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News • South Dakota • United States • 2012-03-09

An Autumn Like No Other in South Dakota

With fall steadily approaching, it’s time to begin planning fall foliage excursions. South Dakota’s four distinct regions make for a variety of breathtaking views all across the state. The state features five scenic byways and 54 state parks and recreation areas, making South Dakota an ideal destination for FIT and group tours to experience the fall colors.

The Glacial Lakes & Prairies region in the northeastern corner of the state is covered with pothole lakes and scoured prairies that resulted from erosion caused by glaciers that once covered the area. Evidence of this geologic event can be found at Big Stone Lake. Located on the South Dakota-Minnesota border, Big Stone Lake is the state’s lowest elevation point and features the Big Stone Island Nature Area and Hartford Beach State Park. Sica Hollow State Park encompasses 807-acres of hauntingly beautiful terrain. The hollow\'s first Native American visitors named it \"Sica,\" (pronounced she-cha) meaning evil or bad due to a series of mysterious happenings in the area. The hollow has since been recognized on a national level and is one of the state’s best locations to experience the fall colors.

In the Southeastern region of the state is Palisades State Park, known for its unique rock formations and captivating history – legend has it that the outlaw Jesse James made a remarkable jump over Devil’s Gulch on horseback while fleeing the law in 1876. The Native American Scenic Byway begins approximately 50 miles west of the Lewis and Clark Recreation Area. This expansive scenic byway ventures through the heart of the great Sioux Nation. The trail covers the lands of five Sioux tribes and also follows the path of Lewis and Clark’s 1804 journey along the Missouri River. South Dakota’s Great Lakes region unfolds as the byway heads north and follows a system of four massive reservoirs along the Missouri River – Lewis and Clark Lake, Lake Francis Case, Lake Sharpe and Lake Oahe.

The Black Hills, Badlands & Lakes region features a remarkable contrast to the eastern regions of the state. The Badlands Loop State Scenic Byway bisects beautiful Badlands National Park – 244,000 acres of primordial terrain. Further west, the pristine Black Hills National Forest is a must-see destination for fall foliage enthusiasts. The Spearfish Canyon State Scenic Byway features thousand-foot limestone palisades, bountiful vegetation and roaring waterfalls like Roughlock Falls Nature Area. The extensive Peter Norbeck National Scenic Byway will delight visitors with its pig-tail shaped bridges, six rock tunnels (see tunnel sizes for motorcoach and RV accessibility), towering granite peaks and pine-laden mountains.

In the southern reaches of the Black Hills is Custer State Park, South Dakota’s largest state park. Custer State Park features the Wildlife Loop State Scenic Byway which winds through the southern portion of the park and offers the chance to catch glimpses of free-roaming buffalo, bighorn sheep, prairie dogs, burros, mule and whitetail deer, pronghorn and elk. From east to west, each of the four regions of South Dakota offers visitors a wide variety of activities. The diverse colors of the fall foliage can be matched only by South Dakota’s vast selection of recreational opportunities.

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