Frequently Asked Questions

Blue curbs mark accessible on-street parking, and some properties, such as The Lodge at Deadwood, are described as ADA compliant. We did not find an official accessibility guide for the historic district, and we couldn’t confirm wheelchair access on the trolley. Call the city at 605-578-2082 and contact each venue before you go.

Sources: City of Deadwood: On-Street Parking, Travel South Dakota: Wheelchair Accessible Hotels & Lodging, Travel South Dakota: Accessibility Resources

Rapid City Regional Airport (RAP), which Travel South Dakota calls the main flight hub for western South Dakota. It is about 52 miles from Deadwood, roughly an hour by car.

Sources: Travel South Dakota: Plan Your Deadwood Trip, Deadwood Chamber: Parking & Transportation

Within town, yes. The Historic Main Street Urban Trail covers under a mile, and the trolley reaches the rest of town. The Chamber also lists private shuttle and taxi companies for other trips; call them for rates and service areas.

Sources: City of Deadwood: Historic Main Street Urban Trail, City of Deadwood: Trolley Schedule, Deadwood Chamber: Parking & Transportation

Deadwood is far below the level usually linked to altitude illness. NOAA’s Deadwood station sits at about 4,670 feet, while the CDC flags risk for unacclimatized travelers sleeping at 8,000 feet or higher, and sometimes lower. Ask your doctor if you have concerns.

Sources: NOAA GHCN station list, CDC Yellow Book: High-Altitude Travel and Altitude Illness

Warm days and cool nights. NOAA’s 1991-2020 normals for the Deadwood station show July highs near 83°F and lows near 56°F. Travel South Dakota notes that summer days can reach 90°F or higher.

Sources: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 monthly normals, Deadwood station, Travel South Dakota: Plan Your Deadwood Trip

NOAA normals for Deadwood show January highs near 38°F and lows near 14°F. Nearby Lead, which sits higher, averages about 184 inches of snow a year, and April is its snowiest month at about 29 inches, so plan for late-season snow.

Sources: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 monthly normals, Deadwood station, NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 monthly normals, Lead station, NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 annual normals, Lead station

It depends on what you want. Travel South Dakota calls summer the most popular season, and fall a beautiful shoulder season. Winter is quieter, with skating at Outlaw Square and events like the January snocross races.

Sources: Travel South Dakota: Plan Your Deadwood Trip, Outlaw Square: Skating and Ice Bumper Cars

The rally runs for ten days in early-to-mid August, and the Deadwood Chamber promotes the town as a place to stay during it. Plan on motorcycle traffic and book ahead, or pick another week for a calmer trip. Some regular programs pause: Outlaw Square’s 2026 concert series skipped a week for the rally.

Sources: City of Sturgis: Rally dates, Deadwood Chamber: Sturgis Rally, Outlaw Square: Summer Concert Series

21. South Dakota law says anyone taking part in gaming must be 21 or older, and a licensee may not let anyone younger play. A violation is a Class 1 misdemeanor for the player and for the licensee.

Sources: SDCL 42-7B-35, SD Department of Revenue: Gaming

Slot machines and limited card games, plus craps, roulette and keno, which arrived on July 1, 2015. Sports wagering began in September 2021. The bet limit was raised to $1,000 in 2012.

Sources: Deadwood Gaming Association: FAQs, SDCL chapter 42-7B

The South Dakota Department of Revenue lists a toll-free helpline at 1-888-781-HELP (4357), which refers callers to nearby support groups. The state also offers a self-exclusion request form.

Sources: SD Department of Revenue: Gaming

Nobody under 21 may gamble, and state alcohol law also limits people under 21 lingering on premises licensed for alcohol. Many casinos share a building with restaurants and hotels, so ask the property about its rules for younger guests.

Sources: SDCL 42-7B-35, SDCL 35-4-79

The city lists the cemetery as open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., mid-May to mid-October, with limited maintenance in winter. Entry costs $2, cash only, and the gift shop has an ATM. RVs, buses and vehicles towing trailers can’t drive up because of the road grade.

Sources: City of Deadwood: Mount Moriah Cemetery, City of Deadwood: City Parking

Deadwood’s public gathering space at 703 Main Street. It hosts concerts, movies, markets and reenactments, plus synthetic-surface skating and ice bumper cars from fall through spring. It stands on the former site of City Hall and the Deadwood Theater, destroyed by fire in 1952.

