Mt. Rushmore, photo by Red Hill Birding.
South Dakota: Badlands & Black Hills
May 31 to June 7, 2026
Guides: Gabe Andrle (Birds Georgia) with Steve Huggins, Red Hill Birding. Additional guide will be added pending final registration number.
Group Size: 13 people max
Fees:
Birds Georgia Member: $4300*
Non-member: $4360* (Includes a one-year Birds Georgia membership)
Single supplement for a non-shared hotel room: $730/person
*Based on double occupancy and 13 participants. See more details below if traveling solo
*We will do our best to avoid this scenario, but depending on group construction, solo travelers may be forced to pay a single supplement. All efforts will be made to avoid this expense though it cannot be guaranteed. Impacted travelers, should they decide to cancel, will be reimbursed following the cancellation policy below.
Pre-trip Meeting: TBD via Zoom
Questions? Please email Gabe Andrle[email protected]
South Dakota encompasses a wealth of birding opportunities across landscapes of surprising diversity. Much of the state is grassland, or former grassland converted to crops and pasture, but hills, large reservoirs, and wooded areas provide contrast. The abundance of public lands, dotted with small towns and tourist attractions, provides a fantastic cross section of landscapes, birds, and Americana.
This trip will take participants from Badlands National Park, with its incredible rock formations, to the Black Hills, an outpost of the Rocky Mountains which reach an elevation of over 7,000 ft., and then on to the vast Great Plains north of the Black Hills. We'll also spend a couple of days in Northeastern Wyoming, exploring Thunder Basin National Grasslands, which lies between the Big Horn Mountains and Black Hills of South Dakota.
The state’s major icon is Mount Rushmore National Memorial, which also sits amid some of South Dakota’s best birding. The rugged Black Hills host nesting birds such as Ruffed Grouse, Red-naped Sapsucker, Say’s Phoebe, Golden-crowned Kinglet, American Dipper, Western Tanager, and Red Crossbill, to name only a few.
This trip will feature a variety of western birds, including species like American Dipper, Rock and Canyon Wrens, Lark Bunting, Ferruginous Hawk, and Burrowing Owl (not to mention bighorn sheep, bison, and other western mammals). We'll also encounter some eastern bird species at the western edge of their typical distribution, including birds like Brown Thrasher, Red-headed Woodpecker, and Orchard Oriole.
Please Note: Credit card processing fees are now included in the registration price.
Group Size: 13 people max
Fees:
Birds Georgia Member: $4300*
Non-member: $4360* (Includes a one-year Birds Georgia membership)
Single supplement for a non-shared hotel room: $730/person
*Based on double occupancy and 13 participants. See more details below if traveling solo
*We will do our best to avoid this scenario, but depending on group construction, solo travelers may be forced to pay a single supplement. All efforts will be made to avoid this expense though it cannot be guaranteed. Impacted travelers, should they decide to cancel, will be reimbursed following the cancellation policy below.
Pre-trip Meeting: TBD via Zoom
Questions? Please email Gabe Andrle[email protected]
South Dakota encompasses a wealth of birding opportunities across landscapes of surprising diversity. Much of the state is grassland, or former grassland converted to crops and pasture, but hills, large reservoirs, and wooded areas provide contrast. The abundance of public lands, dotted with small towns and tourist attractions, provides a fantastic cross section of landscapes, birds, and Americana.
This trip will take participants from Badlands National Park, with its incredible rock formations, to the Black Hills, an outpost of the Rocky Mountains which reach an elevation of over 7,000 ft., and then on to the vast Great Plains north of the Black Hills. We'll also spend a couple of days in Northeastern Wyoming, exploring Thunder Basin National Grasslands, which lies between the Big Horn Mountains and Black Hills of South Dakota.
The state’s major icon is Mount Rushmore National Memorial, which also sits amid some of South Dakota’s best birding. The rugged Black Hills host nesting birds such as Ruffed Grouse, Red-naped Sapsucker, Say’s Phoebe, Golden-crowned Kinglet, American Dipper, Western Tanager, and Red Crossbill, to name only a few.
