About

Discover South Dakota

South Dakota is a state in the Great Plains of the United States. South Dakota is most known for Mount Rushmore, where sculptor Gutzon Borglum carved the 60-foot faces of four American presidents into the side of a granite mountain. Other popular stops are Custer State Park, Crazy Horse Memorial, Deadwood, the World’s Only Corn Palace, Badlands National Park, Fort Sisseton Historic State Park, Wall Drug and Lewis and Clark Recreation Area. South Dakota is a "gateway" to the Great Plains region. It is a sparsely populated state, having about 910,000 residents in 2021. The state capital is Pierre (pronounced “peer”), which is located almost exactly in the center of the state.

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What to Experience in South Dakota

Sturgis, a.k.a. "Motorcycle City, USA," is home of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally every August.

Mount Rushmore sunset

Goodbye Sun

green trees on brown field under blue sky during daytime

Badlands National Park

brown mountains near road during daytime

brown rock formation near body of water during daytime

brown cow on green grass field during daytime

Cuisine

Taste of South Dakota...

Part of the state lies in the country's "tornado alley", and its geographical location makes it prone to very violent thunderstorms during the spring and summer seasons. These thunderstorms, most often, will produce hail squalls and damaging winds. On occasion, they have also been known to spawn small scale tornadoes. Despite this being a rarity, and their small scale, they can still cause significant damage and endanger an unprepared traveler. Travelers to and through the state, particularly its southern-most regions, during the spring/summer seasons should pay attention to weather conditions because they have the tendency to change very rapidly. Refer to the Tornado safety page for more information. South Dakota is infamous for its brutal winter storms. Blizzards and freak snow squalls are not uncommon in either of the Dakotas during the winter months. As with any severe weather situation, keep yourself up to date on the latest weather conditions if you are planning to travel to or through the state during the winter season. The prairies of western South Dakota are home to many bison. South Dakota residents all know at least one story of a tourist being attacked because they ignored repeated warnings about getting too close. While centered mostly around the southwest part of the state, Bison are best viewed from the car or from a distance — do not approach them. They look slow, but they can cover a good distance in short time.

History

A Rich Past

Explore the historical roots that shaped South Dakota into what it is today.

South Dakota’s history is filled with rich heritage and colorful characters that include the likes of Lewis and Clark, Sitting Bull, Wild Bill Hickok, Crazy Horse and Laura Ingalls Wilder. The land is the home of several Plains Indian tribes, including the Dakota, Lakota and Nakota-speaking people of the Great Sioux Nation. By the early 1700s, French fur traders had extended their interests into the Upper Mississippi River basin. French Canadian explorers, Louis Joseph and Francois la Verendrye, were the first known non-Indians in what we call South Dakota. They left a lead plate in 1743 on a bluff overlooking the Missouri River in present day Fort Pierre claiming the region for France. This land was transferred to the United States in 1803 as part of the Louisiana Purchase, and in 1804, American explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark met with the Teton band of the Lakota people in the same vicinity. In 1831, Pierre Chouteau, Jr. founded an American Fur Trading post in the area known as Fort Pierre. Today, the cities of Fort Pierre and Pierre (the state capital), take their names from this fort. In 1874, an expedition led by General Custer discovered gold for the first time in the Black Hills and incited a gold rush, fueling a population boom in the last half of the 19th century. The largest find was near the town of present day Lead, a claim that would yield gold for more than 120 years....

Celebrations

Festivals & Events

Experience the vibrant festivals and cultural celebrations of South Dakota.

Part of the state lies in the country's "tornado alley", and its geographical location makes it prone to very violent thunderstorms during the spring and summer seasons. These thunderstorms, most often, will produce hail squalls and damaging winds. On occasion, they have also been known to spawn small scale tornadoes. Despite this being a rarity, and their small scale, they can still cause significant damage and endanger an unprepared traveler. Travelers to and through the state, particularly its southern-most regions, during the spring/summer seasons should pay attention to weather conditions because they have the tendency to change very rapidly. Refer to the Tornado safety page for more information. South Dakota is infamous for its brutal winter storms. Blizzards and freak snow squalls are not uncommon in either of the Dakotas during the winter months.

