Dog-Friendly Weekend: The Black Hills and Badlands of South Dakota
Dog-Friendly Weekend Trip to the Black Hills and Badlands in South Dakota
If you’re looking for dog-friendly travel in the Midwest, you can’t beat the Black Hills! We’ve taken our dogs to 20 states and out of all of them, South Dakota is the most dog-friendly. My definition of dog-friendly is plenty of wide open spaces where dogs can run and be off leash and lots of nice accommodations to choose from that allow pets.
There are so many outdoor activities to do and less population so it’s easy to get lost and find areas without other people. The scenery is also stunning so just taking scenic drives is one of our favorite things to do. Here’s how to spend a long weekend in The Black Hills with your dogs.
What’s the Best Route to Take to The Black Hills?
I assume you’ll be driving if you have your dogs with you. We’re from Kearney, NE but we moved to Texas in 2020. We still typically drive to Kearney, stay the night and then head to South Dakota from there. We take a different route each time we go so we can see different things and depending on how much time we have. For this trip, let’s stop at Toadstool Geologic Park on the way. If you haven’t been, it’s a must-see. You won’t believe it’s in Nebraska.
Plan to spend at least an hour there. In the heat of the summer, watch out for rattlesnakes. We’ve been in May and June and not seen any - and only one other group of people each time, which is so amazing. These incredible rock formations are so fun to wind your way through.
We’ve also come from Omaha and stopped in Mitchell, saw the Corn Palace and drove through the Badlands there and back. Lewis and Clark Reservoir in Yankton is a good place to stop and Mitchell also has a nice lake with some trails for your pups to stretch their legs.
For the drive home, I highly recommend that you go through the Badlands. I’ve shared the route here to the right. You can see it’s even shorter than the route there. Feel free to switch these routes and do this one on the way there and the other on the way home. There are scenic overlooks throughout and you’re very likely to at least see bison and big horn sheep. If you can be there for sunset, you won’t be sorry, that’s when the wildlife are moving the most.
Dogs are only allowed in specific areas; here is more information about that, but one of those areas are backcountry roads. We found a really cool dirt road just outside the park where we could take a pic with the sign and then explore some grassy areas and rock outcroppings.
You have to do the wildlife loop scenic drive. Even though the dogs couldn’t get out, they loved sticking their heads out and sniffing all the smells. You can go as fast or slow as you need to. We’ve busted through in an hour when we had to be home and we’ve taken as long as 3-4 hours before.
Where Should You Stay in the Black Hills with your Dogs?
We’ve stayed in a few different places. Here are a few of our favorites:
Rapid City: The Residence Inn in Box Elder is pet-friendly and we can use Marriott rewards. There are other hotels in this area but not sure if they’re pet-friendly. It’s across the street from Dakotah’s Steakhouse, Scheels and Target and easy to get on and off the interstate to get anywhere.
Spearfish Scenic Byway: The Spearfish Canyon Lodge is also pet-friendly. There’s a restaurant on site, a dog-friendly patio and an outdoor hot tub. It’s set on a babbling brook and so beautiful. There are also three waterfalls nearby, and it’s more secluded. In the Fall, the trees are incredible. These pictures below are from nearby. There are ATV rentals and trails nearby too, so it’s really convenient (more on that later).
Deadwood: This was our favorite so far. We booked this beautiful house just a few minutes outside of Deadwood in June 2024. It had a fenced in yard, hot tub and tons of trees. We saw wild turkeys and deer right off of our deck. The address is Sturgis but it’s closer to Deadwood. We could run right into town for coffee and dinner and then cook at home when we wanted. It was perfect!
We’re going again later in 2026 and booked another nearby house in this area. I’ll update y’all after we stay but it looks amazing!
Where Should You Eat in the Black Hills?
We honestly haven’t taken the dogs to eat many places. We usually just leave them in the truck with it running and check on them or get food to go - or if we’re in an Airbnb, we sometimes cook at home. There are some pet-friendly patios but there are just so many good food options all over the Black Hills. I’ll break it down by area:
Rapid City: One of the best restaurants we’ve ever eaten at - not just in the Black Hills - is Dakotah’s Steakhouse - the trout fingers appetizer was great, the ribeyes were amazing and the fry bread sundae was drool-worthy. Sabatino’s for Italian is also wonderful. Essence for Coffee and breakfast pastries/sandwiches is our favorite - we’ve been multiple times. They even have a jar of homemade doggy biscuits by the door and some outdoor tables to sit with your pups.
Deadwood: There are a lot of options. For a nice steak dinner, Jake’s Fine Dining is delicious and has a nice atmosphere. Jacob’s Brewhouse is pet-friendly, has a dog menu and is a great spot to grab a beer and lunch or a snack. For coffee, The Pump House was our favorite and they have a pet-friendly patio, and for donuts, you have to try Lou Lou’s Bombdiggities.
