Home    Travel    State Parks

South Dakota State Parks

Bear Butte State Park

10/2/19 We then went a short way into Bear Butte State Park (dutifully paying the fee for an empty park and closed VC). We drove up to the VC for closer views of half a mountain, but as we drove away we spotted some plaques near the building. Checking it out, we found the NHL plaque - score! [2022 update - after further review, as we learned about National Natural Landmarks, it turns out we photoed the NNL plaque]

Partially hidden Bear Butte
State Park Image
The park sign
State Park Image
A lone Bison
State Park Image
Ken photoing ...
State Park Image
... the NNL plaque
State Park Image
Native American ...
State Park Image
... tobacco bundles, etc.
State Park Image

Custer State Park

10/3/19 Peter Norbeck Byway

Good Earth State Park

10/4/19 Onwards into Sioux Falls we went east of town, looking for Good Earth State Park. With the GPS not knowing “you can’t get there from here”, and us ignoring a sign that said exactly that, we took a few wrong turns but eventually found the park. This is also the Blood Run Site NHL. The site, named for the iron-stained soil, was essentially populated for 8,500 years, within which earthworks structures were built by the Oneota Culture and descendant tribes. We walked the nicely managed gravel trails, following maps placed along the way, and located two overlooks. We found some areas by the river, both on our side and across in Iowa, that looked like they could have been Native mounds, and took our photos.

The park sign ...
State Park Image
... and VC
State Park Image
The view from one observation deck
State Park Image
Another observation deck ...
State Park Image
... and view into Iowa
State Park Image
Ken and me
State Park Image