Fall in Love at Falls Park in Sioux Falls, SD
Falls Park is a great place to spend a day and fall in love with the place. They have everything that you can possible want to do and the relaxing sounds and the beauty of the falls.
Downstream from the falls just a bit is where they believe that the Dubuque house which was the local hotel around 1857 when Sioux Falls, Minnesota Territory was started. The primitive hotel was used for visitors but most likely as the post office, meeting hall, freight station, and anything else that the town needed.
The Stockyards AG Experience is in the park which you can spend a bit of time in. They have interactive activities which show how food goes from farm to your table for both children and adults. I really enjoyed listening to the some of the old timers talk about how things use to be.
The tower which includes a visitor center and a gift shop is the best place to start.
From the top, you can see the Falls, Sioux Falls, the Queen Bee Mill ruins, the park, and the quartz littering the park.
The park also has a statue dedicated to the Monarch of the Plains…
Plus other statues littered throughout the park. You just have to walk around and see them all!
On the banks of the waterfall is Falls Overlook Cafe. The Menu includes local farm fresh ice cream, milk shakes, PB& Banana Grilled Panini, Pork Nachos, wraps, sandwiches, salads, soups, Mom’s Meatloaf, and so much more!
On the left side, you can get a closer look at the falls…
And the Queen Bee Mill which was build starting in 1879. It was opened in 1881 but went bankrupt 2 years later. Several others tried to make a go of the mill but in the end, it became a warehouse.
In 1956, a fire destroyed the mill and grain elevator. The ruins remain and have been added to the National Register in 1984.
The upper falls area is pretty but all you have is an overlook and a nice little bit of a hiking area.
Standing close the falls is a bit loud but the crashing of the water brings a calmness over me and takes away all the stress.
Down the way a bit is a bridge over the fall which is a great place to see them.
I got this picture while I was walking under the bridge on some rocks.
The rocks are a reddish pinkish tint which don’t come through the camera as well as I would like them too.
The upper fall area has area to walk on the rocks with lots of little waterfalls. I imagine that they are covered when the water is higher and I hope to drive by again in early spring when the winter snow is melting.
Each park of the park has a different view of something remarkable. But I will be revisiting any time that I am passing through. The waterfall with the reddish pink rocks are just a favorite of mine.