Our visit to South Dakota was an unforgettable experience from beginning to end. Custer park was…read moreone of our top priorities to visit. Man was it worth it! Every turn along the scenic drives revealed something new and breathtaking--towering mountains, rolling hills, endless grassy plains, crystal-clear lakes and streams, beautiful log cabins, and wildlife roaming freely in their natural habitat. We drove arms reach from bison, and deer. We got out of our car to pet and feed burros, and marveled over other animals right alongside the roadway. The prairie dogs were adorable and funny too. It was an incredible reminder of how special this park truly is. Especially considering I love animals, history, and the artistry of nature. One of the highlights was driving through the famous narrow rock tunnels. The engineering is amazing, and the views framed through the tunnels are simply unforgettable. We also stopped at several cliffside overlooks where the panoramic views stretched as far as the eye could see. Standing there, looking out over the landscape, gave us a true appreciation for the beauty and scale of the Black Hills. Whether you're looking for incredible photography, scenic drives, wildlife viewing, or simply a peaceful escape into nature, Custer State Park delivers on every level. It's one of those places that makes you slow down, take a deep breath, and appreciate God's incredible creation. If you're visiting South Dakota, Custer State Park isn't just worth seeing--it's an experience you'll remember for a lifetime. We can't wait to return.

This place should be a national park, in my opinion!…read more Going in to it with an open mind is important--wild animals are, in fact, wild and can't be predicted or controlled! That being said, you're almost guaranteed to see SOMETHING. We were lucky enough to get stuck in a bison jam, see the burros and a number of deer and prongtails. Get up early or take a drive around dusk if you miss the wildlife during the day. It's a beautiful, diverse park. Needles highway is a must do and is so cool to see the rock formations. Starting after the wildlife loop and driving to Sylvan Lake was amazing and the lake offered a great break from the car. We wish we would have planned for more time at the lake and come prepared with swimsuits, etc! Even if just visiting for a day, I think the $25 park entrance fee is worth it. But if you have the time, plan to take your time and spend more than one day here!

Worth it, ya'know! Sooo much top attractions here. The…read moremonumental Mt Rushmore, the friendly wilderness of the Custer State Park's wildlife loop, the awesome tranquility of Sylvan Lake, last but not least Crazy Horse's construction. And who could forget, the ominous night of Needles Hwy. I needed more than 1 day to soak it all in. Glad there are restrooms throughout this NF, along with some water bottle refill stations, cuz all this roadtrip sightseeing sure works up a thirst. Almost collided with a deer on my way out of Black Hills NF. We both swerved away each other simultaneously O_O My 5th animal crossing this trip! On your way to Black Hills, don't forget to pack fresh apples and carrots beforehand ;) Believe it!

Black Hills National Forest is so beautiful! We hiked the 7.1 mile hike to Black Elk Peak starting…read morefrom Sylvan Lake. The views are spectacular and we even got lucky and saw a mountain goat at the top. If you do this hike, I would recommend hiking shoes, a hat, and a water pack to stay hydrated.

I can't rate a park anything less than 5 stars; this is a small national park and easy to spend…read morehalf a day here and add in to a trip. This was a last minute addition so we missed the opportunity to do a cave tour. Next time! The visitor center is surprisingly large and really neat even if not visiting the cave. You can walk to the original entrance of the cave from the visitor center which is neat to see and "cool" to feel cold the air blowing out of the opening. We saw soooo many bison! And a coyote hunting prairie dogs! This national park doesn't charge an entrance fee to walk around or drive thru, so if you are in the area and maybe missed wildlife at the state park, it's worth a drive through to try and catch a view of some animals! Make sure your kiddos get junior ranger badges at the visitor center!

There's a whole hidden world under the prairie. The Garden of Eden Tour took us deep underground…read morethrough narrow passageways and into rooms full of rare boxwork formations and delicate honeycomb patterns that make this cave so special. Down there, everything feels slower. It's quiet, cool, and feels almost untouched. Then you step back outside and it's a complete contrast. Open skies, rolling hills, and bison grazing in the distance like something straight out of a movie. Two totally different worlds in one park.

Excellent visitors center and theater. The rangers are very helpful and the above ground hiking…read moretrails are nice and well maintained. Pre-book any cave tours because there are none available the day of.

Jewel Cave is a must see if you're passing through Custer, SD. It is so amazing and wonderful site…read moreto see and experience the creation our planet's gives us. Such a rich historical site in geological formations; will leave you in awe. The cave is so big and such a mystery leaving you with so many questions that go unanswered. The guides give you a good explanation on how things formed and happened in the cave but it still makes you question the answers they give. The planet offers so much beauty and this cave is one of the beauties it offer. Stop by and experience the underground mystery at Jewel cave.

While it is not a place that will take a while afternoon, it is well worth the stop. Lots of…read morebeautifully visual habitat displays. It's very relaxing to just sit and watch the fish in the tank. There are tons of learning opportunities for kids! There are some hands on learning items are available in each habitat setting. And each habitat display has so much depth! There are so many small details that help make up the whole thing! There is also a nook of books for reading. I wish we had something like this where I am from! We didn't get to explore more.of the grounds, as a pretty heavy storm was coming gin and we left just as it hit. We will definitely stop by again next time we visit!

