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  • Wind Cave National Park, South Dakota

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    Top Spots in and near Wind Cave National Park

    • Custer, South Dakota

      Hike the Lookout Point Loop at Wind Cave National Park

      3.5
      4.5 mi
      The Lookout Point Loop actually combines parts of three trails to bring you through some of Wind Cave's best prairieland. Begin at the trailhead for Centennial and Lookout Point off of Hwy 87 and take Lookout Point trail east to Beaver Creek. At Beaver Creek, you'll catch the Highland Creek Trail...
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    • Hot Springs, South Dakota

      Camp at Elk Mountain Campground in Wind Cave National Park

      4.0
      Elk Mountain Campground is in a secluded area of the park, providing plenty of peace and quiet. Sites operate on a first come, first serve basis, although the campground was less than half full when we stayed in the middle of busy summer months. There are about 64 sites available in the campgroun...
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    • Hot Springs, South Dakota

      Tour Wind Cave

      4.8
      0.67 mi / 6 ft gain
      Established in 1903, Wind Cave National Park is home to over 140 miles of mapped cave passages. The cave features 95% of the world's known boxwork calcite formations and got its name from the sound of rushing wind created at its few small openings.A guided tour is the only way to see the cave sys...
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    • Hot Springs, South Dakota

      Photograph Sunset at Wind Cave NP

      5.0
      Above the famous Wind Cave, miles of natural mixed-grass natural prairie cover the Black Hills. In summer, the lush grasses attract the park's free-roaming bison herd as well as elk, pronghorn antelope, prairie dogs, and black-footed ferrets.One of the best spots for capturing sunset over the pra...
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    • Custer, South Dakota

      Fly Fish French Creek

      0.5 mi / 15 ft gain
      The creek has two main sections, there is Upper French Creek and Lower French creek, the upper/lower refer to the section of creek above or below Stockade Lake. The better fishing is below Stockade Lake. There you can find numerous sections of the creek that are on public land and easily accessib...
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    • Custer, South Dakota

      Drive the Custer State Park Wildlife Loop

      4.7
      The Custer State Park Wildlife Loop runs for 18 miles across beautiful grasslands and pine-speckled slopes that are home to much of the park's wildlife. Bison, pronghorn, whitetail, mule deer, elk, coyotes, burros, prairie dogs, eagles, hawks, and a variety of other birds may be spotted along the...
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    • Custer, South Dakota

      Hike the Stockade Lake Trail

      1.2 mi / 500 ft gain
      The trail starts near the East side of Stockade Lake just outside Custer, South Dakota. The trail is a 1.2 mile loop, and climbs up to 5,650 feet above sea level. The trail is easy to follow and is well worn. Also the trees have blue diamonds nailed to them for even easier route finding. Once you...
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    • Custer, South Dakota

      Hike Grace Coolidge Walk-In Area

      6 mi / 150 ft gain
      Grace Coolidge Walk-In area is a fantastic place to go for a hike and do some fly fishing! There are 6 dams built along the 3 mile trail. You can start on either from Center Lake off of Playhouse Rd. or you can start at the southern trailhead near Highway 16A, that is not too far west from the St...
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    • Custer, South Dakota

      Hike the Custer Skywalk to Big Rock Observation Point

      0.6 mi / 370 ft gain
      Park on the South end of 6th Street at Harbach Park in Custer, just 2 blocks off Main Street. The entrance to the trail is marked by an archway and a "Custer Skywalk" sign. The path is a dirt/small gravel trail that has stairs built into the hillside. To get to the first observation point it is a...
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    • Hermosa, South Dakota

      Stargaze at Spokane Ghost Town

      Great all year long but, especially stunning when the galactic center of the Milky Way is visible from Spring to Fall, Spokane Ghost Town is a local favorite and a hidden gem. Set up your camera, and light paint some old buildings! The ghost town was originally a mine founded in the late 1800's w...
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    • Hermosa, South Dakota

      Explore the Spokane Ghost Town

      1 mi / 4521 ft gain
      Spokane will always be one of my favorite locations in the hills. The town was founded in 1890 and features 3 intact structures from that time. The most intact structure is the manager's house which you can find up on a hill behind the other buildings. A few years ago the old school house finally...
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    • Keystone, South Dakota

      Hike Iron Creek Trail #15

      2.4 mi / 200 ft gain
      The trail is accessible from 2 different spots, both give you the opportunity for a scenic drive to get there. The approach from the Northeast side is on Iron Mountain road a beautiful scenic Black Hills highway, and you will be very near Lakota Lake.  The Southwest trail head is a more rugged dr...
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    • Custer, South Dakota

      Cathedral Spires in the Black Hills

      4.8
      1.65 mi / 200 ft gain
      This is a moderate hike with a huge payout in the form of some of the Black Hills' most beautiful features — tall granite spires rising hundreds of feet above the surrounding terrain, reaching a maximum height of 6,860 feet. Starting from the Cathedral Spires Trailhead --where you may be treated...
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    • Custer, South Dakota

      Drive Needles Highway in Custer State Park

      4.8
      Perfect for a pre or post Black Hills/Badlands adventure, Needles Highway is the joyride of a lifetime.  Entrance to Custer State Park costs 10 dollars, and do be prepared to keep it in low gear behind RVs and motorcycles. Pull-offs for photos and general marveling are frequent. 
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    • Custer, South Dakota

      Camp at Sylvan Lake Campground

      5.0
      Medium-sized campground across the road from Sylvan Lake. Run by Custer State Park - reservations can be made online. Several individual sites are available for walk-in camping, which makes for a backcountry experience.Make you campsite reservation here: https://gfp.sd.gov/state-parks...
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    • Custer, South Dakota

      Hike to Little Devil's Tower in the Black Hills

      5.0
      The trail starts at the Little Devil's Tower Trailhead which is located roughly one mile east of Sylvan Lake on Highway 87. Take Trail #4 for around 1/2 mile until a fork in the trail. The right fork takes you to Harney Peak, while the left takes you to Little Devils Tower. Along the trail there ...
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    Go Great Places in South Dakota

    In the Mount Rushmore state, travels to South Dakota are full of one-of-a-kind adventure with wide-open spaces as endless as the horizons. Between legendary landscapes and scenic drives, you can always find space that shifts life into park. When you’re ready, go great places.

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    Camping and Lodging in Wind Cave National Park

    Hot Springs SD / Black Hills KOA Holiday
    Hot Springs, South Dakota

    Hot Springs SD / Black Hills KOA Holiday

    Iron Creek Horse Camp
    Custer, South Dakota

    Iron Creek Horse Camp

    Custer / Mount Rushmore / Black Hills KOA Holiday
    Custer, South Dakota

    Custer / Mount Rushmore / Black Hills KOA Holiday

    Under Canvas Mount Rushmore
    Keystone, South Dakota

    Under Canvas Mount Rushmore

    From $199 / night

    Mount Rushmore KOA Resort at Palmer Gulch
    Hill City, South Dakota

    Mount Rushmore KOA Resort at Palmer Gulch

    Rapid City / Black Hills KOA Holiday
    Rapid City, South Dakota

    Rapid City / Black Hills KOA Holiday

    Guides, Insights and Stories from Wind Cave National Park

    Tour De Granite

    Tour De Granite

    Isaac Parsons

    Black Elk Peak-Nic

    Black Elk Peak-Nic

    Isaac Parsons

    3 Epic Days in Rapid City

    3 Epic Days in Rapid City

    CampCo

    Floating Down the Cheyenne River

    Floating Down the Cheyenne River

    Isaac Parsons