These 5 Trails In South Dakota Will Lead You To Extraordinary Ancient Ruins

Located smack dab in the middle of SoDak is the incredible Crow Creek Indian Reservation; a beautiful 421.658 square miles that houses not only 2,225 residents, but the pictured Fort Thompson Mounds. What is so great about Fort Thompson, you ask? Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1966, the Mounds, which span 6 miles, were once used to bury artifacts and have produced stones, pottery, and tools from c. 2450 BCE!

While the bulk of the ancient ruins are located inside the museum, we are still including the Mammoth Site of Hot Springs on this list not only because the site is a fascinating must see, but because of the beautiful land and paths surrounding the museum!

Have you never had the pleasure of visiting Bear Butte? While it is not home to ruins per se, the area is as historically significant as it is stunning, as it once served as both an important landmark and religious site for the Plains Indians tribes, and is still considered sacred to many Native Americans who take pilgrimages to it and leave various offerings at the top of the mountain.

Another sacred site to the state's earliest of residents, Wind Cave National Park is home to its namesake Wind Cave, which can be toured and walked via the National Park Service.

While not nearly as "ancient" as all the other aforementioned spots, the old Bob Ingersoll Mine (which was established back in 1881) is still a sight to see, especially since you can explore the inside of this historic gem!