Leaving for SoDak family vacation next week - itinerary suggestions please.

[Finch]

So my wife's brother is stationed at Grand Forks AFB in ND. We'll be flying out next Tuesday to visit him and his family. Being the opportunist that I am, I suggested we all head to South Dakota to see all the sites. Keep in mind, my wife and I have a 6 and almost 2 year old and they have a 2 year old as well. Dreading the 9 hour drive with them down but maybe it won't be so bad.

July 23rd: Arrive to Grand Forks AFB - spend the night.
July 24th: Depart for Hill City, SD (9 hrs). This is where we'll be staying for 4 nights (base camp so to speak).
July 25th: Custer State Park. Wildlife Loop and Needles Hwy. Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse later that evening if time allows.
July 26th: Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse if we didn't get to do the day before. (Won't be spending much time at these places). Then head to the Mammoth Dig site.
July 27th: Depart Lodge for Devils Tower. Stop at Spearfish Canyon on the way. Maybe look around at Sundance on our way back to the lodge. What to do in Sundance?
July 28th: Check out of lodge and drive to the Badlands (1.5 hrs away). Spend 4 or so hours there. Maybe check out Minuteman Missile site. Depart and spend the night somewhere near Bismarck (halfway point back to Grand Forks).
July 29th: Depart Bismarck for Grand Forks.
July 30th : Open (will be back in ND).
July 31st: Open (will be back in ND).
Aug 1st: Depart Back to VA

See anything that I'm missing? I know Deadwood isn't far but not sure if its worth the time? Anything else you'd try to squeeze in?

And then the highlight trip of the year....

Sept 17th: Drive to CO to elk hunt

 

[Backyard]

Make sure to stop at Bridal Veil Falls in Spearfish canyon. The fish hatchery in Spearfish is pretty cool too.
And The Crystal Cave near the Reptile Gardens on 16 near Rapid City is actually pretty neat to tour.

 

[Finch]

Thanks, I'll check it out. Anything else I might be missing? Thinking we're hitting all the highlights.

 

[Mediocre Archer]

If you do end up in Spearfish Canyon, hike the Devil’s bathtub trail. It is maybe 1 hour hike there and back and is directly of the spearfish canyon road. A great little hike especially with young ones. (Disclaimer: You will get wet)

 

[Midwest.Bushlore]

You've gotta see the Mammoth Site in Hot Springs! Very very cool, nothing else like it around. Crystal Cave is pretty neat if you have time to squeeze it in. Bear Country USA and the Reptile Gardens are fun for the kids. The Badlands are pretty cool; take lots of water if you're getting out of your car as it will be miserable in mid July. I'd say you can safely miss Wall Drug but honestly if you have little kids they'd probably love it, especially the animatronic T-Rex.

That's the high points, IMO. The Black Hills are nice, you could spend months there and not get bored.

 

[Frosty82]

Good call on getting away from Grand Forks! I was stationed there and not much for family vacation stuff.

You have it pretty well planned out already. Might be worth looking into Medora, ND and Theodore Roosevelt National Park on your way back.

 

[HoytHntr4]

Jewel Cave, just west of Custer. 3rd longest cave in the world. Get tickets ahead of time if you go. When we were out there a few weeks ago they were sold out 3 days out. Deadwood is okay to visit if you’ve never been there before, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to visit again, it’s pretty busy. Definitely drive through the Spearfish Canyon, great views and fly fishing

 

[Midwest.Bushlore]

Yeah, Jewel is amazing! Don't miss the Mammoth Site though.

 

[wannakillabigbull]

I'll second Bear Country USA; short stop but enjoyable. Also Wind Cave NP is cool but is probably too far south for your itinerary. Regarding Deadwood: We drove all the way there and wished we didn't. I wouldn't spend the time if I were you.

 

[H2PVon]

Short stops:
Corn Palace
1880's Town

 

[Bearlodge10]

All good advice from above but being from Sundance, I will chime in on a couple of things to do. There is a nice little museum in the basement of the courthouse. Kids activities there as well. If you have a fishing license, the pond will give them a chance to wet a line and generally pretty good chance at a small trout. Several geocaching sites throughout town. Vore Buffalo Jump is on your way back towards Spearfish via I90, near the Wyoming Welcome Center. If you have a decent vehicle, you can travel the backroads from Devils Tower back to Sundance to the fire lookout tower. PM me for details.

 

[sodaksooner]

If you are in spearfish canyon go all the way to the top and see Roughlock falls as well. It's just a few more miles. Stop in Sturgis and buy a t-shirt. It's on the way. Nothing to see there though. Storybook island in Rapid City would be a good diversion for the kids. Other than that sounds like a good itinerary. Lots of touristy stuff in Hill City if you are staying there.

If you go to Deadwood/Lead, stop by the open cut. It is pretty cool.

As you are probably aware, hit the wildlife loop either early or late for best viewing.

Bikers will be showing up while you are there. There will be tons of them. Just be careful.

 

[go4thegusto]

Yeah, Jewel is amazing! Don't miss the Mammoth Site though.

Ditto on Mammoth Site!!

 

[Finch]

Yep, mammoth site is on the list. Thanks for all the suggestions and I'll research them tonight at work.

