The Great American Roadtrip 2026: South Dakota

‘The center of the universe is everywhere.’ -Black Elk

When I set out to plan my summer road trip, South Dakota was not in the original plan. I knew I wanted to go up to Glacier National Park and had two options, one was straight north through states I had already visited or I could go through the center of the US and visit places I hadn’t been before. If I went the slightly longer way through Kansas, I could also visit Devil’s Tower in Wyoming. And since that is the eastern part of the state, I realized I could go to the Badlands and knock South Dakota off my states list. So that is exactly what I did!

I will do a post about the travel in between the big places but after a couple of nights on the road, Gus and I arrived at Badlands National Park and able to snag a spot at Cedar Pass Campground. I may not be thorough in anything else in my life but I do take a lot of care selecting a campsite. I looked at the map and found a spot right on the outside loop facing the Badlands with a some cell service (I have AT&T). The sunrise views from my tent were incredible!

I did do a little bit of exploring in the park but it was HOT. Well over a hundred degrees and had been on the road for 2.5 days so decided to just relax at the campground. Jokes on me because as I took my camp chair out of the storage box, I tripped on a post and faceplanted. I pulled something, knocked the wind out, and in a bit of pain. I did have to google the signs of a collapsed lung. I was fine but, turns out, it harbinger of things to come for the entire trip.

I was able to get things set up and eat some dinner and then the National Weather Service sent out an alert that a severe thunderstorm was rolling in. So Gus and I piled into my car and waited it out. I will say it’s nice to have a hybrid as it was still really hot and I could run the AC as my car ran on EV mode. The storm was gnarly and caused a collapse my North Face tent, but I have to say, I was really impressed with how it held up in the storm. I had put stuff inside to help weigh it down so it wouldn’t blow away in the storm with significant rain/hail and, while it all could get wet, the interior of the tent was nearly completely dry.

I slept in the tent the rest of the night without issue and set my alarm for the sunrise, which I caught without stepping foot outside. It was pretty remarkable! Gus and I enjoyed the rest of the morning before packing up and explore the park. There is a huge scenic loop that takes you to some incredible vistas. Since the Badlands is not dog friendly, I mostly stayed to the sidewalks where Gus could stretch his legs. But, as I have said before, I would much rather have Gus on a road trip than hike any trail, so I made do. Plus, if there was something I really wanted to do, I would have boarded him for the day.

The plan was to stay in the Black Hills for another night and I wanted to see the Crazy Horse Memorial. Scuptors have been working on it for some 60 years and some controversy as Crazy Horse did not want his image used, believing photos would capture his soul. But this monument is a celebration of those who’ve walked the land for a thousand years, so I chose to go. There is a museum but I had Gus, so I didn’t go in (I misunderstood the pet friendly) but Gus and I walked around. It is pretty spectacular, even unfinished.

I know many of you may be wondering why I haven’t brought up Mount Rushmore, which is in this area. I have no desire to ever go and I want to visit all the national parks but will never, willingly, visit this one. The history of Mount Rushmore is a fraught one, the area of the Black Hills is the holiest site for Sioux Nation, the place they believe the universe sprung. A series of treaties were signed guaranteeing them the land as there was nothing the U.S. government wanted from it. Then Custer’s men found gold, Sitting Bull launched a resistance movement, and it culminated at the massacre at Wounded Knee by American troops. Then, the government commissioned Mount Rushmore to be carved on the Six Grandfathers, one of the most sacred sites of the Sioux. It would be like mining Temple Mount in Jerusalem. On top of that, the architect of the monument is a white supremisist and affiliated with the Ku Klux Klan. In the ’80s, the United States Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Sioux that their land had been illegally seized by the federal government and ordered the US to pay over a billion dollars. The US has not paid and the Sioux have said the land is not for sale. I don’t fault anyone for choosing to go, my brother and best friends have been but its something I don’t feel the need to see. I do encourage you, if you choose to go, to make sure to patronize local, indigenous shops and restaurants. Learn about the Sioux and how they have managed to preserve so much when so much was stolen from them.

On my way to my campground of the night, I drove through Wind Cave National Park! I did not go to the famed caves, my brother said that when he visited he was going to but they had a little display of how tight it was and decided he was better above ground. It was still very hot but Wind Cave NP does have a BARK Ranger program and dogs are allowed on a couple of the trails. Gus is a BARK Ranger from Petrified Forest National Park! I did see some buffalo!

I stayed at Cold Brook Campground, right near Hot Spring. The campground was completely dry. I did have a nice spot next to the water but the bathroom was quite a ways away and fortunately, didn’t have to do the walk at night. I was gifted a Lemosho Field Kit, it was great as it includes both a rinseless hand and face cleanser. I wasn’t asked to write about it but I really loved the products and came in clutch being a dry campground after a long day in the sun. It’s a women owned company and will keep using. I also learned that if I set up my tent, it will rain. I kid you not, went from bluebird skies to a lightening storm at about 3 am. So got Gus up, begrudgingly, to go from tent to the car for about 20 minutes. I’ve read that being in a tent with lightening nearby is incredibly dangerous and safety first!

And just like that, my time in South Dakota came to an end but it wouldn’t be a visit to the area without a slight detour to Deadwood! While I’m more familiar with the outlaw lives of California and Arizona, you gotta do it right! Just note, it’s mainly on one road and goes uphill! I like the vibes of Tombstone better but it was a cute little stop!