As part of our yearly hiking training schedule, I often refer to a spreadsheet to make sure the parks I’m considering for that day’s hike have enough miles of trails. I thought it would be nice to share this information on the internet, especially for the newcomers to the area. I know there isn’t much to work with here in the way of nature, but these areas can still provide a little natural respite.
Unfortunately, there isn’t much for backpacking in this area — you’ll have to drive at least to the Loess Hills (150 miles away) for that — but there are plenty of day hikes to enjoy.
A few things to note about my list — I prefer hiking in the woods, so there may be some open grassy areas within 150 miles that I didn’t list here. I also have family in the Iowa Great Lakes and Omaha areas so there are a few parks listed in those areas as well. Additionally, I left out some trails that are very short or too urban, like the little trail by the boat ramp at Lake Alvin State Recreation Area or the bike trail that loops around Sioux Falls.
Parks listed from least to most hiking miles of trails
| Park | Total trail miles | Acres of Park | Entrance fee | Location | Miles from Central SF | Hours from SF | Min from Spirit Lake |
| Perry Nature Area | 1 | 23 | 0 | Sioux Falls, SD | 7 | 0.28 | |
| Gitchie Manitou State Preserve | 1.1 | 91 | 0 | Larchwood, IA | 10 | 0.32 | |
| Pipestone National Monument | 1.4 | 56 | 0 | Pipestone, MN | 49 | 0.88 | |
| Beaver Creek Nature Area | 1.5 | 165 | 0 | Valley Springs, SD | 13 | 0.43 | |
| Tuthill FAST | 2 | 70 | 0 | Central Sioux Falls | 0 | 0.00 | |
| Sertoma Park | 2.1 | 42 | 0 | Sioux Falls | 0 | 0.00 | |
| Palisades State Park | 2.5 | 157 | $8/Day, $36/Year | Garretson, SD | 20 | 0.47 | |
| Leaders Park FAST | 2.8 | 32.5 | 0 | Central Sioux Falls | 0 | 0.00 | |
| Great Bear Recreation Park | 4 | 220 | 0 | Sioux Falls | 0 | 0.00 | |
| Union Grove | 4.2 | 110 | $8/Day, $36/Year | Beresford, SD | 47 | 0.75 | |
| Preparation Canyon State Park | 4.4 | 344 | 0 | Moorhead, IA | 141 | 2.25 | |
| Big Sioux Recreation Area | 4.8 | 430 | $8/Day, $36/Year | Brandon, SD | 9 | 0.25 | |
| Kilen Woods State Park | 5 | 202 | $7/Day, $35/Year | Lakefield, MN | 92 | 1.50 | 35 |
| Touch the Sky | 5.3 | 808 | 0 | Hardwick, MN | 36 | 0.67 | |
| Fort Defiance State Park | 5.8 | 191 | 0 | Estherville, IA | 100 | 2.00 | 16 |
| Newton Hills | 6 | 1063 | $8/Day, $36/Year | Canton, SD | 30 | 0.67 | |
| Good Earth State Park | 6.22 | 588 | $8/Day, $36/Year | Sioux Falls | 11 | 0.37 | |
| Five Ridge Prairie | 6.4 | 964 | 0 | Westfield, IA | 80 | 1.25 | |
| Adams Homestead and Nature Preserve | 10 | 1500 | 0 | Sioux City, SD | 79 | 1.20 | |
| Hitchcock Nature Area | 10 | 1,268 | $5 | Honey Creek, IA | 170 | 2.50 | |
| Blue Mounds State Park | 13 | 1500 | $7/Day, $35/Year | Luverne, MN | 37 | 0.68 | |
| Stone State Recreation Area | 15 | 1600 | 0 | Sioux City, IA | 85 | 1.30 | |
| Ponca State Park | 22 | 2100 | $12/Day, $61/Year Out of State | Ponca, NE | 91 | 1.50 | |
| Camden State Park | 25 | 2245 | $7/Day, $35/Year | Lynd, MN | 81 | 1.50 | |
| Loess Hills State Forest | 50 | 11,484 | 0 | Pisgah, IA | 147 | 2.25 |
Parks sorted by driving distance from central Sioux Falls
| Park | Total trail miles | Acres of Park | Entrance fee | Location | Miles from Central SF | Hours from SF | Min from Spirit Lake |
| Tuthill FAST | 2 | 70 | 0 | Central Sioux Falls | 0 | 0.00 | |
| Sertoma Park | 2.1 | 42 | 0 | Sioux Falls | 0 | 0.00 | |
| Leaders Park FAST | 2.8 | 32.5 | 0 | Central Sioux Falls | 0 | 0.00 | |
| Great Bear Recreation Park | 4 | 220 | 0 | Sioux Falls | 0 | 0.00 | |
| Perry Nature Area | 1 | 23 | 0 | Sioux Falls, SD | 7 | 0.28 | |
