children became fast friends with Ohio kids who were crazy about caves. At the Needles, we applauded with everyone else when tour buses successfully inched their way through the narrow stone “eye.”
And we joined the hordes at Mt. Rushmore and Crazy Horse Mountain; a visit to these familiar icons is as obligatory as seeing Buckingham Palace or the Eiffel Tower.
You might come for the faces. But you’ll stay for everything else.
There’s so much to do in the Black Hills that it’s easy to run around in every direction, like the area’s absurd little prairie dogs. When my family and I spent five days in Custer State Park last June, we drove a little too much and hiked a bit too little; I spent my last morning hiking Lovers Leap Trail, where I came face to face with a bighorn ram, and I left pining for just a few hours more to look for wildflowers along the Prairie Trail.
There are several things to remember when planning a summer trip to the Black Hills:
– Reserve now. Custer State Park housekeeping cabins are most economical and best-located, so they go fast. There are also motel rooms, lodge rooms and sleeping cabins at the four park resorts, all nice. Pretty Sylvan Lake Lodge is closest to Harney Peak, the Needles and Mt. Rushmore but an hour’s drive from the other three resorts in the main part of the park. Legion Lake Lodge is most central.
Blue Bell Lodge is set into the woods and has the most Western feel, with a handsome log lodge and plenty of room for children to play; it’s also closest to the Wildlife Loop Drive. The State Game Lodge has the patina of history (two presidents stayed there) and offers good access to attractions.
Three nearby towns have many motels and resorts. Custer, on the park’s western boundary, has an old West atmosphere. Hill City, 20 minutes north of Sylvan Lake, has a pleasant downtown and a vintage train that travels to Keystone. Keystone, just northeast of Mt. Rushmore, is quite a tourist trap but sits in a picturesque valley framed by spruce-topped hills.
– Stop by the Peter Norbeck Visitors Center the first day for a chat with the naturalist. This is where you can find out about those animals you’ll be seeing: for example, how a mule deer differs from a whitetail deer, and why bison are so dangerous.
“They’re really unpredictable, like no other animal,” naturalist Bradley Block told me when I was there. “One person can walk up and take a photo from this close, and the next one who does it gets charged. Bison can run really fast, at a speed of 30 to 35 miles, and they can turn on a dime. They act docile, and people think they’re like cattle, but they’re not.”
Short movies on Black Hills history, legends and wildlife can be viewed at any time; also, see what evening naturalist programs will be held at resorts and campgrounds.
– Plan side trips carefully. It’s a large area, with attractions connected by slow and winding roads, and time spent driving between them adds up quickly. Mt. Rushmore is only 20 miles from the State Game Lodge, but that takes an hour and 45 minutes along scenic Iron Mountain Road and an hour via Custer and Interstate Highway 385. Sylvan Lake is 19 miles away, but it’s 1 1/2 hours via Needles Highway and nearly an hour via Custer.
– The most memorable moments will be spent on foot (or at a motorized crawl). Hiking is free and very rewarding, especially the climb to 7,200-foot Harney Peak. Don’t be scared off by the park’s estimated hiking times, which are nearly double the time a reasonably fit adult will need, but do bring water and snacks.
Needles Highway, lined by billion-year-old granite spires, is extremely scenic; be sure to get out and climb around at the “eye,” near Sylvan Lake. The Wildlife Loop Road skirts the park’s southern boundary; we drove it nearly every day (dawn or early evening is best) and always saw lots of bison, prairie dogs, burros, pronghorn and deer. Bring dinner to eat at one of several picnic grounds and watch the sun set over the grasslands; it’s gorgeous.
IF YOU GO
– GETTING THERE
From the east, take I-90 across South Dakota. You can stop for the night in Kadoka, S.D., or the nearby Badlands, and spend a morning there before driving the 1 1/2 hours to the Black Hills. Mountain Time starts at Murdo, S.D.
– WHAT TO SEE ON THE WAY
The Corn Palace in Mitchell is a fun stop; avoid Wall Drug in Wall unless you really like to shop.
– WHEN TO GO
The park is least crowded and wildlife viewing best from mid-May to mid-June. From mid-August through September, bison bulls start dramatic displays of rutting.
– WHERE TO STAY
In Custer State Park, Sylvan Lake Resort, Legion Lake Resort, State Game Lodge and Blue Bell Lodge offer a variety of lodgings, $65-$310. Housekeeping cabins, most economical because of high dining costs in the park, start at $80. Call 800-658-3530.
Campsites in Custer State Park are $13; to reserve, call 800-710-2267. Only Center Lake is first-come, first-served.
– NEARBY TOWNS
Custer, 800-992-9818; Hill City, 800-888-1798; and Keystone, 800-456-3345.
In the Badlands, Cedar Pass Lodge, 605-433-5460, is just down the road from park headquarters. In Kadoka, 20 minutes east, the El Centro Motel makes a nice stop; 605-837-2287.
– DINING
The State Game Lodge, Blue Bell Lodge and Sylvan Lake Lodge have attractive dining rooms, and Legion Lake has a deli.
– EVENTS
In Custer, Living History Days, July 3-5, and Gold Discovery Days, July 24-26. In Hill City, Heart of the Hills Days, July 10-11.
– INFORMATION
Call 605-255-4515 for a guide to Custer State Park’s Tatanka. For the South Dakota Vacation Guide, call 800-732-5682.
