Family Living

Family road tripping: Autumn in the Black Hills

THERE’S NO BETTER TIME to visit South Dakota than autumn, when temperatures are mild, leaves are at peak fall color, and summer crowds have dispersed. The easily manageable six hour drive to Rapid City, where we recommend setting up base camp, paired with the strong selection of kid-friendly and unique activities in the area, make this our first family road tripping recommendation!

Day 1

DEPART RAPID CITY and make the 30 minute drive to Keystone, where your first stop awaits! Enter Mount Rushmore through the Avenue of Flags, being sure to stop at the visitors centers along the way (www.nps. gov/moru/index.htm). While in Keystone, check out Big Thunder Gold Mine for gold panning and a mine tour (www.bigthundermine.com). Bear Country USA is a must-do back in Rapid City. A favorite for all ages, Bear Country is a drive through zoo of a whole different animal. Be prepared to stop as black bears, arctic wolves, and mule deer, among others make appearances out the windows, sometimes crossing right in front of your car (www.bearcountryusa.com).

Day 3

TAKE A DRIVE ON THE scenic Needle Highway, an hour from Rapid City. The unique rock formations along the way are even more stunning when framed by golden aspen this time of year. Stop and stretch your legs on the 1-mile Sylvan Lake Trail loop (www. blackhillsbadlands.com).

What South Dakota road trip would be complete without a chuckwagon dinner? Check out Blue Bell Lodge’s hay ride and chuckwagon dinner, where you’ll likely spot a herd of bison along the way, or visit Fort Hays Chuckwagon Show for dinner and entertainment at the old set of Dances with Wolves (www.custerresorts.com or www.mountrushmoretours.com, reservations required). VISIT THE BADLANDS, an hour’s drive from Rapid City, where trails of all lengths and difficulty levels abound. Door Trail and Window Trail are family favorites (www.nps.gov/badl.index). From there, just follow the billboards to Wall Drug Store, which is so much more than just a store! Make sure to try the ice cream, have your photo taken with the giant jack-a-lope, and of course, grab your cup of free ice water on the way out (www.walldrug.com).

Day 2 OPTIONS ABOUND FOR YOUR final day in South Dakota. Reptile Gardens are the place to go for giant tortoises and the chance to hold a snake (www.reptilegardens.com), Dinosaur Park features several dino statues perfect for climbing around on (www.blackhillsbadlands.com), and the active dig site at The Mammoth Site is a great stop for budding paleontologists (www.mammothsite.org) on the way back to Colorado.

Day 4