5 Unforgettable Fall Experiences in South Dakota's Black Hills

Wending through the waters, whispering over the peaks—natural rhythms soothe in the Black Hills of South Dakota. And there's no better time to visit than fall, when cooler temps invite experiencing an annual buffalo roundup, lingering in a bubbling spring, soaring above the landscape, kicking back at a local taproom or hiking among granite towers and swirling autumn leaves. Here are five ways to savor the best of fall.

1. See the Custer State Park Buffalo Roundup and Arts Festival

The annual Custer State Park Buffalo Roundup and Arts Festival attracts more than 20,000 visitors, who come the last Friday of each September to watch riders corral the beasts. Around 1,300 head of bison call the park home; they descend from the private herd of a South Dakota rancher who worked at the turn of the 20th century to rescue the dwindling species. More than a century later, the herd thrives. But the park holds only so much grass, and with bulls consuming dozens of pounds a day, it's important to manage the population so all have enough to eat. Once a year, the bison thunder as riders gather them from the open range to check their health and chart their future. Meanwhile, an arts fest lasts all weekend; visitors can sip a beer and browse bison-themed art, hand-woven bullwhips and turquoise jewelry.

2. Soak at Moccasin Springs Natural Mineral Spa

A potent blend of sodium, magnesium, potassium and other minerals infuses the pools at Moccasin Springs Natural Mineral Spa in Hot Springs with an otherworldly essence. Owner Kara Hagen spent five years building the spa atop the ruins of the 1890 Hot Springs Hotel and bathhouse. The property closed in 1963 and moldered for decades until Hagen bought it in 2014 with a vision for its resurrection. Today, visitors are once again finding refreshing soaks in these historic waters. Once used by Native Americans, the spa's smaller pool takes the shape of a traditional shoe carved into red sandstone.

3. Fly-Fish at Rapid Creek

The chilly waters of Rapid Creek appear peaceful at the surface, but below, they surge around obstacles—rocks, branches, legs and boots. Fly-fishing looks so smooth but requires so much tension. Guides from Rapid City-based Dakota Angler and Outfitter supply advice along with waders: Keep all thoughts tethered to the task, but keep the body fluid. Fly-fishing won't work without a rhythm—movement that's meditative, mindful and so different from lobbing a lure with a spinner rod. That twitch at the end of the line is familiar, though, as is the moment the catch emerges from the drink, the pink of the trout's rainbow giving off a glow. The focus of body and mind has paid off, a tranquil moment in a gorgeous place.

4. Fly with Black Hills Balloons

A roaring world quiets in the basket of a balloon. Sure, pilot Damien Mahony from Black Hills Balloons fires the burner, its occasional flames keeping the craft aloft. But after the first few times, the blasts recede into a sort of background exhale. A breath here; a passenger's murmuring there. All else is hushed. Above the Earth, quiet comes naturally. A hot-air balloon offers a vantage like no other. High up yet still this-close, near enough to study how the Earth wrinkles and rolls, how features only ever seen from the side look new from above. The balloon appears reflected in the rippling mirror of Stockade Lake. Wildlife scurries between trees—a mule deer, a coyote. All around, early sunlight glitters the treetops, an ombre forest of green, orange and gold.

5. Drive the Needles Highway (and Consider a Hike, Too)

As names go, Needles Highway does the job well. Along this winding 14-mile stretch of SD-87 in Custer State Park, eroded granite spindles and pillars tower all around. Set aside an hour for a drive through forests of ponderosa pine and spruce, past meadows of aspen and birch, around hairpins, through tight tunnels. And if a coveted parking spot remains at the Cathedral Spires Trailhead, grab it. The view from the parking lot is pretty, but sure-footed visitors can get bigger, more dramatic vistas from the 2.3-mile out-and-back trail. The trail ends in a flat mountain valley, spires rising like a Gothic holy place—albeit the kind with mountain goats flaunting their feet flare.