Get your gear ready, dress in layers, and hit the slopes and trails during the winter sports season (Dec.-March) in South Dakota. A little snow and a little cold opens up so many more things to do in South Dakota, each winter fun activity providing you the chance to look forward to the season.
Machines kick out snow before the first snowfall, giving you a head start for downhill skiing and snowboarding. You’ll love zipping down runs made specially for a variety of skill levels. When your legs get tired, hop aboard a snowmobile to take you on trails through forests, prairies and welcoming communities on both the eastern and western borders of the state. If none of the above are an option, there are always serene winter hikes, snowshoeing or old-fashioned cross-country skiing in the snow-covered hills and countryside to warm you.
EXCITING AREAS FOR DOWNHILL SKIING, SNOWBOARDING and SnowTubing
Terry Peak Ski Area, Lead
Use five lifts to reach nearly 30 trails – clearly marked for beginner, intermediate or advanced levels – at Terry Peak Ski Area in the northern Black Hills near the historic towns of Deadwood and Lead. The summit is 7,100 feet, and accomplished skiers and snowboarders can brave runs with names like Holy Terror or Inferno. Newbies will want to try the aptly named (and much tamer) Little Phil trail. Need some pointers before zooming down the mountain? Sign up for private or group lessons at the Ski School. Take a break to eat, relax, shop and enjoy entertainment at the Nevada Gulch or Stewart day lodges. To enjoy multiple days in the area, reserve overnight lodging at a town hotel, or book one of the nearby cabins or chalets.
Great Bear Ski Valley, Sioux Falls
Enjoy traversing 14 downhill runs at Great Bear Ski Valley, operated by the Sioux Falls Parks & Recreation Department. Trail difficulty ranges from the beginners' bunny hill to terrains designed to challenge those with alpine experience. A conveyor surface-lift quickly gets you back to the top for another trip down. When it’s time to warm up, sit by the fireplace and sip a hot drink inside The Lodge. Take advantage of the Great Bear SnowSports School for great tips to enhance your skills. The trip to get back to your hotel in Sioux Falls takes less than 15 minutes, making Great Bear a convenient place to play in the snow while enjoying big city amenities.
Taking in the Sights Along Snowmobile Trails
Black Hills National Forest Trail System
Within the 1.2-million-acre Black Hills National Forest, you’ll find 350 miles reserved exclusively for snowmobiles from Dec. 15 to March 31. To ride on the best trails, get your map from the South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks website. Travel through the forest, past waterfalls and lookout points, and pull up to one of the lodges found along the way. The Black Hills system is an especially fun destination since when you’re not zipping through amazing scenery, you can see the sights in the surrounding towns of Deadwood, Lead, Spearfish, Sturgis, Hill City, Custer, and Rapid City.
Eastern South Dakota and the Coteau Des Prairies Snowmobile Trail System
In eastern South Dakota, discover 1,168 miles of snowmobile trails by using the Game, Fish & Parks map. In the Coteau Des Prairies System, for example, you can ride on over 340 miles of trails through woods, by lakes, and in and out of towns such as Watertown, Clear Lake, Badger and Altamont. One of the many connecting routes is Four Lakes Trail, which features picturesque farms, prairies and charming communities. Explore even more by hopping on the Sioux and Heartland trails.
There's Something Fantastic About a Snowshoe Walk
South Dakota's openness and a vast amount of parklands provide plenty of access to its incredible winter landscapes. And snowshoes make traversing snow-covered trails a relative breeze (a heck of a lot easier than tromping through the snow without them, anyway). Whatever corner of the state you find yourself in, get out, strap up and leave your cabin fever home at the door. If you've never tried, check out South Dakota's Game, Fish and Park's various snowshoe hikes held on snowshoe trails throughout the state and season. For their events and at select state park units, you can check out snowshoes for free.
Good Earth State Park at Blood Run, Sioux Falls
Only 25 minutes from Great Bear Recreation Park and just southeast of Sioux Falls, this National Historic Landmark’s natural draw is as significant as its legacy as a Native American settlement centuries ago. Beautiful as it is in spring, summer and fall, Good Earth State Park should not be forgotten in the winter. Green forests and fields transform into sparkling white expanses that stretch toward the horizon. At the same time, even the shortest snowshoe hike along the Big Sioux River reveals its normally fast-flowing waters are frozen in time.
Fort Sisseton Historic State Park, Sisseton
History meets outdoor adventure at Fort Sisseton Historic State Park, where an 1864 military fort includes original structures such as stone barracks, a powder magazine, and officers’ quarters. Visitors can see these relics from the Western frontier days, enjoy lakefront views, and then snowshoe along the Fort Sisseton Trail through frozen wetlands.
Farm Island Recreation Area, Pierre
Escape to blissful solitude when you snowshoe along powder-coated trails. Farm Island Recreation Area, near Pierre, offers three loops along its Exploration Nature Trail, where you can snowshoe and cross-country ski. Need to take a break? Stop in at Farm Island’s warming shelter.
Cross-Country or Nordic Skiing
South Dakota saw a large migration of Scandinavians to the area in the early 1900s and some of the lifestyles and traditions can be found in winter activities like cross-country skiing.
Eagle Cliff Trails, Black Hills/Lawrence Co.
Drive just 10 miles south on U.S. Highway 85 from Lead for excellent cross-country skiing. In the mid-1980s, local skiing enthusiasts developed the Eagle Cliff Trails in the Black Hills National Forest for cross-country skiing. With 21 intertwining loop and dead-end trails, the system offers classic and skate skiing. Trails range from short, rugged and remote, to longer, looping trails with a range of difficulty. Local clubs groom many loops regularly. The opportunity to combine trails and create a unique experience is only one of the highlights of this system.
George S. Mickelson Trail, Black Hills
The premier trail within the South Dakota State Park system, this 109-mile jewel stretches the length of the Black Hills. It follows an abandoned railroad bed, and climbs gently into jagged cliffs and pine forests. The Mickelson Trail has a crushed limestone surface and wide path. It tops out at 6,100 feet but rarely exceeds a 4-percent grade (making it perfect for leisure riders). Trestle bridges and railroad tunnels add to the charm of the trail. Start your adventure at any of 15 trailheads.
Big Hill Trail System, Spearfish
Big Hill Trail, named after the prospectors that struggled to get over the “Big Hill” near Spearfish, is home to outstanding snowshoeing and cross-country skiing trails in the winter months. Lined with quaking aspen and ponderosa pine, these trails will allow you to take in the beauty of the Black Hills.
Dakota Nature Park, Brookings
Located on the southern edge of Brookings, the Dakota Nature Park is open year-round but is groomed perfectly for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing in the winter. The many trails have benches scattered along them, providing a perfect place to sit and enjoy the tranquil beauty of nature.
Richmond Lake, Aberdeen
Richmond Lake Recreation Area provides numerous outdoor recreational opportunities year-round. The Forest Drive unit has a scenic drive, multi-use trails and a warming shelter which is a trailhead for the local snowmobile trail. Cross-country ski trails are groomed during the winter.
