Wall Drug Backyard

Ted and Dorothy Hustead bought the small drugstore in Wall in 1931, in the depths of the Depression, and for years it barely scraped by in a town most travelers blew straight past. The turning point came in 1936, when Dorothy suggested luring the hot, thirsty motorists on the nearby highway with a simple promise: free ice water. Ted put up signs, and the cars began to stop.

The idea worked beyond anything they imagined. Wall Drug grew from a struggling drugstore into a sprawling complex of shops, restaurants, and galleries, and its hand-painted signs multiplied along the roads until they became famous in their own right, mimicked and joked about across the world. Through it all, the free ice water has never stopped, a small act of hospitality that turned a dying prairie town's drugstore into an icon.

Behind the main store lies the Backyard, an outdoor courtyard designed as a play space and photo gallery of the Old West. Here families find a giant jackalope, that tall-tale hybrid of jackrabbit and antelope, to climb on and pose with, along with cowboys, a covered wagon, a mining scene, and other frontier statues scattered across the space.

A splashing water feature and shaded seating make the Backyard a genuine rest stop on a hot drive, a place to cool down and let kids burn energy. It is free to wander, low-key, and a little wonderfully silly, exactly the sort of unhurried, no-pressure attraction that fits the spirit of Wall Drug as a whole.

Wall owes much of its traffic to its position at the northern gateway to Badlands National Park. The striped spires and eroded canyons of the Badlands begin just south of town, and the park's scenic Loop Road, its overlooks, and its wilder Sage Creek country are all within easy reach.

That location, right off Interstate 90 between the Missouri River and the Black Hills, makes Wall a natural break on the long cross-state drive. Many travelers stop for the ice water and the Backyard and then swing down into the Badlands, or the other way around, making the store and the park a classic paired stop.

Spring brings mild weather and thinner crowds, a pleasant time to wander the Backyard before the summer rush, with the Badlands greening up just to the south.

Summer is the peak season, when the courtyard, the water feature, and the shade are most appreciated by families crossing the hot plains, and Wall Drug is at its busiest. Fall offers crisp air, golden Badlands light, and fewer people, some of the finest travel weather of the year. Winter is cold and quiet on the plains, with the store still welcoming travelers and the free ice water flowing even in the snow.

The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is a place we chose through independent editorial review, never a paid placement.

The Wall Drug backyard, at the famous Wall Drug Store in the town of Wall near Badlands National Park in western South Dakota, is a delightfully quirky outdoor area packed with fun photo opportunities, sculptures, and attractions behind the legendary roadside store. Wall Drug grew from a small-town drugstore into one of the most famous roadside attractions in the country, drawing travelers with its endless signs, and its backyard features a giant jackalope to ride, a T-Rex, Western-themed statues, a splash area, and countless photo spots, all in good fun. Its playful attractions make it a beloved family stop. A fun and iconic roadside attraction, it delights visitors. With its quirky backyard, Wall Drug offers a fun destination in South Dakota.

You can pose for photos with the giant jackalope, a T-Rex, and Western-themed statues, enjoy a splash area, explore the many quirky sculptures and photo spots, and take in the playful, only-in-a-place-like-this atmosphere behind the famous Wall Drug Store. The giant jackalope, the fun sculptures, the photo opportunities, and the playful attractions are the draws, making it a delightful family stop. The whimsical photo spots are highlights. With its backyard fun, Wall Drug offers a rewarding experience in South Dakota.

Wall Drug is famous as one of the great roadside attractions in the country, having grown from a small-town drugstore into a sprawling, beloved destination by drawing in travelers, originally with the promise of free ice water and endless billboards along the highways. Its fame, quirky charm, and countless signs have made it a legendary stop for generations of road-trippers crossing South Dakota. The backyard adds to the fun. Understanding this history adds to the charm of a visit to Wall Drug in South Dakota.

The warm months of late spring through early fall are the most pleasant for enjoying the outdoor backyard attractions and splash area, when the weather is mild and the store is at its liveliest, though Wall Drug is a stop travelers enjoy any time they pass through. Because some outdoor features are seasonal, checking current information before you go is wise. For the fullest backyard fun, aim for the warm months at Wall Drug in South Dakota.

The Wall Drug backyard is at Wall Drug in the town of Wall near Badlands National Park in western South Dakota, within reach of Badlands National Park with its loop road and overlooks, the Minuteman Missile site nearby, and the routes toward the Black Hills to the west. That makes the Wall Drug backyard a fun stop to combine with Badlands National Park and the other attractions of the area on a visit to South Dakota.