10 Nicest Small Towns In South Dakota

A doubly landlocked state in the north-central region of the country, South Dakota, named after the Dakota Sioux tribe, is oftentimes lionized for the eastern prairie plains, the southeastern Dissected Till Plains, the western Great Plains with the eye-catching southwestern Black Hills, and the scraggy Badlands to the east of the Black Hills. Beyond the top tourist draws like the carved granite peaks of the Mount Rushmore National Memorial, the ethereal landscapes of the Badlands National Park, and the spirited urban agglomerations of Rapid City and Sioux Falls, are some of the state's nicest small towns, sure to leave a memorable impression on every vacationer.

Spearfish

Spearfish, named for the swift-flowing Spearfish Creek, is set on the northern edge of the Black Hills, at the head of the impressive Spearfish Canyon, nearly 50 miles northwest of Rapid City. The lively downtown of this Lawrence County town is overflowing with numerous domestically owned antique stores like Main Street Antiques and Decor and women’s clothing stores like 2 Broke Girls (2BG) Boutique. The Matthews Opera House & Arts Center hosts art events and live theatrical and musical performances throughout the year, entertaining residents and tourists alike.

Nature lovers can explore the woodland-covered hills, tall limestone cliffs, magnificent waterfalls, and running mountain streams by traversing the Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway, one of the best scenic drives in the Black Hills. Outdoor enthusiasts can fly fish, trek, rock climb, and swim in the Spearfish Canyon area. At the same time, merrymakers can attend the yearly Festival in the Park event at Spearfish City Park.

Pierre

The second-least populated state capital in the nation, Pierre, the government seat of Hughes County, sits close to the state's geographic center, at the top of rugged river bluffs on the Missouri River’s eastern banks. Named in honor of the wealthy American fur trader Pierre Chouteau Jr., this enchanting town invites tourists to visit and take note of the notable landmarks, like the South Dakota State Capitol, the South Dakota National Guard Museum, which is a repository of historical documents and collectibles about the South Dakota National Guard, and the South Dakota Discovery Center, a hands-on center rousing scientific thinking through dynamic presentations. Head to Lake Oahe, a 370,000-acre reservoir created by constructing the Oahe Dam, just a few miles north of Pierre, to participate in fishing, camping, hiking, picnicking, and boating activities.

Hot Springs

The administrative center of Fall River County, Hot Springs, is located along the side of the Fall River in a sandstone canyon girded by red rocks, at the Black Hills’ southern extremity. European settlers first called the place "Minnekahta" after the native Lakota name; it was renamed "Hot Springs" after the English translation of the Lakota name. Established in the 1890s, the Evans Plunge Mineral Springs is one of the most vacationer-favored sites in the town, where the natural spring-fed waters maintain an average pool temperature of 87 degrees Fahrenheit. Stop by The Mammoth Site, an operating paleontological excavation site and museum featuring a vast assortment of mammoth remains; participate in water-based activities at the Angostura Recreation Area circling the 4,407-acre Angostura Reservoir; and, if you're around in August, attend the Annual Fall River Hot Air Balloon Festival organized by the Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce.

Sturgis

Founded in 1878 and christened after Samuel D. Sturgis, a Union Army General during the American Civil War, this seat of government of Meade County is situated next to Bear Butte Creek on the Black Hills National Forest’s northeastern tip, around 29.5 miles northwest of Rapid City. Downtown Sturgis, replete with uncounted noteworthy edifices such as the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame, spotlighting the incredible history of motorcycling; the Black Hills National Cemetery, containing more than 29,000 graves of veterans and their relatives; gift shops like Sturgis Photo & Gifts; and fantastic restaurants like Loud American Sturgis are must-visits when in town. In the first full week of August every year, join the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally held for 10 days in Sturgis and the adjoining Black Hills region.

