Gettysburg South DakotaATTRACTIONS & THINGS TO DO
Listed below are the best attractions and things to do near Gettysburg, South Dakota.
1. Dakota Sunset Museum
LOCAL HISTORY AND ARTIFACTS
The Dakota Sunset Museum features the impressive 40-ton Medicine Rock embedded with human footprints and a handprint. Visitors can explore a Civil War exhibit honoring over 200 veteran homesteaders who settled Potter County, as well as view a Native American blanket dress from the 1870s and a 1900s barbershop. The museum also includes a country school, small barn, and fully-equipped Stocker Blacksmith Shop, offering a comprehensive look at the area's rich history.
2. West Whitlock Recreation Area
OUTDOOR LAKESIDE ACTIVITIES
West Whitlock Recreation Area is one of the top attractions in Gettysburg, offering visitors beautiful lakeside views and recreational opportunities. The area provides access to Lake Oahe, a reservoir on the Missouri River that's perfect for fishing, boating, and water recreation. Visitors can enjoy camping facilities, picnic areas, and the natural beauty of this outdoor destination.
3. Gettysburg Country Club
GOLF AND RECREATION
Gettysburg Country Club offers a welcoming golf experience in this small South Dakota community. The club provides a well-maintained course suitable for golfers of various skill levels, making it a popular recreational destination. Visitors can enjoy the serene surroundings while testing their skills on this local golf course.
4. Liberty Lanes
LOCAL BOWLING ENTERTAINMENT
Liberty Lanes is Gettysburg's bowling alley, providing entertainment for locals and visitors alike. The venue offers a classic bowling experience with lanes suitable for all ages and skill levels. It serves as a community gathering spot where families and friends can enjoy friendly competition and fun.
5. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
HISTORIC RELIGIOUS SITE
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Gettysburg is listed as one of the town's notable attractions. The church building represents an important part of the community's religious heritage and architectural landscape. Visitors interested in local history and religious architecture may find this site worth viewing.
6. Stocker Blacksmith Shop
HISTORIC TRADE EXHIBIT
The Stocker Blacksmith Shop is a fully-equipped historic blacksmith shop that forms part of the Dakota Sunset Museum complex. This preserved workshop offers visitors insight into the traditional blacksmithing trade that was essential to frontier communities. The authentic tools and setup demonstrate the craftsmanship and skills required in this important historical occupation.
7. Mount Rushmore National Memorial
AMERICA'S ICONIC MONUMENT
Mount Rushmore National Memorial features the 60-foot faces of four great American presidents who represent the birth, growth, development, and preservation of the United States. The monument, carved into the Black Hills, showcases the likenesses of Presidents Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, and Lincoln. Visitors can explore the Avenue of Flags, Presidential Trail, and the Lincoln Borglum Visitor Center to learn about this iconic American landmark.
8. Badlands National Park
DRAMATIC GEOLOGICAL FORMATIONS
Badlands National Park encompasses 244,000 acres of sharply eroded buttes, pinnacles, and spires blended with the largest undisturbed mixed grass prairie in the United States. The landscape contains ancient fossil beds and is home to bison, bighorn sheep, prairie dogs, and black-footed ferrets. Visitors can explore numerous hiking trails, scenic overlooks, and the fascinating Ben Reifel Visitor Center to learn about the park's geology and wildlife.
9. Custer State Park
WILDLIFE AND NATURAL BEAUTY
Custer State Park spans 71,000 acres of wild beauty, home to nearly 1,300 free-roaming bison along with pronghorn antelope, elk, mountain goats, and a band of burros. The park offers stunning drives like the Needles Highway and Wildlife Loop Road, providing excellent wildlife viewing opportunities. Visitors can also enjoy hiking, fishing, camping, and swimming in the park's five lakes and streams.
10. Jewel Cave National Monument
UNDERGROUND NATURAL WONDER
Jewel Cave National Monument protects the third-longest cave in the world with over 200 miles of mapped passages. The cave features a variety of rare formations, including delicate strands of calcite crystals that give the cave its name. Above ground, visitors can explore 1,279 acres of forest and nature trails in the surrounding park.
11. Crazy Horse Memorial
MONUMENTAL MOUNTAIN CARVING
Crazy Horse Memorial is an ongoing mountain sculpture project honoring the Lakota leader, which began in 1948 and will be the largest mountain carving in the world when completed. The site includes the Indian Museum of North America and the Native American Educational & Cultural Center, providing rich cultural context. Visitors can learn about Native American history and watch as work continues on this massive tribute carved from the Black Hills.
12. Historic Deadwood
GOLD RUSH ERA TOWN
Historic Deadwood is an 1870s gold rush town that became a National Historic Landmark in 1961, where visitors can walk in the footsteps of legends like Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane. The town features preserved Victorian architecture, gaming halls, museums, and regular reenactments of Wild West shootouts on historic Main Street. Visitors can explore attractions such as Mount Moriah Cemetery, the Adams Museum, and Saloon No. 10, where Wild Bill Hickok was shot during a poker game.
13. Wind Cave National Park
RARE CAVE FORMATIONS
Wind Cave National Park was the first cave to be designated a national park and features the world's largest concentration of rare boxwork formations. The park encompasses 33,851 acres of mixed-grass prairie and ponderosa pine forest on the surface, creating a sanctuary for wildlife including bison, elk, and prairie dogs. Visitors can explore the unique cave system through ranger-led tours and enjoy hiking trails through the diverse ecosystems above ground.
14. Missouri River
MIGHTY MO WATER RECREATION
The Missouri River, often called the Mighty Mo, offers abundant recreational opportunities along its shores and on its waters near Gettysburg. The river features free-flowing sections and four major reservoirs—Lake Oahe, Lake Sharpe, Lake Francis Case, and Lewis & Clark Lake—that are prime for fishing, boating, and water sports. Visitors can enjoy excellent walleye fishing, explore the river's rich history tied to the Lewis and Clark expedition, or simply relax on its scenic shores.
15. Oahe Dam
ENGINEERING MARVEL OVERLOOK
Oahe Dam is one of the largest earth-rolled dams in the world, creating Lake Oahe which stretches 231 miles from Pierre, South Dakota to Bismarck, North Dakota. The dam's visitor center offers informative displays about the dam's construction, operation, and impact on the region. Visitors can take tours of the powerhouse, enjoy the panoramic views from the observation deck, and learn about this impressive engineering achievement on the Missouri River.