A wild west adventure around Devil's Tower

This KOA destination is located at the entrance to Devils Tower, and every campsite comes with a great view of the impressive landmark. The camp store is not only well supplied with trinkets and souvenirs, but it’s also stocked with basic necessities. In addition to featuring a full playground, swimming pool, carriage rides, and other amenities on-site, the campground also shows the movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind almost every night, which is a surreal viewing experience. The full-service Longhorn Café provides a spacious dining room and a broad range of appetizing options.

Devils Tower is a monolith of uncommon igneous rock (phonolite) protruding out of the rolling prairie that surrounds the Black Hills region. More significantly, it’s a monument, established during President Theodore Roosevelt’s years in office.

It’s been known by names as far ranging as Gray Horn Butte, Tree Rock, and The Place Where Bears Live, but now it’s Devils Tower. More than 27 Native American tribes, several expeditions of early explorers, generations of conservationists, and most recently, brave (or crazy) climbers have been drawn to this site. Steven Spielberg even filmed scenes for "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" here. Most visitors arrive to hike the trails, take advantage of the various ranger programs, and gaze up at the night sky.

Sure—All that glitters is not gold, but at Jewel Cave National Monument, anything that glitters might be jewels! The second-longest jewel cave in the world at more than 160 miles, this underworld wonderland features sparkling calcite crystals and other spectacular cave formations, including a maze of passages that lead into wide-open cave areas. Pro tip: The tour lasts about an hour and a half, and kids have to be over six to participate. Get there early for tickets because they sell out fast.

Sylvan Lake is considered the "crown jewel" of Custer State Park in the Black Hills. It was designed with absolute relaxation in mind. Here you can picnic, rent small boats, swim, hike, or climb, or you can use the lake as a starting point for excursions to Harney Peak and the Needles. In the early twentieth century, a hotel operated on the lake’s shore, and the stunning old building is definitely worth seeing if you’re driving through Custer State Park.