Palisades State Park: A Great Stop in Eastern South Dakota
Although western South Dakota has significantly more topography than its easterly counterpart, there are great things to do and see on the eastern part of the state. Palisades State Park is located outside of Garretson, SD, just 30 minutes from Sioux Falls, and 3.5 hours from Minneapolis, MN or Fargo, ND.
The park features a beautiful bridge with views of Split Rock Creek in both directions. The palisades on either side of the creek are made of Sioux Quartzite formations, and reach as high as 50 feet! Read more about the rock formations on the SD Game, Fish and Parks Website.
There are four hiking trails throughout the park that wind in and out of the trees and brush and along the river. Most of the trails were dirt or rock, but easy to traverse. If you’re interested in fishing, there are plenty of areas where the rock is low enough to get close to the water.
There are beautiful secluded campsites on the west side of the river- some with views that look out over the water. Camping is 26$ per night, and cost to get into the park is 8$ a day.
I spend about an hour and a half at the park, mostly walking the trails and enjoying the incredible view. I’m so glad I passed through, and plan to do so again in the future.
Looking for more in South Dakota? Check out my post: 36 Hours in the Black Hills for an awesome itinerary and bonus suggestions!
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