16 Must-Visit Small Towns in South Dakota

If you’ve never been to South Dakota, you’re missing out because the whole state is a treat. Now it’s worth mentioning that the state isn’t the best place to visit in winter. The temperatures are usually close to freezing, the wind never stops, and the snow can be truly horrendous at times. However, if you want to explore the state in the comfort of nice weather, we suggest visiting any time from May through September. While you’re in the area, you have to visit the 16 small towns in South Dakota that are full of charm and history!

1. Deadwood

Deadwood is one of the most-visited small towns in South Dakota because of its long history. It’s an old town, with roots back to 1876 when gold miners rushed to the Black Hills in search of riches. It became one of America’s first boom towns and attracted many notorious outlaws and gunslingers. The town is best known for residents like Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane. Wild Bill Hickok was shot in the back in Deadwood while playing poker. There’s a sign on the bar commemorating the spot.

If you visit Deadwood, you’ll find characters like Wild Bill and Calamity Jane walking the town and reenacting some scenes from back in the day. It’s kind of like the Western version of Disney’s Main Street!

While you’re in Deadwood, be sure to stop at the cemetery to see Seth Bullock’s gravesite, along with Calamity Jane and Wild Bill’s.

2. Custer

Head south on Highway 385 from Deadwood, and it’ll take you straight to our next stop, Custer. It’s the oldest town in the Black Hills, laid out in 1875, a year before many of the other boom towns like Deadwood. Gold was discovered in the area a year prior, and after news spread and the town was built, miners flocked to it by the thousands.

When it comes to Custer, you’ll have no trouble finding things to do around the town. For one, it borders the Black Hills National Forest and it’s a short drive from Mount Rushmore. While the national monument is certainly worth a visit, the nearby Custer State Park isn’t too shabby either. It features 71,000 acres of South Dakota wilderness that includes lakes, forests, and mountains. While you’re in Custer, be sure to grab a picture with one of the town’s iconic painted buffalo!

3. Brandon

Compared to Custer and Deadwood, Brandon is a pretty young town, founded in 1973. However, historical documents and buildings like the Brandon School Building from 1916 show that people inhabited the town long before its establishment. Brandon is popular amongst racing fans for Huset’s Speedway, ‘the premier ⅜ oval dirt track of the midwest’ according to their website.

While you’re in Brandon, it’s worth checking out the Big Sioux State Recreation Area. It’s home to the Valley of the Giants Trail and 270 protected acres of forest, wetland, and prairie.

4. Lead

Lead is a small town in the Northern Black Hills. It’s a very short drive from Deadwood. For a long time, it was the source of most of the gold in the world. The town was incorporated in 1876, around the same time as many of the other mining towns.

But one thing set Lead apart from the others — it was home to the largest and deepest gold mine in the Western Hemisphere. However, in 2002 Homestake Mine closed and was later revamped into a science lab, the Sanford Underground Research Facility. You can tour the lab itself and learn about their research into dark matter and other studies, or visit the visitor center to learn more about the history of the mine.

5. Pierre

Despite being the capital city, Pierre is more of a small town. With a population of just 14,091, it’s one of the least populated capital cities in the nation! Despite its small population, you’ll find that Pierre has plenty of things to do in and around the town.

For one, you’ll want to check out some of the old buildings and shops in the middle of town. The architecture is really gorgeous and it has such a small-town, charming feeling. For families, you’ll want to check out the South Dakota Discover Center. It’s a hands-on, STEM-based play area for kids to discover and learn more about science and math.

6. Spearfish

When it comes to charming small towns, Spearfish certainly fits the bill. It’s another town that boomed during the gold rush and thrived well afterward. Though it’s the 10th-most-populous city in the state, with a population of 12,193, we still consider it to be a pretty small town. It’s not too far from Badlands National Park and a lot of other outdoor fun. However, the most popular attraction is Spearfish Canyon — a 1,000-foot canyon in the Black Hills that is beloved by travelers and locals alike.

7. Dell Rapids

With a population of 3,996, Dell Rapids is certainly a small town. But don’t let that fool you, “The Little City with the Big Attractions” has plenty to offer visitors. Dell Rapid’s history dates back to 1871 when the town was founded. Today, Dell Rapids offers tons of festivals and celebrations year-round like Easter egg hunts and summertime “Quarry Days”.

