South Dakota RV Road Trip With Kids: 4-Day Itinerary (Badlands, Black Hills, Wind Cave & Mount Rushmore)
- Dana Shik
- May 21, 2025
- 6 min read
Updated: Mar 2
This spring, our family of six set off on a South Dakota RV adventure—combining our love for nature, history, and good food. Over four unforgettable days, we hunted for fossils, explored the rugged beauty of Badlands National Park and Black Hills Forest, peeked into the mysterious Wind Cave, and stood in awe at Mount Rushmore. Traveling together in a cozy RV let us bond, discover, and savor every moment—including the meals that fueled us.
Day 1–2: Fossil Hunting in Badlands National Park
After flying into Rapid City, we picked up our rented RV and drove to our first stop—Badlands KOA campground, about 10 minutes from the park entrance. KOA campgrounds are our sweet spot when RVing with kids. They take a lot of the stress out of travel with full hookups, clean bathrooms, laundry, and usually a number of attractions for the kids - such as a solid playground (huge win), outdoor games (like corn hole and mini golf) and even pedal carting (for rent).
We’ve camped at plenty of federal and private campgrounds, and KOA (and Jellystone) consistently make life with four kids less chaotic.
Fossils and Hiking
We spent our first 2 days fossil hunting in Badlands National Park, surrounded by jagged peaks, deep canyons, and wide open skies. There are many trails here, from easy to challenging that would speak to any hiker. Be sure to download and use the AllTrails app to plan ahead. Weather-wise, I strongly recommend leaving early in the mornings, especially if the plan is to conquer a longer trail, as even in mid-May it was hot!
Wildlife caution: Rattlesnakes are common in this area. We had three (large!) snakes visit our campsite one evening and spotted another near Castle Trail. They kept their distance, but it’s worth staying alert and keeping kids on marked paths.
Fossil finds: You can’t dig without a permit, but you can hunt for surface fossils and submit anything you find to the park center. We found none, but the thrill was real. The Big Pig Dig site (near Conata Picnic Area) is famous for yielding 19,000+ bones and offers guided summer fossil programs in the park during June. Independent exploration, like our experience, is more limited (but still fantastic!). Another great nearby stop (we skipped but heard glowing reviews) is the Mammoth Site in southwest SD. We didn't get to visit, but heard only great things about this place. During June and possibly early July, Mammoth Site runs a guided fossil dig program as well.
Day 3: Black Hills Forest and Gold Panning
On our third day, we drove to the black hills forest, and camped at the Hot Springs KOA. We engaged in a gold panning activity - a hands-on activity that is meant to give a taste of playing prospectors for a day. We learned the simple technique of swirling sediment in our pans, with the hope to spot those tiny golden flecks. We all felt that while this experience was nice, the activity was expensive and tedious and our crew lost interest at some point, so you might consider skipping this while planning your trip.
Later we hit the forest trails surrounded by towering pines, beautiful streams and fresh mountain air. We ended a 4-mile out-and-back trail to the vast and gorgeous Sheridan lake. There are a good number of trails in the black hills, and I strongly recommend spending at least a day in the area. We did see 1 (small and harmless) snake here too, so we were not worried, but kept our eyes open and stirred away from grassy areas on the trail.
Day 4: Wind Cave National Park and Mount Rushmore
On our fourth and last day, we did a very quick visit to Wind cave NP. The cave accessibility is limited, due to an elevator that breaks down too often, and as we expected, it broke before we got there, so we couldn't actually enter the cave, but we took this as an opportunity to equip our kids with the Junior ranger booklet (it was long overdue!) and watched Bisons roam the prairies.
Our final stop was at mount Rushmore, where the monumental faces left us awestruck!
South Dakota’s wild wonders fueled our curiosity and sense of adventure. We left with full hearts, happy bellies, and countless memories — already dreaming about our next family road trip (Alaska!!) that is right around the corner... can't wait to tell you all about it!
Vegan Cooking on the Road
The freedom of RV life meant we could fully embrace the journey—both outdoors and in the kitchen. As vegan travelers, we find joy in creating plant-based meals that keep us energized for all the fossil hunting, hiking, and sightseeing.
