Lebanon South DakotaATTRACTIONS & THINGS TO DO
Listed below are the best attractions and things to do near Lebanon, South Dakota.
1. Dakota Sunset Museum
LOCAL HISTORY PRESERVED
Dakota Sunset Museum offers visitors a glimpse into the local history of Lebanon and surrounding areas. The museum houses artifacts and exhibits that tell the story of early settlers and the development of the region. Visitors can explore the collections that showcase the cultural heritage and historical significance of this small South Dakota town.
2. Pickler Mansion
HISTORIC ARCHITECTURAL GEM
Pickler Mansion stands as an impressive historical landmark near Lebanon, featuring distinctive Victorian architecture and period furnishings. Built in the late 1800s, this mansion offers guided tours that take visitors through rooms filled with original artifacts and furniture. The mansion provides a fascinating window into the lifestyle of prominent South Dakota families during the territorial period.
3. Rieger Creek Lodge
NATURE AND WILDLIFE
Rieger Creek Lodge offers nature enthusiasts exceptional wildlife viewing and outdoor experiences near Lebanon. The lodge serves as a base for exploring the natural beauty of the surrounding prairies and wetlands. Visitors can participate in guided nature tours, bird watching, and photography sessions in this serene South Dakota setting.
4. Mount Rushmore National Memorial
ICONIC PRESIDENTIAL MONUMENT
Mount Rushmore National Memorial features the enormous sculptures of four U.S. presidents carved into the granite face of the Black Hills. Sculpted over fourteen years by Gutzon Borglum and 400 workers, this landmark is likely the United States' most famous monument. The memorial attracts millions of visitors annually who come to admire the 60-foot high presidential faces of Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, and Lincoln.
5. Badlands National Park
RUGGED NATURAL WONDER
Badlands National Park showcases a unique landscape of rugged rock formations, deep canyons, and otherworldly scenery in southwestern South Dakota. The park preserves fossil beds containing remains of ancient mammals like saber-toothed cats and rhinos. Visitors can explore numerous hiking trails, scenic drives, and viewpoints that offer spectacular vistas of this dramatic landscape.
6. Crazy Horse Memorial
MONUMENTAL MOUNTAIN CARVING
Crazy Horse Memorial is a magnificent mountain carving in progress, destined to be the largest in the world upon completion. Located atop the 600-foot-high Thunderhead Mountain in the sacred Black Hills of South Dakota, this memorial honors Native American culture and traditions. The memorial complex includes the Indian Museum of North America, the Native American Cultural Center, and offers educational programs about Native American history and art.
7. Wildlife Loop Road
SCENIC WILDLIFE DRIVE
Wildlife Loop Road winds through Custer State Park, offering visitors an excellent opportunity to observe native wildlife in their natural habitat. The 18-mile scenic drive is home to a free-roaming herd of approximately 1,300 bison, along with pronghorn antelope, elk, deer, and the famous begging burros. Visitors often encounter these animals up close, especially during morning or evening hours when wildlife is most active.
8. World's Only Corn Palace
UNIQUE AGRICULTURAL ATTRACTION
The World's Only Corn Palace in Mitchell is a unique attraction decorated annually with naturally colored corn, grains, and grasses to create large murals on its exterior walls. This distinctive building serves as a multi-purpose facility for concerts, sports events, exhibits, and other community activities throughout the year. Each year, the exterior decorations follow a different theme, making it a constantly evolving attraction that celebrates South Dakota's agricultural heritage.
9. Tatanka: Story of the Bison
NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE
Tatanka: Story of the Bison is a Native American interpretive center dedicated to educating visitors about the history and culture of the Lakota people. The center features an authentic Lakota encampment complete with traditional tipis and is staffed by Native American interpreters who give presentations throughout the day. Visitors can learn about the significance of the bison in Lakota culture and observe the impressive bronze sculptures depicting a buffalo jump.
10. Rankin Ridge Interpretive Trail
PANORAMIC RIDGE HIKE
Rankin Ridge Interpretive Trail offers hikers stunningly scenic views from the highest point in Wind Cave National Park. This short one-mile loop trail leads through pine forest to a historic fire tower and lookout with panoramic vistas of the Black Hills. Visitors can enjoy educational signs along the path that explain the unique geology, flora, and fauna of this diverse ecosystem.
11. Wind Cave National Park
UNDERGROUND WILDERNESS ADVENTURE
Wind Cave National Park protects one of the world's longest and most complex cave systems, known for its rare boxwork formations. Above ground, the park preserves one of the last remaining mixed-grass prairie ecosystems in the United States, home to bison, elk, and prairie dogs. Ranger-led cave tours take visitors through a small portion of the more than 150 miles of mapped passageways in this ancient underground wilderness.
12. Historic Deadwood
WILD WEST HERITAGE
Historic Deadwood preserves the authentic spirit of the Wild West with its well-maintained 19th-century architecture and gold rush history. Visitors can explore Main Street's historic buildings, visit the graves of Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane at Mount Moriah Cemetery, or try their luck at one of the town's many casinos. The entire city is designated as a National Historic Landmark District, offering museums, guided tours, and reenactments of famous shootouts.
13. Spearfish Canyon
BREATHTAKING SCENIC BYWAY
Spearfish Canyon is a stunning limestone gorge featuring towering cliffs, cascading waterfalls, and abundant wildlife in the northern Black Hills. The 19-mile Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway winds through this natural wonder, offering easy access to Bridal Veil Falls, Roughlock Falls, and numerous hiking trails. In autumn, the canyon transforms into a spectacular display of fall colors as the birch, oak, and aspen trees change their leaves.
14. Jewel Cave National Monument
SPARKLING UNDERGROUND LABYRINTH
Jewel Cave National Monument protects the third-longest known cave in the world, with over 200 miles of mapped passages. The cave earned its name from the glittering calcite crystals that line its walls, creating the appearance of a jewel-encrusted palace beneath the earth. Visitors can choose from several ranger-led tour options that showcase the cave's unique formations, including boxwork, flowstone, and the namesake crystal-lined passages.
15. Minuteman Missile National Historic Site
COLD WAR NUCLEAR HISTORY
Minuteman Missile National Historic Site preserves relics from America's Cold War nuclear arsenal, including a deactivated missile silo and launch control facility. Visitors can tour the underground Launch Control Center where military personnel once stood ready to launch nuclear missiles at a moment's notice. The site offers a powerful and sobering look at the nuclear standoff between the United States and Soviet Union that defined global politics for decades.