This trip will feature a variety of western birds, including species like American Dipper, Rock and Canyon Wrens, Lark Bunting, Ferruginous Hawk, and Burrowing Owl (not to mention bighorn sheep, bison, and other western mammals). We'll also encounter some eastern bird species at the western edge of their typical distribution, including birds like Brown Thrasher, Red-headed Woodpecker, and Orchard Oriole.
Please Note: Credit card processing fees are now included in the registration price.
Leadership Giving Circle members receive exclusive benefits, including early access to our travel program registration, discounts on store purchases, and access to special Leadership Circle trips.
To learn more, visit our Leadership Giving Circle page.
To learn more, visit our Leadership Giving Circle page.
Photos L to R: American Dipper, Rock Wren, Swainson's Hawk. Photos courtesy Red Hill Birding.
Trip Overview
Click on each day for more information.
Day 1, Sunday, May 31 - Arrive IN Rapid City, South Dakota
Plan to arrive in Rapid City, South Dakota, no later than 4:00 PM.
Depending on flights, we will gather either at the airport or at the group’s hotel in the late afternoon for introductions and a quick rundown of the upcoming tour. Given the late hour of sunset here in the summer, we may have some time for a bit of local birding in the late afternoon.
Night: Rapid City, South Dakota
Depending on flights, we will gather either at the airport or at the group’s hotel in the late afternoon for introductions and a quick rundown of the upcoming tour. Given the late hour of sunset here in the summer, we may have some time for a bit of local birding in the late afternoon.
Night: Rapid City, South Dakota
Day 2, Monday, June 1 - Badlands National Park
We will be up early today to head to the famed Badlands National Park for a full day of birding in this spectacular park. White-throated Swifts whizz around while Rock Wren’s repetitive songs reverberates among the rock formations. Western Meadowlark, Mountain Bluebird, Say’s Phoebe, and Upland Sandpiper dot roadside fenceposts and if we look at enough fenceposts, we may find a Burrowing Owl atop one as well. With luck, we may even find a Sharp-tailed Grouse feeding on a roadside. All along the way, today and for the rest of the trip, we will be looking out for roadside raptors, which could include Prairie Falcon, Golden Eagle, and Swainson’s and Ferruginous Hawks.
We will have lunch in the famous Wall Drug, and we will eventually return to Rapid City for the night.
Night: Rapid City
We will have lunch in the famous Wall Drug, and we will eventually return to Rapid City for the night.
Night: Rapid City
Day 3, Tuesday, JunE 2 - Black Hills
Today we will visit the Black Hills of South Dakota, an isolated mountain range that reaches 7,200+ feet in elevation and hosts many birds typical of the Rocky Mountains. We will also be sure to pay a visit to (and take the obligatory photos of) Mount Rushmore as well.
In this area, we may find montane-breeding birds like Western Tanager, Red Crossbill, MacGillivray’s and Virginia’s Warblers, Pygmy Nuthatch, Black-billed Magpie, and Townsend’s Solitaire. The “White-winged” form of Dark-eyed Junco, considered a separate species in the past, only breeds in the Black Hills, and we have a good chance of seeing it.
We will spend the afternoon around Sylvan Lake, birding around the lake and the adjacent trails, in some of the highest accessible elevations in the Black Hills. If we're lucky, we'll encounter some Black-backed or American Three-toed Woodpeckers, Clark’s Nutcrackers, and Canada Jays among the more common western birds that typify montane areas of the Western US, like Red-naped Sapsucker and “Audubon’s” Yellow-rumped Warbler.
Night: Custer.
In this area, we may find montane-breeding birds like Western Tanager, Red Crossbill, MacGillivray’s and Virginia’s Warblers, Pygmy Nuthatch, Black-billed Magpie, and Townsend’s Solitaire. The “White-winged” form of Dark-eyed Junco, considered a separate species in the past, only breeds in the Black Hills, and we have a good chance of seeing it.
