South Dakota & Southwest Minnesota Weekend Road Trip from Central Minnesota

Searching for a scenic Midwest weekend getaway or an easy road trip from the Twin Cities? This South Dakota and Southwest Minnesota weekend road trip is one of my favorite hiking-filled adventures, featuring beautiful state parks, hidden gems, and a stop in Sioux Falls.

This itinerary is perfect if you love nature, scenic views, and a little bit of history mixed in. It’s designed as a Friday evening through Sunday evening trip, but you can easily adjust based on your starting point or schedule.

Let’s get into it!

FRIDAY

Evening

Start your weekend by driving to Luverne (about 3 hours and 20 minutes from the Twin Cities).

Check into your hotel and settle in for the night so you’re ready for a full day of exploring.

Alternative option:
If you’re short on time, you can leave early Saturday morning instead and shift some activities into Sunday.

SATURDAY

Morning

Head to Blue Mounds State Park (about 10 minutes from Luverne).

Park opens at 8 AM
$7 per vehicle entrance fee
Important: You’ll need to stop at the entrance station to purchase your pass before heading to the trail parking area (they’re in different spots)

The park offers prairie tours and a chance to see the bison (they’re fenced in), but when we visited, the first tour wasn’t until 11 AM. They recommend buying tickets online and arriving about 20 minutes early if you plan to do this.

We hiked the Upper Cliffline Trail and looped back on the Mound Trail. You can see into the bison range from parts of the trail—sadly, we didn’t spot any, but the views of the prairie were still incredible.

Personal note: The trail can be a bit rocky in sections, so watch your footing. Totally worth it for the views though.

Interest in another hiking road trip? Check out my Southeast Minnesota and Wisconsin Road trip itinerary.

Lunch

We packed lunch from home since there aren’t many food options between stops.

You can eat at Blue Mounds or wait and picnic at your next stop, which also has great scenery.

Cliff with Farmhouse over water at Palisade State Park

Afternoon

Drive to Palisades State Park (about 30 minutes).

$15 vehicle pass for non-residents

This park is seriously stunning. The pink quartzite rock formations along the creek make it feel totally different from anywhere else on the trip.

We hiked:

King and Queen Trail
Balancing Rock Trail

You can also walk along the creek and cross the bridge for some really great viewpoints.

Next, head into Sioux Falls (about 30 minutes).

Old Courthouse Museum

This is a smaller museum inside a historic courthouse. It covers a mix of topics like Native American history and local culture.

Personal note: We enjoyed it, but depending on your interests, it might feel a bit slow.

Falls Park

This spot is a must-see. The waterfalls combined with all the exposed rock make it a really unique place to explore.

Free entry
Free parking

You can walk right out onto the rocks (just be careful), and there are plenty of viewpoints.

Tip: If your Saturday feels too packed (especially coming from the Twin Cities), move this stop to Sunday morning.