Sources: Outlaw Square: About, City of Deadwood: Outlaw Square

The Deadwood Welcome Center at 501 Main Street and the History and Information Center at 3 Siever Street both have information desks open daily, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., year-round, plus public restrooms. The Welcome Center restrooms stay open during trolley hours.

Sources: Deadwood Chamber: Deadwood Welcome Center, Deadwood Chamber: History & Information Center

Only during approved events. City rules ban open alcohol containers in public places, except on licensed on-sale premises or in a container the City Commission approved for a special event. Approved events use marked zones, with signs where you enter and leave. Some events limit drinks to beer and wine.

Sources: City of Deadwood: Special Event Open Container Information, Deadwood Chamber: Mardi Gras

Yes. Under South Dakota law, drinking distilled spirits in a public place, including a street, is a Class 2 misdemeanor, apart from licensed premises and locations covered by a local permit.

Sources: SDCL 35-1-5.3, SDCL 35-1-5.5

The city points visitors to remote overflow parking during large events and says to call the Deadwood Area Chamber of Commerce at 605-578-1876 for details. Outlaw Square’s parking guide asks people not to park in residential neighborhoods. We did not find rally-specific parking rates or rules from the city. The Chamber’s rally page listed free motorcycle parking in 2026 at the History and Information Center lot and on part of Main Street, so check it for the current year.

Sources: City of Deadwood: City Parking, Outlaw Square: Directions & Parking

Yes. The city lists free lots at the Welcome Center (north end, 219 spaces), Sherman Street (280 spaces), the Deadwood Event Complex, the South Gateway on Highway 85, and the Deadwood Hill Trail Head on US 85. The Event Complex lot can close during city events and on some fall Friday nights.

Sources: City of Deadwood: City Parking

The city lists on-street rates of $2.00 an hour on Lower Main Street and $1.00 an hour on Upper Main Street between Pine and Armory streets. Parts of Sherman, Deadwood and Lee streets and Siever Street are also paid. The Broadway Parking Ramp and the History and Information Center, Miller Street and Railroad Street lots are pay-by-plate at kiosks. The 2026 fee schedule sets the ramp at $5 for 24 hours from October through April, $10 from May through September, and $15 on special event weekends.

Sources: City of Deadwood: City Parking, City of Deadwood: On-Street Parking

RVs are allowed at several free lots, including the Welcome Center, Sherman Street and the Event Complex. They are not allowed on Main Street or in the Broadway Parking Ramp. Unattached trailers may stay only at the Deadwood Hill Trail Head lot, for up to 7 days. Overnight camping is not allowed in city public parking.

Sources: City of Deadwood: City Parking, City of Deadwood: On-Street Parking, City of Deadwood: Broadway Parking Ramp

Partly. The Chamber lists bars and restaurants that welcome pets, some on seasonal patios only. Pets are not allowed at Mount Moriah Cemetery, though service dogs are welcome. Deadwood also requires residents to license cats and dogs. Check with a business before you bring a pet in.

Sources: Deadwood Chamber: Pet-Friendly Bars and Restaurants, City of Deadwood: Mount Moriah Cemetery, City of Deadwood: Police

No. The trolley listing says pets are not allowed. Food and beverages aren’t allowed either.

Sources: Deadwood Chamber: Deadwood Trolley

Generally no. South Dakota bans smoking in enclosed public places and workplaces, and the chapter defines smoking to include vaping devices. The exceptions include posted smoking rooms in hotels and certain cigar bars that qualify under the statute.

Sources: SDCL 34-46-14, SDCL 34-46-13, SDCL 34-46-1, SDCL 34-46-17, SDCL 34-46-18

The city-run trolley’s schedule lists stops at hotels, casinos, seasonal campgrounds, attractions and the Welcome Center. A ride costs $2 per person in cash or one token, and a day pass costs $8. It serves Deadwood city limits only and does not run 24 hours.

Sources: City of Deadwood: Trolley Schedule, City of Deadwood: Trolley schedule, revised April 21, 2025, Deadwood Chamber: Parking & Transportation

The city’s trolley page lists 8 a.m. to midnight Sunday to Thursday and 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday, in both winter and summer, with extra trolleys for part of some days. Other city documents differ on some times, so see our trolley page and confirm with the city at 605-578-2082.

Sources: City of Deadwood: Trolley schedule, revised April 21, 2025, City of Deadwood: Trolley Schedule