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Nature|Wildlife & Farms

These 8 Charming Pumpkin Patches In South Dakota Are Picture Perfect For A Fall Day

Discover the best pumpkin patches in South Dakota, offering a variety of family-friendly fall activities.

Updated Sep 28, 2021

Written by 

Leah

Who doesn't love to visit a pumpkin patch? Now that it's officially autumn, the fall fun in South Dakota has already begun. From escaping corn mazes to relaxing on hayrides, South Dakota offers something for everyone during the most colorful season of the year. When you're ready to go pumpkin picking, make a beeline for one of the best pumpkin patches in South Dakota.

1. Lil Harvester's Pumpkin Patch - Rapid City

A field of orange pumpkins scattered across a brown, dry landscape.
Lil Harvester's Pumpkin Patch/Facebook

Find the perfect pumpkins and let the little ones enjoy exploring the patch or taking a ride in their tractor-drawn train. This patch is great for the whole family. Don't forget to stop by the farmers market when you're there, so you can stock up on some of the freshest fruits and veggies of the season. Here's the official website of Lil Harvester's Pumpkin Patch.

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2. Sanderson Gardens - Aurora

People walking through a pumpkin field at sunset, surrounded by numerous pumpkins and green vines.
Sanderson Gardens/Facebook

Sanderson Gardens has been growing and sharing their fall harvests of raspberries, apples, pumpkins (of course), and more, for more than 40 years. Visit seven days a week for a bit of pumpkin picking and some of the best fall fun in South Dakota. Learn more on the official website of Sanderson Gardens.

3. Hanselman's Pumpkin Patch - Ethan

A vibrant pumpkin patch with various pumpkins scattered on green grass under a blue sky and trees.
Hanselman's Pumpkin Patch/Facebook

Take advantage of this beautiful harvest of pumpkins, and take a few home for yourself at Hanselman's Pumpkin Patch. They also have some beautiful fall decor for sale to really make your home picture-perfect for the season. Here's the official website of Hanselman's Pumpkin Patch.

4. Spearfish Corn Maze & Pumpkin Patch - Spearfish

A field of bright orange pumpkins arranged in rows on green grass, with cars parked in the background.
Spearfish Corn Maze & Pumpkin Patch/Facebook

Take a crack at finding your way through the corn maze, or stop by the pumpkin patch to pick up some of these lovely pumpkins. Or...do both. Either way, you're guaranteed to have memorable fall fun in South Dakota. Find more information on the official website of Spearfish Corn Maze & Pumpkin Patch.

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5. Aberdeen Pumpkin Patch - Aberdeen

A close-up of several bright orange pumpkins arranged on straw.
Sara Jo/Flickr

Choose a perfect canvas for painting or carving a beautiful pumpkin to display this Halloween. There are other activities to enjoy while here, including painting your pumpkins at the patch itself. Check out the dates, times, and more info on the official website of Aberdeen Pumpkin Patch.

6. That Pickin Patch - Parker

A pumpkin patch with scattered orange pumpkins in a field, surrounded by tall corn stalks and a barn in the background.
That Pickin Patch/Facebook

That Pickin Patch is the patch to pick at this year. It is a self-serve patch and allows you and the family to pick your very own pumpkins straight from the source. It's a great experience for all ages. Stop by the official website of That Pickin Patch for more information.

7. Big Stone Pumpkin Patch - Big Stone City

A large group of orange pumpkins arranged on a grassy area, with a cornfield in the background.
Facebook/Big Stone Pumpkin Patch

Go pumpkin picking at Big Stone Pumpkin Patch. However, that's just the beginning of the fun that awaits this autumn. The pumpkin patch offers a full menu of family-friendly activities, including hayrides, a corn maze, and a corn dig. If you don't feel like picking pumpkins, you can purchase pre-picked ones as well as gourds and Indian corn. Find more information on the official Facebook page of Big Stone Pumpkin Patch.

8. Mazing Acres Pumpkin Patch - Yankton

An old truck filled with pumpkins and gourds, surrounded by hay bales and a wooden bench in a field.
Facebook/Mazing Acres Pumpkin Patch

Find a full menu of family-friendly fun at Mazing Acres, an incredible pumpkin farm in South Dakota. Pick your own pumpkins. Escape from a corn maze. Play a few giant games. If you're looking for a ton of fall fun in South Dakota, you've found it. The farm boasts more than 30 fun attractions. Head over to the official website of Mazing Acres Pumpkin Patch for more information.

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What do you think are the best pumpkin patches in South Dakota? Any not on this list? Let us know in the comments! If you're up for a beautiful autumn road trip, hit the highway on this fall foliage road trip in South Dakota.

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Nature|Wildlife & Farms

Keep Your Eyes Peeled, Thousands Of Hummingbirds Are Headed Right For South Dakota During Their Migration This Spring

Hummingbirds migrate to South Dakota from mid-May through September, offering a prime opportunity for bird watchers to observe these tiny birds.

Updated Feb 23, 2024

Written by 

Annie

Ready or not, South Dakota - here they come! That's right! The return of spring also means the arrival of hummingbirds in South Dakota. We know that spring is officially here when we see our first hummingbirds of the season. You might want to start looking for the best hummingbird feeders for your yard now before supplies are all gone! So just when do hummingbirds come back to South Dakota? We've got all the details here:

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Slated to take place from mid-May through September, the spring hummingbird migration is a highly-anticipated event in South Dakota.

