Falls Park on the Big Sioux River - Sioux Falls - South Dakota

As we concluded our May 2021 trip to Montana and the Dakotas, we stopped in Sioux Falls, South Dakota to visit Falls Park. This 128-acre park is immediately north of downtown Sioux Falls and surrounds the Big Sioux River as it drops about 100 feet over a series of cascades and waterfalls. The ruins of the 1881 Queen Bee Mill are preserved on the east side of the river.  Among other amenities, the park includes public restrooms, a visitor center with a viewing tower, and a cafe. A pedestrian bridge crosses the river, linking the visitor center and cafe. A BNSF railroad bridge also crosses the river at the southern boundary of the park.

We didn't plan our visit to the park as it was a spur-of-the-moment decision to visit based on a sign we saw along Interstate 29. We had a wonderful time wandering around the park. Even though services were limited, we still had some hand-dipped ice cream at the cafe. This park is a hidden gem in the middle of a city and well worth the time to visit.

BNSF bridge over the river

One of the numerous cascades throughout the park

Another waterfall

Queen Bee mill turbine house

Main channel of the river

A closer look at the upper falls

Main channel from the pedestrian bridge

The Light and Power building now houses the Falls Overlook Cafe

Ruins of the Queen Bee mill

Turbine house

More of the ruins

More of the falls

Even more of the falls

Monarch of the Plains

Light and Power Company building

Pedestrian bridge from the tower

Queen Bee mill ruins from the tower

BNSF train crossing the river

Old county courthouse clock tower

Visitor center and tower

There is no entry fee at Falls Park. Free parking is also available.

The city park website is https://www.siouxfalls.org/parks/parks/locations/falls-park. While the city tourism website for the park is https://www.experiencesiouxfalls.com/falls-park.

Wildlife Loop Road - Custer State Park

Custer State Park is located adjacent to and north of Wind Cave National Park. A series of three roads form a 31.2-mile loop through the southern hills and prairie of the state park. Entering the park from the south on SD-87, we drove north 4.9 miles to Wildlife Loop Road and the entrance fee station to the state park. Turning right, we drove 18.1 miles on Wildlife Loop Road, also known as Custer State Park Road 1, to its terminus at US-16A. Along the way, we passed the single paved runway of Custer State Park Airport at about 15 miles. After turning left onto US-16A and crossing Grace Coolidge Creek, we turned right into the parking lot for the Custer State Park Visitor Center. The park rangers and volunteers were very knowledgeable and helpful.

Leaving the visitor center, we continued west on US16A to the junction with SD-87 in 7.5 miles. Along the way, we passed Game Lodge, Coolidge General Store, Grace Coolidge Campground, Legion Lake, and Legion Lodge.

We turned south onto SD-87 and drove 10.5 miles back to Wind Cave National Park, passing Blue Bell Lodge & Resort and the entrance fee station along the way. 

As for wildlife viewing, we saw bison, wild donkeys, deer, antelope, and several bird species.

We spent most of a day driving the loop during our May 2021 trip to the Dakotas, Wyoming, and Montana. You can read about our August 2017 visit to Custer State Park by clicking on the highlighted posts of Legion Lake, Needles Highway, scenic SD-87, and Wildlife Loop Road.

Wild donkeys

French Creek

Legion Lake

Lenker Rock at Legion Lake

Wildfire aftermath

More fire damage

Antelope

White-tail deer

An entry fee of $20 per vehicle is valid for seven consecutive days at Custer State Park. Entrance is free on Mother's Day and Father's Day. 

The Custer State Park website is https://gfp.sd.gov/parks/detail/custer-state-park/.

Garden of Eden Tour - Wind Cave National Park

In my opinion, a trip to Wind Cave National Park is not complete without a cave tour. However, tickets for cave tours are sold on a first-come, first-served basis at the visitor center on the day of the tour. In our case, this meant waiting in line outside one cold morning for the visitor center to open. We were hoping to get tickets for the first Natural Entrance Tour, but ended up with mid-morning tickets to the Garden of Eden Tour as the Natural Entrance Tour was sold out by the time we reached the ticket counter. The Garden of Eden Tour is the same tour as our previous visit in August 2017. I posted about that tour here. The tour lasts one hour and is the least strenuous tour offered at just one-third mile long and 150 steps. Due to COVID-19, face masks are required of all visitors regardless of vaccination status. We visited in May 2021.

There is no entrance fee at Wind Cave National Park. There is a fee to tour the cave.

The Wind Cave National Park website is https://www.nps.gov/wica/index.htm.