| Big Sioux Recreation Area | 4.8 | 430 | $8/Day, $36/Year | Brandon, SD | 9 | 0.25 | |
| Gitchie Manitou State Preserve | 1.1 | 91 | 0 | Larchwood, IA | 10 | 0.32 | |
| Good Earth State Park | 6.22 | 588 | $8/Day, $36/Year | Sioux Falls | 11 | 0.37 | |
| Beaver Creek Nature Area | 1.5 | 165 | 0 | Valley Springs, SD | 13 | 0.43 | |
| Palisades State Park | 2.5 | 157 | $8/Day, $36/Year | Garretson, SD | 20 | 0.47 | |
| Newton Hills | 6 | 1063 | $8/Day, $36/Year | Canton, SD | 30 | 0.67 | |
| Touch the Sky | 5.3 | 808 | 0 | Hardwick, MN | 36 | 0.67 | |
| Blue Mounds State Park | 13 | 1500 | $7/Day, $35/Year | Luverne, MN | 37 | 0.68 | |
| Union Grove | 4.2 | 110 | $8/Day, $36/Year | Beresford, SD | 47 | 0.75 | |
| Pipestone National Monument | 1.4 | 56 | 0 | Pipestone, MN | 49 | 0.88 | |
| Adams Homestead and Nature Preserve | 10 | 1500 | 0 | Sioux City, SD | 79 | 1.20 | |
| Five Ridge Prairie | 6.4 | 964 | 0 | Westfield, IA | 80 | 1.25 | |
| Camden State Park | 25 | 2245 | $7/Day, $35/Year | Lynd, MN | 81 | 1.50 | |
| Stone State Recreation Area | 15 | 1600 | 0 | Sioux City, IA | 85 | 1.30 | |
| Ponca State Park | 22 | 2100 | $12/Day, $61/Year Out of State | Ponca, NE | 91 | 1.50 | |
| Kilen Woods State Park | 5 | 202 | $7/Day, $35/Year | Lakefield, MN | 92 | 1.50 | 35 |
| Fort Defiance State Park | 5.8 | 191 | 0 | Estherville, IA | 100 | 2.00 | 16 |
| Preparation Canyon State Park | 4.4 | 344 | 0 | Moorhead, IA | 141 | 2.25 | |
| Loess Hills State Forest | 50 | 11,484 | 0 | Pisgah, IA | 147 | 2.25 | |
| Hitchcock Nature Area | 10 | 1,268 | $5 | Honey Creek, IA | 170 | 2.50 |
Some notes about some of the parks
My favorite park in the area for a longer day hike is Stone State Recreation Area in Sioux city. It features 1,600 acres of mature wooded hills, a small lake, and a great natural play area.
Newton Hills is similar in terrain and ecosystem, but for me it doesn’t really have enough trails for the amount of driving time.
If you’re in the lakes area and want to hike, Fort Defiance is really beautiful all year long. And speaking of Iowa, you might have noticed that their state parks are free to enter. If you plan on hiking a few times a year in SD or swimming/paddling at Lake Alvin or Lake Vermillion, you should definitely buy an annual pass.
Palisades says it has 2.5 miles of, but they’re kind of broken up with roads, making them awkward to traverse. We only go there once a year or so for my son to enjoy some rock climbing. We don’t typically go there to enjoy an immersive hiking experience.
For being within city limits, Great Bear is a total gem. Steep hills are dotted throughout the park for some great climbing work, and mature oak trees dominate the landscape. In the winter they groom most of the trails for cross-country skiing, so we don’t hike there in the winter. It’s a great place to go if you want to cross-train, though.
Tuthill and Leaders Park are single track trails maintained for bikes. Hikers and runners are of course welcome, but please note that they are one-way trails, and you need to follow the signage.
Adams Homestead is a very fun place to take the kids. There are farm animals, old buildings, an aquatic wildlife viewing platform (with blind), and some immense cottonwood trees. One year we found a giant snake near one of the buildings. It looks like they live in the foundation so you might be able to spot it too.
And lastly, if you want to see Bison without driving very far, there is a small herd at Blue Mounds State Park. There is also a bison farm next to Adams Homestead, but it’s a little less cool to see them on a farm versus a natural area.
I hope you are able to take time to enjoy all of these parks. I only discussed parks with special notes — they are all equally special.
