Hot Springs, South Dakota
Looking for the best photography in Hot Springs? We've got you covered with the top trails, trips, hiking, backpacking, camping and more around Hot Springs. The detailed guides, photos, and reviews are all submitted by the Outbound community.
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Top Photography Spots in and near Hot Springs
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Hot Springs, South Dakota
Photograph Sunset at Wind Cave NP
5.0Above the famous Wind Cave, miles of natural mixed-grass natural prairie cover the Black Hills. In summer, the lush grasses attract the park's free-roaming bison herd as well as elk, pronghorn antelope, prairie dogs, and black-footed ferrets.One of the best spots for capturing sunset over the pra...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 -
Northeast Fall River, South Dakota
Swim at Cascade Falls
2.0Cascade Falls is 10 miles south of Hot Springs on highway 71, it is easy to access, and is a great spot for a picnic or to cool off in the cool waters on hot days! There are several picnic tables, vault toilets and a large parking area, and just a short walk down to the falls. The pool at the bas...Read more -
Hot Springs, South Dakota
Camp at Elk Mountain Campground in Wind Cave National Park
4.0Elk Mountain Campground is in a secluded area of the park, providing plenty of peace and quiet. Sites operate on a first come, first serve basis, although the campground was less than half full when we stayed in the middle of busy summer months. There are about 64 sites available in the campgroun...Read more -
Custer, South Dakota
Fly Fish French Creek
0.5 mi / 15 ft gainThe creek has two main sections, there is Upper French Creek and Lower French creek, the upper/lower refer to the section of creek above or below Stockade Lake. The better fishing is below Stockade Lake. There you can find numerous sections of the creek that are on public land and easily accessib...Read more -
Custer, South Dakota
Drive the Custer State Park Wildlife Loop
4.7The Custer State Park Wildlife Loop runs for 18 miles across beautiful grasslands and pine-speckled slopes that are home to much of the park's wildlife. Bison, pronghorn, whitetail, mule deer, elk, coyotes, burros, prairie dogs, eagles, hawks, and a variety of other birds may be spotted along the...Read more -
Custer, South Dakota
Hike the Stockade Lake Trail
1.2 mi / 500 ft gainThe trail starts near the East side of Stockade Lake just outside Custer, South Dakota. The trail is a 1.2 mile loop, and climbs up to 5,650 feet above sea level. The trail is easy to follow and is well worn. Also the trees have blue diamonds nailed to them for even easier route finding. Once you...Read more -
Custer, South Dakota
Hike the Custer Skywalk to Big Rock Observation Point
0.6 mi / 370 ft gainPark on the South end of 6th Street at Harbach Park in Custer, just 2 blocks off Main Street. The entrance to the trail is marked by an archway and a "Custer Skywalk" sign. The path is a dirt/small gravel trail that has stairs built into the hillside. To get to the first observation point it is a...Read more -
Custer, South Dakota
Hike Grace Coolidge Walk-In Area
6 mi / 150 ft gainGrace Coolidge Walk-In area is a fantastic place to go for a hike and do some fly fishing! There are 6 dams built along the 3 mile trail. You can start on either from Center Lake off of Playhouse Rd. or you can start at the southern trailhead near Highway 16A, that is not too far west from the St...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 -
Custer, South Dakota
Hike through Hell Canyon
5.3 miThe Trailhead lies down in the canyon bottom, just one mile west of Jewel Cave National Monument and 13 miles west of Custer. Upon arrival, you are greeted by the parking lot, which is right off the highway and boasts a spacious gravel lot to park in. Since the trail is a loop, you can go either ...Read more -
Custer, South Dakota
Drive Needles Highway in Custer State Park
4.8Perfect for a pre or post Black Hills/Badlands adventure, Needles Highway is the joyride of a lifetime. Entrance to Custer State Park costs 10 dollars, and do be prepared to keep it in low gear behind RVs and motorcycles. Pull-offs for photos and general marveling are frequent.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 -
Hermosa, South Dakota
Stargaze at Spokane Ghost Town
Great all year long but, especially stunning when the galactic center of the Milky Way is visible from Spring to Fall, Spokane Ghost Town is a local favorite and a hidden gem. Set up your camera, and light paint some old buildings! The ghost town was originally a mine founded in the late 1800's w...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 -
Keystone, South Dakota
Hike Iron Creek Trail #15
2.4 mi / 200 ft gainThe trail is accessible from 2 different spots, both give you the opportunity for a scenic drive to get there. The approach from the Northeast side is on Iron Mountain road a beautiful scenic Black Hills highway, and you will be very near Lakota Lake. The Southwest trail head is a more rugged dr...Read more
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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