South Dakota
Looking for the best hiking in South Dakota? We've got you covered with the top trails, trips, hiking, backpacking, camping and more around South Dakota. The detailed guides, photos, and reviews are all submitted by the Outbound community.
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Top Hiking Spots in and near South Dakota
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Interior, South Dakota
Hike the Badlands' Notch Trail
4.5Notch Trail is on the south end of the Door Trail car park.The Trail sorta follows a dry river bed but there is also a actual trail you can also follow. It winds through the gulch and about half a mile or so you come to a 50 foot ladder. The ladder is a pretty easy climb up but can be a little mo...Read more -
Custer, South Dakota
Hike to Little Devil's Tower in the Black Hills
5.0The trail starts at the Little Devil's Tower Trailhead which is located roughly one mile east of Sylvan Lake on Highway 87. Take Trail #4 for around 1/2 mile until a fork in the trail. The right fork takes you to Harney Peak, while the left takes you to Little Devils Tower. Along the trail there ...Read more -
Vale, South Dakota
Hike the Sacred Steps of Bear Mountain
4.23.5 mi / 1200 ft gainBear Mountain or Mathó Pahá as it's called by the Lakota peoples, is the leftover remnants of an ancient volcanic plug. The mountain weathered away, to leave the harder igneous formation, for which plains tribes have been coming to for sacred communication with their Creator for 10,000 years. Thi...Read more -
Keystone, South Dakota
Hiking to Harney Peak
4.9The Harney Peak Trailhead #9 is located in the northwest corner of the parking lot just beyond Sylvan Lake. From there, the hike is very straight forward – the beginning of the trail is very moderate, being slightly flat with a few ups and downs along the way.Once you cross into the Black Elk Wil...Read more -
Keystone, South Dakota
Hippie Hole
4.80.3 miWhile making your way to the parking area, you'll keep right for the most part. You'll also need a high clearance vehicle or the patience to drive very slowly. The dirt road to the trailhead is full of dips, holes, rocks, and essentially could be a close relative of off roading. If you do not hav...Read more -
Custer, South Dakota
Cathedral Spires in the Black Hills
4.81.65 mi / 200 ft gainThis is a moderate hike with a huge payout in the form of some of the Black Hills' most beautiful features — tall granite spires rising hundreds of feet above the surrounding terrain, reaching a maximum height of 6,860 feet. Starting from the Cathedral Spires Trailhead --where you may be treated...Read more -
Custer, South Dakota
Hike to Poet's Table
5.01 miThis hike starts at the Little Devil's Towers trailhead just east of Sylvan Lake in Custer State Park. Follow the main trail from the parking lot about 300 yards then there will be an unmarked trail off to the left, it is a beaten path more than a trail. The trail that leads up to Poet's Table ve...Read more -
Hot Springs, South Dakota
Tour Wind Cave
4.80.67 mi / 6 ft gainEstablished in 1903, Wind Cave National Park is home to over 140 miles of mapped cave passages. The cave features 95% of the world's known boxwork calcite formations and got its name from the sound of rushing wind created at its few small openings.A guided tour is the only way to see the cave sys...Read more -
Custer, South Dakota
Tour Jewel Cave
4.00.5 mi / 20 ft gainEstablished in 1908, Jewel Cave National Monument is home to over 179 miles of mapped cave passages. The cave features larger chambers and more interesting formations then nearby Wind Cave NP, and much of it is covered in spar crystals.A guided tour is the only way to see the cave system unless y...Read more -
Interior, South Dakota
Cliff Shelf Nature Trail
5.00.62 mi / 43 ft gainAbout 4 miles south of the Northeast Park Entrance, just past the Castle Trailhead, is the Cliff Shelf Nature Trailhead. It sits on the outside of the cliff formation facing open space just through Cedar Pass. There is a parking lot here typically filled with people soaking in the panoramic views...Read more -
Lead, South Dakota
Hike to Devil's Bathtub, Black Hills National Forest
5.01 miBefore you start this adventure, make sure you're wearing shoes that will not be ruined by crossing creeks. There are several stream crossings so wear waterproof boots or sturdy hiking sandals (I prefer my Original Universal Tevas or my KEEN Whisper Sandal). The pull off to start the hike is abo...Read more -
Interior, South Dakota
Door Trail in Badlands NP
4.00.86 miA perfect intro to the magnificence of Badlands National Park, the Door Trail is located in between the Ben Reifel Visitor Center and the northeast entrance of the park. Other trails that can be accessed at this parking lot are the Door Trail, the Window Trail, the Notch Trail and Castle Trai...Read more -
Wall, South Dakota
Backpack to Deer Haven in Badlands NP
4.57 miThe Badlands defy description. The alien landscape, the unfamiliar silence, the insistence of wildlife, the brilliant night sky--these things inspire a profundity almost impossible to convey. Seeing the Badlands is a visceral experience, being in them is something else entirely. Yes, you can get...Read more -
Spearfish, South Dakota
Explore the Frozen Waterfalls of Spearfish Canyon
5.0There are a multitude of frozen waterfalls throughout Spearfish Canyon. Some require a short hike and others can be seen from the road. This adventure will describe how to access the three largest frozen falls.Take Spearfish Canyon Highway south out of the town of Spearfish SD. After roughly 6 mi...Read more -
Custer, South Dakota
Hike the Lookout Point Loop at Wind Cave National Park
3.54.5 miThe Lookout Point Loop actually combines parts of three trails to bring you through some of Wind Cave's best prairieland. Begin at the trailhead for Centennial and Lookout Point off of Hwy 87 and take Lookout Point trail east to Beaver Creek. At Beaver Creek, you'll catch the Highland Creek Trail...Read more -
Hermosa, South Dakota
Explore the Spokane Ghost Town
1 mi / 4521 ft gainSpokane will always be one of my favorite locations in the hills. The town was founded in 1890 and features 3 intact structures from that time. The most intact structure is the manager's house which you can find up on a hill behind the other buildings. A few years ago the old school house finally...Read more
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Go Great Places in South Dakota
In the Mount Rushmore state, travels to South Dakota are full of one-of-a-kind adventure with wide-open spaces as endless as the horizons. Between legendary landscapes and scenic drives, you can always find space that shifts life into park. When you’re ready, go great places.
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