This is not a tourist attraction--it's sacred ground. Anyone who visits should do so with reverence…read moreand an open heart. It's a site of sorrow, resilience, and the harsh truths of America's past.

What a sad piece of history. It is unfortunate that the American creed still believes in ethnic…read morecleansing. Thousands of feathers or killed and annihilated because the round eye felt as though they were a threat. I highly recommend that you pay your respects to the ones who crossed over the Bering straits to seek a better life I want to be killed by the WASP...

Longest and Last homestead gold mine in Lead, South Dakota (near Deadwood)…read more Everyone should check this gigantic hole out for themselves. The history is interesting, except for the fact that wealthy entrepreneurs exploited the common folks during the 1929 depression and bought their gold claims/homestead for less than market value. The museum was informative and had incredible exhibits but lacked a feature movie to chronically narrate its evolution.

This was not in my itinerary to go here. It was recommended by our friends who are residence of…read moreDeadwood. For sure make a quick stop here in Lead if you're on your way to Deadwood. Pretty cool to learn and see the mine from above ground. It was active until 1998. There are tours available.

Visiting the White River Valley Overlook inside Badlands National Park was one of the highlights of…read moreour trip. This is one of those places that completely catches you off guard in the best way. You pull over expecting a quick viewpoint, and then suddenly you're looking out over this massive, open valley that just seems to go on forever. The contrast between the rugged Badlands formations and the wide, rolling landscape below is incredible. It honestly feels like two completely different environments meeting in one place. The colors, the textures, and the sheer scale of it all make it feel almost unreal when you're standing there. What makes this stop even better is how easy it is to access. There's no long hike required--just park, walk a short distance, and you're right there taking in one of the best views in the park. It's perfect for all ages and a great place to pause and really appreciate the scenery. If you're visiting the Badlands, this overlook is absolutely worth the stop. It's peaceful, stunning, and unforgettable. Check out our videos on our socials @reessroots

Breathtaking topography. Piques the curiosity. I mean, can you believe much of our land used to be…read moreunderground? Supposedly that's how ancient rapids carved the Badlands we see today. + Thankfully, restrooms and disposal bins at like every stop. + Water refill & A/C at the VC. - Virtually no shade. Desert climate out there. - And yet very crowded! People taking photos everywhere. Crowded museums.

What a great visitor center! It hits all the boxes-- educational, great bathrooms, drinking…read morefountains, cute apparel, unique souvenirs and honestly so much more. There was a lot in here and great for all ages. The park Rangers were there to answer any questions you had about the park. You can also stamp your national park passport! The gift shop was great, a bit crowded but such cute souvenirs. Worth the stop!

+ A nice, cool, shaded break in between photogenic Badlands photoshoots…read more + Interesting exhibits explaining Badlands' historical geology. - Large but crowded parking. - Also crowded inside. + But yay, plenty restrooms and water bottle refill station.

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

If you're on a road trip and adventurous enough to seek out Carhenge, why not get slightly more…read moreadventurous and seek out the VERY remote Hudson-Meng Bison Bonebed in the Ogalalla National Grasslands, the site where paleo-humans left the bones of many hundreds of ancient bison (without the skulls), over many hundreds of years, piled and scattered over a small area. At the end of 15-miles of gravel road, there is a small parking lot, restrooms with plumbing, a small pond teeming with loud frogs and surrounded by lush greenery and shade-trees, and an air-conditioned archealogical dig/gift shop/visitors center, about the size of a large barn. A small staff will greet you, show you an informational video about the history of the bonebed and give you a tour of the archealogical dig and show you the bones. It may not be as large and perhaps not as interesting as the fossilized rhinoceroses at the Ashfall in northeastern Nebraska several hours east from here, nor does it have the (ahem) mammoth proportions of the VERY interesting mammoth site in Hot Springs, South Dakota a short drive to the north (both of which are highly recommended), but it does offer a trailhead into the Toadstool Geological Formation located in adjacent grasslands. The Bison Trail runs out from about the entrance to the visitors center, across federal grazing lands, down into several "badlands"-style gullies and to the Toadstool campground - 3 miles away, for a six-mile out and back hike. At least one other trail intersects this trail about a mile out with signage noting that Toadstool is three miles down it also, so you can make the hike longer, or shorter, or into a loop as desired. Enjoy the strategically placed bison sculptures that give a sense of what ancient humans might have seen along this same trail. There are also numerous cattle trails cutting this way and that through the grasslands, but the intentionally placed human trail is marked by wooden sign-posts sticking up out of the prairie grass about 50-100 yards apart to show you the way. The ranger also told us that we were welcome to just wander about wherever we wanted, sign-posts-be-damned. But you may have to contend with a barbed-wire fence or two or three - there are, however, gates or slots through the fence that human hikers can fit through on the regular trail. From the visitors center, the trail goes down into and up out of a small shaded gully, then out to another large gully that looks more like the badlands. Down into and up out of the second gully, then across more grasslands to a third gully (about 1.3 miles from the visitors center), where the trail descends down into the gully from its highest point, and then down through the bottom of the gully for some distance. When we went, the trail at the bottom of the gully was extremely muddy - so we didn't make it all of the way to Toadstool. We turned around at the first turn at the bottom of the gully where it got muddy. We walked along the gully at its top edge for a ways, however, to see what we were missing from the top. In this first mile and a half we did not see any so-called toadstool formations, but it is a uniquely and starkly beautiful landscape, with the sparsely wooded hills behind you above the visitors center, with the slope of grasslands below you, the badlands features spreading out through significant portions of the vista below you. And if you are lucky (?) you might even run into a herd of beef cattle, and might even accidentally cut a small group of them off from the main herd; and then have to hide below a rise so as not to spook the stragglers so that they can find their herd. Not saying it happened that way, but it might happen to you too.

Free WiFi. Bathrooms. Info. Reasonable place to work for a bit. Electric car and RV charging.read more

From the owner: The Custer Area Chamber of Commerce will promote a positive business climate by encouraging…read morecommunity unity, growth and development. When you're up for adventure, stay in Custer, South Dakota and be minutes-not miles-from the best climbs, trails and family fun of the Black Hills. Located on the edge of Custer State Park, Custer and the surrounding area offers travelers unique lodging, dining and shopping opportunities, as well as unlimited family fun. This uncrowded mountain town is a natural playground for all adventure seekers. Plus, you're just minutes from Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse Memorial, and Jewel Cave National Monument.

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.

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.

Visitor center in Custer State Park had a volunteer Park Ranger that was a wealth of information…read more Hands on displays which showed sounds of the bison herd, the jumps and the lifecycle of the bison. There is hands on displays and information about the annual buffalo round up and auction which started in 1965 to maintain the large herds. There were clean bathrooms here and a food truck next to picnic tables. The stockades and seating for visitors was right in front. There was a small gift shop next-door.

This is a nice, clean, modern place in Custer State Park dedicated to bison and bison education. We…read moredid not see any bison while there, so if you are expecting that, lower your expectations. Still, I found the place to be educational, interactive, and fun. The bathrooms are clean and large.