Cassie & Zack
Cassie & Zack
Things to Do
Black Hills Adventure Guide
We’ll start with a few basic must-see destinations for your family and friends to soak up in the Black Hills. Each of these spots hold loads of activity and rich western history at a low price, without taking up your whole day. Here are some treasured national monuments and historic towns you won’t want to miss!
Mount Rushmore National Memorial
Sightseeing, gift shops, photo overlooks, light hiking, rich history!
Crazy Horse Memorial
Sightseeing, gift shops, large cliffside photo overlooks, light-moderate hiking, rich history!
Bear Country USA
*Only seasonally open* Beautiful drive-through park with lush forestry, wolves, bears, elk & other North American animals!
Custer State Park
Covers close to 71,000 acres with abundant wildlife and adventure possibilities! I.E. hiking, camping, biking, swimming.
Historic Downtown Deadwood
Historic western town famous for its 1876 Gold Rush, gambling, celebrity bars and western flare.
Wall Drug Store
Humble but popular tourist attraction in South Dakota, known for its dining, shopping and historical souvenir shops.
Scenic Hiking/Biking/Driving
You can’t truly experience all the natural beauty of the Black Hills without some proper time outside. Each of these scenic hiking/biking trails can be completed in a single day. I’ve done my best to disclose some key details about each of them, including length of trail, difficulty of trek and a brief description of the view from the summit (if applicable).
Devils Tower National Monument
1. Length: Medium. Roughly 1 hour total.
2. Difficulty: Medium- The hike is not terribly long but you are walking through rocky and wet terrain.
3. View: Unique rock formations and waterfalls.
Iron Creek Trailhead
1. Length: Easy. Flat trail in the Spearfish Canyon.
2. Difficulty: Easy - The is a casual hike if you are wanting to enjoy the outdoors and experience the Spearfish Canyon.
3. View: Picturesque mountains next to Iron Creek. Check out the Latchstring Restaurant for a fun lunch after your hike!
Lookout Mountain Trail
1. Length: Medium. This trail winds around lookout mountain, loved by local mountain bikers.
2. Difficulty: Medium - There are multiple trials to pick from that wind around Lookout.
3. View: You can actually see all of Spearfish, as well as Wyoming once you get to the top. Make sure to watch for rattle snakes in the summer time!
Crow Peak Trailhead
1. Length: Medium. Roughly 3-4 hours total.
2. Difficulty: Medium-hard intensity. While this hike isn’t too particularly long, the altitude climbed within the few miles makes for a shorter but more intense trek!
3. View: Perfect view of Spearfish and the Wyoming border!
Mickelson Trail heads
1. Length: Long! While most typically bike only sections of this trail, the entire Michealson stretches roughly 109 miles!
2. Difficulty: Low-medium. This trail boast full forest, long winding streams and long stretches of flat gravel trailhead!
3. Views: While not the same views you might find at the top of Crow Peak, the Michealson holds historic beauty and random peaceful overlooks of Lead-Deadwood.
Buzzard's Roost Lookout
1. Length: There is a loop of 10 miles of trails to choose from.
2. Difficulty: Low-Medium. This trail is a user friendly non-motorized hiking/biking trail.
3. Views: You get to experience a 360 degree view from the rocky limestone summit of Buzzards Roost, and look down onto Rapid Creek, surrounded by Black Hills Forest.
Flume Hiking Trail
1. Length: 11 miles plus 3 mile loop
2. Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
3. Take U.S. Highway 385 to Sheridan Lake Campground. Follow signs to Flume Trail and the Calumet Trailhead near the southeast shore of Sheridan Lake. The trail ends near Rockerville at the Coon Hollow Trailhead on County Road 233.
Badlands National Park
Badlands National Park is in South Dakota. Its dramatic landscapes span layered rock formations, steep canyons and towering spires. Bison, bighorn sheep and prairie dogs inhabit its sprawling grasslands. The Badlands Loop Road (Highway 240) winds past scenic lookouts. Several trails begin near the Ben Reifel Visitor Center.
