South Dakota
Looking for the best photography 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 Photography Spots in and near South Dakota
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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 -
Rapid City, South Dakota
Dakota Point at Sheridan Lake via the North Trail
2.2 mi / 200 ft gainThere are 2 ways to get to Dakota Point, one from the north that is more common which I will talk about (or one from the south). The trail that starts on the north side of the lake is a nice easy trail to follow, it is wide and well-worn mostly in forested areas. Keep your eyes out for wildlife...Read more -
Spearfish Community Caves, South Dakota
Hike to the Community Caves
4.51 mi / 300 ft gainCommunity Caves is located in the scenic Spearfish Canyon, on Highway 14A, about 2.7 miles from Spearfish (once you turn off of Colorado Blvd). There is a large pull-off area on the right (west) side of the road and then the trail, which is not marked at all, is on the opposite side of the pull-...Read more -
Hill City, South Dakota
Camp at Castle Creek Campground
5.00.25 mi / 0 ft gainCastle Creek is a challenging place to get to, the road in the off seasons can be even more difficult. In the spring/early summer when the road is wet it can become rutted. There is one road to get to the campground from the East from Mystic it is about 8 rough narrow miles, but you could arrive ...Read more -
Rapid City, South Dakota
Hike to the Stratobowl Rim
2 mi / 100 ft gainThe winding trail to the Stratobowl is a gradual and easy hike, which is perfect for the whole family or for a quick excursion if you don't have a lot of time. It is roughly a mile to the Rim overlook, where there is a plaque commemorating the November 11th, 1935 balloon flight that launched 72,3...Read more -
Lead, South Dakota
Hike to Mt. Roosevelt Tower
0.8 mi / 160 ft gainTo get to the trailhead for Mt. Roosevelt, you will need to travel about a mile north of Deadwood, on HWY 85, then you will see signs for it near the Lodge of Deadwood, from there you will eventually hit a gravel road and it is about 2.5 miles from the highway. The trailhead has picnic tables, an...Read more -
Deadwood, South Dakota
Bike the George S. Mickelson Trail
5.0108.8 mi / 2300 ft gainBiking the George S. Mickelson Trail is a very popular activity for many people in the Black Hills, locals, visitors, and tourists all enjoy the Mickelson Trail. Not only can you bike, but you can run, walk, or even ride horses, and you most definitely do not have to do the entire length of the ...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 -
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 -
Spearfish, South Dakota
Hike around Lookout Mountain
4.52.4 mi / 860 ft gainTo get to the trail for Lookout Mountain there are 2 trailheads. One trailhead is just a few blocks from downtown on Nevada St., the other trailhead is on the East side of town. This post is using the Nevada St. Trailhead as the starting point. From this trailhead to the top of Lookout Mountain i...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 -
Rapid City, South Dakota
Hike the Deerfield Lake Trail to Slate Creek Convergence
5 mi / 60 ft gainThe Deerfield Lake trail is overall 23 miles long, but this post is just about the section of the trail that starts at Silver City where Rapid Creek flows into Pactola Reservoir, and follows the creek upstream to where Slate Creek converges, about 2.5 miles from the trailhead. You could follow th...Read more -
Lead, South Dakota
Camp at Hanna Campground
0.25 mi / 0 ft gainThe campground is located 7.5 miles south of Lead on Highway 85, then turn left on road 196, there will be a sign for Hanna CG, from there it is just over 2 miles to the campground. The campground has 13 total sites, the main area of the CG is closed during the fall winter and spring, but there a...Read more -
Garretson, South Dakota
Camp at Palisade State Park
Palisade State Park offers lots of activities, including camping, hiking, kayaking, and even swimming in the river. Steep cliffs made from pink quartzite give way to Split Rock Creek, a river perfect for kayaking. Up on a cliff, there is a campground with fire pits and picnic tables at each site....Read more -
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Photograph the Falls at Falls Park
3.5Falls Park in Sioux Falls is one of the most popular attractions in the area, and for good reason. It is a beautiful park in the heart of the city, spanning 123 acres and consisting of waterfalls, trails, a lookout, and a café. Paved sidewalk trails run all around the falls and offer great looko...Read more -
Garretson, South Dakota
Explore Devils Gulch Park
4.00.5 mi / 29 ft gainDevils Gulch Park is located in Garretson, South Dakota, about a half hour from Sioux Falls. It’s free to visit, and is a great spot to hike or picnic. There are trails along the river and cool bridges to walk across. Along with trails, there’s a covered picnic area right when you pull in. A nea...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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