Epic 4-day South Dakota Trip Itinerary Your Family Will Actually Enjoy
Ready to learn all about exploring the best places in South Dakota? Kristen and Mark Morgan from Where Are Those Morgans? join Lisa to guide you through an amazing family vacation in South Dakota. Discover not-to-be-missed sites, some off-the-beaten path discoveries plus where to eat and stop along your journey.
“South Dakota is so beautiful and it will be worth returning to for repeat visits.”
The Perfect 4-Day South Dakota Itinerary
Day One in South Dakota
Fly into the Rapid City Airport and pick up your rental car.
Get on I-90 and drive to Badlands National Park. This is about a 1-hour drive.
Spend time in Badlands National Park hiking, enjoying views, watching wildlife, and taking photos. Plan to spend 2 - 4 hours in the park depending on what you’d like to see while you are there.
Drive 1 hour and 20 minutes to Keystone, South Dakota. Reserve a hotel here ahead of time. You can check into your hotel, find some dinner, and then head to see Mount Rushmore.
Plan to spend around an hour at Mount Rushmore National Monument in the evening. You can see it all lit up! The mildest weather will be found June through September.
Mark and Kristen Morgan Hiking in the Badlands
Day Two in South Dakota
Head back to Mount Rushmore. Get there early to watch the sunrise and have the place to yourself.
Walk along the boardwalk Presidential Trail and enjoy an up-close look at the famous presidential carvings. Plan to spend around 2 hours here this morning.
Now it’s time for a scenic drive along Needles Highway. You will enjoy amazing views along the 1.5-hour drive to Cathedral Spires. The drive can take longer during peak seasons.
Do the 1.6-mile Cathedral Spires out-and-back hike.
Drive to Custer State Park and do the 18-mile Custer Loop drive around the park. This is a great place to watch for animals and take in the views.
Plan to stay in the town of Custer, SD for the evening. Book the same place for tonight and tomorrow night.
Mark and Kristen at Mount Rushmore
Day Three in South Dakota
Drive the 18-mile wildlife loop in Custer State Park again. It will look different in the morning light and you will likely see different animals. This will take around three hours.
Head to Sylvan Lake in Custer State Park. You can hike, swim, or rent a non-motorized boat.
Now it’s time for a big hike if you are feeling up for it! Go to Black Elk Peak for a 6.5 mile (6-hour) moderate hike.
Head back to your hotel in Custer to rest up and then get some dinner before turning in for the night.
Mark and Kristen at Badlands National Park
Day 4 in South Dakota
Today has an ambitious itinerary! Pick and choose what you think sounds best for your family. If you have time, add a 5th day so you can do it all!
Get up early and go to Wind Cave National Park where you can tour the cave. Tickets are given out on a first-come, first-served basis.
If you want a different cave option, Jewel Cave is also a nice choice. Again, tickets are given out on a first-come, first-served basis.
Take State Route 385 from the cave up to Deadwood, SD. This is an hour and a half drive.
Stop along the way to see Crazy Horse. You can see it from the road or go to the visitor’s center to learn more and get a closer look.
Once in Deadwood, enjoy the fun of the old west-style town. Get some treats and check out the shops.
Drive to Spearfish Canyon on I-90 and US 85. It’s only a 17-minute drive. This is a huge canyon with a great hike to a waterfall.
Drive one hour to Devil’s Tower National Monument. This is just over the board in Wyoming. Take the 1.5 mile Joyner Ridge Trail Loop for a nice hike with great views of Devil’s Tower.
Time to head back to Rapid City where you will spend the night and then fly home the following morning.
Wow, wouldn’t you love to take this vacation with your family? I hope you found this helpful in planning your next trip to South Dakota. As you can see, there is so much to see and do on a visit here.
A huge thank you to Mark and Kristen Morgan from Where are Those Morgans for coming on the podcast and sharing all of this great information with us!
If you want to learn more from them, be sure to check out their posts with loads of details about the places we shared in this podcast episode:
- South Dakota Road Trip 4 and 7 Days Itinerary
- 18 Best Things to do in Badlands National Park
- 7 Best Hikes in Badlands National Park
- Mount Rushmore Vacation Planner
- 10 Best Things to do Near Mount Rushmore
- How to Hike the Awesome Black Elk Peak Trail
- 5 Amazing Things to do in Custer State Park