We will spend the afternoon around Sylvan Lake, birding around the lake and the adjacent trails, in some of the highest accessible elevations in the Black Hills. If we're lucky, we'll encounter some Black-backed or American Three-toed Woodpeckers, Clark’s Nutcrackers, and Canada Jays among the more common western birds that typify montane areas of the Western US, like Red-naped Sapsucker and “Audubon’s” Yellow-rumped Warbler.
Night: Custer.
Day 4, Wednesday, JunE 3 - Custer State Park and drive to Newcastle
We will spend much of the morning in Custer State Park, one of the country’s largest state parks. We will continue to enjoy a wide variety of western birds, perhaps adding birds like Lazuli Bunting, Spotted Towhee, Bullock’s Oriole, Western Wood-Pewee, Plumbeous Vireo, and the strange and beautiful Lewis’s Woodpecker to our growing list. No doubt we will encounter plenty of eastern birds too, here approaching the western edge of their typical distribution, including birds like Brown Thrasher, Red-headed Woodpecker, and Orchard Oriole. This is also a good area to look out for mammals, including American bison, bighorn sheep, mountain goat, and the resident group of feral donkeys.
Afterwards, we will head west to Hells Canyon, taking a leisurely walk on the footpath here. We hope to find Lewis’s (at the eastern edge of its range) and Red-headed (at the western edge of its range) Woodpeckers, Dusky and Western Flycatchers, and MacGillivray’s Warbler.
We will eventually cross the state line for a two-night stay in Wyoming.
Night: Newcastle, Wyoming
Afterwards, we will head west to Hells Canyon, taking a leisurely walk on the footpath here. We hope to find Lewis’s (at the eastern edge of its range) and Red-headed (at the western edge of its range) Woodpeckers, Dusky and Western Flycatchers, and MacGillivray’s Warbler.
We will eventually cross the state line for a two-night stay in Wyoming.
Night: Newcastle, Wyoming
Day 5, Thursday, JunE 4 - Thunder Basin National Grasslands and around Newcastle
We will have a full day for birding Wyoming today (with a dip back into South Dakota as well).
Our morning will be spent in Thunder Basin National Grasslands. The grasslands and sagebrush here are home to Long-billed Curlew, Chestnut-collared and Thick-billed Longspurs, Sage Thrasher, and Lark Bunting. If access is possible, we will private feeder near Newcastle. This feeder setup is famous for its Pinyon Jays, a beautiful blue crow-like jay that roves widely in flocks and can be very hard to track down. We also have another chance to find Lewis’s Woodpecker here, and could also see Cassin’s Finch, Western Tanager, and other mountain birds coming to the feeders.
Also near Newcastle is LAK Reservoir, where the riparian habitat around the lake hosts Bullock’s Oriole, Yellow-breasted Chat, Lazuli Bunting, and Spotted Towhee, and the occasional duck or grebe can be seen on the lake itself.
One final stop will bring us (just barely) back into South Dakota, where we will take a walk to look for Virginia’s Warbler, where in a small, isolated population exists in the northeastern-most reaches of their distribution.
Night: Newcastle, Wyoming
Our morning will be spent in Thunder Basin National Grasslands. The grasslands and sagebrush here are home to Long-billed Curlew, Chestnut-collared and Thick-billed Longspurs, Sage Thrasher, and Lark Bunting. If access is possible, we will private feeder near Newcastle. This feeder setup is famous for its Pinyon Jays, a beautiful blue crow-like jay that roves widely in flocks and can be very hard to track down. We also have another chance to find Lewis’s Woodpecker here, and could also see Cassin’s Finch, Western Tanager, and other mountain birds coming to the feeders.
Also near Newcastle is LAK Reservoir, where the riparian habitat around the lake hosts Bullock’s Oriole, Yellow-breasted Chat, Lazuli Bunting, and Spotted Towhee, and the occasional duck or grebe can be seen on the lake itself.
