Free & Cheap Things to Do in Deadwood

Shopping & Strolling

A half-mile stroll through the Deadwood National Historic Landmark district, with 21 interpretive plaques covering the Gem Theatre, Bullock Hotel, Nuttal & Mann's No. 10 Saloon, and the spot where Hickok's killer Jack McCall was captured. The whole 1876 gold-rush downtown is preserved — false-fronted storefronts, brick saloons, and the original 19th-century street grid up the gulch.

Address: Main St, Deadwood, SD 57732 (start at History & Information Center, 3 Siever St)

Tip: Pick up the free pamphlet at the Deadwood Welcome Center or the History & Information Center on Siever Street — the plaques on the buildings reference numbered stops in the brochure. About 30 minutes at a walking pace, more if you duck into the saloons. Free parking in the city ramps and at the public lots off Main.

Historic Sites

The 1878 hillside cemetery overlooking Deadwood Gulch — final resting place of Wild Bill Hickok, Calamity Jane (buried at her request next to Bill), Seth Bullock, and Potato Creek Johnny. Paved roads wind through the Late Victorian plots; a small visitor center plays a 15-minute interpretive video and explains cemetery symbolism, death stats, and native plants.

Address: 1 Mount Moriah Dr, Deadwood, SD 57732

Tip: Cash only — there's an ATM in the gift shop if you need it. Open daily 8 a.m.–8 p.m. mid-May through mid-October, limited maintenance access in winter. Plan at least 30 minutes for the celebrity graves alone. No pets except service dogs; no RVs or trailers in the cemetery lot.

History & Culture

Three floors of Black Hills artifacts in a 1930 brick downtown building, including the original Thoen Stone (the 1834 inscription that first proved Europeans were in the Black Hills 40 years before the gold rush), a two-headed calf, an 1882 Edison phonograph, and Potato Creek Johnny's record-setting 7.75-ounce gold nugget. Operated by the nonprofit Deadwood History, Inc.

Address: 54 Sherman St, Deadwood, SD 57732

Tip: Free entry but the suggested donation keeps the lights on — they accept cash and card at the door. If you're hitting more than one Deadwood History property, the $13 combo with Days of '76 Museum or $22 combo adding the Historic Adams House beats individual tickets. Closed major winter holidays.

Museums & Galleries

A 32,000-square-foot museum on the north end of Main Street built around the city's annual Days of '76 Rodeo and parade — vintage carriages and wagons, ranching and rodeo gear, Lakota beadwork, and a Hall of Champions honoring the rodeo's PRCA winners since 1924. The horse-drawn parade equipment is one of the largest collections of its kind in the country.

Address: 18 Seventy Six Dr, Deadwood, SD 57732

Tip: Run by Deadwood History, Inc. — the $13 combo ticket gets you into Adams Museum as well, or $22 adds the Historic Adams House (April–October only). The actual Days of '76 Rodeo runs late July; the museum is the way to see the historic gear year-round.

History & Culture

The downtown saloon descended from Nuttal & Mann's No. 10, where Wild Bill Hickok was shot in the back of the head while holding aces and eights — the 'dead man's hand.' His death chair hangs above the front door. Free to wander; the free Wild Bill reenactment plays nightly across the street at Old Town Hall in summer.

Address: 657 Main St, Deadwood, SD 57732

Tip: The free reenactment of Hickok's killing and the trial of Jack McCall runs at Old Town Hall (12 Lee St) every night except Mondays at 7:30 p.m. from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Inside the saloon, the dead-man's-hand corner and the historic photos along the walls are the budget-traveler highlights. Open year-round.

Outdoors

A 109-mile rails-to-trails route on the old Burlington Northern grade between Deadwood and Edgemont — crushed limestone surface, gentle grades (rarely more than 4%), 100+ converted railroad bridges, and four old rock tunnels. The Deadwood trailhead is the northern terminus, right downtown next to the welcome center.

Address: Deadwood Trailhead, 3 Siever St, Deadwood, SD 57732

Tip: Trail passes are required for adults 12+ outside Deadwood city limits — self-pay stations at trailheads, or pick one up at the Deadwood Welcome Center. First 12 miles south to Rochford are the most scenic for a half-day bike ride. Trail is groomed for skiing in winter; bike rentals available downtown.

History & Culture

Three miles up the hill from Deadwood in Lead, the visitor center sits at the rim of the 1,250-foot-deep Homestake Open Cut — what's left after 126 years of gold mining produced more than 40 million ounces. The former mine is now Sanford Underground Research Facility, home to neutrino and dark-matter physics experiments a mile below your feet. 8,000-square-foot center, free.

Address: 160 W Main St, Lead, SD 57754

Tip: Open 9 a.m.–5 p.m. daily May through September, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Monday–Saturday October through April. The deck overlook is the highlight — bring binoculars to spot the mine ramps and headframes. Surface tours of the mine site are offered separately ($10 adults). About 5 minutes by car from downtown Deadwood.

Museums & Galleries

A 100+ year old hard-rock gold mine just outside downtown Deadwood, with a 45-minute guided walking tour through the original tunnels showing how the gold seams ran. Each ticket includes a 'stock certificate' and a gold-panning lesson at the surface sluice. The mine opened in 1878 and operated until 1904; tours have run since the 1950s.

Address: 1200 Pioneer Way, Deadwood, SD 57732

Tip: Open daily 8 a.m.–6 p.m. May 23 through Labor Day; the last regular tour leaves at 5 p.m. The mine stays a steady 47°F year-round so bring a layer. The $14 evening Candlelight Ghost Tour at 5:30 p.m. is the bigger experience for older kids and adults (ages 12+).