Keystone

Having only 240 residents per the 2020 U.S. Census, this teeny Pennington County community is located in the Black Hills region of western South Dakota. Formerly a mining community set up in the late 1800s at the end of the Black Hills Gold Rush era, Keystone has over time developed into a well-known resort town full of family-focused, must-see places like the National Presidential Wax Museum which with true-to-life wax figures of all 46 U.S. presidents (plus over 50 other statues) is a marvelous, realistic recreation of definitive moments in history, and the Keystone Historical Museum, which houses mining tools from ancient times, historic photographs, and Carrie Ingalls memrobilia in an old Keystone Schoolhouse building. Apart from being an entryway to the far-famed Mount Rushmore National Memorial, tourists here can sample the downtown antique stores like Holy Terror Antiques, souvenir stores like Black Hills Souvenirs & Gifts, and the classic American fare served at Ruby House Restaurant.

Custer

Custer, the seat of southwestern South Dakota’s Custer County, is the oldest town in the Black Hills, established in 1875 by European Americans following the discovery of gold in French Creek. Placed right at the nucleus of the southern Black Hills and proximate to treasured tourist lures such as the Jewel Cave National Monument, the roaming American bison herds in Custer State Park, Wind Cave National Park, and Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Custer is a perfect stopover station for anyone vacationing in this picturesque state. Furthermore, browse the Main Street gift shops like A Walk In the Woods Gallery & Gifts, clothing stores like Rushmore Custom Designs, and foodie havens like The Custer Wolf - Food & Drink.

Hill City

Occupying the core of the Black Hills along U.S. Highway 16 is Hill City, the oldest existing city in Pennington County, roughly 27 miles southwest of Rapid City. Travelers on a tour in this "Heart of the Hills" must enjoy a vintage steam experience aboard the 1880 Train on the Black Hills Central Railroad (available from mid-May to mid-October), and check out the Civilian Conservation Corps Museum’s extensive collection of donated artifacts, uniforms, camp photographs, and a printed roster of all those who have worked in the Civilian Conservation Corps. Also not to be missed are the plentiful Western-inspired art galleries like Jon Crane Gallery & Custom Framing and Main Street’s annual art festivals like the Hill City Quilt & Fiber Arts Show.

Lead

Founded formally right after the gold discovery on July 10, 1876, and named for the leads, or lodes, of valuable ore deposits, Lead is situated in western South Dakota’s northern Black Hills, near Wyoming's state boundary. This entrancing alpine community in Lawrence County is publicly known for being the location of Homestake Mine, once the Western Hemisphere’s largest and deepest gold mine. History mavens can learn more about the town’s eventful past at the Black Hills Mining Museum and the Sanford Lab Homestake Visitor Center. At the same time, outdoor lovers must head directly for fishing in the manmade Sheridan Lake (just under an hour's drive away) and hiking the 109-mile-long George S. Mickelson Trail.

Vermillion

The administration center of southeastern South Dakota’s Clay County, Vermillion, sits at the top of a bluff close to the Missouri River, northeast of the state line with Nebraska. Excursionists sojourning in this archetypal college town, home to the University of South Dakota, ought to pay attention to the more than 15,000 peerless and antiquated musical instruments displayed at the National Music Museum on the university campus. Additionally, laud the colorful murals in the central business district, be a golf player at the first-rate 18-hole championship Bluffs Golf Course, and enjoy the three-day Clay County Fair in August, with animal shows, barbecue, live music, cornhole tournaments, street dances, and many more.

Deadwood

Located precisely northeast of Lead is Deadwood, the seat of Lawrence County, named by pioneer inhabitants for the dead trees in its gulch. Famed for the beautifully maintained Gold Rush-era buildings, plus luring multiple Wild West legends like Wild Bill Hickok and Wyatt Earp during its glory days, the whole town, since 1961, has been designated a National Historic Landmark District. Stroll through the streets of this historic settlement, popping in at the Days of ’76 Museum to check its collection of historic horse-drawn wagons, carriages, stagecoaches, and other displayed memorabilia, aside from partaking in plenteous outdoor recreations at the surrounding Black Hills National Forest.

From Vermillion’s scholarly milieu to Deadwood’s frontier lifestyle, each of the most pleasant towns in the nation’s fifth-least populous and 17th-largest state attracts sojourners with its distinct appeal. For those who wish to spend wonderful times far from the hustle and bustle of megacities, these alluring South Dakota settlements, turning the spotlight on their breathtaking natural scenery, inviting Main Streets, unique seasonal festivities, abundant open-air recreations, and the gracious hospitality of the community members, are worth escaping to on your short breaks or prolonged holidays.