Need 3 day trip itineraries

We are going to Rapid City for 3 days in June. I need 3 day trips worth of things to do. It%26#39;s hard for me to plan these, because I don%26#39;t know how long is spent at the various sites. The things we definitely want to see are, Mt Rushmore, Wind and/or Jewel Caves, Devil%26#39;s Tower... beyond those, we%26#39;re open to suggestions. Can do some light hiking, but nothing too strenuous. Would love for some suggestions for Day 1, 2, 3... Thanks!

Paul

Loveland, CO

Need 3 day trip itineraries

Hi Paul,

Are you staying in Rapid City, or one of the smaller towns like Keystone, Hill City, or Custer? It would help to know that so that more accurate drive times could be factored in.

If you do Devil%26#39;s Tower, I would plan this to be one of the three days spend in the area. You can incorporate the tower into Deadwood. In Deadwood, you can spend time gambling or focusing on some of the town%26#39;s old west history. Be sure to drive the Spearfish Canyon Scenic Road coming or going.

Are you interested in the Badlands? If so, this could take up a day as well, but you may want to skip this for now since you only have three days.

Mt Rushmore will take around 3 hours to see during daylight hours, and I would highly recommend revisiting at night for the lighting ceremony. You could see Rushmore during the day and then head over to the cave of your choice (I preferred Jewel). You could possibly do a drive by of Crazy Horse on your way to Jewel. Jewel Cave tours last about 2 hours.

You should also considering spending some time in Custer State Park. Iron Mountain Road is another option before after Mt Rushmore in the day. Iron Mountain Road has pig trail bridges that ';frame'; Rushmore...really beautiful. This road is part of Custer.. Also lovely are Sylvan Lake and the Needles Highway, also in Custer. The Wildlife Loop (Custer SP) is a neat drive at dawn or dusk where you will see pronghorn, burros, prairie dogs, bison, deer, and big horned sheep.

I know others will probably have a much better itinerary. These are just some rough suggetions. Have fun planning.

Need 3 day trip itineraries

We are staying in Rapid City. Assuming we spend one day seeing Devil%26#39;s Tower and Deadwood, spend another day at Mt Rushmore, Crazy Horse and Jewel Caves, what would be the best way to spend the third day to make a well rounded mini-vacation?

I would spend some time in Custer State Park also.

Hi Borgt,

You ask a tough question on how to spend the third day for the most well-rounded experience. Someone on here just said there is never enough time in the Black Hills, and he/she is so right!!

Since you are staying in Rapid, the easiest trip would be to the Badlands. You could be there pretty quickly from there (around 1-1.5 hours). We stayed in Keystone, around 20 miles away, so it took us a little longer to get out there. In the Badlands, the scenery is barren, open, dry..quite fascinating. You won%26#39;t see as much wildlife as you would in Custer SP. The main wildlife at the Badlands are the prairie dogs. The Badlands is pretty much a drive through park, imo, and you won%26#39;t do any heavy duty hiking.

I would say if you prefer seeing wildlife, I%26#39;d choose Custer SP. I would see at least part of it..as much as your schedule will allow. With staying in Rapid, you might even be able to get out to the Badlands and do some of Custer if time permits. Custer also has some traditional Black Hills scenery where the mountains are rockier, darker,--much different from where you%26#39;re from.';

Do you have any children coming along? If so, they would probably prefer Custer if I had to go one way or another.

Let us know if you have more questions.

I would highly recommend as part of your day at Rushmore (will take a couple of hours if you hike the trail at all) that you take 16A (Iron Mountain Road) to the Custer Wild Life Loop. After the Wild Life Loop (you come out near Blue Bell Lodge) take 89 to 16 and go West to Jewel Cave. Go back through Custer and go North on 385 past Crazy Horse through Hill City and take the Sheridan Lake Road back to Rapid City. That trip will take the better part of a day. To visit Devils Tower I would recommend a trip though the canyons on the way up there. Take 44 out of Rapid City to 385. When you come to the T in Deadwood go left on 85. When you get to Cheyenne Crossing go right onto 14A. Take 14A to Spearfish and take 85 out of Spearfish to Belle Fourche. Go left on 34. Alladin is an interesting 10 minute stop. From there continue in 24 to Devils Tower. If you want to get back quicker, when you come out of Devils Tower go right and get back on 90 going back to Rapid. Again, depending on how many stops you make along the way and if you do any hiking at Devil%26#39;s Tower (Cheyenne Crossing has a quaint, decent little restaurant. Savoy is a pretty stop, the hatchery in Spearfish is interesting, Alladin, etc) this is pretty much a 4 - 6 hour tour).

If you are early risers, you might want to head East out of Rapid and go through the Badlands. To me they are the best in the early morning. Take Hwy 44 East through Interior and 240 back to 90 at Wall. You can stop there if you want; it%26#39;s an interesting touristy place. Then back to Rapid City. This is three or four hours or so depending again on how many stops you make. You can always take 90 back to Sturgis and take Hwy 14a through Boulder Canyon to Deadwood. Go 385 out of Deadwood to the Nemo Road, through Nemo and 234 back to Rapid City. You get to see a lot of what is so special about the Black Hills when you drive the canyon roads instead of the highway.