Hill City vs. Custer -- South Dakota in October for a half-marathon

Custer is bigger. More stuff like restaurants and streets. Hill city is kind of a one street drive thru town. Assuming you’ll have a car? They are 15 minutes apart so really whatever is cheaper is probably what I’d pick.

Cool -- thanks!

Everyone says that Custer is the place to stay. The Black Hills are actually small mountains (7,242 feet is the highest point). There are lots of things to see and do there: Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse Monument, Wind Cave National Park, Custer State Park (a state park of national park quality with bighorn sheep and bison and Sylvan Lake) and Roughlock Falls Nature Area is located in Spearfish Canyon.

You can bike the George S. Mickelson Trail which runs through the heart of the Black Hills, connecting Deadwood with Edgemont 114 miles to the south. The trail incorporates nearly 100 converted railroad bridges and 4 tunnels, and goes through ponderosa pines and along a rushing stream. Go view Bridal Veil Falls which is the easiest of the three waterfalls in Spearfish Canyon. East of the Black Hills is Badlands National Park.

Iron Mt. Road (16-A) is an incredible 17-mile experience with 14 switchbacks, three pigtails and three tunnels. It starts at Hwy 16 and goes south to Hwy 30.

Custer it is. Thanks so much!

Custer is bigger, and usually cheaper, but it's a dull looking place.
Hill City is smaller, but "nicer," in a faux western-town kid of way. It's a better place if you want to stroll at night.

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