Badlands & Black Hills Loop
United States
South Dakota's astonishing concentration of American myth, the razor-ridged Badlands spires and buttes rising from the Great Plains, the ancient Lakota sacred Black Hills, Crazy Horse's unfinished mountain monument, and Mount Rushmore's four presidential faces carved into granite. Bison herds, prairie dogs, and the ghosts of the frontier frame the most symbolically loaded landscape in the American West.
Explore on the interactive map →Stops along the route
- Wall Drug
The legendary Great Plains roadside institution since 1936, famous for 5-cent coffee and billboards across three states. Wall sits at the Badlands' north gate.
- Badlands National Park
244,000 acres of ochre and purple eroded spires rising from mixed-grass prairie. Bison, bighorn sheep, and 37-million-year-old fossil beds fill the Lakota's Mako Sica.
- Wind Cave National Park
One of the world's longest cave systems at 240 km mapped, famed for rare boxwork calcite formations. Free-roaming bison and pronghorn graze the prairie above.
- Custer State Park
One of the largest state parks in the US, home to a free-roaming bison herd of 1,300. The Wildlife Loop Road and Needles Highway are Black Hills highlights.
- Crazy Horse Memorial
Begun in 1948, the mountain carving will dwarf Rushmore when complete. The 27m face was finished in 1998; the Indian Museum of North America stands at its base.
- Mount Rushmore
Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, and Lincoln carved into granite between 1927 and 1941. Each face is 18m tall, on Black Hills land the Lakota never ceded.
Where to Eat
- Wall Drug CaféAmerican
Famous for its 5-cent coffee and homemade donuts, this café offers classic American fare in a historic setting.
- Cedar Pass Lodge RestaurantAmerican
Located within Badlands National Park, it serves local specialties like bison burgers with panoramic park views.
- Blue Bell Lodge Dining RoomAmerican
Rustic dining offering hearty meals like buffalo stew amidst the scenic beauty of Custer State Park.
- State Game Lodge RestaurantAmerican
Historic lodge serving gourmet dishes with a focus on local game meats in an elegant setting.
Things to Do
- Minuteman Missile National Historic SiteHistoric Site
Explore Cold War history through preserved missile silos and a visitor center detailing nuclear deterrence.
- Needles HighwayScenic Drive
A 14-mile drive featuring sharp turns, granite spires, and narrow tunnels through the Black Hills.
- Jewel Cave National MonumentCave
Tour one of the world's longest caves, adorned with sparkling calcite crystals and intricate formations.
- Sylvan LakeLake
Picturesque lake offering hiking, swimming, and rock climbing opportunities amidst granite formations.