St Paul to Keystone and itinerary help needed

Going Thurs evening - Tuesday. I think we are going to leave on a Thursday late afternoon and drive to Mitchell and spend the night. How long is this drive? Then go to the badlands on Friday on the way. Must dos here? Is Needles Hwy a loop there? and we exit at Wall Drug? Will this bring us back to hwy 90? Should we make plans for the night or just hang out?

Must seees-what days to do what and what to combine on what days?

Mt Rushmore day and night -same day or different?

Crazy Horse- drive by or go in?

Caves should we do both Jewel nd wind or just one, and if we do both, then on the same day? Make reservations and if so do we do anything else on that day- what else is on the way or near these?

Custer State park-what to do here? We are going on a wagon dinner one evening, so should we plan on coming here earlier and seeing things? Sylvan Lake and some hike to the top of some hill?

Should we do Deadwood and is the prarie dog place near here?

Do we go to the Mammoth site and what elso do we do on that day?

Anything else we need to see? I don%26#39;t think we want any really long drives-should we skip Devil%26#39;s tower?

St Paul to Keystone and itinerary help needed

Mapquest shows Cottage Grove to Mitchell at about 5 hours.

Exit for the Badlands at exit 131 south, it will take you through the Badlands Loop and back north to Wall %26amp; I90 without backtracking.

The Needles Loop is in Custer State Park, near Sylvan.

Prairie dogs are in Custer State Park, or you may see them in the Badlands.

Without knowing how many days you have it is difficult to answer your other questions.

St Paul to Keystone and itinerary help needed

Mitchell is fairly close to halfway to Rapid City from where you%26#39;re at. There is a Badlands Loop (#240)that exits Hwy 90 and makes a loop through the Badlands and comes out at Wall. Wall is very touristy but fun. The Needles Hwy. is beautiful; it is between Rapid City/Keystone and Custer. You can get on the Iron Mountain Road out of Keystone (the monuments are framed several times during the drive) and take that to Custer State Park (go early) and do the Needles out of Custer State Park. If you%26#39;ve never seen it Rushmore is awesome. You can see it lit up from the southern end of Keystone and it is really pretty. Where are you staying in the hills? You can spend an hour or so in Deadwood (depending on if you go to the ';Trial of Jack McCall';?)do a drive through Spearfish Canyon on up through Belle Fourche and Alladin through to Devils Tower (awesome) (there is a prairie dog village there also)and come back the same way or the freeway back towards Deadwood/Rapid City. You can do the round trip drive in about five hours depending on where you are starting from and how many stops you make. I don%26#39;t know anything about the caves. Hope this helps a little.