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Flickr/bettyloulou70

During this period of time, avid bird watchers are giddy with the prospect of watching thousands of these tiny birds making their long trip north. It's the best time to see hummingbirds in South Dakota.

Spanning hundreds to thousands of miles, the hummingbirds — known as the smallest bird in the world — begin their trips from South America or Mexico.

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Flickr/Putneypics

That is where they settle every fall to avoid freezing temperatures and inclement weather in the late winter/early spring.

Despite beginning their trip in late February/early March...

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Flickr/USFWS Mountain-Prairie

...the hummingbirds will not reach their nesting grounds in Canada until after September when they finish their "break" in South Dakota. Even though they have such small frames, their wings are mighty - flapping rapidly about 15 to 80 times per second.

While their wings are impressive enough, the heart of these tiny birds is even more incredible, as their heart can beat up to 1,260 times per minute.

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Flickr/dragonseye

On the contrary, if we were running, say, on a trail, our heartbeat would only beat between 100 and 160 bpm, on average!

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Since traveling up to 23 miles a day can be exhausting for hummingbirds, experts recommend helping them along their way with fresh sugar water.

A hummingbird feeding from a bright red flower-shaped feeder with a yellow opening.
Trent Jonas/OnlyInYourState

Start shopping for the best hummingbird feeders now and they should be emptied no later than two weeks after your last bird sighting.

Though there are more than 300 known species of hummingbirds...

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Wikimedia Commons

the most common in South Dakota is the ruby-throated Hummingbird, which is most commonly found in the eastern part of the state.

Are you looking forward to seeing hummingbirds in South Dakota? Did you get a chance to see some of last year's migration? Tell us about it (or share your photos) in the comments!

For even more springtime fun around the Mount Rushmore State, check out this article: Seeing The Arc Of Dreams Is The Perfect Way To End Your Evening In Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

For some breathtaking views of South Dakota, check out this video:

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Nature|Wildlife & Farms

The Largest Pumpkin Patch In South Dakota Is A Must-Visit Day Trip This Fall

Published Sep 19, 2023

Written by 

Tori Jane

Fall in South Dakota is a time of great magic, isn't it? The air is crisp and cool. Sometimes, there's a breeze. The evening temperatures steadily drop from night to night, and before long, winter threatens to move in. It's a wonderful transitional season, and heaven knows we've got plenty of awesome traditions to enjoy upon its arrival each and every year. Take, for example, an absolutely huge pumpkin patch in South Dakota that sums up all the best things about the season in one amazing place: It's the Spearfish Corn Maze & Pumpkin Patch, and it's an experience. 

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For more than a decade now, this awesome family farm in South Dakota has been hosting one of the greatest pumpkin patches in the country, among other things.

A dirt road splits at a fork, leading to fields and a sign for a farm, with mountains in the background under a blue sky.
K Bigs/Google Local

It's so much more than just a pumpkin patch - so much we can't list it all in one short article.

You'll find pumpkins, gourds, and squashes available as decoration options.

Baskets of colorful gourds and pumpkins displayed at a market, surrounded by dried corn husks.
Spearfish Corn Maze & Pumpkin Patch/Facebook

The farm also offers up decorative corn stalks, too, which are always an interesting addition to your autumn decor options.

The biggest draw is, however, the wonderfully enormous pumpkin patch, which features a seemingly endless field of pumpkins in a wide array of shapes and sizes.

A field filled with bright orange pumpkins scattered across dry grass.
Spearfish Corn Maze & Pumpkin Patch/Facebook

...that, or the positively humongous corn maze. We say both.

Kids will love the pumpkins, the maze, and all the other fun stuff meant just for them.

Children playing in a corn pit, surrounded by hay bales, with adults nearby taking photos on a cloudy day.
Tomilyn DeLong/Google Local

There's a hay jump, a tire climb, a petting zoo... the list goes on. We suppose you'll just have to bring the family and experience it!

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Admission is wonderfully affordable, at just $15 per person (13 and up).

A young girl plays with toy cars on a corn-filled ground, surrounded by other children enjoying the outdoor activity.
Dan Ruby/Google Local

Youths aged four to 12 years get in for just $10. Small ones three years and under are free.

You can pick as many pumpkins as you'd like; just keep in mind that they're sold individually and based on weight.

A vast pumpkin field filled with numerous orange pumpkins scattered across dry, brown soil.
Boris Western/Google Local

I, personally, will be looking for the single most exaggeratedly enormous pumpkin on the premises...

...maybe even this one.

A large pumpkin with a smiling face sits on a trailer in a field, with people and smaller pumpkins in the background.
Spearfish Corn Maze & Pumpkin Patch/Facebook

Need the perfect fall sweater to enjoy this huge pumpkin patch in South Dakota? Our good friends at LL Bean have plenty of options that you're sure to fall in love with. For more information about the Spearfish Corn Maze & Pumpkin Patch, be sure to visit the official website.

What are your favorite things to do in South Dakota during the fall? Let us know!

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