“Attractions in Hill City, SD”
The train route used by the 1880 Train has been in place for over 100 years, and is a 10 mile stretch that runs through the central part of the Black Hills of South Dakota. Passengers can expect to see scenery like forests, meadows, and creeks, along with wildlife like deer and turkey. The train ride is narrated, and there is also a guide book available for a fee. Over 15 road crossings each way means plenty of chances to hear the unique and cherished sound of a steam whistle.
Our family loves trains so this was perfect for us. The scenery is amazing! We have a 2 year old who loves trains and his head was sitting on the window sill the whole time until he eventually fell asleep looking out the window. The ride is about an hour one way with a 15 min stop and an hour back. You can bring your own food and drinks. They also sell snacks (candy, popcorn and soda) on the train. There are no bathrooms on the train so make sure everyone goes beforehand. If you have at least a party of four you can turn your seats so that they face each other. We did this for our kids on the ride back because as much as us parents were enjoying it, I think an hour was enough for our kids (ages 10,8,7,6) so they were able to play with each other on the ride back since they were facing each other. It was a fun experience though and really cool just knowing about the history of all of it and getting the opportunity to ride the train.
Very nice ride through the canyon between Hill City and Keystone. But, make sure you know what the train schedule is. We showed up 45 minutes before the next departing train to find out it was full. We then tried to find things to do in the area for 2 hours +. Recommend Wade's Gold Mine in Deerfield.
We really enjoyed our ride thank you, the only disappointment was the lady who we booked the tickets with, when we asked if you did military discount all she did was shake her head and looked quite disgusted! Another tip is to book in advance!
Great time except for pee break very disappointed misinformation
The extra show was worth it
Even if you register online you need to get the printed tkts at the store
The train ride offers great value at 2 hours round trip. The onboard snack options are minimal but also inexpensive. The views are great, but the storytelling from the host is pretty lackluster. We did the shoot-out train in the evening and our kids thought that was pretty fun.
Do you love the sound of train horns like me? Well you will hear it a lot! I think they said 18(?) roads we had to go through so they sounds that horn a lot! (If you have a small child and they don't like loud noises, I would advise to sit at the back of the train-or ear plugs of some sort. It is loud and scary to little ones!)
Loved it they have it restored to its original all the glass and it’s fun to watch them full it up beforehand
A fun and informative journey through the black hills. Family really enjoyed the experience.
Fun but a little pricy. It was a good experience.
great time
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1880 Train: Black Hills Central Railroad
Hours
- Sun - Sat: 7:30 am - 5:00 pm
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Wheelchair Accessible
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Credit Cards Accepted
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Outdoor Seating
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