4 Most Beautiful Towns in South Dakota

Tourism is a major South Dakota industry, and it tends to center around the Black Hills. People come for the breathtaking scenery and stay for the Black Hills Silver jewelry. However, the Black Hills takes up only about a tenth of the total area of South Dakota, and there is beauty to be found wherever you go, if you make the effort to look. The following are among the most beautiful towns in South Dakota.

1. Spearfish

Located in the Northern Black Hills, Spearfish is also known as the Queen City because the peaks to the east, west, and south resemble the points on a crown. Picturesque Spearfish Creek runs through the center of town, and stately Spearfish Canyon to the south is a must-see in the fall when the leaves change color.

2. De Smet

Author Laura Ingalls Wilder lived in De Smet before South Dakota became a state. It’s where she met her husband and is the setting for the later books in her “Little House on the Prairie” series. The town of De Smet has embraced this heritage, preserving several sites significant in the author’s life and putting on a pageant based on her books every summer.

3. Hill City

Originally a mining town, Hill City is sometimes referred to as the “Heart of the Black Hills.” Today, Hill City is better known for art galleries and museums featuring dinosaur fossils. Hill City is also proud of its heritage in the railroad industry, and the best way to enjoy the verdant areas around it is to take a ride on the 1880 train. Get off at Keystone and make your obligatory trip to Mount Rushmore.

4. Pierre

Pronounced “peer,” Pierre is the capital of South Dakota. It is centrally located along the Missouri River. The main attraction in Pierre is the state capitol building, but the South Dakota Heritage Museum and the quaint history downtown are also worth a visit.

South Dakotans are typically friendly and welcoming to visitors. They take pride in their state and love showing off the beauty that it has to offer.