Weather

Climate

Best: Year Round

South Dakota has four distinct seasons of weather, ranging from cold winters to hot summers. Temperatures can reach over 100 °F (almost 40 °C) in the summer and average below freezing in the winter. Average humidity across the state ranges from semi-arid in the northwest to semi-humid in the southeast. Summers can bring severe weather in the form of thunderstorms, but most days are clear and sunny. Summer (late May to early September) is optimal for visiting many of the attractions in the state. However, weather can be mild in both the spring and fall months, and visiting outside of the summer season offers less traffic and opportunities for seeing spring’s first blossoms or fall’s brilliant foliage. Very cold winter weather alternates with milder spells, and snowfall can be prevalent. December through early March is the best time to take advantage of several downhill ski areas, more than 1,500 miles (2,400 km) of snowmobiling trails, ice fishing and other winter sports and activities.

Plan Your Trip

Essential Information

Best Time to Visit

Year Round

best time to take advantage of several downhill ski areas, more than 1,500 miles (2,400 km) of snowmobiling trails, ice fishing and other winter sports and activities....

Getting There

Multiple Options

Interstate Information Centers are staffed in the summer months and offer a variety of travel and tourism information. Additionally, federal highways running east-west include 12, 212, 14, and 18; north-south highways 85, 385, 83, 183, 281 and 81 also traverse the state. Aberdeen, Watertown, and Pierre also have scheduled commercial air service. South Dakota is one of only 3 states (the others being Hawaii and Wyoming) not served by any intercity passenger rail. Jefferson Lines has frequent affordable connections along the state's two interstates, most frequent to Minneapolis, but also daily through the West River part of the state to Wyoming. Information on South Dakota Transit can be found here. The Black Hills are carved up with a pair of mountain-scale sculptures. The four dignified faces peering out from the side of Mount Rushmore make up the most famous sculpture in the country....

Regions

Explore Areas

South Dakota is a "gateway" to the Great Plains region. It is a sparsely populated state, having about 910,000 residents in 2021. The state capital is Pierre (pronounced “peer”), which is located almo…...

Travel Tips

Getting Around & Staying

Getting Around

Information on South Dakota Transit can be found here. The Black Hills are carved up with a pair of mountain-scale sculptures. The four dignified faces peering out from the side of Mount Rushmore make up the most famous sculpture in the country. Not to be outdone by a bunch of dead presidents, the Crazy Horse Memorial, near Custer, is the world’s largest mountain carving in progress. The memorial is a way to honor the culture and traditions of North American Indians. Visitors to Crazy Horse Memorial can see the progress of the mountain carving as well as tour a Native American Museum and art center on the campus of the Memorial. South Dakota has a rich fossil history going back to the days of the dinosaurs. One of the most complete T. Rex skeletons was found in South Dakota and the largest collection of Columbian Woolly Mammoth fossils are still being unearthed at The Mammoth Site in Hot Springs in the southern Black Hills.

Money & Budget

Part of the state lies in the country's "tornado alley", and its geographical location makes it prone to very violent thunderstorms during the spring and summer seasons. These thunderstorms, most often, will produce hail squalls and damaging winds. On occasion, they have also been known to spawn small scale tornadoes. Despite this being a rarity, and their small scale, they can still cause significant damage and endanger an unprepared traveler. Travelers to and through the state, particularly its southern-most regions, during the spring/summer seasons should pay attention to weather conditions because they have the tendency to change very rapidly. Refer to the Tornado safety page for more information. South Dakota is infamous for its brutal winter storms.

Stay Safe

Safety Information

Safety Overview

Part of the state lies in the country's "tornado alley", and its geographical location makes it prone to very violent thunderstorms during the spring and summer seasons. These thunderstorms, most often, will produce hail squalls and damaging winds. On occasion, they have also been known to spawn small scale tornadoes. Despite this being a rarity, and their small scale, they can still cause significant damage and endanger an unprepared traveler. Travelers to and through the state, particularly its southern-most regions, during the spring/summer seasons should pay attention to weather conditions because they have the tendency to change very rapidly. Refer to the Tornado safety page for more information. South Dakota is infamous for its brutal winter storms. Blizzards and freak snow squalls are not uncommon in either of the Dakotas during the winter months.

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