@sodaksooner or anyone else, I do need to know more about Custer S.P. So do the Wildlife loop early or late but where does Needles Highway and/or Iron Mountain Rd come into play? Do most spend all day in the park and exit the Needles Hwy or Iron Mtn Rd to go see Rushmore? Little confused about this part.

 

[sodaksooner]

Either one will get you to Rushmore from CSP. Just depends on the route you want to take. 16a connects the two. Iron Mountain is on the east side, Needles on the west. You'll have to come back east on 244 to Keystone if you take needles highway. Both drives are worth it however you go.

I would also do 385/87 out of Hot Springs. It will take you through both Wind Cave National Park and Custer State Park. Lots of elk in both. My brother lived in HS about 4 miles from the mammoth site for many years. My parents still live in Sturgis.

 

[Backyard]

Either one will get you to Rushmore from CSP. Just depends on the route you want to take. 16a connects the two. Iron Mountain is on the east side, Needles on the west. You'll have to come back east on 244 to Keystone if you take needles highway. Both drives are worth it however you go.

I would also do 385/87 out of Hot Springs. It will take you through both Wind Cave National Park and Custer State Park. Lots of elk in both. My brother lived in HS about 4 miles from the mammoth site for many years. My parents still live in Sturgis.

I remember that while going through Needles Hwy, Mt Rushmore is perfectly framed while going through one of the narrow tunnels, really neat looking. Soda? Maybe you know which direction of travel?

 

[sodaksooner]

It's been so long since I was on either. We usually take 79 and head west out of hermosa to the parks. Avoids the tourist traffic. I think my mom and dad camped in custer state park last weekend.

Oh, if you get a real wild hair. There is an old rock fire tower on top of Black Elk Peak(formerly Harney peak) that is really cool. It is the highest point east of the Rockies in the continental US. Pretty cool hike to get up there.

 

[bmf0713]

Me and my family were just there in June. Daughter is 10 and boy is 6. I would skip wall drug and deadwood. Nothing for the kids in deadwood, full of bars, casinos and tourist shops. Wall drug was a madhouse and it was a waste of time, i wished we would've spent more time in the badlands instead of Wall. I recommend all the scenic byways in Custer state park. If you wanna go to jewel cave get tickets in advance. We drove all the way out there and they were sold out for the day so we didn't get to see it. Spearfish canyon is cool. Devils tower was neat but it was way too crowded and it took a whole day of round trip driving to see it, the path around it is paved so you can use a stroller for the little ones if needed. Mount rushmore is a deffinate, drove by crazy horse but didnt go in. We missed the train robbery in hill city, but wanted to do that. We tried to hit all the big things and decided next time we go to south dakota we are going to be spending all of our time at custer state park and badlands.

 

[Finch]

Thanks again for all the responses. I looked at everything suggested and added what interested me into the itinerary. I feel I might be a little ambitious with some of this. I've planned this whole trip - the in-laws are along for the ride. I've told them repeatedly that this isn't written in stone but I felt something needed to be on paper so we're not overwhelmed once we get there.

Anyway...to anyone that lives in this area or has visited this area before. Is my itinerary doable and/or logical?

South Dakota Itinerary
July 23rd: Arrive to Grand Forks AFB

July 24th: Depart Grand Forks to Lodge in Hill City, SD
-9 hour drive – 557 miles. Time change (Central to Mountain time)

July 25th: Leave Lodge for Custer State Park (45 mins away)
-People generally spend all day here
-Wildlife Loop - 18 mile scenic wildlife loop in Custer State Park
-Needles Highway - takes approx. 1 hour to drive thru
-Exit park on Iron Mountain Rd towards Mount Rushmore (time permitting)
-Mount Rushmore (time permitting)
-People generally spend 2 hours here
-Crazy Horse Memorial - (approx. 30 mins away) – drive by?

July 26th: Leave Lodge for Mount Rushmore if unable to visit day before
Crazy Horse Memorial - (approx. 30 mins away) –drive by?
Bear Country USA (13820 US-16, Rapid City, SD 57702) 7:30AM-7:00PM
-20 mins from Lodge
2-3 hours typically spent here
Depart Bear Country for Mammoth Dig Site (1 hour away)
People generally spend 2 hours here

July 27th: Leave Lodge for Devils Tower (2 hrs 10 mins away)
-Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway (US Hwy 14A) (half way point to Devils Tower)
-Bridal Veil Falls at Spearfish: Ample parking – crosswalk to viewing platform on other side of Hwy 14A
-Devils Bathtub Trail hike (1 hour hike there and back)
---Prepare to get a little wet (creek crossings and take a swim)
-Roughlock Falls Trail hike: (2 miles round trip) – easy trail. From Spearfish, take 14A to Savoy.
-Arrive at Devils Tower – 2 hours on average spent here
-Depart Devils Tower back toward Sundance, WY (35 mins away) – look around???
-Depart Sundance back to Lodge (1.5 hrs away)

July 28th: Check out of room at Lodge
-Drive to Badlands National Park- 25216 Ben Reifel Road Interior, SD (1.5 hrs)
-People generally spend 4 hours to all day here.
-Minuteman Missile site is nearby (approx. 20 mins away) –tickets needed to see inside (tickets sell out in advance) – possibly skip this?
-Depart this area for Bismarck, ND to spend the night (approx. 5 hrs away).

July 29th: Depart Bismarck for Grand Forks

 

[Fullfan]

Wait you all forgot Wall Drug...lol