Plan Your Trip

Belle Fourche Itinerary

Day One

10 – 12:00 pm
Start off the morning in Belle Fourche, SD at the Geographic Center of the Nation Monument. Designed by a local artist and created from South Dakota granite, the compass rose design measures over 21-foot across. Nearby is the historic Johnny Spaulding Cabin, which was built in 1876 and is furnished with period artifacts. Permanent museum exhibits at the adjacent Tri-State Museum highlight the story of the old west in the tri-state area.

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Black Hills Itinerary

If you have only one day to spend in the Black Hills Badlands area, you will need to decide on an area of the hills to visit. The areas to consider are:

The Central Black Hills Area — You will be in the heart of the highest US mountain range east of the Rocky Mountains. You can view one of the world’s greatest monuments, Mount Rushmore National Memorial, experience the monumental sculpture-in-progress, Crazy Horse Memorial, marvel at the outdoor cathedral of the towering granite spires along the Needles Highway, drive through the Needle’s Eye and tunnels framing Mount Rushmore, then twist your way through the pig tail bridges on Iron Mountain Road. Some other attractions to visit are 1880 Train, Cosmos, Rushmore Borglum Story, National Presidents Wax Museum, Presidents Slide at Rushmore Tramway, Big Thunder Gold Mine, Sitting Bull Caverns, Beautiful Rushmore Cave, Flintstones, Heritage Village, and Prairie Berry Winery.

Southern Hills Area — Nationally known Wind Cave National Park, Jewel Cave National Monument and scenic Custer State Park are on the agenda. You will have the opportunity to go deep underground through a maze of delicate and colorful crystal formations and through the beauty of one of the nation’s famed state parks. Your trip will include the park’s drive-through wildlife loop, home of one of America’s largest wild buffalo herds; begging burros and a variety of other wildlife, as well as the historic State Game Lodge, summer homes for Presidents Coolidge and Eisenhower. Venturing farther south, you will come upon one of the richest archaeological finds in recent years near Hot Springs. Also included in the Southern Hills Area are Black Hills Putt4Fun, Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary, Trail Rides and Chuckwagon Cookouts at Blue Bell Lodge, Buffalo Jeep Safari, Black Hills Playhouse, Evans Plunge and The Mammoth Site.

Northern Hills Area — When you tour the northern Black Hills, an area synonymous with great stories of the gold rush and old west, you will visit the haunts of such legendary figures as Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane, as well as many other locations in the gaming town of Deadwood, a National Historic Landmark. You can take in the breathtaking beauty of Spearfish Canyon, with its towering cliffs, sparkling mountain streams and cascading waterfalls. Visit the communities of Spearfish, Belle Fourche, the Geographic Center of the Nation; Sturgis, home of the famed Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, and Lead, site of Homestake Gold Mine, the largest and deepest gold mine in the western hemisphere before it closed in 2001, and is now a deep underground science lab. You will have the opportunity to visit the Black Hills National Cemetery and Bear Butte State Park. While in this area, be sure to visit Petrified Forest of the Black Hills, Presidents Park, Tatanka: Story of the Bison, Terry Peak Ski Area, and the Western Heritage Center.

Badlands Area — This tour takes you to a moonscape on earth. You will witness a stunning example of geological variety: Jagged cliffs, deep canyons and sharp buttes, formed by relentless forces of nature. Enjoy park trails; explore the limitless back country by hiking or backpacking; join ranger led programs or visit the “Big Pig Dig.” Just east of the Badlands is the Minuteman Missile Silo National Historic Site, created to illustrate the history of the Cold War, the arms race, and intercontinental ballistic missile development. South of the Badlands you will find Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, where you can experience Native American culture. Make sure you visit the Community of Wall, home of the world’s largest drug store, Wall Drug. While in the area stop at the South Dakota Air and Space Museum, South Dakota’s Original 1880 Town and Murdo’s Pioneer Auto Museum.

Rapid City – Strolling through downtown Rapid City, you will notice life-size bronze statues of our nation’s presidents standing on downtown street corners. These statues are part of the City and Historic Districts Tour. You can spend the day riding the City View Trolley. It will take you to such places as Storybook Island, the Chapel in the Hills, Cleghorn Springs Fish Hatchery, the Berlin Wall Exhibit at Memorial Park, Dahl Arts Center, The Journey Museum, the Museum of Geology and Apex Gallery, Dinosaur Park, Canyon Lake Park, the Formal Gardens and downtown. You can also visit Bear Country, Black Hills Caverns, Mostly Chocolates, Mt. Rushmore Black Hills Gold Factory, Old McDonald’s Farm, Prairie Edge Trading Co. and Galleries, Putz-N-Glo Miniature Golf, Reptile Gardens, Rushmore Waterslide Park, Sioux Pottery, Watiki Indoor Waterpark, and many other attractions.

If you have a couple of days, or a week, to spend in our area you can just pick a different area for each day.

Custom Itinerary and Planning Assistance for Tour Operators

From local rodeo celebrities like four-time world champion bareback rider Marvin Garrett to digging dinosaur bones with a certified paleontologist, we will help you plan one-of-a-kind itineraries for your customers. We'll make it easy for you by providing tour guides that know the area and love to talk about it's rich history and interesting facts & tidbits.

Suggested Tour Ideas:

Geographic Cener of the Nation Monument * Tri-State Museum & Buckskin Johnny Spaulding Cabin * Rodeos * Historic Horse Drawn Wagon Tours * Paleo-Adventure Digs * Farm & Ranch Tours * Buffalo Ranch Tours * Rodeo Demonstrations & Talks with World Champions from Belle Fourche * Bentonite Mining/Operation Tours * Trail Rides * Old West Lectures/Demonstrations * And more...

For more information or to customize this tour for your group contact Teresa at the Belle Fourche Chamber of Commerce. 1-888-345-5859 or chamber@bellefourche.org