Jerauld County: Nature, Trails and History

Jerauld County combines wide-open landscapes, distinctive local history and experiences around Wessington Springs. The Wessington Hills divide the county near its center into a northern and southern part and extend completely through the county. Those looking for a vacation rental or holiday home for a trip with varied interests can combine nature, culture and regional traditions here.

Landscape and Trails Around Wessington Springs

A prominent landmark is Turtle Peak north of Wessington Springs. It is located on a 400-foot-high elevation and is named after an Indigenous mosaic depicting a large turtle body with its head facing the rising sun. Wessington Springs also offers a clear geographical reference point for trip planning: the town is located on Highway 34 in Jerauld County, six miles west of the intersection of Highway 281 and Highway 34.

The Old Grade Trail is aimed at visitors who want to combine exercise with landscapes and regional history. The trail first passes through a wooded riparian zone and woodland, then continues across open grassland to a viewpoint overlooking the James River Valley. Along the way, the described attractions include native and non-native plants, a historic bridge, a scenic overlook and opportunities for wildlife watching. This allows a trip to be planned around the desired focus, whether an interest in history, plants, landscapes or wildlife observation.

Bodies of water also give the area different points of interest. Long Lake GPA is located in Jerauld County, seven miles west and six miles north of Wessington Springs. Twin Lake is a natural lake on the border between Sanborn County and Jerauld County. Pheasant hunting is also possible throughout Jerauld County on 3,000 acres of public hunting land. These different landscape features can help you decide whether to base your accommodation more around the town of Wessington Springs or around an excursion focus elsewhere in the county.

Culture, History and Local Experiences

Wessington Springs has several distinctive buildings. The Anne Hathaway Cottage was built in 1932 based on plans that drew on a postcard of the original in Stratford-upon-Avon. West of the cottage is the Shakespeare Garden with the terraced Anne Hathaway Garden. The 1905 Opera House was built in 1905 and opened on November 3, 1905, to host live performances. The renovated building hosts numerous performances throughout the year, establishing a cultural focal point in the town.

The Municipal Field House and the Wessington Springs Carnegie Library offer further insights into the town's history. The Municipal Field House is a WPA-era project, continues to serve its original purpose and is a WPA stone building dating from 1936. The Carnegie Library was the last Carnegie library built in the state of South Dakota. The Methodist Episcopal Church of Wessington Springs is historically significant because of its Gothic Revival architecture and the special engineering design of its interior walls. The Jerauld County Courthouse is historically significant as the symbolic and functional seat of county government.

Seasonal and community experiences include the town's annual rodeo and the Kyle Evans Wagon Train. The latter celebrates Wessington Springs' Western heritage every year on the weekend after Labor Day. City Park has an ice-skating pond and a sledding hill with a unique Rube Goldberg lift. Those wishing to plan regional treats can visit Sweet Grass in Wessington Springs, a café and bakery offering cakes for all occasions.

Choosing a Suitable Base

When searching for a vacation rental in Jerauld County, it is worth first deciding on your preferred daily rhythm. Wessington Springs combines several cultural and local-history themes with convenient access to Highway 34. The Old Grade Trail, Long Lake GPA and Twin Lake, by contrast, offer different landscape-focused experiences in the county. Your accommodation decision can therefore be based on whether you primarily want to plan walks, scenic viewpoints, historic buildings, performances, regional traditions or excursions to bodies of water. The places and experiences mentioned can be considered individual travel ideas without combining them into a single route.

Discover More Destinations

For further orientation, you can also view Alpena as well as Stanley, Pennington, Yankton, Jones County, Minnehaha, McCook County and Davison County.

For the overarching travel overview: South Dakota.