One final stop will bring us (just barely) back into South Dakota, where we will take a walk to look for Virginia’s Warbler, where in a small, isolated population exists in the northeastern-most reaches of their distribution.
Night: Newcastle, Wyoming
Day 6, Friday, JunE 5 - Black Hills and Spearfish Canyon
Today we will head to the north side of the Black Hills, spending the day birding in the canyons and forests in the area. Our primary target will be American Dipper, that iconic bird of the western mountains that inhabits fast-flowing rivers, where it swim-walks catching prey from river bottoms and under rocks. We will also look for any other Black Hills birds that we haven’t seen yet, since this will be our last day in the mountains. Perhaps we will find Red-naped Sapsucker, Clark’s Nutcracker, Townsend’s Solitaire, American Three-toed Woodpecker, or another of the less common breeding birds of the region.
Night: Spearfish, South Dakota
Night: Spearfish, South Dakota
Day 7, Saturday, June 6. Belle Fourche grasslands and wetlands
For our last day of birding, we will leave the Black Hills and head out into the Great Plains grasslands that surround the mountains. We will be birding right around the geographical center of the United States. Out in the plains, the birdlife will be very different than in the mountains. We will hope to find Chestnut-collared Longspur and Long-billed Curlew doing their breeding displays over the grasslands, while Lark Bunting, Lark, Grasshopper, and Vesper Sparrows, Horned Lark, Bobolink, Upland Sandpiper, and Western Meadowlark sing and display in the background.
We will also bird some wetlands in the area. Water is a precious resource here and the wetlands host many breeding waterbirds, including Yellow-headed Blackbird, Western and Eared (and occasionally Clark’s) Grebes, Wilson’s Phalarope, and a wide variety of ducks. Some of the wetlands are just about half-way to Rapid City, making a convenient stop en route to our last night right back where we started.
Night: Rapid City.
We will also bird some wetlands in the area. Water is a precious resource here and the wetlands host many breeding waterbirds, including Yellow-headed Blackbird, Western and Eared (and occasionally Clark’s) Grebes, Wilson’s Phalarope, and a wide variety of ducks. Some of the wetlands are just about half-way to Rapid City, making a convenient stop en route to our last night right back where we started.
Night: Rapid City.
Day 8, Sunday, JunE 7 - Departure from Rapid City
Today is a departure day, and you can schedule your departing flight for any time today. For those not departing until late morning or so, we may make a visit to the Rapid City Outdoor Campus to look for Pygmy Nuthatch.
Additional Details
Services Included:
Price does not include
Payments:
1. $700.00 due to reserve spot on trip ($760 for non-members, includes one-year membership.)
2. Final payment is due by February 15, 2026.*
*The final payment will include your single supplement payment, if applicable
Cancellation Policy:
If notice of cancellation by the participant is received by January 30, 2026, a refund of all payments made will be given (less a $50 administrative fee and all credit card processing fees incurred by Birds Georgia). If notice of cancellation is received between February 1, 2026 and and March 2, 2026, a 50% refund of the fees paid to date will be given, unless the space(s) can be filled, in which case a full refund will be given (less a $50 administrative fee and all credit card fees). Thereafter, all deposits and payments are non-refundable unless the space(s) can be filled, in which case a full refund will be given (less a $50 administrative fee and all credit card processing fees incurred by Birds Georgia). In the event of tour cancellation due to weather, strike, war, quarantine, or other unforeseen emergency situation, a refund will be given, less any non-refundable payments made to tour partners or incurred by Birds Georgia. Birds Georgia and its tour partners reserve the right to make changes to the itinerary that we think will improve the trip and/or due to local conditions, both before the trip and during. If changes are made prior to the trip, participants will be notified, but changes made to the itinerary do not change the terms of our cancellation policy. If it is necessary to change hotels or other accommodations, comparable accommodations will be substituted wherever possible. Please contact Dottie Head if you have any questions regarding the non-refundable payment schedule.
