Webster South DakotaATTRACTIONS & THINGS TO DO
Listed below are the best attractions and things to do near Webster, South Dakota.
1. Museum of Wildlife, Science, and Industry
SCIENCE AND HISTORY COMBINED
The Museum of Wildlife, Science, and Industry offers visitors an immersive educational experience in Webster. Guests can explore exhibits featuring wildlife, scientific discoveries, and industrial developments that have shaped the region. The museum provides a comprehensive look at both natural and human history in an engaging format.
2. Day County Museum
LOCAL HERITAGE PRESERVED
Day County Museum showcases the rich history and cultural heritage of Webster and the surrounding area. The museum houses artifacts, photographs, and documents that tell the story of the region's development over time. Visitors can gain insight into the lives of early settlers and the evolution of the community.
3. Blue Dog Fish Hatchery
AQUATIC CONSERVATION CENTER
Blue Dog Fish Hatchery serves as an important conservation facility for aquatic species in the region. Visitors can observe the fish-rearing process and learn about efforts to maintain healthy fish populations in local waters. The hatchery offers educational tours that highlight the importance of sustainable fishing practices and ecosystem management.
4. Waubay National Wildlife Refuge
NATURAL HABITAT SANCTUARY
Waubay National Wildlife Refuge provides a protected habitat for a diverse range of wildlife species near Webster. The refuge encompasses wetlands, grasslands, and wooded areas where visitors can observe native birds, mammals, and plants. Nature enthusiasts can enjoy hiking trails, wildlife viewing opportunities, and photography throughout the seasons.
5. Fort Sisseton Historical State Park
HISTORIC MILITARY OUTPOST
Fort Sisseton Historical State Park preserves a well-maintained 1864 frontier military outpost near Webster. Visitors can tour authentic period buildings including barracks, officers' quarters, and other structures that have been restored to their original condition. The park hosts an annual historical festival that brings the fort's history to life through reenactments and demonstrations.
6. Historic Village
STEP BACK IN TIME
The Historic Village in Webster offers an authentic glimpse into South Dakota's past through preserved buildings and artifacts. Visitors can tour period shops and homes that have been relocated to create a cohesive historical experience. Each building contains exhibits and displays that illustrate different aspects of pioneer life in the region.
7. Badlands National Park
DRAMATIC NATURAL LANDSCAPES
Badlands National Park showcases some of the most unique geological formations in North America within a reasonable drive from Webster. The park's layered rock formations, steep canyons, and towering spires were formed by millions of years of erosion, creating a surreal landscape. Visitors can explore hiking trails, scenic drives, and spot wildlife including bison, bighorn sheep, and prairie dogs.
8. Mount Rushmore National Memorial
AMERICA'S SHRINE OF DEMOCRACY
Mount Rushmore National Memorial features the iconic 60-foot faces of four American presidents carved into the granite mountainside. The massive sculpture represents the birth, growth, development, and preservation of the United States through the likenesses of Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, and Lincoln. Visitors can learn about the monument's creation at the Lincoln Borglum Visitor Center and enjoy the evening lighting ceremony during summer months.
9. Jewel Cave National Monument
UNDERGROUND WONDER WORLD
Jewel Cave National Monument protects the third-longest cave system in the world with over 200 miles of mapped passages. Visitors can choose from a variety of guided tours that showcase the cave's stunning calcite crystals, unique formations, and subterranean ecology. Above ground, the monument offers 1,279 acres of pine forest with nature trails for hiking and wildlife observation.
10. Custer State Park
WILDLIFE AND WILDERNESS
Custer State Park encompasses 71,000 acres of diverse terrain where nearly 1,300 bison roam freely alongside other wildlife. Visitors can drive the scenic Wildlife Loop Road for animal viewing opportunities or explore the park's granite peaks and clear lakes. The park offers extensive recreational activities including hiking, fishing, camping, and horseback riding throughout its vast wilderness.
11. Historic Deadwood
LEGENDARY WILD WEST TOWN
Historic Deadwood preserves the authentic atmosphere of an 1870s gold rush town that once hosted legendary figures like Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane. The entire town is designated as a National Historic Landmark, maintaining its Old West character while offering modern entertainment. Visitors can enjoy gaming in historic casinos, tour museums, witness reenactments, and explore Boot Hill Cemetery.
12. Missouri River Recreation
MIGHTY MO ADVENTURE
The Missouri River offers abundant recreation opportunities on its waters and along its shores throughout South Dakota. Visitors can enjoy premier fishing, boating, and water sports on the river's four major reservoirs: Lake Oahe, Lake Sharpe, Lake Francis Case, and Lewis & Clark Lake. The river corridor also provides camping sites, hiking trails, and wildlife viewing areas with historical significance dating back to the Lewis and Clark expedition.
13. Wind Cave National Park
UNIQUE CAVE FORMATIONS
Wind Cave National Park protects the world's largest concentration of rare boxwork formations in the first cave to be designated as a national park. Below ground, visitors can take ranger-led tours through complex passages featuring unique calcite formations created over millions of years. Above ground, the park encompasses nearly 34,000 acres of mixed-grass prairie and ponderosa pine forest where bison, elk, and prairie dogs thrive.
14. Crazy Horse Memorial
MONUMENTAL NATIVE TRIBUTE
Crazy Horse Memorial stands as the world's largest mountain carving in progress, honoring the legendary Lakota leader and Native American heritage. Begun in 1948 by sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski, the massive project continues today under the guidance of his family. Visitors can explore the Indian Museum of North America and Native American Educational & Cultural Center while witnessing the ongoing carving work on the mountain.
15. Prairie Homestead Historic Site
AUTHENTIC PIONEER LIVING
Prairie Homestead Historic Site preserves an original 1909 sod house and homestead that offers an authentic glimpse into pioneer life on the South Dakota frontier. Visitors can tour the sod home, barn, and other outbuildings that have been maintained in their original condition with period furnishings and tools. The site is home to a colony of adorable prairie dogs that visitors can observe up close in their natural habitat.