What's Good, Black Hills?

So, you’ve booked a trip to the Black Hills. You’ve done some research, know all the spots to hit, know to avoid petting the fluffy cows and know to call those fluffy cows “bison” and not “buffalo.” 

Now, you need some useful advice on what it’s actually like when you get to the Hills.

There’s unofficially three general areas of the Black Hills: the Northern Hills (the Spearfish, Lead, Deadwood, and Sturgis area) the Central Hills (the Keystone and Rapid City area) and the Southern Hills (the Custer and Hill City area).

1.) Plan On a Lot of Driving. A Lot.

Most places of note in the Black Hills are about an hour away from each other, some more, depending on where you are coming from and where you’re going.

If possible, bunch your adventures so you can hit places in the same area on the same day. For example, if you are staying in Deadwood and want to see Mount Rusmore, consider planning a trip that includes something you want to see in the Rapid City area while you’re at it.

Deer are near roadsides frequently at dusk and dawn. But they also pop up a lot after dark, the sneaky buggers. That “deer in the headlights” cliché exists for a reason, so proceed with caution during these times.

Pro tip: Ambitious schedules make for ambitious disappointment. I recommend keeping your daily goals to two, maybe three grouped sights, maximum. You won’t see everything in one trip to the Black Hills. You may not see everything in one decade.

2.) Be Skeptical of Weather Forecasts

In general, pack for just about all weather possibilities. It can snow in August here. It probably won’t. But it sure can. That being said, you don’t need to bring literal winter clothes for a summer trip.

My opinion is that summer excursions are best started as close to dawn as you can get. It will be a bit cold at first, but it will warm up quickly. So bring a long-sleeved layer. You’ll thank me for it at first, then curse me for it later when you have to take it off and stow it or wrap it around your waist or whatever. That’s a risk I’m willing to take to keep you warm. 

It can get prohibitively hot in the afternoon. So if you are unequivocally an afternoon person, make sure you bring plenty of water.

Also, plan for rain every evening in the summer. Fortunately, most storms are over within an hour and usually more like 30 minutes.

Pro tip: Add each of the locations you’ll be visiting to your weather app. (I even have Lead and Deadwood in my app and they’re three miles away from each other.) Check the forecast AND the radar before you set out. You could easily find yourself in sunny Rapid City while a thunderstorm comes crashing in on Deadwood, where you’re staying. Best to avoid driving in that kind of mess, if you can.

3.) Be Prepared for Spotty Cell Phone Coverage

All of the towns in the Black Hills have cell phone coverage, of course. But you don’t have to travel too far outside of town before it drops. Spearfish Canyon and Custer State Park can have little to no cell phone coverage at all. Plan accordingly.

Pro Tip: Call ahead to make sure the place you’re going to is open that day. You’d be surprised by how many places a) don’t have a website b) don’t bother updating their hours on Facebook or Google or whatever internet thing they rely on for information and c) are closed on Sundays, Mondays or whatever holiday just happens to fall during your trip. This madness is especially true of restaurants, so be warned.

4.) Go Forth! But Tread Lightly

Pack in, pack out. Leave no trace. Read and heed posted signs. Most importantly, have fun!

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