Black Hills National Forest Travel Guide

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Black Hills National Forest, South Dakota
Black Hills National Forest, South Dakota (courtesy, South Dakota Tourism)
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Black Hills National Forest Travel Tips

  • Most of the forest's campgrounds are at an optimal 4,500 to 6,400 feet in elevation. You'll enjoy warm temperatures during the day and cool nights for sleeping.
  • The popular, 109-mile Mickelson Trail is open to horseback riders, who share the crushed-rock former railroad with hikers and quite a few bikers. Some commercial campgrounds and lodging along the way have corrals, but the forest's official horse camps (Sundance, Iron Creek, and Willow Creek) are all rather distant.
  • The 20-mile Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway south of Spearfish along Highway 14A takes you through the narrow, wooded canyon. About seven miles into the canyon, pull over the see Spearfish Creek tumble 40 feet at the elegant Bridal Veil Falls.
  • The Norbeck Wildlife Preserve is home to a variety of wildlife, including elk, deer, and mountain goat. It also contains rugged granite formations, small lakes, and lively grasslands with about 36 miles of hiking trails winding through it all.
  • Take your time along Highway 87 between Sylvan and Center Lakes, an area known as the Needles Highway. The winding road leads through a forest of hoodoo-like granite formations popular with both rock climbers and sightseers.

The Black Hills Travel Guide

Chiseled in granite high on a pine-clad cliff in South Dakota's fabled Black Hills are the portraits of four of America's greatest leaders. Since 1941, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt have gazed quietly across the Great Plains and a land they did so much to mold. Read More

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2 Questions | 2 Answers
  • When in the Black Hills awhile back we camped in an equestrian area. Does anyone know the name? There is supposed to have a legend of a horseman. Do you know anything about this legend?
    Read 1 answer or Answer this question
  • WE ARE BRING OUR DOGS. CAN THEY GO AROUND THE PARK?
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Hotels

from: $78

Holiday Inn RAPID CITY-RUSHMORE PLAZA

505 NORTH FIFTH ST
Rapid City, SD 57701 Map

Distance: 25.1 mi.
(from destination center)

Hotel Class: 3 class stars

Expert Rated & Recommended
from: $43

Super 8 Motel - Hill City/Mt Rushmore/ Area

109 Main Street
Hill City, SD 57745-0184 Map

Distance: 4.7 mi.
(from destination center)

Hotel Class: 2 class stars

Expert Rated & Recommended
3.0
3.0
from: $70

Best Western Buffalo Ridge Inn

310 W Mount Rushmore Road
Custer, SD 57730-1938 Map

Distance: 10.9 mi.
(from destination center)

Hotel Class: 2 class stars

Expert Rated & Recommended
3.0
3.0
All Black Hills National Forest Hotels »
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Attractions

Mount Rushmore National Memorial

expert favorite attraction
southwestern South Dakota, 100 miles from Badlands National Park
Keystone, South Dakota 57751

Distance: 10.9 mi. (from destination center)

Description: Four presidential faces carved from a mountain, considered one of the wonders of the world -- go for the nightly lighting ceremony.... Read More
Expert Rated & Recommended
5_0
5_0
5_0

Crazy Horse Memorial

expert favorite attraction
Black Hills of South Dakota on U.S. Highway 16/385 just 17 miles southwest of Mount Rushmore.
12151 Avenue of the Chiefs
Crazy Horse, South Dakota 57730

Distance: 5.9 mi. (from destination center)

Description: In 1948, Sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski began carving Crazy Horse Memorial, when Lakota Chief Henry... Read More
Expert Rated & Recommended
4_0
4_0

1880 Train

P.O. Box 1880
Hill City, South Dakota 57745

Distance: 4.8 mi. (from destination center)

Description: Chug along the rich landscape of Western South Dakota's Black Hills. Located near Mt. Rushmore... Read More
Expert Rated & Recommended
3_0
3_0
All Black Hills National Forest Attractions »

Airports

Major Airports near Black Hills National Forest

Distance (mi.)
Denver International Airport 286.8 map

Other Smaller Airports near Black Hills National Forest

Distance (mi.)
Rapid City Regional Airport 31.7 map
Gillette Campbell County Airport 97.4 map
Scottsbluff Scotts Bluff County Airport 141.8 map

Feature Articles

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GORPtravel Adventure Trips & Guided Tours

  • Black Hills Multi-sport
    The World Outdoors
    from $2398, 6 days
    Criss-cross the path of General George Armstrong Custer's 1874 Black Hills Expedition on foot, bicycle and horseback on this Black Hills multi-sport...
See All Adventure Trips & Guided Tours from GORPtravel »

Black Hills National Forest Vacation Rentals

check rates
from: $35

5 Bedroom VACATION HOME in CHEHALIS, WA

Bedrooms: 5
Bathrooms: 2
Sleeps: 14
Amenities: Air Conditioning, Alarm Clock, BBQ, Blender, Cable/Satellite TV, Coffee Maker, DVD Player, Dishes, Dishwasher, Fireplace, Hair Dryer, Iron, Ironing Board, Laundry, Linens, Microwave, Patio, Pets OK, Phone, Playground, Refrigerator, Restaurant, Screened porch, Smoking OK, Stove, TV, Toaster, Towels, VCR
check rates
from: $39

3 Bedroom VACATION HOME in CHEHALIS, WA

Bedrooms: 3
Bathrooms: 3
Sleeps: 10
Amenities: Cable/Satellite TV, DVD Player, Fireplace, Hot Tub, Laundry, No Pets, Non-Smoking, Phone, Stereo, Stove, TV
check rates
from: $200

3 Bedroom VACATION HOME in CHEHALIS, WA

Bedrooms: 3
Bathrooms: 3
Sleeps: 10
Amenities: BBQ, CD Player, Cable/Satellite TV, DVD Player, Dishwasher, Full kitchen, Garage, Hot Tub, Laundry, Linens, Microwave, No Pets, Phone, Refrigerator, Stereo, Stove, VCR, Woodburning Stove
All Black Hills National Forest Vacation Rentals »

Black Hills National Forest Travel Guides

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