Overview
Pine Ridge is a town in South Dakota and the tribal headquarters of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.
2 sights · 1 places to eat · 1 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Pine Ridge
Wounded Knee Battlefield
The site of the Wounded Knee Massacre in 1890; over 250 Sioux were killed. There is a Wounded Knee Museum in nearby Wall.
The Heritage Center at Red Cloud Indian School
A museum of Lakota and other Native American cultures, art gallery, and gift shop.
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: May–Sep. Summer highs reach about 85°F; winter lows dip to about 15°F. Cold months (Jan, Dec) can bring snow and ice; check road conditions. Wettest: May and Jun. (climate data from nearby Wind Cave National Park)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- CDR Chadron Municipal Airport, Chadron — 30 mi away. Directions
- AIA Alliance Municipal Airport, Alliance — 68 mi away. Directions
- DEN Denver International Airport, Denver — 245 mi away (major hub). Directions
Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Sample 1-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Wounded Knee Battlefield
- Lunch Higher Ground Coffee Shop
- Afternoon The Heritage Center at Red Cloud Indian School
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
See
See Wounded Knee Battlefield
The site of the Wounded Knee Massacre in 1890; over 250 Sioux were killed. There is a Wounded Knee Museum in nearby Wall.
Do
- Hunting for game such as ring-neck pheasant, giant Canada goose, deer, elk, buffalo, prairie dogs and turkeys.
Eat
Eat Higher Ground Coffee Shop
Drink
Alcohol is illegal on the Pine Ridge Reservation, despite several efforts to permit it.
Sleep
Go next
- Mount Rushmore National Memorial and Crazy Horse Memorial, both near Custer.
- Badlands National Park contains the largest, protected mixed grass prairie in the United States.
Nearby
Chadron
City / town · 13 listings · 26 mi away
Crawford
City / town · 17 listings · 49 mi away
Badlands National Park
Park · 32 listings · 50 mi away
Hot Springs
City / town · 5 listings · 55 mi away
Wind Cave National Park
Park · 7 listings · 58 mi away
Minuteman Missile National Historic Site
Park · 3 listings · 66 mi away
Alliance
City / town · 18 listings · 66 mi away
Custer State Park
Park · 6 listings · 66 mi away
My experience
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