Camping
One of my all-time favorite things to recommend in the beautiful Black Hills! This entire section is dedicated to tent, camper and RV pack-in camping. Find a list of local campgrounds within the towns of Spearfish, Rapid City, Deadwood and Custer, including links for pricing, availability and season dates.
Chris’s Campground - Spearfish
Tiny Town Campground - Spearfish
Spearfish Campground - Spearfish
Rapid City RV Park - Rapid City
Hidden Lake Campground & Resort -Rapid City
Hidden Lake Campground & Resort -Rapid City
Lake Park Campground & Cottages - Rapid City
Whistler Gulch Campground -Deadwood
Days of ‘76 Campground - Deadwood
Days End Campground - Deadwood
Custer Crazy Horse Campground - Custer
Bike Rentals
Biking is an incredible way to take in all the Black Hills have to offer! If you’re looking for a cost effective way to take advantage of the outdoors while effectively making your way to your desired local spots, renting a bicycle for the day could be the perfect option. Here’s a list of some Black Hills bicycle shops that even offer snow/winter bike rentals!
Black Hills Power Bike Rentals - Custer
Axbow Rentals - Deadwood
Spearfish Canyon Rental Center - Spearfish
Gold Rush E-Bike Rentals - Rapid City
Black Hills Bicycles - Rapid City
Two Wheeler Dealer - Spearfish
Rushmore Bicycles - Spearfish
Winter Sports/ ATV Rentals
No matter the season of your Black Hills trip, you’ll undoubtedly find plenty of options to keep your getaway adventurous. I’ve included a list of winter sport gear rentals, as well a link to everything you need to know about Terry Peak —the Black Hills residential ski/snowboard mountain!
Black Hills Off-Road Rentals - Deadwood
Northern Black Hills Rentals - Sturgis
Spearfish Canyon Rental Center - Lead
Edge UTV Rentals - Lead
Mad Mountain Adventures - Lead
Adventure Rentals - Custer
Spearfish Canyon Rental Center - Spearfish
Deadwood Outdoor Rentals - Deadwood
Terry Peak Ski Area - Lead
https://terrypeak.com
Local Coffee Shops
The Black Hills boast some of the coziest coffee shops in the midwest with local brews, farm-fresh cafe eats and a vibe you simply can’t top. Here are my personal top 10 coffee shop recommendations.
Ruby’s Roost - Spearfish
Blackbird - Spearfish
Common Grounds - Spearfish
Green Bean - Spearfish
The Cup - Spearfish
Sturgis Coffee Company - Sturgis
Essence of Coffee - Rapid City
Harriet and Oak - Rapid City
Alternative Fuel Coffee House - Rapid City
Local Gyms
I always love getting in a solid workout before a day of adventure. These are my top picks for local gyms to help you get a feel of the awesome Black Hills fitness community.
CrossFit Reserve - Spearfish
Spearfish Yoga, Cycle & Strength-Spearfish
Bearfoot Fitness - Spearfish
Black Hills Barbell - Hill City
605 Grit Fitness-Rapid City
Anytime Fitness-Rapid City (multiple locations)
Aliive Fitness-Rapid City
Evolve Fitness-Rapid City
Weight Room-Rapid City
Breweries/Wineries
If you love tasting the local beverages here are some recommendations for some of the amazing local breweries and winery's in the Black Hills. You can google all of these spots to check on hours of operation and to find out if they are on tap at any other location.
Rapid City
Hay Camp Brewing
Lost Cabin
Zymurcracy Beer Co.
Cohort
Woodland Republic
Last Mile Brewing
Dakota Point Brewing
Firehouse Brewing
Firehouse Winery
Sturgis
Sturgis Brewing
Belle Joli-Winery
Spearfish
Spearfish Brewing
Sawyer Brewing
Crow Peak
Custer
Rushmore Brewing
Hill City
Prairie Berry-Winery
Miner Brewing Co.
Sick and Twisted- Brewery and Winery
Naked Winery