2 days of granite peaks, bison and the Badlands

Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.

1. 1
   Morning

   Mount Rushmore

   The national memorial carved into the granite of Mount Rushmore, with the heads of four presidents sculpted by Gutzon Borglum from 1927 to 1941. The Lakota call the Black Hills Pahá Sápa and hold the whole region sacred, and the mountain is Tȟuŋkášila Šákpe Pahá, Six Grandfathers. The sculpture was built on land taken from the Sioux Nation in the 1870s, and the Sioux continue to demand its return. Check ahead on parking and access.

   Go when Morning, when the sun is on the faces.

   Local tip Walk the path below the carving, and read about the Lakota name for the mountain and the land. It is a place of mixed feelings, so give it a little quiet. Check ahead on parking and access.

   

   About 45 min by car21.6 mi
2. 2
   MorningBest early

   Custer State Park

   South Dakota's first and largest state park, a wildlife reserve of prairie and mountains in the Black Hills, with a herd of bison. Drive the wildlife loop slowly with the windows up near the animals. Bison, bighorn sheep and burros are wild, so stay in the car and give them room. Check ahead on the loop and on the rules.

   Go when Early morning, when animals are out, or late afternoon (about 7:03 PM).

   Local tip Stay in the car near bison, burros and bighorn sheep, and never walk up to an animal. Give them room on the road, and check ahead on the wildlife loop and the weather.

   

3. Lunch

   Chislic

   Cubes of red meat, often mutton or lamb, skewered or fried and eaten with a toothpick, the official state nosh of South Dakota, found at roadside places.

   Local tip Share a plate, and add a little salt or hot sauce to taste.

   About 33 min by car or transit11.3 mi
4. 3
   MorningIndoor

   Wind Cave National Park

   A national park of the first cave in the world named a national park, with boxwork formations found almost nowhere else, and a mixed grass prairie above it. The cave is said to breathe, as air moves in and out with the pressure. The Lakota hold it sacred as the place where they emerged from the underworld. Tours are timed, so check ahead.

   Go when Morning, as an indoor stop with a timed tour.

   Local tip Cave tours are timed, so check ahead and book if you can. The cave is cool and has stairs, so bring a warm layer and sturdy shoes. Above ground, bison graze the prairie, so keep your distance.

   

   About 43 min by car20.0 mi
5. 4
   Midday

   Needles Highway

   The northern part of South Dakota Highway 87, a scenic mountain road named for the granite needles it threads through, with the narrow Needles Eye Tunnel. It is slow and winding, so take your time and check ahead on closures, since it can shut in the cold months.

   Go when Midday, with clear skies and dry roads.

   Local tip The road is narrow, with tight tunnels. Take it slowly, check ahead before you take a large vehicle, and turn back if snow or ice are about, since the road can close in the cold months.

   

   About 17 min by car or transit3.8 mi
6. 5
   Afternoon

   Crazy Horse Memorial

   A mountain monument under construction on privately held land, commissioned by the Lakota elder Henry Standing Bear to honor the Oglala Lakota warrior Crazy Horse, and sculpted by Korczak Ziolkowski. Work began in 1948 and is far from complete. The mountain is sacred to some Oglala Lakota, and the Black Hills were promised to the Lakota in the 1868 Treaty of Fort Laramie, which the United States broke in 1877. Check ahead on the visit.

   Go when Afternoon, as an indoor and outdoor stop.

   Local tip It is a monument to a Lakota leader on land sacred to some Oglala Lakota. Read about Crazy Horse and the Lakota where the exhibits allow, and check ahead on what is open.

   

7. Dinner

   Buffalo chili

   A bowl of chili made with bison, beans and tomatoes, hot with a spoon of cheese or sour cream on top, a filling dinner after a day in the hills.

   Local tip Ask what the heat is before you order, and take bread.

Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.

1. Drive from Crazy Horse MemorialAbout 2 h by car84.0 mi

   Where Day 1 ended.
2. 1
   Afternoon

   Badlands National Park

   A national park of sharply eroded buttes and pinnacles with the largest undisturbed mixed grass prairie in the United States. The Lakota name is Makȟóšiča, bad lands. In the 1868 Treaty of Fort Laramie the United States assured the Sioux the Badlands were theirs, and in 1889 they were taken. The Ben Reifel Visitor Center is the place to start. Watch for rattlesnakes and stay on paths.

   Go when Afternoon into evening (about 7:03 PM), when the colours deepen.

   Local tip Start at the visitor center, then pick a short trail. The ground is crumbly and slick when wet, so keep to paths, watch for rattlesnakes, and check ahead on storms. This land is sacred to the Lakota and its stories are theirs to tell.

   

3. Dinner

   Sweet corn and grilled chicken

   Sweet corn on the cob with butter and salt, beside a plate of grilled chicken, a simple prairie supper after the long drive back.

   Local tip Corn ripens in late summer, so ask what is in season.