Relaxing state park, historic hike, destination bakery await just south of Sioux Falls

This paid piece is sponsored by Travel South Dakota.

This summer, a tour of southeastern South Dakota can show you one of the oldest state parks, a restaurant in a hardware store and one of the very spots Lewis and Clark stood as they made their way west.

And, you can win prizes along the way if you get your Peaks to Plains Passport virtually stamped. The digital South Dakota passport program – offered through the state Tourism Department – encourages people to explore the history and places that make South Dakota special. 

People earn prizes when they check in to destinations using the free mobile-exclusive passport. Ready to get started? Here are three spots to check out.

Union Grove State Park

Union Grove State Park, just off Interstate 29 approximately 13 miles south of Beresford at 30828 471st Ave. is the perfect family park – and one of the oldest in South Dakota, said Jason Baumann, district park supervisor. In the 1930s, well before it was a state park, residents gathered there to relax and swim.

If you’re wondering where, you aren’t alone. The park used to have a lake, and adventurous visitors can still find the old dam and spillway in the park, he said. The park also once had an arboretum. Now long gone, there are still some long-lived trees there, such as Mongolian oaks, Baumann said.

Fun fact: It’s also the highest spot in Union County. “On a clear day, you can see the DakotaDome in Vermillion,” he said.

One of the best parts of the park is the campground – a small loop with space for RVs and a few tent sites. “It’s small yet very popular,” Baumann said. The little loop is perfect for kids to cruise while waiting for the s’mores – maybe the best part of camping.

He recommends booking early through CampSD.

“We also have miles of multiuse trails on which to stretch your legs or your horse’s legs as we do allow horseback riding on the trails,” he said. “And bird watching, fishing on Brule Creek, biking and geocaching also are very popular.”

Baumann said the trails are the perfect way to explore. There are spots to learn about the history of the arboretum and the lake near the day-use area. “See if you can find some of the forgotten arboretum trees,” he said.

The park also is close to Vermillion, the University of South Dakota and Sioux City – creating a great starting point for local shopping, college visits and access to the Missouri River, Baumann said. “After a day of fun, you can unwind in the park and reconnect to nature and history.”

Spirit Mound Historic Prairie

Spirit Mound is a high point at the end of Turkey Ridge, north of Vermillion off Highway 19. It was one of the places Lewis and Clark visited during their expedition through the area. Their journals describe it, including their adventure to hike there and the view from atop the mound, Baumann said.

“They traveled to it because of the stories told to them about the local Native Americans – about little devils that roamed the mound and area,” he said. “It’s a must-see in the area.”

If you take the trail to the top of the mound, you can stand where they stood.

“Try to envision as you look around to the horizon what they would have seen and experienced while they stood on the mound after their journey there from the Missouri River,” he said.

On the way up, you can see a reconstructed prairie, which is similar to what the land looked like then. “You will see many different flowers and grasses that you can only see in prairie areas,” Baumann said. “The prairie attracts many species of birds, butterflies and insects. So keep a close eye and you will see a lot of natural beauty and wildlife.”

But Baumann encourages visitors to think about how Spirit Mound is a part of American history. “This is part of a historical trail that Lewis and Clark were on, and that trail changed history and how we view the West,” he said. “It really opened up the West to the first pioneers who changed history.”

Mister Smith’s Bakery, Cafe and Catering

Looking for this restaurant? Stop in Vermillion’s Ace Hardware.

That’s right – Mister Smith’s is located inside a hardware store at 812 Cottage Ave.

“Mister Smith” was Larry Smith – a former police captain from Connecticut. He started baking bread one day as a hobby, but when he developed Parkinson’s disease and retired from the police force, baking became a full-time job, according to the restaurant’s website.

“He and his wife moved to South Dakota to start a new chapter of their lives, and Larry started baking for a little coffee shop in downtown Vermillion,” according to the site. “Everyone loved Larry’s sticky buns, and it didn’t stop there. Larry was a loving man with a passion for making people happy and expressed it through his baking. Larry became known by everyone in town and was next offered an opportunity to bake bread for a sandwich shop, which eventually would be called “Mister Smith’s” in honor of Larry and his extraordinary talent.”

The shop still uses Smith’s recipes – turning the bread into sandwiches for everything from Reubens to Philly cheesesteaks to a portabella melt. It serves focaccia, peasant bread, dinner rolls and wraps.

The shop also caters and provides custom cakes.

How popular is it? Just ask Oprah Winfrey, who had an article written for her magazine in 2002 featuring Smith and his work in Vermillion. It’s still bringing in guests.

To learn more on the Peaks to Plains program, click below.

From ‘Peaks to Plains,’ explore undiscovered parts of S.D. parks with new passport program