This Fascinating South Dakota Road Trip Is a Paleontologist’s Dream

We're going to start our road trip at the otherworldly Badlands National Park, near Wall, South Dakota. The park's rock and earth formations were created by millennia of wind and water erosion, which exposed millions of years of strata. This, in turn, bared items that had been buried and preserved in the ancient layers of mud, silt, and ash—like fossils. The phenomena that sculpted the incredible Badlands also made the park a premier destination for scientists interested in prehistoric life. One of the best places visitors can witness—and learn more about—this history is along the Fossil Exhibit National Recreational Trail. The trail is a half-mile boardwalk loop with interpretive signs and features describing the park's geology. You'll also find displays showcasing the types of fossils that have been discovered in the area and theories about how they got here. Walking the trail only takes minutes, but if you're intrigued by fossils, you could easily spend a couple of hours learning and exploring.

Our next stop is the Museum of Geology at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology in Rapid City. Located in central Rapid City, inside the school's O'Harra Hall, this museum is somewhat removed from the usual Black Hills tourist circles, but I would argue that it's home to the best museum display of fossils and dinosaur information in the state. It's a great place to spend an hour or two, escaping the midday heat and learning about Black Hills geology and natural history. Even better? The museum is free to visit.

Your road trip will culminate with a visit to the famous Mammoth Site, probably the best-known fossil find in the state, near Hot Springs, South Dakota. The site is an active dig at an ancient mammoth graveyard that was discovered in 1974 on land then-slated for development as a housing subdivision. The Mammoth Site is now a non-profit research facility that attracts everyone from tourists and schoolchildren to paleontologists and university students. Young visitors are able to engage in simulated fossil digs, while everyone can learn more about the importance of the project, what has been found already, and what may still lie buried at the site.

After a full day of driving and diving into South Dakota's prehistoric past, you're going to be hungry. For the best selection of dining options in this part of the Black Hills, head 40 minutes north of the Mammoth Site to the charming town of Custer, South Dakota. There, you'll find a good selection of eateries ranging from casual bars and grills to award-winning Scandinavian cuisine at Skogen Kitchen. Whatever you're hungry for, Custer will likely have something to satisfy your appetite.

In terms of accommodations, I recommend booking a cabin at State Game Lodge in Custer State Park. These cabins offer the best of all worlds: You'll enjoy electricity and a private bath, but you can also sit out by a crackling fire and stargaze as a spray of Milky Way lights the impossibly dark sky above you. The next morning, grab breakfast at the lodge, then spend the day exploring all that Custer State Park, the nearby Wind Cave National Park, and Black Hills National Forest have to offer.