SD park fees - most economical option?
 

Planning a trip to SD and NE this summer for family of four (two adults, two children) driving in a regular car - no RV - to visit several national and state parks. I'm having trouble figuring out whether it makes sense for us to pay for each park individually as we arrive, or whether we should purchase a parks pass ahead of time. We won't have an opportunity to visit US parks any other time over the next year so decisions need to be based solely on this trip. We plan to visit:
Badlands National Park
Black Hills National Forest
Mt Rushmore
Custer State Park
one more state park TBD

It looks like we need a separate parking pass for some parks in addition to admission per person - can anyone confirm this? We're staying overnight in one park (not camping) and visiting Rushmore on two consecutive days. The whole trip will be less than a week. Thanks!

Looks like you will be paying one $11 parking fee which covers an entire year. http://www.mountrushmoreinfo.com/fees.htm
Just pay the one time entry fee to go into Badlands NP unless you are planning on seeing a lot of National Parks within the next year. I don't think the National Forest charges to just drive through. The SD State Park will probably charge an entrance fee which may cover other SD State Parks

$30 gets you an annual pass (per vehicle)for the SD state parks; Mount Rushmore is free, but parking is $11, and a pass won't pay for that. So, might as well pay any fee per national park as you visit (Badlands is $15, and I think you have to pay to enter), but buy the South Dakota parks pass?

<It looks like we need a separate parking pass for some parks in addition to admission per person - can anyone confirm this?>

For Mount Rushmore and Badlands, you will pay one fee per vehicle with no separate admission charge per person. $11 to park at Mt. Rushmore and that fee is good for an entire year. $15 to enter Badlands and that fee is good for a week.

There is no entrance fee for the national forest, although there may be day use fees for certain areas and there would be a camping fee is you're doing that (but it doesn't sound like you are).

Entry fee for Custer for 1-7 days is $15 per vehicle. For other state parks, entry fee is $6 per vehicle per day. You can also buy a $30 pass that allows admission to any state park for an entire year.

https://gfp.sd.gov/state-parks/permits/

None of them have separate admission fees for individuals, it is per vehicle. The exception is if individuals are entering on foot or bicycle which is not your situation.

So, altogether it would be $11 for parking at Mt. Rushmore, $15 for Badlands for a week, $15 for Custer for a week and $6 for another state park for one day. Total of $47.

You are all so wonderful helpful as always! Thank you!

Questions on Custer SP and fees.

Do some areas of Custer not need a permit?
Like The Needles Hwy, Iron Mtn Rd, Wildlife Loop and visiting Mount Coolidge Lookout/Fire Tower.

We're staying at Blue Bell Lodge one night. Do we need to get a permit to get to our cabin?

We are also visiting Badlands National Park and Devils Tower in WY. Does anyone know if the same vehicle pass will get us into Badlands and Devils Tower?

Thank you!