A Magical Winter Road Trip in South Dakota’s Black Hills

Winter in the Black Hills region offers a rare chance to experience South Dakota at its most peaceful and picturesque. With fewer visitors, you can explore iconic attractions at your own pace, savoring quiet moments at breathtaking overlooks and wide-open landscapes dusted in snow. It’s also a season of celebration. From the Black Hills Stock Show & Rodeo in Rapid City to Custer’s Burning Beetle, cities and towns across the region shimmer with festive light displays, ice skating and one-of-a-kind annual events that bring a cozy feel to even the chilliest days. 

Experience the region’s highlights on this compact winter road trip through the Black Hills.

Day 1

Starting in Rapid City, depart on Highway 16 south to Mount Rushmore National Memorial. See America’s most famous faces covered with a dusting of snow — and without the crowds you can expect during the warmer months. After walking the scenic grounds, drive 20 minutes west on the stunning Peter Norbeck National Scenic Byway to visit Crazy Horse Memorial®. When completed, this monumental tribute to legendary Lakota leader Crazy Horse will be the world’s largest mountain carving. Be sure to visit the Indian Museum of North America to learn more about the area’s Indigenous history.

The town of Custer makes a great lunch stop before heading to the Wildlife Loop Road in Custer State Park, where buffalo, elk, deer, antelope and burros roam across snowy meadows, kicking up powder as they cross the road. 

From there, travel south on Highway 385 through Wind Cave National Park to the town of Hot Springs. Take a dip in the natural indoor warm-springs swimming pool at Evans Plunge or warm your bones in the steamy outdoor pools of Moccasin Springs before staying the night in Hot Springs.

Day 2

Step into the prehistoric past with a tour of The Mammoth Site, the world’s largest mammoth research facility. Columbian and woolly mammoths fell into a sinkhole here 26,000 years ago, and their bones are preserved where they fell! 

Next, depart north on Highway 79 for the one-hour drive back to Rapid City. You'll find plenty to experience along the way, including presidential statues, Dinosaur Park, Art Alley and more. Then it’s off to Deadwood to try your luck at gaming or learn about the history of this infamous Gold Rush mining camp. And if you're a fan of the HBO show based on the town's Wild West history, you're really going to enjoy yourself. Stay the night in Deadwood.

Day 3

Start the day with a snowmobile ride through the northern Black Hills, where you can tour scenic Spearfish Canyon and Roughlock Falls Nature Area. Or, visit one of the area's "Dances With Wolves" filming sites. Another option is a trip to one of the ski areas for downhill and/or cross-country skiing. Afterward, it’s back to Deadwood for more evening excitement. Stay the night in Deadwood.

Bonus Day: Badlands

Have more time to spare? Head to Badlands National Park (about 1.5 hours from Deadwood via Interstate 90) to see some of America’s most unique and captivating landscapes. The Badlands are especially striking in the winter, when crowds are thin and the park’s signature rock formations are accentuated with a frosting of snow.