Animals & Wildlife

Home to a unique animal park set in beautiful botanical gardens, Reptile Gardens has been a staple in the Black Hills since 1937. Our iconic Sky Dome houses rare and fascinating reptiles, including Komodo Dragons, Axolotls, and Maniac, the Giant Saltwater Crocodile. Immerse yourself in the Safari Room indoor jungle filled with a brilliant array of tropical flowers and plants, along with birds, and reptiles. The grounds are a colorful mosaic of flowerbeds planted each year with more than 40,000 flowers. Visiting with the award-winning staff, having a conversation with a parrot, and getting up close and personal to take a selfie with 500-pound giant tortoise are experiences your family will never forget! Reptile Gardens is in the Guinness Book of World Records for the world's largest reptile collection. Located six miles south of Rapid City on the road to Mount Rushmore, we are open year-round (see our website for seasonal hours and rates).

The Bramble Park Zoo in Watertown is the second-largest zoo in South Dakota. On 18 acres, we feature approximately 800 animals representing 130 species from around the world and those native to South Dakota. Also on-site are the Discovery Center, Australian Adventure, Bear Crossing, Terry Redlin Environmental Center, Diversity of Life Complex and an interactive KidZoo. We have daily hours, year-round. Hours of operation are extended Memorial Day through Labor Day.

Caputa Alpacas is a free, family-friendly attraction minutes east of Rapid City. We are the only Alpaca farm in western South Dakota. We offer a fun and educational experience for the entire family. You can visit us year-round, seven days a week, but please call ahead for hours.

The Great Plains Zoo in Sioux Falls features more than 1,000 animals from around the world. The 45-acre park offers up-close views of animals often not found in larger zoos, including giraffes, tigers, rhinos and primates. Ride a camel or get a kiss from a sheep in the Hy-Vee Face-to-Face Farm. Also included is the Delbridge Museum of Natural History, a one-in-the-world collection of 150 mounted animals including 38 vanishing species. Open daily; see our website for up-to-date admission hours.

The D.C. Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery and Archives provides exciting visitor opportunities, and it gives back to the local community of Spearfish and the surrounding area. We welcome visitors to the historic, federal, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service hatchery and museum for an educational, closeup view of the fish production process. We also have a gift shop, historic house and rail car staffed by our volunteers and available for educational tours May through September. Admission is free.

Our Farm is a seasonal pumpkin patch, corn maze, petting zoo, and fun family attraction located near Parker. We also have a pedal track, multiple slides, a hay bale mountain, gourd launchers, zip lines, a corn pit and concessions for a day of fun. We are open 12-6 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays in September and October. Admission is $10 for kids (over 2 years of age) and $5 for adults. Admission includes everything except pick-your-own pumpkins, gourd launchers and concessions.

Rockin R Trail Rides provides guided horseback trail rides in the beautiful Black Hills National Forest. We offer experienced guides and great horses at reasonable rates. We are centrally located in the Black Hills just outside of Custer and close to Custer State Park, Mount Rushmore National Memorial and Crazy Horse Memorial. We are open late May (Memorial Day weekend) until October 1. Feel free to call or text us for more information.

Founded in 1988 by Dayton O. Hyde, the Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary is one of America's greatest private wilderness areas. Located near Hot Springs in southwestern South Dakota, it is owned and operated by the Institute of Range and the American Mustang and is dedicated to giving America's unwanted wild horses a life of freedom. There are hundreds of wild mustangs roaming free across 11,000 acres of wind-swept prairie. Starting in May, our Gift Shop is open 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Monday through Friday. There are horses along the way and around the Gift Shop. Only a select few visitors can go out to see the horses by reservation only. The visits are with a guide in a SUV or van, with a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 5 people for three hours. The fee is $350 per person plus tax. The availability is weather dependent and is only Monday through Friday (with mornings being the best time to view the herds).

The Reptile Adventure Zoo in Sioux Falls invites you to meet & interact with reptiles up close. You'll not only get to explore and learn about amazing reptiles, but you'll also have the chance to adopt one of your own. Our shop has great reptile-related gifts and toys as well as specialty supplies for the care of reptiles.