Travel Insurance:
We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance in case you must make an unforeseen trip cancellation past our refund period. Check with your own insurance carrier or consider a travel insurance specialist. Travel insurance is generally inexpensive, but must be purchased within a few days of registering for the trip.
Terms and Conditions:
Please review the Birds Georgia Travel Program Terms and Conditions prior to registration.
- Expert birding tour leaders from Birds Georgia & Red Hill Birding
- Accommodations at all destinations (double room). A non-shared room is available for an additional fee
- All transportation during the trip. Depending on flight arrival time, pick-up may be available at the airport or you may need to take a shuttle/ride-share to hotel.
- All meals, including basic non-alcoholic beverages, from dinner on day 1 to dinner on day 7. Breakfast will likely be available on Day 8 at the departure hotel, depending on your flight time.
- All entrance fees to parks and preserves.
- eBirding and the creation of an eBird trip report (we will collect eBird user names in advance of the trip).
- Taxes
Price does not include
- Airfare and any accompanying baggage fees
- Tip for the Red Hill guide(s), as well as any tips you may want to leave for housekeeping or airport staff
- Alcoholic or specialty beverages
- Appetizers and desserts unless noted by your guide
- Snacks, beverages, room service, or sightseeing not specified in the itinerary
- Souvenirs
- Laundry
- Travel insurance (strongly recommended)
- Medical costs
- Personal communications (hotel phone calls, cell phones, etc)
- Any other incidentals that participants may wish to purchase
Payments:
1. $700.00 due to reserve spot on trip ($760 for non-members, includes one-year membership.)
2. Final payment is due by February 15, 2026.*
*The final payment will include your single supplement payment, if applicable
Cancellation Policy:
If notice of cancellation by the participant is received by January 30, 2026, a refund of all payments made will be given (less a $50 administrative fee and all credit card processing fees incurred by Birds Georgia). If notice of cancellation is received between February 1, 2026 and and March 2, 2026, a 50% refund of the fees paid to date will be given, unless the space(s) can be filled, in which case a full refund will be given (less a $50 administrative fee and all credit card fees). Thereafter, all deposits and payments are non-refundable unless the space(s) can be filled, in which case a full refund will be given (less a $50 administrative fee and all credit card processing fees incurred by Birds Georgia). In the event of tour cancellation due to weather, strike, war, quarantine, or other unforeseen emergency situation, a refund will be given, less any non-refundable payments made to tour partners or incurred by Birds Georgia. Birds Georgia and its tour partners reserve the right to make changes to the itinerary that we think will improve the trip and/or due to local conditions, both before the trip and during. If changes are made prior to the trip, participants will be notified, but changes made to the itinerary do not change the terms of our cancellation policy. If it is necessary to change hotels or other accommodations, comparable accommodations will be substituted wherever possible. Please contact Dottie Head if you have any questions regarding the non-refundable payment schedule.
Travel Insurance:
We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance in case you must make an unforeseen trip cancellation past our refund period. Check with your own insurance carrier or consider a travel insurance specialist. Travel insurance is generally inexpensive, but must be purchased within a few days of registering for the trip.
Terms and Conditions:
Please review the Birds Georgia Travel Program Terms and Conditions prior to registration.
Additional Information
Timing:
The trip will begin at 4:00pm in the lobby of the Rapid City hotel on Sunday, May 31 for a general introduction and a little local afternoon birding, and will end on the morning of Sunday, June 7 at the Rapid City Airport. We will try to have the guides provide airport pickups on May 31 and drop-offs at the airport on June 7, but these will be somewhat flight-schedule dependent. We will let you know ahead of the tour which hotel in Rapid City this will be in case participants prefer to arrive early or stay over after the tour ends. For a group of 7 or fewer, we will have one van with a guide driving; for a group of larger than 7, we will be birding in two vehicles/vans with the guides driving each.
