Native American Attraction Trail

Each region of the state is home to different tribes, and each has its own unique story to tell. Plan a cultural road trip hitting South Dakota's many Native American attractions and historic landmarks, as well as not-to-be-missed roadside stops all along the way.

Sioux Falls

Begin in South Dakota’s largest city, located at the junction of interstates 29 and 90 and home to the state’s largest airport.

• Good Earth State Park at Blood Run — This state park is one of the oldest sites of long-term human habitation in the United States. Good Earth offers opportunities for birding and hiking, as well as the chance to learn some fascinating facts at the visitor center.
• Center for Western Studies — The Center for Western Studies in Sioux Falls contains an extensive art and artifact collection with a permanent exhibit on Native American history.
• Falls Park — Named for the Sioux tribe and the waterfalls of the Big Sioux River, scenic Falls Park encompasses 123 acres and is located in Sioux Falls' historic downtown area.

Mitchell

Head west via Interstate 90 (1 hour/70 miles) to Mitchell, home of the World’s Only Corn Palace. The American icon is decorated annually with seven murals made from 12 different colors of corn and native grasses.

• Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village — The site of a 1,000-year-old Native American village, the Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village is the only archaeological site in South Dakota open to the public. Guests can watch as archaeologists uncover artifacts in the comfort of the Thomsen Center Archeodome before touring the Boehnen Memorial Museum to see a reconstructed lodge and many of the 1.5 million artifacts.
• Dakota Discovery Museum — Explore historic artifacts from a time when the way of life came from living off the land itself, plus art relating to Native Americans and pioneers.

Chamberlain/Oacoma

Continue another hour west on Interstate 90 until you reach the beautiful Missouri River valley and arrive in Chamberlain/Oacoma.

• Akta Lakota Museum & Cultural Center — The Akta Lakota Museum & Cultural Center provides visitors with a living lesson on the Native American way of life, both past and present. Visitors benefit from a mini-theater, interactive displays, English-Lakota descriptions, an outdoor Medicine Wheel Garden and a gift shop featuring a unique selection of Native American-made products.
• Dignity: of Earth and Sky — This stainless steel, 50-foot-tall statue of a Native American woman was specifically designed to honor the cultures of the Lakota and Dakota people. Day or night, Dignity is a must-stop for those traveling on I-90 or the Native American Scenic Byway.

Pierre

Located near beautiful Lake Oahe, Pierre is the state capital of South Dakota.

• South Dakota Cultural Heritage Center — The official museum of the South Dakota State Historical Society tells the story of the state’s history, from pre-statehood to present day, including archaeological discoveries and a Living Traditions exhibit.

Wall

Continue west on Interstate 90 until you reach Wall. There you’ll find Wall Drug Store, a 76,000-square-foot wonderland of free attractions, shopping, photo opportunities, western art and more!

• Wall Drug Store — Among the amazing buffalo burgers and kitsch of Wall Drug is a $4 million art collection spread throughout the store's restaurant complex, including sculptures, paintings by Andrew Standing Soldier, and at least one original Oscar Howe. Keep exploring to find Wall Drug's collection of historical photographs that include Sioux chiefs and other tribal members.
• Badlands National Park — A maze of buttes and spires, the Badlands were named "mako sica" (meaning "land bad") by the Lakota. Created by millions of years of erosion, Badlands National Park now stretches 244,000 acres, with approximately 120,000 acres located on the Pine Ridge Reservation.

Pine Ridge

The Pine Ridge Indian Reservation covers more than 2.8 million acres in southwestern South Dakota, making it the second-largest reservation in the United States — and larger than Delaware and Rhode Island combined.

• Pine Ridge Visitor Center — The Pine Ridge Visitor Center features Lakota art and wildlife displays as well as travel information.
• Wounded Knee Memorial — Located south of Porcupine on BIA 27, the Wounded Knee Memorial and burial ground is a site of immense significance for the Lakota people and a solemn reminder of a tragic event in American history. It is located on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, where visitors are reminded to be respectful during their visit.
• Heritage Center at Mahpiya Luta (Red Cloud) — Formerly known as the Red Cloud Indian School and Heritage Center, the Heritage Center at Mahpiya Luta features a Native American gift shop, cultural center and fine arts gallery that features one of the most impressive collections of historic and contemporary Native art in the country.
• Oglala Lakota College Historical Center — The Oglala Lakota College Historical Center provides a site for higher education on the reservation. The accredited college stocks a variety of Native American literature in the bookstore. Visitors can also see historical photographs and artwork displays.

Rapid City

The state’s second-largest city is also called the “City of Presidents” because of the life-size bronze sculptures of past American presidents that can be found on downtown street corners.

• The Journey Museum & Learning Center — The Journey Museum brings together five major prehistoric and historic collections to tell the complete story of the western Great Plains from the perspective of the Lakota people, the pioneers that shaped history and the scientists that currently study the area.
• Prairie Edge & Sioux Trading Post — This shop and gallery in downtown Rapid City features traditional and contemporary Native art, crafts and music, as well as craft supplies and dried herbs to take home as souvenirs.

Sturgis

The small town of Sturgis, just off Interstate 90, is famous in the motorcycle world and offers a unique history of the land and heritage, too.

Bear Butte State Park — From the 1,200-foot summit of Bear Butte, hikers can see four states. Learn more about this sacred site at the visitor center or take a walk to the summit and gaze at the buffalo grazing below. Bear Butte is also a site of immense spiritual and cultural significance for many Native American tribes, particularly the Lakota, Cheyenne, and Arapaho.

Deadwood

Established with the discovery of gold in 1876, historic Deadwood is still known today for gunpowder, gold and gambling!

• Tatanka: Story of the Bison — In addition to a beautiful bronze bison sculpture, Tatanka also features the Northern Plains Peoples Educational Interpretive Center, a Native American gift shop, the Sweetgrass Grill & Snack Bar, and "Dances With Wolves" movie costumes.

Custer

End your road trip in the little town of Custer, nestled in South Dakota's southern hills, and a short drive to the renowned Custer State Park and other natural wonders in case you have some extra time to get out, stretch your legs and explore.

Crazy Horse Memorial® — Located in the heart of the Black Hills of western South Dakota, Crazy Horse Memorial® is the world's largest in-progress mountain carving. The carving is respectfully dedicated to the Oglala Lakota war leader, Crazy Horse, and is intended to honor all Indigenous peoples of North America.