8. Keystone

Keystone is a popular tourist destination in the Black Hills with a population of just 240. There’s a reason why the city is called the “Playground of the Black Hills”. It offers tons of attractions from The National Presidential Wax Museum to zip lining with views of Mount Rushmore! Many travelers enjoy Keystone for its laid-back atmosphere, proximity to the Black Hills attractions, and tasty eats!

9. Fort Pierre

For “history you can touch”, you’ll want to take a visit to Fort Pierre. It’s the oldest continuously occupied white settlement in the state despite the town only being established in 1890.

To learn more about the history of Fort Pierre, you’ll want to start with the Verendrye Monument National Historic Landmark. It marks the spot where the French-Canadian la Verendrye brothers laid claim to the future Louisiana Purchase. You can still see the lead plate they buried back in 1743 marking France’s claim to the territory. From there, you can explore a few other historic landmarks and places of importance, like the Mouth of the Bad River. One thing is for sure: you’ll need a few days to see all this small town has to offer.

10. Hill City

You’ll find Hill City nestled into the Black Hills along with many of the other small towns on our list. However, each of the towns in the Black Hills are closer to certain attractions than others. When it comes to Hill City, a stay there will bring you up close to Black Elk Peak, a gorgeous hiking destination that offers views of the whole town. It’s also a short drive to Crazy Horse Memorial and Mount Rushmore.

11. Platte

The residents of Platte see their town as “the epitome of a picturesque, welcoming small-town in America”. Platte is one of the newer towns on our list. It was incorporated in 1907 after the area was selected to be a terminus for a railroad branch line. Since the town was established, its population has changed very little, starting at 1,115 in 1910 and rising and falling over the years to its most recent estimate of 1,296 in 2020.

Though Platte is small, it offers plenty. Most notably, the area is known for its excellent hunting and fishing opportunities. For families, you’ll want to check out the town’s many parks, including North Park, which has a butterfly garden.

12. Wall

Wall is a small town with some interesting tourist attractions and plenty of history to boast. Situated by the northern ‘wall’ of the Badlands, the town gets its name from the Lakota phrase which means “Town alongside the Badlands”. It was established in 1907 as a railroad town.

The town is most popular for Wall Drug Store. It’s become quite a popular tourist attraction that sits adjacent to Badlands National Park. Don’t let the name fool you — it’s actually a sort of shopping mall with individual vendors and a giant 80-foot dinosaur sculpture! Even though the town has only 876 residents, it sees around 2 million visitors each summer.

13. Milbank

Founded around the same time as many of the other railroad towns, Milbank is a small town in the northeastern part of the state. It’s best known for being the birthplace of American Legion Baseball. One of the most popular spots in the area is Lake Farley Park, which offers walking trails around the manmade lake. There is also the Milbank Grist Mill, which was built in 1884 and reconstructed in 2009.

14. Chamberlain

This unique small town in South Dakota is settled along the banks of the Missouri River. The South Dakota Hall of Fame is one attraction worth visiting in town. It includes a museum that features acts of well-known people who lived in the area, including Sitting Bull, George “Sparky” Anderson, and Tom Brokaw.

15. Tea

From Hill, to Lead, to Tea, it seems like South Dakota likes naming its cities after things! That’s because other names are too common. The town of Tea was originally called Byron, but the community changed it to Tea after the post office claimed there were too many other “Byrons”.

Tea is a small town about 15 miles from Sioux Falls. The community celebrates Teapot Days each June. During the days, there are various events like carnivals, street dancing, races, music, and more! The festival is a place to gather for tourists and locals alike!

16. De Smet

If you’re a book lover, you’ll likely enjoy a trip to De Smet. It’s most famously the home of Laura Ingalls Wilder, the author of the Little House on the Prairie series. Her books tell the story of the town’s heritage as well as her own since the Ingalls were one of De Smet’s first residents.

Be sure to pay a visit to the area’s many attractions like the Ingalls Homestead, where visitors can camp on the open prairie. To learn more about Laura, her family, and their history, you’ll want to stop at the Laura Ingalls Wilder Memorial Society. You can even see a few places that Laura mentioned in her books, like the Loftus Store.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © gsagi/iStock via Getty Images