We love cooking together back at the RV, and on some evenings, we enjoy roasting our vegan Dandies marshmallows over the fire and relaxing in the open air after an adventurous day.
We usually make culinary plans ahead of the trip, to make sure we're equipped well. A staple in the RV-kitchen is my pancake winning recipe! Then aside from the simple readily-accessible foods like pasta, veggies and fruits, depending on the weather, I usually whip up a comforting dish like lentils soup, roasted cauliflower with tahini sauce and chickpeas, making hummus spread from canned beans or a colorful salad with fried tofu (and goodies like avocado and nuts!). Being on the road means you make adjustments and keep things simpler than usual, so there's less fancy cooking, but we definitely enjoy nourishing tasty meals. Its all about maintaining a good balance between store-bought and made-from-scratch, especially on trips.
As the sun dips behind the Black Hills or stretches across the open plains, we’ve found a rhythm in pulling together simple, wholesome meals that feel both grounding and joyful. Our little indoor kitchen or mobile outdoor one becomes a hub of warm aromas, all while the wind hums through the tall grass outside.
Our meals have been humble but full of heart that satisfy even the biggest appetites after a day of hiking and exploring. These moments are what make vegan cooking on the road feel like more than just food. It’s comfort, adventure, and connection to nature, all in one bite.
If you are planning an RV trip to South Dakota with kids:
🔆Season: Spring (mid-May)
🏞️Main Stops:
Badlands National Park – fossil hunting, scenic hikes, prairies
Black Hills National Forest – forest hikes
Wind Cave National Park – Junior Ranger activities, bison viewing
Mount Rushmore National Memorial – visit to the iconic monument
Campgrounds Stayed At:
Badlands KOA (near Interior, SD)
Hot Springs KOA (southern Black Hills)
Kid Highlights:
🦴Fossil hunting in Badlands
🛝KOA playgrounds, pedal carts, mini golf, movie nights
🐍Wildlife: snakes in Badlands, Bison spotting in Wind Cave
🏔️Seeing Mount Rushmore in person
Helpful Tools:
AllTrails for trail planning
Mammoth Site (nearby fossil museum & dig site)
📘 Want a full RV trip planning roadmap? My First Time RV rental guide walks you step-by-step through rentals, hookups, budgeting, packing, and what first-time renters usually miss. Our RV Planning Calculator (downloadable xls file for free!) is an excellent way to explore the costs of your next RV family adventure!
📦 Want to skip the “what did we forget?” moment? My RV packing list covers the essentials, the comfort upgrades, and the small items that make daily life on the road smoother. Another super helpful tool is our Vegan RV Pantry Checklist, that walks you through the staples and basics in a moving vegan kitchen, to make sure you're covered for your next RV adventure!
🏓If you're looking to keep your kids entertained with something other than screens, on long road trips or on downtime, read through our Road Trips Games for Kids article, to find experience-based hand-picked games that truly worked for us!
🥗Recipes we cooked on our trip🥗
I recommend reading our latest article about 10 one-pot meals that fit travel days and visit our Recipes Section to get inspired and pre-plan for your next trip!
FAQs
Is Badlands National Park kid-friendly?
Yes. Trails range from easy boardwalks to longer hikes, and fossil hunting keeps kids engaged. Watch for rattlesnakes and carry plenty of water.
Where can we camp with an RV near Mount Rushmore?
KOA campgrounds are nearby and family-friendly, with full hookups and kid activities. The KOA at Mount Rushmore is a popular base.
When is the best time to visit South Dakota?
Late spring (May–early June) and early fall (September) offer warm weather without the peak summer crowds.
Which stops would we stay longer at?
Badlands, no question. This park is so vast, diverse and breathtaking. We also felt it was a miss that we never got to visit Mammoth site, and that Wind Cave NP was inaccessible when we were there.
What wildlife is to be cautious about in these areas?
Snakes, and rattle snakes in particular. We've had several encounters, some from up close, which can be dangerous. We've learned that placing led lights at the bottom of the RV keeps snakes away. Since we had 3 snakes slither underneath our RV during daylight, this is the #1 practical take home message we've learned!
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