Highly educational. Great for homeschooling and learning about the outdoors . I give it 5 stars.read more

Visiting the Crazy Horse Memorial was one of the highlights of our trip to South Dakota. While the…read moremountain itself is absolutely impressive, what made this experience truly special was learning the incredible history and vision behind it. We stopped to watch the documentary before exploring, and I'm so glad we did. It not only explained the history of the memorial and why it was created, but also introduced us to the Ziolkowski family and the multiple generations who have dedicated their lives to carrying this dream forward. Their commitment, sacrifice, and passion are inspiring and gave us an entirely new appreciation for everything we were seeing. There is so much to experience beyond the monument itself. The grounds feature several souvenir shops, museums, a spacious restaurant/café, and a convenient grab-and-go snack area, making it easy to spend several hours exploring. One of my favorite parts was watching the Native American cultural performance. Native women and girls performed beautiful traditional dances representing different tribes and ceremonies while explaining the meaning, history, and purpose behind each dance. It added a rich cultural dimension to the visit and made the experience even more meaningful. Walking through the sculptor's original home and studio was fascinating. It truly felt like stepping back in time. Standing in the very rooms where the family once lived and worked gave us a genuine appreciation for the dedication and humble beginnings behind this monumental project. The Native American artwork and exhibits throughout the visitor center were also beautiful and well worth taking your time to enjoy. Watching the mountain being carved while learning about the engineering, the progress made over the decades, and the enormous commitment required to complete such an ambitious project was remarkable. It really makes you appreciate the scale of what they're accomplishing. If I had one small suggestion, it would be that I wish the visitor facilities were located closer to the mountain itself. The main lodge and museum are set back quite a distance, so if you want a close-up view, you'll either need to take the bus tour or use the viewing binoculars. That said, it certainly didn't take away from the experience. This was a destination I had been looking forward to visiting for a long time, and it absolutely lived up to my expectations. If you appreciate history, Native American culture, art, engineering, or simply witnessing an extraordinary vision being carried on through generations, the Crazy Horse Memorial is a place you shouldn't miss.

+ Fascinating memorial. The Lakota Sioux present that, besides neighboring Mt Rushmore…read morecommemorating US American heros, the Native Americans had heroes too. . It's just unfortunate that because they reject US gov't funding, construction continues to proceed very slowly. - Disappointed to discover we can't get any closer to the monument than the visitor center without taking a bus tour (extra $5). That means no solo driving up there, no hiking. Thus, not quite worth the obligatory $15 fee just to enter the visitor center grounds. + Pleasant ambience. + Still a nice viewing balcony right behind the visitor center museum. + Ample parking. + Located near many other exciting tourist attractions of the Black Hills, including Mt Rushmore, Custer State Park, and Needles Hwy.

We stopped here to view America's largest Berlin Wall exhibit and of course see the many beautiful…read moresculptures we had heard about. It is a lovely park with lots of greenspace and beautiful foliage but there were many unhoused persons and some seemed to be living/sleeping next to the statues so we weren't able to spend to much time enjoying some of them or get to close and we didn't want to bother anyone. The ones we did see up close were magnificent! We enjoyed walking through the park on the paved trails and perhaps it was just because we were from outside the area but we had difficulty finding anywhere close to park so we also had a nice walk to and from the park as well. The highlight for my husband was getting to spin the 9,000 lb piece of granite. The engineering makes it possible but it's still pretty tough to get that 4 ton stone moving. This park is worth a stop just for that.

This park is a memorial to those that died in the Rapid Creek floods of 1972. An amphitheater,…read moreplayground, lake & war monuments are displayed here as well. There are sections of the Berlin Wall because this was the front line for the Cold War. Missile & launch control facilities are peppered through the grasslands & are run by the National Park Service.

Rented some kayaks here and it was a great experience! Lots of kayaks, paddleboards, and canoes…read moreavailable to rent and the process was quick and easy

The food is on the pricey side, and is just pretty good. Don't miss out on the mini donuts though,…read moreso good! The store itself has some good stuff you will want to buy. It's also a bit pricey though. The bathrooms there were clean and had plenty of outdoor seating with great views of the lake to enjoy too.

Since this trail can easily be a long or a short hike, we decided to go for the short way. We…read moreparked in the parking lot close by the falls and just walked around, and we're delighted to see that there were when was a small waterfall through and a little further down, it placed to sit down and dip your toes in-- the water is super cold! We were very happy to see that it was a paved walkway. There was a restroom, although we did not use it because of the smell. If you really need to use it, though, I guess it's there. We did not end up using our stroller, but we did see somebody in a wheelchair there, so it is a great and accessible option. I would recommend this place to any, and everybody. It's absolutely beautiful and chasing waterfalls in South Dakota has now become one of my favorite things.

We started down Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway and stopped at Bridal Veil Falls, Spearfish Falls,…read moreand Roughlock Falls. Roughlock Falls was our last stop. If you drive pass the trailhead parking lot and keep going down to the end, after you pass the "Roughlock Falls" sign, you will see a parking lot that will lead you closer to the falls. It's 1.5miles from the trailhead but this location only took us a total of 35mins with photos in between. Not difficult, just a few zig zags. We had youngest of 4 to 70s and we all made it. These falls are described as low cascading falls. It's not up high.

I love that there is no entrance fee for Mount Rushmore, but you do have to pay for parking. It was…read moreregularly $10 or if you're over 62 it's five dollars you take a ticket when you go into the parking lot and you will pay at a pay station before you leave. It will ask you if you're over 62 There is a lot of room to view the monument as well as a restaurant, gift shop, clean restrooms, and plenty of areas to sit on benches and such to enjoy the environment Definitely something you need to check off your bucket list

We stopped at Mount Rushmore while driving through South Dakota, and it's an impressive site that's…read morevery well designed for visitors. The memorial is easy to navigate, with excellent viewpoints, informative exhibits, and a beautiful setting in the Black Hills. We also appreciated learning more about the history of the area. Knowing that the mountain was considered sacred by the Lakota people before it was carved gave us mixed feelings and added important historical context to the visit. If you have the opportunity, be sure to watch the short film in the visitor center. It does a great job explaining the history, construction, and significance of the monument, and it made our visit much more meaningful. Overall, it's a worthwhile stop, especially if you're traveling through the region.