Someone once told me that travel with kids wasn’t called a “vacation” it’s called a “trip.” It’s true, traveling with kids takes more planning and certainly more patience. Despite the challenges, we packed our bags for a trip to Badlands National Park and Mount Rushmore with our five and three year old for what proved to be a very memorable and exciting adventure. The Mommy Baggage philosophy is that memories are worth making even if they take a bit of effort.
Trip Itinerary
On this adventure we planned to see Badlands National Park, get face to face with Mount Rushmore, visit the Crazy Horse Memorial, tour Wind Cave National Park, ride the 1880 Train in Keystone, see the wildlife in Custer State Park, white knuckle drive on Needles Highway and eat dinner at a chuckwagon. We planned to do all of this in just five days; including drive time.
Day One
To break up the 8-hour drive to Badlands National Park, we stopped at Falls Park in Sioux Falls, SD. The Big Sioux River drops 100 feet at Falls Park, making it a scenic backdrop for a picnic lunch. We would be staying at camper cabins during most of our stay in South Dakota, so we came prepared with sandwiches and sides. After lunch we stopped at the Falls Overlook Cafe for ice cream while walking around the falls area. Our stop at the falls was a great way to break up the drive as we made our way to Badlands National Park where we planned to stay for the night at Cedar Pass Lodge.
When we arrived at the park, we checked into our camper cabin and set out to explore a few trails. We scurried along a few ridges along portions of the Castle Trail before dinner. Traveling with little kids means early bedtimes. We went to bed early as we had another full day of activities the next day.
Day Two
The next morning we would venture out early in hopes of seeing some wildlife along Badlands Loop Road. We stopped at Panorama Point and Burns Basin pullouts for incredible views of the Badlands. We lucked out and saw a few big horned sheep and a herd of antelope as well. Our next stop was Wall, SD for mid-morning coffee and donuts and of course a free drink of water at Wall Drug.
Wall Drug
From Wall, SD we drove another two hours to Keystone to get face to face with Mount Rushmore. We enjoyed the boardwalk Presidential Trail that takes visitors closer to the monument. I especially liked the sculptor’s studio and the story of Gutzon Borglum. The amphitheater movie on the creation of the 60-foot granite heads of president’s Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt and Lincoln is fascinating. If you visit Mount Rushmore later in the day, there is a nightly lighting program. Find details here.
Mount Rushmore
Crazy Horse Memorial
Next, we drove another 30 minutes to a memorial in the making; Crazy Horse Memorial. The Crazy Horse Memorial has been in progress since 1948. Today, work still continues on the 563 foot memorial to the Lakota Chief. The Memorial houses a well-done visitor center with an excellent movie describing how the memorial was derived and the excavation timeline. If we would have had more time, I would have liked to take a van ride to the top of the monument or stay for the evening laser light show. However, with two little kids, coming back after 9pm would not have made for a pleasant tomorrow.
For dinner, we made reservations at the Circle B Chuckwagon. Before the chuckwagon supper, the boys enjoyed roping cattle and panning for gems. The dinner itself consisted of baked potato, applesauce, baked beans, biscuit, cake and lemonade or coffee with your choice of barbecue chicken or roast beef. Right before dinner was served, theatrical performers staged a Western-style shoot out and the kids in the audience helped capture the biscuit bandit. After dinner, there was a musical performance of cowboy music and ranch humor.
Chuckwagon Dinner
Day Three
Our third day in the Black Hills started with a train ride on the 1880 Train. We boarded the two hour, narrated steam train bound for Hill City on it’s first run of the day. Along the route, we saw Mt. Baldy as well as a few mining encampments. The train follows the original route taken by the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad in the 1880s. Though some passengers chose to stay in Hill City and walk around the town, we continued on the train ride back to Keystone.
1880 Train
After a quick lunch at Eno’s Pizza, we made our way to Custer State Park where we checked into our lakeside housekeeping cabin on Legion Lake. We spent the rest of the day hiking the trails around the lake and swimming at the beach just steps from the cabin.
Legion Lake
Day Four
Since wildlife are most active in the morning, we started our fourth day in the Black Hills area with a drive on the Wildlife Loop Road in Custer State Park. We found the bison herd and enjoyed spotting prairie dogs.
Custer State Park
From Custer State Park, we drove to Wind Cave National Park. Visitors cannot reserve tickets for the Natural Entrance Cave Tour, they are only available on a first-come-first-serve basis. When we arrived, the next tour time required a 90-minute wait. There are also no food or beverage options available at Wind Cave National Park. We were so thankful we had packed our cooler and were able to make sandwiches while we waited. We were also happy we brought jackets. Wind Cave is always about 54 degrees Fahrenheit.
We loved the Natural Entrance Cave Tour. The tour involved a look at the small natural entrance to the cave and the story of how the cave was discovered. Wind Cave is one of the largest cave systems in the world, with about 149 miles that have been explored. Tour takers enter the cave through a man-made entrance and follow more than 300 steps to the middle level of the cave. Wind Cave is famous for the boxwork that hangs from the ceiling. The tour covers about 2/3 of a mile and takes a little over an hour before tour takers resurface via an elevator.
Wind Cave National Park
In the mid-afternoon, we decided to drive the 14 mile stretch of hairpin turns along Needles Highway. We used the drive as an opportunity for the kids to nap. It was a great way for mom and dad to relax, minus the white knuckle driving. The granite spires up close are worth the stressful drive.
With Needles Highway checked off our list, we concluded our day and our trip with more swimming and relaxing (with rhubard wine) back at our cabin on Legion Lake. The final day of our five-day trip would be spent on the road, traveling the 8 hours back to Minnesota.
Where we stayed, where we ate and what we paid
- Accommodations
- Cedar Pass Lodge-Badlands National Park
- This was the perfect little cabin with a great big view. Book early, it fills up FAST.
- Roosevelt Inn-Keystone
- The location is perfect. Very near Mount Rushmore and right across the street from the 1880 Train Station. Needs updating.
- Legion Lake Lodge-Custer State Park
- We loved our stay here. So close to the lake with access to quick, easy hiking.
- Cedar Pass Lodge-Badlands National Park
- Food
- Circle B Chuckwagon-$98 for 2 adults and 2 kids
- Eno Pizza in Keystone
- All other meals were made at out camper cabins-groceries $100
- Attractions
- Badlands National Park entrance fee-$30
- Mount Rushmore parking fee-$10
- Crazy Horse Memorial entrance fee-$30
- 1880 Train ride-$96 for 2 adults and 2 kids
- Custer State Park entrance fee-$20 per vehicle per day
- Wind Cave tour-$36-for 2 adults and 2 kids
We loved our time in the Black Hills area of South Dakota visiting Badlands National Park and Mount Rushmore. For more tips and tricks on traveling with kids, see our posts on Yellowstone, Grand Teton and Glacier National Parks.
Happy Adventuring, Rochelle