South Dakota - Suggestions - Please!
 

We are an Australian couple – 60’s. As part of a great American road trip we’ll be in South Dakota in June this year.

Our plan is to drive from Spring Green (Taliesin) to Sioux Falls where we’ll overnight. From there via Pierre (State Capitols are a particular interest of ours) to Kadoka (for the Minuteman silo and Visitors centre. Then via a loop the next day to Deadwood and on to stay in Custer for 2 nights.

From Custer we’ll ‘do’ Mt Rushmore, Custer State Park and the Crazy Horse Memorial (probably the night laser show), and the Badlands NP. We then drive on through Cheyenne (another Capitol) to Denver (capitol) for 3 nights before we drop our car off and take the California Zephyr to Sacramento.

Any advice on ‘must sees’ in these areas would be very welcome.

Thanks for your time.

From Custer dont miss visiting the Devils tower just over the border in Wyoming.Paul

You can check Badlands NP off your list by taking Hwy 240 after leaving Kadoka. That drops you out at Wall Drug which you will want to at least stop for a drink after seeing the 50 million road signs advertising it. Before you get to Denver be sure to take a detour to see Rocky Mountain NP. Have fun, sounds like a great trip!

Thanks tovarich and Barlab.

We especially enjoyed Deadwood, SD. That is where Boot Hill Cemetery is and where Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane are buried. A Wild Bill impersonator rides his horse down the main street and does daily shows in which he gets shot and killed in a poker game.

The scenic highway No. 14A from Spearfish to Deadwood is very pretty.

If time permits visit the Wounded Knee site on the Pine Ridge Indian Res. Its slightly south and east of the Black Hills.

http://www.lastoftheindependents.com/wounded.htm

http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/knee.htm