Physical difficulty:
This trip is physically easy. While much birding will be done from roads and other easily accessible places, we will occasionally be walking on mountainous trails. None will be difficult, long, or steep, though there can be uneven or rocky ground in some places. We will always be walking at a birding pace (that is, very slowly). These walks could last up to a few hours and are always optional.
Pace:
The pace of the trip is moderate. A typical day will have us up early to take advantage of early morning bird activity. We will sometimes take breakfast into the field with us. Some days will include a mid-day siesta before returning out in the cooler afternoon temperatures and finishing with time for a short rest before dinner. There are unlikely to be nighttime outings.
Hotels:
Accommodations are very good throughout. Generally, there will be free wireless internet. We favor hotels that are convenient to our birding sites whenever possible.
Photography:
The photographic opportunities are very good. The open nature of the habitat lends itself well to bird photography, although it is more difficult in the forests where we are birding at higher elevations. We hope to visit at least one feeder. Although this is primarily a birding tour and we will not be making special accommodations for photographers, this is an excellent part of the country for bird photography and any photographers in the group will go home with many excellent images.
Weather:
The weather in South Dakota in June is generally quite comfortable. For example, in Rapid City, the average high temperature in June is 76° and low is 55°. It could be cooler in the early mornings at higher elevations, and it could be hotter in the grasslands outside of the mountains. It is generally a fairly dry region, with low humidity, though occasional rain or storms are possible. It is worth checking the weather forecast before departure.
Dietary restrictions:
All efforts will be made to accommodate any dietary restrictions. However, at many points during this trip, dining options will be very limited. Please contact Gabe Andrle to discuss your needs before registering if you think there could be an issue.
The trip will begin at 4:00pm in the lobby of the Rapid City hotel on Sunday, May 31 for a general introduction and a little local afternoon birding, and will end on the morning of Sunday, June 7 at the Rapid City Airport. We will try to have the guides provide airport pickups on May 31 and drop-offs at the airport on June 7, but these will be somewhat flight-schedule dependent. We will let you know ahead of the tour which hotel in Rapid City this will be in case participants prefer to arrive early or stay over after the tour ends. For a group of 7 or fewer, we will have one van with a guide driving; for a group of larger than 7, we will be birding in two vehicles/vans with the guides driving each.
Physical difficulty:
This trip is physically easy. While much birding will be done from roads and other easily accessible places, we will occasionally be walking on mountainous trails. None will be difficult, long, or steep, though there can be uneven or rocky ground in some places. We will always be walking at a birding pace (that is, very slowly). These walks could last up to a few hours and are always optional.
Pace:
The pace of the trip is moderate. A typical day will have us up early to take advantage of early morning bird activity. We will sometimes take breakfast into the field with us. Some days will include a mid-day siesta before returning out in the cooler afternoon temperatures and finishing with time for a short rest before dinner. There are unlikely to be nighttime outings.
Hotels:
Accommodations are very good throughout. Generally, there will be free wireless internet. We favor hotels that are convenient to our birding sites whenever possible.
Photography:
The photographic opportunities are very good. The open nature of the habitat lends itself well to bird photography, although it is more difficult in the forests where we are birding at higher elevations. We hope to visit at least one feeder. Although this is primarily a birding tour and we will not be making special accommodations for photographers, this is an excellent part of the country for bird photography and any photographers in the group will go home with many excellent images.
Weather:
The weather in South Dakota in June is generally quite comfortable. For example, in Rapid City, the average high temperature in June is 76° and low is 55°. It could be cooler in the early mornings at higher elevations, and it could be hotter in the grasslands outside of the mountains. It is generally a fairly dry region, with low humidity, though occasional rain or storms are possible. It is worth checking the weather forecast before departure.
Dietary restrictions:
All efforts will be made to accommodate any dietary restrictions. However, at many points during this trip, dining options will be very limited. Please contact Gabe Andrle to discuss your needs before registering if you think there could be an issue.
