Black Hills Petrified Forest 8220 Elk Creek Road, Piedmont, SD 57769

"That was not what I expected. Let’s start with admission. It was EXPENSIVE for not very much to do. The trail was ok. The dirt road leading up to it was scary! It felt more like a biblical belief, it was odd. Honestly, the gift shop was not that great unless you’re into rocks and stones. The museum was confusing! My son wanted a coloring book that was thin for $10!!! Do not waste your money! Only thing I liked was the views."

"The biblical lecture at the beginning surprised and put me off. Was super glad my child was not in for that part. I would have not given them my money had I known they were probably Christofascists. I skipped the video & museum bc I wasn’t going to risk them trying to slip in more indoctrination. Kiddo enjoyed the hike. The trail was cool. Views were exceptional. The large xylophone made of petrified wood was the highlight for me and the 7 year old. Would not go back for that experience alone. It wasn’t worth $15 for a few minutes of that, I will make my own at home."

"This place is amazing! Being a rock lover the petrified wood was so cool to see. We were lucky enough to have a little bit of rain when we visited and it made the petrified wood so beautiful!!! The museum is done with great detail and the trail is easy to walk. We were allowed to take our dogs which was nice. It is so cool that this place was opened almost 100 years ago 1929. Will definitely be back with grandchildren!"

"This is a "mom & pop" run business. I went as a walk in visitor just for the petrified forest. The way the place is structured so that, you visit the gift shop first and pay for the entry. All the products appropriately relate to the rocks. Then you enter a movie room for an 18 minute movie...but I skipped the movie. Next I visited the museum. It is obviously built by a very gifted hobbyist. It would take days to truly examine every rock. It is very well organized and made with the viewer in mind. Then you exit to the head of the trail. The trail begins with a set of steps going down. You are provided with a laminated map that shows where the trail goes in which direction. Due to my physical disabilities, I followed the trail backwards over a wooden bridge. I saw the last piece of large petrified wood, number 25, and traveled in up to number 20. There is a rock shop at the end of the trail. There are a lot of options to buy things but prices are actually reasonable. The owners are very trusting, helpful and upfront about everything."

"What a hidden gem! I wouldn’t necessarily call it a tourist attraction but a natural educational stop. The new owner is very personable and took the time to answer my grandson’s many questions. The hike through the petrified forest was fun and beautiful! The number of stones and gems available for purchase is vast. Also a great little museum."