Sturgis: The Knuckle Saloon had an awesome hot beef sandwich. It was also a cool atmosphere with lots of old memorabilia.
Custer: We ate breakfast at the most delicious little hidden gem in Custer, Skogen Kitchen - they have a side patio that allows dogs. Jess had the eggs benedict, which he is a connoisseur of, and he said it was fantastic. I honestly don’t remember what I had but I do remember it was delicious.
Hill City: The Alpine Inn has great food and a charming atmosphere. It’s a local institution and it gets packed so get there early.
Spearfish & Spearfish Canyon: The Vine Bakehouse had great coffee and amazing pastries and they have an outdoor dog-friendly patio. We loved the scones and cinnamon rolls. And the Latchstring Restaurant at the Spearfish Canyon Lodge is great too, especially if you’re staying at the lodge. They have a dog-friendly patio and even have a pup menu!
How Many Days Do You Need to Enjoy the Black Hills with Your Dogs?
Honestly, as much as you have. If you have 4-5 days or a week, you can fill it up. If you just have 2 days, you won’t see it all but you’ll still be happy you went. It all depends on what you want to see and do. There’s so much history and outdoor beauty that you won’t be bored!
What is There to Do in the Black Hills with your Dogs?
Our favorite thing to do with our dogs is to find a Black Hills National Forest Service trailhead and just get out and hike. There are some wilderness areas that dogs can be off leash. It’s so easy to find empty trailheads and have the place to yourselves.
Custer State Park is very dog-friendly and is a must-see. Dogs are allowed on most trails and outdoor areas. We usually just like to go for a drive through the park and the dogs love to stick their heads out for sniffies. There are buffalo everywhere and you’ll see other animals, such as mule deer and antelope. In April and May the baby bison are born and needless to say, they’re adorable! There are resident mules that live in the park, referred to as the Begging Burros. They stick their heads right in your window to eat whatever you’ll feed them, it’s hilarious! I was worried my dogs would go berserk when they saw them but they actually just quietly observed, probably wondering what in the heck the burros were, haha!
Sylvan Lake, which is inside Custer State Park, has many dog-friendly trails. And you have to drive the Needles Highway, with it’s narrow rock tunnels and switchbacks, it’s a really fun drive!
Mount Rushmore really is a sight to see. If you’ve never been to Mt. Rushmore, make it a goal to go this year. Don’t just drive by either, park and walk up and marvel at the skill it took to create. Dogs are allowed up to the columns before you get to the Avenue of Flags. You can get a cool picture and then take turns walking farther up to check out the monument.
Deadwood is a famous historic Old Western town and one most people want to go to for the gambling and nightlife. We stayed just outside of Deadwood on a recent family trip and it became our new favorite location. We prefer nature to nightlife but it’s a cool small town with restaurants, ATV trails all around and a central location for the rest of your Black Hills sightseeing. And, Calamity Jane and Wild Bill Hickock are buried here! It’s a really dog-friendly spot for walking around but also for finding nature trails to wander around on.
A must-do is driving the Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway. There are so many beautiful places to pull over and see picturesque landscapes. Last time we were there we saw so many mountain goats - including babies. It was awesome!
Bridal Veil Falls is right along the route and easy to stop at and take some pics. It’s a really pretty waterfall with a creek running right in front of it. There are also two more waterfalls in the area, Roughlock Falls and Spearfish Falls. They each have their own unique beauty so be sure to see them all! Roughlock Falls has a boardwalk and trail and just down the road is a beautiful, blue pond that the freezing river runs through. My husband and dogs always have to cool off in the water.
ATV/UTV Trails are a big attraction and there are more than 700 miles of trails in the Black Hills. When we stayed at Spearfish Canyon Lodge, we rented from the ATV rental place right across the road and one other time, we also rented from a place in Deadwood.
It’s not cheap but you can rent for half a day or the full day and it’s much easier than hauling your ATV there. We rode the trails all around Spearfish Canyon and Deadwood and had a blast! You don’t run into a lot of other people, plenty of cows though, haha, and the scenery is gorgeous. We have taken our black lab, Bo, with us and he loved it. Zeus stayed back with family at the Airbnb. If you have adventurous pups, do this because you can get to more secluded trails and find places to explore with them.
The Black Hills and Badlands are the Perfect Dog-Friendly Travel Spot!
If you’re looking for a low-crowd vacation spot, with tons of nature to explore, balanced by great food and nice dog-friendly accommodations - this is it. Every time we go, we find more things to do. I hope this helps make traveling with your dogs easier and helps you plan your trip to the Black Hills!
Here’s a map with all locations noted to help you plan your trip! Looking for more dog-friendly adventures? Check out Avon, CO - it really surprised us! For more dog-friendly travel, road trips and travel inspiration, be sure to follow @ericaxplores on Instagram - I have a South Dakota Highlight with lots of travel info.
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