The wife and I are headed to Mt. Rushmore and the surrounding areas next week for some hiking and r&r.  We will be probably going to checkout, Mt. Rushmore, Sturgis, Crazy Horse, Deadwood, Badlands, Needles......

Looking for any tips or other areas that we should see.  We like the outdoors and tend to stay away from people as much as possible, but will check out anything cool to see.  We literally have no real plans, so anything along the way or out of the way may be open.  Also any issues with CCW in these areas?  I guess OH and SD have reciprocity.

If you guys are into hiking, try the Harney Peak trail. Tallest point in the US east of the Rockies I believe. Not a super hard hike but it gets a little steep near the top! Great view up there.

Custer State Park, see buffalo and play with the donkeys.

Sylvan Lake is cool, it's also where part of National Treasure 2 was filmed.

Sylvan Lake is basically the bottom of Harney trail. Yes, Harney is the highest peak east of the Rockies.

Remember, carrying in Custer State Park is a no go. National Forest is ok obviously. Lots of trails in and around Mt Rushmore. I hike there nearly every weekend on one trail or another.

Not much to see in Sturgis this time of year. Deadwood is always there of course.

Mt. Rushmore is awesome, Crazy Horse is meh. The Needles are cool and the Badlands are trippy. They look like another planet, literally.

Air and Space Museum at Ellsworth AFB is cool.

Whats in deadwood to see?

Elderly Canadian tourists.



 

This. It is where gambling is legal. Also a lot of history there. Cemeteries and old buildings. To me, it isn't a full day by any means.

 
Go during the week late at night. Get chummy with the night staff and you can get some REAALY cool behind-the-scenes tours of some really cool historical shit.

The GasLight and the Powder House have good eats

I am planning a trip as well. Was gonna do a 5 day hike of the centennial trail, but my buddy thats going with didn't like that idea. We are going to try to hit Mt Rushmore on the 4th of July, Crazy horse is supposed to blow some rock on the 4th. Gonna hit the needles for a bit of hiking, Harney peak and sylvan lake, also thinking of taking a day to go to the minuteman silo and the badlands.

Don't forget about the Corn Palace on your way out west! Corn Palace

So I was planning on hiking the harney peak and just doing a drive through of the badlands and stopping at all the scenic views. Are there any must see spots in badlands, or is a stop at the scenic spots good enough for the first time there?
Also thanks for the no carrying in Custer, hadn't even thought that far ahead yet.

Dont forget to drive Spearfish Canyon and there are some good hikes in there too I hear.  I just did some fly fishing there a few months ago and it was really gorgeous tromping around the stream that runs through it.

Mt Rushmore used to have fireworks which were awesome for the 4th.  There is a hike to Mt Baldy behind it where we have watched fireworks from the backside from.  No crowd and great view(not the faces but still the sounds in the valleys below and especially the bomber flyover is awesome).

There is a old mine/cave by Keystone that is a really cool hike too. Not sure its on the map and I have been told its trespassing but Ive been there twice without issue.

I also like the drive from Rapid to Pactola (rimrock). Really a pretty site and nice shoreline to walk or fish from. There is a trail or 2 along that road that cars are always parked at. Never hiked them but they seem popular(2-3 cars) even in low season.

First time the scenic spots are probably good enough. Harney can be a busy trail and kind of cool. It is 7200 feet at the top I think.

Alpine Inn in Hill City is a nice place to eat.

ETA: Sunday Gulch trail by Sylvan Lake is one of my favorite trails to hike.