Winter Sports Excursions and Snowy Escapes in South Dakota: Badlands, Deadwood, Black Hills and more!

Jan 5, 2025

We’re continuing our trend of celebrating National Skiing and Snowboarding month, this time heading on over to South Dakota! We’ll be sharing the best places to go skiing (downhill and cross country), snowboarding, snow tubing, and enjoying other winter sports like snowmobiling. December through March you’ll find no shortage of adrenaline pumpkin thrills and chills in the snow and ice. No matter if you’re a novice testing your chops or an expert looking for a challenge, South Dakota will be your new favorite winter vacation destination.

Enjoy the Skiing, Snowboarding, Snow Tubing, and Snow Shoeing Across South Dakota

Terry Peak Ski Area in the Deadwood region offers 450 acres with 30 different trails, with one including a vertical 1000+ foot drop from an elevation of 7000+ feet! Ski trails are groomed every night at the close of the park, with snowmaking capabilities that can cover up to 60% of the mountain with plenty of powder. For the avid snowboarder, you’ll delight to experience the north-facing freestyle terrain park with Snowmaking capabilities, and new features changing throughout the season. For those looking to learn the ropes, there are plenty of options for ski and snowboarding lessons; children have three options – Snow Puppies, Snow Tigers, and Kids Club; Adults can select from a special women-only program called “Ladies Day”, and attendees 13 and up can join the all-inclusive regular adult lessons. Reservations are required in advance for lesson days. You can also explore the area nearby with more than 365 miles of marked and groomed trails for snowmobiling, as well as cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.

Great Bear Ski Valley in Sioux Falls offers 220 acres of outstanding skiing and snowboarding along with cross-country and snowshoe trails and a tubing park! There are 14 downhill ski trails and a terrain park for those who love an athletic challenge with snowboarding and traditional skiing, with difficulties split 40% Beginner Runs, 40% intermediate runs, and 20% at the advanced levels. The park also offers opportunities for limited Night Skiing passes. It may be one of the smaller options on our list, but it’s certainly worth a visit as it’s never short on fun! For those who prefer a more leisurely exploration of the slopes, we recommend the 4 miles of cross-country and snowshoeing trails.

Deer Mountain/Mystic Miner Ski Resort in the Lead area covers more than 290 acres of recreational space and more than 100 acres of skiable and bikeable terrain, altogether encompassing 121 hectares of wintertime joy! There are 44 trails designed for fun at all levels of experience and skill, plus the Blizzard Tube Park which offers new tubing lanes and lots of excitement. The Ski School will happily take on the novice who needs to learn the basics, but also offers options for those needing a seasonal refresher after some time off. And don’t you worry about snowfall, as the area sees an average of 200 inches of snowfall annually, so there will be plenty of powder for shredding.

Good Earth State Park at Blood Run in Sioux Falls is open from 6AM to 9PM, and is just a short drive away from Great Bear Recreation Park! It would make a wonderful stop to take in the sights along the Big Sioux River, surrounded by glistening trees and sparkling, snow-covered fields.

Farm Island Recreation Area in Pierre offers peaceful snowshoeing and cross-country skiing along three different tranquil trails.