Don't forget to pack fresh apples and carrots before hitting up CSP's wildlife loop ;)…read moreCuster SP is a beautiful must-visit. Begging burros, Sylvan Lake, Needles Hwy's narrowest tunnels, bold geese, prairie dog town. Amusing sights for all! Thought I followed all of National Treasure's instructions at Sylvan Lake. Maybe you'll have better luck unlocking that treasure cavern haha . Couldn't find anyone at the pay station entrances to ask some questions ;) + Restrooms and a few water bottle refill stations throughout the park. Thanks again Stan for the suggestion!

This is an absolutely fantastic state Park! It was $25 per…read morecar, no discounts for entry, but that entrance is good for an entire week, they don't sell simple day passes, unfortunately We came here to drive the wildlife loop and we're not disappointed. We saw antelope, Buffalo, Prairie dogs, and even had the opportunity to feed the begging burrows. It wasn't super busy today either, I thought it would be on a holiday weekend so that was wonderful. Give yourself a good one to two hours as you need to drive slowly to see everything. There are a lot of baby buffaloes right now, so that was great fun

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.

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.

It's getting really depressing to be on a National Parks road trip through the US during a…read moregovernment shutdown. Wind Cave National park was really nice and convenient and had a few interesting things to see. Unfortunately the visitors center and all the restrooms were closed even though there was a park ranger sitting in his running truck in the parking lot trying to avoid the visitors that walked up to him. I can't blame the park for the shutdown and I did really like the ease of navigating the simple beauty here. We caught a glimpsenof a buffalo and saw some prairie dogs (I love prairie dogs!) but I doubt I will ever be back to see it when it is fully operational.

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.

I love caves, and I loved the Scenic Tour I went on! This cave is one of the world's longest caves,…read morewith passages still being explored and mapped out to this day. I thought the tour was very well done, and I saw a lot of calcite crystals (and other formations) which gave the cave its name. Be warned though, you have to bundle up for the tour as the inside is 49°F / 9°C year-round, and you must wear closed-toe shoes. The Scenic Tour itself is a guided tour that has over 700 steps and covers 1/2 miles underground. Some of the pathway's ceilings are low, so if you're tall be sure to duck when the ranger tells you. There is lighting all the way so you can see when the low sections are coming. I learned a lot about the cave, its history, and how it's currently being maintained. The steel walkways have catch trays for lint and other stuff that falls off of guests, and when they clean it annually it has around 17 lb of "stuff". They really try to balance cave preservation with accessibility to the public. I highly recommend this tour.

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

+ 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.

If you have any interest it will be a 2 hour or more visit. We are mobility disabled and just for…read moresimplicity skipped the bus ride for a closer look. The view from the many places on the land it is visible from is wonderful. There are 3 museums on site all included plus a restaurant. The restaurant is a short simple menu, we had bison stew which was excellent and fry bread with a wonderful berry sauce called Wai Po. The view from the huge windows there is amazing. Yes, progress is slow but that makes it all the more special. Since a friend went a few years ago and saw only the face, they have completed the top part of his arm and pointing hand. The story of it's conception and the original artist is really inspiring. What physical and emotional commitment! And now his son is carrying on working with the tribes to help complete it. The home he built and many of his family's possessions are one of the small museums. Another had much history of the area tribes including portraits of the few survivors of Wounded Knee massacre. There there is the workshop. All in all a lot for $30 a car these days. A beautiful and for us a spiritual journey

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.

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.

Delicious cheeseburger and mini donuts coated in cinnamon sugar. Made to order. Easy to take with…read moreyou to the lake. Friendly staff. Great assortment of snacks, drinks and souvenirs, too.

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.

Driving through Spearfish Canyon we knew we had to hutches waterfalls. Roughlock is one of the most…read morepicturesque I've seen. There are two ways to get to the falls. 1) park at the trail head and make your way up ~1 mile or 2) drive up above the falls where there is a short accessible path with lookout. The view from the top aren't great but at that location you can walk down a paved path (although steep and not accessible) to the bottom of the falls. This is the view you want! The falls aren't the highest but at the pool they then separate out in multiple paths over moss covered rocks. The stream is completely clear and you can easily see fish which is great for little ones to look for. This is a must do for anyone driving through spearfish.

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

Mount Rushmore National Memorial is one of those places that feels instantly recognizable in a way…read morephotos never fully prepare you for. The scale and setting change the experience the moment you arrive. The approach itself is scenic, with winding roads and forested surroundings that built anticipation before the monument even came into view. I kept glancing through the trees, waiting for the first glimpse. Once I reached the main viewing area, the carved faces of Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, and Lincoln appeared set into the granite cliff. The effect felt both precise and surprisingly integrated into the natural rock face, as if the mountain had always intended to hold them. The visitor area is designed around walking paths and viewing platforms. I took my time moving along them, gradually changing my perspective. From a distant panoramic view to closer vantage points, the details in the stone became more apparent with each step. The space felt open and well maintained, with a structured layout that encouraged moving around rather than staying in one spot. I found myself pausing at different angles, noticing how the light shifted across the faces as the afternoon wore on.