Hi all,
I'm looking for recs on how to best spend our wee amount of time in SD. We really are just driving through, en route from a cabin in Colorado with friends to a cabin in Minnesota with family. We're leaving the Estes Park area on a Sunday and should probably be in Minnesota on Wednesday afternoon. Though we like to hike, we're really looking for more tips on scenic drives (quickie strolls are okay) than get out and hike ideas.

My thinking was that we would drive up through eastern WY, then down through Spearfish to Rapid City and onto Custer, the Badlands, and the Native American Scenic Byway up to North Dakota. Would you go with this general (vague?) plan, or would you cut out the northern part of the Black Hills and head to Custer through far southwest SD?

Also, what are your thoughts on timing? If you were leaving Estes Park area noonish on a Sunday and wanted to be in Bismark Tuesday night, how would you break up the drive?

An added tidbit--I'm a freak for waterfalls. Oh, and we are probably okay on skipping Mt. Rushmore and Crazy Horse monuments.

I hope this isn't too vague! Thanks in advance for any tips.

Your plan sounds great to me. Although you may be pushing things in terms of time. I would try to include Devil's Tower when you're in WY. However, a few years ago we stayed about an hour into WY from Colorado (off of I 25?). We drove up to Devil's Tower and then to Custer State Park. We didn't get into the park until around 8:00 that evening.

If it fits in time-wise, I'd recommend staying either in Custer State Park custerresorts.com or at Cedar Pass Lodge in the Badlands.

Thanks for the quick reply Caph52.

How does this sound?
Sunday drive Colorado to near Spearfish.(6 or 7 hours not counting stops?)

Monday, a long day because of stops and scenic diversions, traveling down through Rapid City, around Custer Park, and over to Badlands.

Tuesday, scenic drive around Badlands, up through Sioux Nation to Bismarck.
Leave Bismarck early Wednesday to get to Minnesota cabin mid-afternoon.

I'll definitely take a look at your lodging recs. Thanks! And here I only knew you as an Ireland-related forum contributor!

Hi,

No matter what, I wouldn't skip Mt. Rushmore(unless I'd seen it). Approaching it through the tunnel is one of the most inspiring moments I have had in my travels. If you don't want to walk up closer to it, just do the view from the road and be on your way, but it is really great seeing the walk of state flags and the monument closer up.

oopsy, I'm very hesitant to comment for a couple of reasons. One, it's been five years since we were out there. And, two, we did things differently than you are.

As I mentioned, it was a very long day for us the day that we started in WY, went up to Devil's Tower and then over to the Black Hills. And then we spent three nights at Custer State Park and one in the Badlands. So we spent a lot more time in that area than you have available to you. That makes it hard for me to judge whether you're going to be able to do as much as you'd like in the time you have.

As for the rest of your trip, again it sounds really good. But I've never done it. So I can't say whether you're going to be really pushing it time-wise.

Are you planning to go to Devil's Tower or straight to Spearfish? You estimated 6 or 7 hours without stops. Maybe that's about right. I know that we did stop for lunch in Sundance. And that we spent a fair bit of time at Devil's Tower. Probably a couple of hours. But we had started in Wyoming, probably a couple of hours farther along than Estes Park.

I'm hoping that you'll hear from someone who's done the drive pretty much the way you plan to. But my guess would be that a lot of it has to do with just how much you like to drive and how long of a day you're willing to spend in the car.

Wish I could be of more help. But I will say that I love that part of the country. My husband and I had been out there 20 years previous to the trip five years ago. We went back because we really wanted to take our kids. And we were very glad we did!

So, whatever you decide, I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Thanks for the assistance CAPH52 and GJLinda!