South Dakota Road Trip: Badlands, Wind Cave & More

Badlands, Wind Cave, Jewel Cave, Mount Rushmore, Fossil Agate, and the Places Between

Why This Trip

For my 30th birthday, I loaded up my Subaru Outback and set out from Denver with one goal: explore as many caves and wild landscapes as I could in South Dakota. This trip was part of a bigger personal project — but you could absolutley use a GoWild Pass to access affordable flights and plan spontaneous outdoor escapes. What started as a state-by-state exploration quickly became a deep dive into the Black Hills’ incredible underground world — from Badlands’ rugged canyons to the complex depths of Wind Cave and Jewel Cave. The combination of desert terrain, hidden formations, and sacred spaces made this trip unforgettable.

The Big Picture

This was a seven-day solo road trip starting and ending in Denver. I wound through Nebraska to Fossil Agate, headed into Badlands National Park, and then swung west into the Black Hills region before looping back home. While the itinerary can be condensed to five days, seven gave me room to explore, reflect, and take it slow.

Where I Went

Day 1: Agate Fossil Beds National Monument

My road trip began with a late morning drive to Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, a quiet gem off the interstate. After hiking the Daemonelix Trail and cooking dinner at the trailhead, I settled in under a sprawling sky with zero cell service — the perfect reset to begin the adventure. Did it say not camping? Not technically. Did anyone bother me? No. Do with this information what you will.

The next morning, a German couple who had also camped in the lot shared coffee and cereal with me before we all headed out. We exchanged contact info and went our separate ways.

Quiet prairie and blooming yucca along the Daemonelix Trail at Agate Fossil Beds National Monument

Day 2: Badlands National Park

From Agate Fossil Beds, I drove northeast toward Badlands National Park and stopped at the Ben Reifel Visitor Center. That evening, I stayed at the main campground near the visitor center, which made it easy to attend the nighttime ranger program.

The program ended up being one of my favorite parts of the park—I learned how telescopes work and got a better sense of the scale of the solar system and galaxy while sitting under a clear night sky.

Sunset at Badlands National Park Campground

Day 3: Badlands Loop Road & Mount Rushmore

In the morning, I packed up camp and drove the Badlands Loop Road. The visitor center itself was much smaller than I expected given the scale of the landscape.

I stopped at Wall Drug briefly and got overwhelmed almost immediately by the crowds, but I escaped to the Badlands Saloon and Grill where I found a quiet beer.

From there, I headed toward Mount Rushmore National Memorial. It was June, close to 90°F, and I was traveling with my husky, so I decided not to go into the memorial itself. The crowds didn’t really appeal to me anyway, and by the time I arrived around 4 p.m., the lighting made it harder to see clearly.

Instead, I continued on to Norbeck Overlook. I watched the sunset from there with a canned Cutwater margarita and my dog next to me, looking out at Mount Rushmore from a distance. It was calm and quiet, and for me, a much better way to experience it.

That night, I found a nearby Wrinkled Rock climbing area (that you aren't intended to sleep in), made dinner, watched some pre-downloaded shows (no service), and went to sleep. While I read online that there is a climber's campground here, there is most definitely not and are signs posted no camping.

This was a nice choice for someone in a car like myself because it's also a trailhead for the Centennial Trail which is a 111-mile backpacking trail. These are great for van-life lite because it could be implied you are out backpacking for a few nights and cars being there overnight would be expected. Again, this is for sleeping in your car not tent camping. The key is to be inconspicuous. A van for example may not get away so easily with this method.

A scenic overlook along the Badlands Loop Road, showcasing the layered rock formations and vast landscapes of Badlands National Park.

Day 4: Needles Highway & Jewel Cave

I woke up near the trailhead for the Centennial Trail and hiked a couple miles before driving the Needles Highway. The road itself is stunning, though I couldn’t stop thinking how much more fun it would’ve been on my motorcycle.

Later that day, I made my way to Jewel Cave National Monument for the Wild Cave Tour. After finishing my cave tour, I headed to Beaver Lake Campground, which had hot showers, ice, firewood, shelters, a pool to cool off in, and even a small dog run.

Caving at the Wild Cave Tour at Jewel Cave National Monument, one of the longest cave systems in

Driving Needles Highway through the Black Hills of South Dakota, one of the most scenic stretches of

Day 5: Wind Cave & Heading Home

The drive from Beaver Lake Campground to Wind Cave National Park is only about an hour, making for an easy morning. By mid-afternoon, I was finished at the park with my Wild Cave Tour and back on the road toward Colorado. Not long after leaving, a bug got lodged in my air intake and my car refused to start—in the middle of nowhere. Not something I’d planned on diagnosing that day.

Final Thought

By the time I turned back toward Colorado, I felt like I’d squeezed a surprising amount into a short trip—quiet nights, long drives, crowded places I left quickly, and a few moments that felt entirely my own. It was a solid birthday present to myself.

Layered rock formations stretching across Badlands National Park — one of the most visually striking

A closer look at the eroded canyons along the Badlands Loop Road, carved by millions of years of win

Western salsify growing in the prairie grasslands near Badlands National Park.

A quiet prairie sunset near the campground at Badlands National Park after a long day of exploring.

The famous Daemonelix spiral fossil on display at Agate Fossil Beds National Monument.

Exploring the Badlands with my dog — rugged terrain, wide-open space, and plenty of quiet moments.

Yucca blooming along the trail at Agate Fossil Beds, with prairie stretching out in every direction.

An ancient sand dune along the Daemonelix Trail at Agate Fossil Beds National Monument

A fossilized toe bone from Dinohyus, an extinct pig-like mammal that lived during the Miocene epoch

ucca growing along the trail at Agate Fossil Beds National Monument.

Holding a fossilized Dinohyus toe bone at Agate Fossil Beds National Monument.

Watching the sunset together near Badlands National Park.

Wind Cave Enterance at Wind Cave National Park

A quiet stop with my dog in Badlands National Park.

Taking in the view at Badlands National Park.

Layered rock formations in Badlands National Park.

Taking in the view at Badlands National Park.

Trail marker along the Centennial Trail in the Black Hills.

Inside Jewel Cave on the Wild Cave Tour.

Granite spires along Needles Highway in the Black Hills.

Taking a break at a roadside stop in the Black Hills.

Forest section of the Centennial Trail winding through pine trees in the Black Hills

Navigating a tight passage on the Jewel Cave Wild Cave Tour.

A wide canyon view in Badlands National Park.

Another look at the eroded landscape of Badlands National Park