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Thinking about a late summer - mid-July or early-August - road trip starting in Mn/St Paul and lasting about two weeks. It looks like that is the best airport to get into, rent a car and begin.
We enjoy hiking, (5-7 miles in/out), sightseeing, quirky things and places to visit. We'd be staying inmate's/hotels, 2 or 3 nights max each location. That's our style anyway.
Looks like best to start with North Dakota and then loop down to South Dakota. But, maybe not. Open to Twin Cities>SD>ND>Twin Cities routing. I'll post in the ND forum also.
Thanks for suggestions. Have no idea if stuff will be open, available to do, but we're going stir crazy.
I can't be of much help for North Dakota, but in South Dakota budget a decent amount of time for Badlands National Park. Go see Mount Rushmore if you've never been there. They have a nice lighting ceremony at night. Custer State Park is fantastic. Drive among the buffalo if you can. Do some hiking. Sadly I haven't done a lot of the trails yet so I can't make the best recommendations for that. Don't waste your valuable time at Crazy Horse. That's my typical advice.
I haven't been out west since Covid came about but SD in general was never lockdown crazy like everywhere else, though some of the federally administered stuff may be different. There were news stories about people vacationing in the Black Hills a few months ago because things were open/accessible and people had free time to travel. Just check before you go to avoid surprises.
Edited to add note: You mentioned early August. The Sturgis Rally is in August. I don't know what kind of attendance they are expecting with the pandemic, but it will likely still be hard to come by places to stay then so check on that too.
Last edited by CoteauKid; 06-21-2020 at 04:02 AM..
Reason: Adding extra info
Thx. Great advice. Had taken note of Sturgis and planned to avoid that week and Sturgis in general. Got a couple responses on the ND forum, where I also posted.
Quote:
Originally Posted by CoteauKid
I can't be of much help for North Dakota, but in South Dakota budget a decent amount of time for Badlands National Park. Go see Mount Rushmore if you've never been there. They have a nice lighting ceremony at night. Custer State Park is fantastic. Drive among the buffalo if you can. Do some hiking. Sadly I haven't done a lot of the trails yet so I can't make the best recommendations for that. Don't waste your valuable time at Crazy Horse. That's my typical advice.
I haven't been out west since Covid came about but SD in general was never lockdown crazy like everywhere else, though some of the federally administered stuff may be different. There were news stories about people vacationing in the Black Hills a few months ago because things were open/accessible and people had free time to travel. Just check before you go to avoid surprises.
Edited to add note: You mentioned early August. The Sturgis Rally is in August. I don't know what kind of attendance they are expecting with the pandemic, but it will likely still be hard to come by places to stay then so check on that too.
Thx. Great advice. Had taken note of Sturgis and planned to avoid that week and Sturgis in general. Got a couple responses on the ND forum, where I also posted.
Unless you are into motorcycles and the lifestyle, I'd avoid Sturgis during the rally like the plague (or pandemic). It's a pretty wild place for those that are into this sort of thing. It is however, not as dangerous as many people often say. It is very well policed. DEFINITELY, not a place to bring a family with children.
Good advice from CoteauKid. I've heard that pretty much everything in the Hills are open now. I'm heading out there in 3 weeks myself. A much safer mini vacation avoiding the airlines. I sure as hell ain't going to Minneapolis like last year.
As someone from the Twin Cities who has visited the western Dakotas for the trails, here's my take:
North Dakota
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
There's plenty to do here, great trails, and the park is less crowded than many National Parks (though my usual proviso is that if you're in a National Park and you can't find solitude, then you're doing it wrong).
But there's more in South Dakota
Badlands National Park
Not as extensive as Theodore Roosevelt, but worthy of a visit all its own. Great potential exists here for strapping on a backpack and leaving the trail behind and camping in the park's prairie wilderness at least a mile (or five) from a road.
The Black Hills
This encompasses the vast Custer State Park, with a reasonable trail to the top of Harney Peak, the highest summit east of the Rockies (there's also a few trails from the north to the peak that are less reasonable!). There's Wind Cave National Park, with the cave - of course - but also with many miles of lovely trails. And there are other scattered jurisdictions - the National Forest, other state parks, Jewel Cave National Monument - within the Black Hills.
Driving the Needles Highway is not to be missed!
Mount Rushmore
I consider this an overpriced tourist-trap; I've never done more than glance at it while driving by. And, just so no one is triggered by my comment, it's not out of any objection with the sculpted individuals in question. I just don't come to beautiful mountains to pay $15 to stare at a massive, unnatural carving from a parking lot with a few hundred of my closest friends. Ditto for Crazy Horse.
Wyoming
You didn't ask, but there's also Devils Tower National Monument, only about an hour and a half west of Rapid City. If you're a cram-everything-possible-into-a-trip guy, this is an option. I'm more of a focus-on-all-the-stuff-in-one-area guy (which, by the way, argues against North Dakota entirely so you can just focus on western South Dakota), but to each their own.
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I can't help you on all the kitschy touristy sojourns. Not my thing at all. You couldn't pay me enough to visit Wall Drug, especially after seeing countless of those damn signs despoiling the prairie for hundreds of miles in every direction.
Thx 2x3...Particularly appreciate the suggestion for Wyoming. Also, thinking about dipping down into Nebraska to Alliance to drive the Sandhills in reverse to the usual Grand Island west route. Found that Alliance is only a 100 or so miles south of Hot Springs/Wind Cave area. Plenty of time to decide and again, thank you. Very helpful.
I would consider a visit to Devils Lake over to the North Dakota Badlands, down through cave hills in northwest South Dakota. Also, the Capital Building in Bismarck is something to admire. The Black Hills is a must stop.
Once you get to Belle Fourche a side jaunt to Devils Tower would be worth the time. You could head to the South Dakota side of the fence. Custer State Park is worth the price of admission. With the Needles Highway and the Wildlife loop being the main attractions. Then, Wind Cave National Park being ideal for more wildlife to gaze at.
Heading east, the Badlands National Park is another place to enjoy.
I would do the Sand Hills when the cranes show up, usually in late February through early April.
That would give you good flavor what our states have to offer.
Thx 4020. Had that thought about the Sand Hills. The other suggestions are useful, too.
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