trevorjoyce

Have been planning our trip for a while:
Arrival day/drive to Wall & Badlands; stay in cabin 2 nights
Full day: tour Badlands/ short hikes
Day 3 drive to Custer State Park: 4 nights cabin there by Game Lodge
Do scenic drives, Some time at Sylvan Lake, Mt Rushmore (late afternoon/eve program), Do short hikes ( 1-4 miles), Jewel/Wind caves, Mammoth site
Day 7: drive to Spearfish; scenic drive, explore gorge/falls
Day 8: Devil's Tower, drive back to Rapid City for night
Day 9: Home
Questions:
We would like to stop for a cooler/food on way to Badlands..suggestions?
We will have good sneakers; we always bring back up shoes in case they get wet; are hiking boots good idea, or just another pair of good walking sneakers?
Should we try to see Minute Man Missile day we go from Badlands to Custer? Do tickets go fast?
What to leave out if too much to do: One of the caves or Mammoth?
Thanks!

spirobulldog

I think you will have plenty of time to do it all. We did everything you plan on doing in 4 days. Yes, everything.

You can search my name for trip report with pictures.

I don't wear tennis shoes at all any more. I mainly wear hiking shoes every day. I like the low top shoes as opposed to the sure enough hiking boot. There are a wide variety of shoes. I keep what I call a winter shoes, a summer shoe, and then a waterproof. All low top. Then I also do have more of what is considered at true high top hiking boot.
I like Oboz, Salamon, and The Northface shoes.

The only thing I think you might be doing a bit much of is the 2 day stay at Badlands. However, that said, I usually find that I like places better the longer I stay.
You'll have a great trip. Was surprised at how much we like Mount Rushmore and also surprised at how we didn't really care for Crazy Horse.

trevorjoyce

Thanks! I did read and enjoyed you report. We won't arrive at the Badlands til late in the day and will have had a long day. So it's really only the next day to tour and the following we leave. I wanted 2 nights to hear the eve Ranger talk. However, they end this weekend.
We have light weight hiking boots so I'll pull them out! We love Natl Parks; have been taking our 26 yr old since he was 6 and he's decided to join us. Taking him at that age on our hike to Iceberg Lake at Glacier Natl Park is a favorite memory! He kept up with the Ranger leading us. Can't wait to make some more!

longhorn55

I think you will be glad that you took your hiking boots. While you could do these trails in good sneakers, it's just so much easier and more comfortable with hiking boots.

The tickets for the Minuteman Missile Site do go quickly during the tourist season. (I assume you will be visiting fairly soon.) When we went (mid-June), we arrived at the Visitor's Center around 8:30 am and the earliest we could get on a tour was at 1:30 pm. (We actually opted to go later--see below). We found the tour fascinating as I imagine you will as well since you are likely, as we are, in the age group that dealt with the "duck-and-cover" drills, etc.

If you don't think you can wait around to do a tour on the day you drive to Custer (or if you don't think you can get to the Visitor's Center early enough to get on the first tour of the day), you might do what we did. On Day 2 (the day you plan to hike in the Badlands), get to the Visitor's Center early and ask for tickets for the last tour of the day which is at 3:30 pm. Then you have all day to do your hiking before going back for your tour. That's what we did and it worked out well for us. In fact, since it was the last tour of the day, our guide was in no rush to get on to another tour and he spent extra time with us.

trevorjoyce

Great idea!