Most people think South Dakota is just flat grass or jagged Black Hills granite. They’re wrong. Tucked away in the far southeast corner, right near Canton, is a place called Newton Hills State Park that feels like it was stolen from the Appalachians and dropped into the prairie by mistake. It’s a literal oasis of hardwood forest.
I’ve spent a lot of time wandering through these woods, and honestly, the geology here is what makes it so strange. It’s part of the Coteau des Prairies. This is a massive plateau shaped by glaciers that didn't quite flatten everything in their path. While the rest of the region was getting scoured into pancake-flat farmland, this little slice of the "Big Sioux River" valley held onto its ridges and deep ravines.
If you're coming from Sioux Falls, it’s only a thirty-minute drive. But once you pull past the entrance, the sky disappears. You’re under a thick canopy of oak, basswood, and black walnut trees. It’s dark. It’s cool. It smells like damp earth and decaying leaves even in the middle of a July heatwave.
The Hiking Reality Check
Don't come here expecting a casual stroll through a city park. The trails at Newton Hills State Park can be surprisingly brutal if you aren't ready for the verticality.
Take the Woodland Trail. It’s a loop, technically, but it’s more of a stair-climber workout disguised as a nature walk. You’re constantly dropping into these deep, muddy draws and then hauling yourself back up the other side. The roots are everywhere. They trip you up. But the payoff? You get to see the forest floor covered in bloodroot and Dutchmen's breeches in the spring. It’s a botanist’s dream.
📖 Related: Where to Actually See a Space Shuttle: Your Air and Space Museum Reality Check
The Turkey Run trail is a bit more forgiving, but it’s often overgrown by mid-summer. You’ll want long pants. Trust me on this—the wood ticks here are legendary. I’ve come off a three-mile hike and pulled six of them off my socks. It’s just part of the price you pay for being in one of the few places in the state where the biodiversity actually feels crowded.
More Than Just Trees
The wildlife is the real draw for the locals. Because it’s an isolated forest in a sea of cornfields, every animal for fifty miles treats this place like a sanctuary.
- White-tailed deer are basically everywhere. You’ll see them at dawn near the campgrounds, completely unfazed by humans.
- Wild turkeys strut around like they own the place.
- Birdwatchers lose their minds here because you get species like the Scarlet Tanager or the Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, which you just don't see in the open plains.
What Most People Get Wrong About the History
There’s a lot of folklore about the "outlaws" who used to hide in these hills. People love a good bandit story. While it’s true that the rugged terrain of Newton Hills State Park offered decent cover for anyone avoiding the law in the late 1800s, it wasn't exactly a Wild West fortress.
The real history is in the names. The park is named after William Newton, an early settler who arrived in the 1850s. But long before him, the Woodland Culture Indians lived here. You can still feel that ancient presence in the burial mounds scattered throughout the region. It’s a heavy kind of silence when you’re standing near those sites. It reminds you that this forest has been a refuge for humans for thousands of years, not just since the state decided to put up some picnic tables and a bathhouse.
👉 See also: Hotel Gigi San Diego: Why This New Gaslamp Spot Is Actually Different
Camping at Newton Hills: The Honest Truth
If you’re planning to stay overnight, you need to book early. Like, months early. The campground is popular because it’s one of the few places in South Dakota where you can camp in the "deep woods" without driving eight hours to the Black Hills.
There are about 118 campsites. Most have electricity. They’re paved, which is nice for RVs, but the sites are a bit close together for my taste. If you want actual privacy, you’re better off looking at the camping cabins. They’re basic—just a bed, a table, and a heater—but they keep the raccoons away.
The raccoons at Newton Hills State Park are geniuses. I watched one unzip a cooler in under thirty seconds. If you leave your hot dog buns on the picnic table, they will be gone by midnight. It’s their park; you’re just paying the daily entrance fee.
The Seasonal Shift
Winter is actually my favorite time to visit. Most people flee when the snow hits, but the park stays open. The cross-country skiing is incredible, though the hills make it a "thigh-burner" experience. When the leaves are gone, you can actually see the bones of the land—the way the glaciers carved out the ravines and left those massive granite "erratics" (big boulders) just sitting in the middle of nowhere.
✨ Don't miss: Wingate by Wyndham Columbia: What Most People Get Wrong
Summertime is for the Sioux River Folk Festival. It’s held every August in the park’s outdoor theater. Imagine a natural bowl surrounded by massive oaks, filled with the sound of banjos and fiddles. It’s arguably the best weekend of the year in South Dakota. The acoustics in that little valley are hauntingly good.
Practical Tips for the First-Timer
- Get a Park Pass: Don't try to sneak in. The rangers are diligent, and the money actually goes back into trail maintenance.
- Bring Bug Spray: I cannot emphasize this enough. Between the mosquitoes near the creek beds and the ticks on the ridges, you’ll be miserable without it.
- Water: There aren't many pumps out on the trails. Carry more than you think you need, especially in August when the humidity in the trees hits 90%.
- Check the Map: The trail markings are... okay. Not great. It’s easy to get turned around in the ravines because every ridge looks exactly like the last one.
Actionable Steps for Your Visit
If you're going to do Newton Hills State Park right, don't just drive through the loop and leave. You have to get out of the car.
Start by hitting the Sergeant Creek area. It’s quieter than the main campground. Spend an hour just sitting still. You’ll hear the woods wake up. Then, tackle the Bluebird Trail if you want something easy, or the Hidden Hill trail if you want to feel the burn in your calves.
Check the South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks website before you go. They often have "Owl Prowls" or guided night hikes. Seeing this forest at night, with the wind whistling through the bur oaks, is an experience that stays with you long after you've headed back to the city.
Pack a lunch. Wear boots with actual tread. Leave the phone in the pocket. This isn't a place for scrolling; it’s a place for remembering what the Midwest looked like before the plow took over.