Behind Mount Rushmore, What is South Dakota’s #2 Ranked Tourist Attraction?

South Dakota has built itself a pretty impressive resumé when it comes to tourism. For a state with more cows than people, we punch well above our weight class in the “touristy-type things” department. That's why every year, millions of visitors flock here to see what all the fuss is about.

After all, how many states can casually brag about having gigantic presidential faces carved into a mountain, an authentic 1880s Wild West town dripping with gold rush history, a roadside attraction where gravity appears to take a coffee break, and an entire palace made out of corn? That’s not a gimmick list, that’s just South Dakota being South Dakota.

Naturally, when people think of the most visited attraction in the state, Mount Rushmore immediately pops into mind. And for good reason. The world-renowned National Monument, featuring the larger-than-life faces of Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, and Lincoln, draws between 2 and 3 million visitors every year. Most of those visitors arrive during the summer months, when hotel prices in the Black Hills soar faster than the South Dakota humidity levels in July and August.

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But it’s not just The Faces that keep drawing all kinds of new faces to South Dakota year after year.

Right behind Mount Rushmore, nipping at the stone heels of those four presidents, is South Dakota’s second most-visited tourist attraction: Custer State Park. And if you’ve been there, this probably doesn’t surprise you at all.

Custer State Park is 71,000 acres of jaw-dropping beauty, scenic drives, granite spires, winding mountain roads, crystal-clear lakes, and wildlife that does not care you’re on vacation. The Wildlife Loop Road alone is enough to earn its #2 ranking, offering up-close encounters with bison, prairie dogs, antelope, elk, and deer, and dare I say the elusive South Dakota Jackalope. Okay, maybe not! However, the best part about Custer State Park is that you get all that for a moderate admission price. (Don't forget about the good ole State Park Sticker!) It's just you, nature's beauty, and a few buffalo that absolutely have the right of way.

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When you add in Needles Highway, Sylvan Lake, iconic rock formations, and sunsets that look like they were Photoshopped, it’s easy to see why Custer State Park pulls in millions of visitors every year. But, unlike Mount Rushmore, this one doesn’t just stare back at you; Custer State Park pulls you straight into the state's rugged, untamed spirit.

While Mount Rushmore still might be considered the GOAT of South Dakota and garner most of the headlines and postcards, Custer State Park is where visitors fall in love with the state. It doesn’t shout for attention; it simply shows up, shows off, and lets nature do the talking. And when tourists leave South Dakota telling stories about bison traffic jams, winding mountain roads, and views they’ll never forget, there’s a very good chance their favorite stop wasn’t carved in stone; it was roaming free just down the road.