Tower Trail is a good family friendly hike that will get you right up next to Devils Tower. Got a…read moregood laugh that the NPS posted a sign that the trail is not ADA compliant. Somebody must have not had enough common sense and complained about a trail not being accessible.

Tower Trail is the trail you'll want to do to get as close as possible to Devils Tower. it is a…read moreloop around Devils Tower. this loop is the most popular thing to do in the park. This trail is pretty easy and gives you some great views of the tower. If you want to truly be quick and not hike the whole 1.3-mile paved trail, then you will want to start off the loop going LEFT when you are starting from the visitor center. (There is a spot once you start the trail where there are seemingly 2 ways to go, straight and to the left.) Then soon you will see the massive Devil's Tower in front of you. but I would recommend doing the whole tower trail (just 1.3 miles) it will give you different angles of Devils Tower. it is the only trail that is paved. However, do remember that climbing on the rocks isn't allowed without a permit so stay off of the boulders.

We started down Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway and stopped at Bridal Veil Falls, Spearfish Falls,…read moreand Roughlock Falls. Roughlock Falls was our last stop. If you drive pass the trailhead parking lot and keep going down to the end, after you pass the "Roughlock Falls" sign, you will see a parking lot that will lead you closer to the falls. It's 1.5miles from the trailhead but this location only took us a total of 35mins with photos in between. Not difficult, just a few zig zags. We had youngest of 4 to 70s and we all made it. These falls are described as low cascading falls. It's not up high.

Driving through Spearfish Canyon we knew we had to hutches waterfalls. Roughlock is one of the most…read morepicturesque I've seen. There are two ways to get to the falls. 1) park at the trail head and make your way up ~1 mile or 2) drive up above the falls where there is a short accessible path with lookout. The view from the top aren't great but at that location you can walk down a paved path (although steep and not accessible) to the bottom of the falls. This is the view you want! The falls aren't the highest but at the pool they then separate out in multiple paths over moss covered rocks. The stream is completely clear and you can easily see fish which is great for little ones to look for. This is a must do for anyone driving through spearfish.

If you're driving through Spearfish Canyon and don't stop at Bridal Veil Falls, what are you even…read moredoing? This is hands down one of the easiest--and most rewarding--waterfalls you'll ever visit. The falls drop about 60 feet straight down a dramatic canyon wall, and the best part? You can literally park right next to it. No hike, no sweating, no "is this worth it?" moment halfway in--just instant payoff. What makes this spot hit even harder is the setting. Spearfish Canyon is already unreal, with towering limestone cliffs, winding roads, and dense forest. Then you turn a corner and boom--waterfall just casually existing like it's no big deal. We loved how accessible it is, but it still feels wild and natural. You can walk right up to the base, feel the mist, and take it all in without dealing with huge crowds (depending on timing). Pro tip: if you can, hit this spot in the fall or winter. Fall brings insane colors, and winter turns the waterfall into this massive frozen ice wall that looks straight up fake. Quick stop, huge payoff. Easily one of the best roadside attractions in South Dakota. Follow us for more hidden gems on our socials @reessroots

Driving on spearfish canyon scenic highway on the way to Spearfish falls and noticed cars parked in…read morea small lot. Parked and Walked across the highway to a deck and there was the Bridal Veil Falls. No hike needed for those that are not hikers. Nature has so much to offer. Worth a stop!!! If you're lucky, you might see animals near by.

Loved this area and enjoyed the solitude, the hike, the lake and the trails. Definitely recommend.read more

Fabulous! Great little store inside, and some history too. Books and a few gift items available…read more Be respectful and do not take pictures of their holy items. Kind people running it. Answered a question I had about snakes. I love learning and they teach you what you need to learn. God bless.

What an amazing experience. The trail ride is beautiful!! The horses are well taken care of and…read morethe pricing is quite reasonable. Shout out to our guide Brittany who enhanced the experience and was helpful for my daughter's first ride ever. If we come back to the area, we'll definitely do another ride. Thank you!!

We stayed here 3 days, It is so beautiful, natural and amazing! Easy parking and BBQ! By the way…read moreShower rooms are supper clean! Highly recommended!

I come here almost everyone morning with one goal in mind: to be absolutely jacked…read more Am I yet? Of course not, lol. I need to eat more protein and lift heavier. But for now? It's been snazzy. I love the workers, I love the dumbbells, I love the service, I love the smiles everyone has, I love the rock wall, I love the sauna, I love the quality of care, I love the help I receive whenever I need it, and I just love everything 'bout the Rec. Praise the Lord for such a great place with such great people and things to do!

This place is such a gem. It has a huge indoor rock climbing wall. We didn't have time to try it…read morebut we will be back for it. We went for the indoor water park area. It was a nice size with two slides. My favorite things were the soft bottom on the bottom of the pool (so much nicer than scraping your toes on concrete or plaster pool bottoms). And my other favorite thing was the water temp. It was absolutely perfect. Refreshing but not cold at all. They also have a huge hot tub for 16 and over which really made relaxing nice while your kids ran around. They also have a 13' deep end with two different diving boards, one about 5' tall and made to look like a rock. The facilities were modern, clean and well taken care of. My 6th grade kids only cost 3.50 to get in and 6$ for adults. Amazing. Well worth the 90 minute drive from Spearfish.

The views at the top of Black Elk Peak are so beautiful! The trail leading up to the peak is a…read moresteady incline with one short stretch where it goes downhill. Due to the incline, I recommend wearing a water pack to make sure you stay hydrated. It's the highest point in South Dakota and you will want to spend some time at the top taking in the views! There are also plenty of photo opportunities along the way. Make sure to wear good hiking shoes and enjoy soaking in the views!

It took me and my pals 3hrs and 15mins to come up and down this peak (fast paced group but took…read moreshort breaks). I'm an athlete and my hips were very stiff by the end. This one's not for the weak !! We were in the clouds by the time we got up there (about 4:40p) but it was still so beautiful. Lots of photo ops along the way.

I definitely recommend putting this on something you go and visit in your lifetime. It is a very…read moreamazing monument from the time you walk up through the main gate you can start to see the monument and it's just amazing at the work that was put into it they have lined the pathway with the flags from all 50 states and it just kinda gives you this amazing walk up experience and that if you haven't seen you early enjoy. My family and I spent about an hour and a half there which is a great amount of time you can walk up get some great photos plenty of park Rangers around to talk to get directions and tell you a little bit more about the park They do offer videos certain times of the day that are very informative. They have a full-blown theater at the foot of the mountain, which is really amazing when people can perform and things like that which I had no idea that was there until later. And then they have this amazing easy to travel trail. You can do about 50% of it with the stroller and get close up to the monument and take a great photo but then there comes an area where it says I have almost 450 steps so we stopped right there and turned back, but it does do a loop around the whole area with spectacular views. I definitely think that this is a great place to go and visit really peaceful place well-maintained. They do have restaurants and gift shops there so if you're ever in South Dakota, go and give this place a visit

It's always fun to visit Mount Rushmore!…read more This time around I got to listen to a great presentation given by one of the staff. It was about the battle in Baltimore Maryland in 1814. He talked about the Poem "The Star Spangled Banner" that originated from the site of that battle and how it later became the national anthem. It was a very interesting and educational program that I appreciated experiencing. That paired with the usual amenities of the site really made for a fun part of the day! There is some confusing messaging about how to pay for parking that I think should be smoothed out, but I appreciate that the staff work to create a good experience even when there are uncertainties.