Bear Country U.S.A. offers a driving tour where you're guaranteed to see loads of black bears roaming through wide open spaces like they would in the wild. If that's not a slam dunk, I don't know what is. It's also located on the same road that you'll drive from Rapid City to Mount Rushmore.
The Black Hills of South Dakota are filled with wildlife, and we spotted a lot of animals in Custer State Park and Wind Cave National Park, but none of them were black bears.
Here's what to expect at Bear Country USA in South Dakota.
Driving through
Bear Country U.S.A. offers much more than bears. It is home to nearly two dozen species of North American mammals. These animals include
- black bears,
- grizzly bears,
- wolves,
- bighorn sheep,
- reindeer,
- bison,
- mountain lions,
- and a number of smaller animals.
We were able to see nearly all of these animals from our car or in Babyland without difficulty.
When you arrive, you'll drive up to the admission booth and directly into the wildlife loop. I recommend that you arrive at or near opening time if you can. In my experience, animals are more active in the cooler hours of the morning and there will be fewer other cars.
It took 20-30 minutes to drive slowly through the wildlife loop. The last and longest part of the drive was the black bear area, and bears were everywhere! It was fun to watch them walking around so close to our van.
It will be tempting to roll down your window to get a better photo or video of the bears without a glare. It's not safe, so don't do it. The rules about this are clear at Bear Country U.S.A.
Related: Tips for Visiting Reptile Gardens in the Black Hills
Babyland
After the drive, we parked and walked through Babyland. Babyland is the home of the baby bear cubs. It's also where the mature grizzly bears and all of the smaller animals live, but the baby bears are by far the best thing about Babyland.
The yard is full of scampering, rolling, wrestling, climbing and just adorable baby bear cubs. The cubs were my FAVORITE part of Bear Country U.S.A.
This part of Bear Country U.S.A feels a lot like a zoo. We walked around and saw each of the animal species in its own habitat.
Pets are welcome to drive through Bear Country with you, but only service animals are allowed in Babyland.
You can spend as much time as you like in Babyland. It will not take long to stroll through the habitats. Depending on the day, you may find animal presentations and family activities.
Related: Our Black Hills Itinerary for Families
Conclusion
Consider packing a picnic and plan for some time in the gift shop. Bear Country U.S.A.'s gift shop is large and offers a variety of bear and Black Hills souvenirs.
Bear Country U.S.A. was a fun start to our Black Hills vacation. I recommend it for families who enjoy animal experiences.
Related: Tips for Visiting Mount Rushmore
Good to Know
Where: 13820 S. Highway 16, Rapid City, South Dakota. It's on the way to Mount Rushmore from Rapid City.
When: Bear Country is open daily from late April through late November, weather permitting.
How Much: (Updated February 2020) $18 per adult and $12 per child (age 5-12), up to $65 maximum per vehicle. Admission is FREE for children age 4 and under. Senior, military and group discounts are available. Check Bear Country U.S.A.'s official website for current pricing.
How Long: 2-3 hours
Amenities: restrooms, gift shop, cafe, picnic area, family activities
Website: www.bearcountryusa.com
How else can I help?
Traveling by air? Rapid City Regional Airport is the nearest airport to the Black Hills. Denver International is the nearest major airport.
Need a rental car? Driving your own car is the best way to see Bear Country U.S.A and the Black Hills. Find the best rates from dozens of agencies at RentalCars.com.
Need a place to stay? Rapid City makes a good base for this trip. It’s the biggest city in the area, with a wide selection of hotels, restaurants, shopping and other vacation amenities. We stayed at Howard Johnson Inn and Suites and would stay there again.
Click the button to check availability for this hotel on TripAdvisor.com.
unicornsandhearts
a perfect review, exactly the information we needed and couldn’t find anywhere else, thank you! This will be a good start to our vacation =)
Allison
Thank you so much! I always try to include the information I wanted before our visit. I’m so glad this review was helpful to you.
Don kolb
. Do not support these cruel greedy people.
The owners entered a guilty plea in 2006 for Harvesting and selling bear parts( gall bladder)
July 2023 a member of peta went undercover as an employee and released video of employees kicking and beating baby bears . The employees are on tape explaining the awful ways they steal young cubs from the mothers den.
Do your own research please ,spread the word ,don’t be fooled by ads and propaganda.