These May Just Be The 8 Most South Dakota Things You Can Do This Fall

Mount Rushmore is a sight to see year-round, but it manages to become all-the-more magical when the leaves on the many surrounding trees begin to transform into festive reds, oranges, and yellows. Do you want to get the most bang for your buck? Walk around the .5-mile Presidental Trail, which passes through many of these towering beauties.

Fall means it is time to get out and find that perfect pumpkin to carve! While you can always go to your local grocery store to do so, it is way more fun to look for pumpkins at a patch like the Pumpkin Ranch in Aberdeen, which is home to gords of all shapes and sizes.

There is no better way to get into the spirit of fall than by joining in a fun festival! Our suggestion? The FestiFall in Canton, which takes place every October and has everything from pumpkin carving and judging to games and a lovely Candlelight Walk!

Located at Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park, the Yogi Bear corn maze is quite possibly the most iconic maze in the state! Admission to the maze is $8 for adults and $5 for kids and includes the maze, a jumping pillow, and a visit with Yogi himself.

Aside from pumpkins, there is no fall food quite as iconic as the apple. While — like pumpkins — you can buy apples at your grocery store, it is more fun to pick them yourself at the Country Apple Orchard; a 6,000-tree farm that has such tasty varieties as Cortland, Sweet Sixteen, and Honey Gold.

When it comes to fall drives, there are none quite as memorable as the Black Hills National Forest, which is approximately 110-miles long and consists of 1-million-plus acres of mountains and mature trees.

In the interest of full disclosure, I do not do haunted houses or come within 100 yards of them, but if you enjoy being terrified, there is no better place to be than the Fear Asylum in Brookings. Named South Dakota's premier haunted attraction, Fear Asylum has everything from a creepy mental institution setting to over-the-top costumes and lots of blood. Good luck!

Did you survive Fear Asylum? Awesome! It is time to de-stress and unwind at Custer State Park, which boasts extraordinary fall colors, picture-perfect hiking trails, and wildlife around every corner.