This Scenic Train Ride In South Dakota Offers Stunning Views During Winter

There's something iconic about a steam-powered engine pulling a train through a snowy wonderland. Perhaps it's Hollywood nostalgia, or maybe it's a love of history that links these winter scenes to trains in our collective consciousness. But in Hill City, South Dakota, the link is very real thanks to the 1880 Train that offers snowy views from its windows and winter warmth from within its cabins.

Dubbed the 1880 Train because its founder, William Heckman, had a passion for the 19th-century decade responsible for the railroad expansion across the United States, the attraction was designed to celebrate the beauty of early American rail travel. Since the 1950s, the 1880 Train has offered narrative trips through South Dakota, some of them along the original track, through the scenic Black Hills between Hill City and Keystone. It's a wildly different experience than zipping through crowded alpine towns or the snowy ski resorts of Utah, but still a wonderful family-friendly way to ring in the holiday season.

While the 1880 Train operates throughout the year, it takes on a special personality in the winter. Between November and December, it transforms into the Holiday Express and includes a stop at the "North Pole" for Christmas enthusiasts. There, Santa and Mrs. Claus hop aboard and join passengers on their return trip to Hill City. Tickets are available online via the official website.

While Christmas is certainly a theme aboard the 1880 Train in the winter, there are options for travelers looking for varied experiences. For adults, there's the "Holiday Express Spiked!" ticket option. As its name implies, travelers can add some additional holiday cheer to their drinks, if they so choose. It's also an experience exclusively available to passengers 21 years of age or older.

For those with young ones who would like to upgrade their experience, a "First Class" ticket will ensure bonus time with Santa and Mrs. Claus. Smaller passenger cars are utilized for this more exclusive ride, which includes souvenirs like commemorative mugs. Once Christmas has passed, the 1880 Train continues celebrating the season with its "Winter Express," which still offers views of the wintry landscape and seasonal treats served at your seat, but without the celebrities — who by this time of the year have headed back to the North Pole.

To ensure parties are seated together, it's recommended that a single reservation is made to cover a group. Although the ride on these rails is far from the longest train route in America, each round trip takes just over two hours. Every ticket includes seating and holiday-themed refreshments like hot cocoa and sugar cookies.

The 1880 Train departs from Hill City, which is less than a 30-minute drive west of Mount Rushmore, one of the USA's most iconic attractions. It's also located near the entrance to the George S. Mickelson Trail, a former railroad-turned-walking-trail that enters the Black Hills National Forest. The trail is open year-round and is part of a 450-mile network of paths that wind through the forest.

Hill City is called the "Heart of the Hills," and it comes by that name honestly. Its charming downtown — full of galleries, restaurants, and hotels — makes accessing the outdoor recreation offered by the Black Hills easy, even in winter when the landscape turns snowy. And if you visit South Dakota in the winter, you're going to see snow. An average of 56 inches of the white stuff falls each year at the 1880 Train's depot. While the most snow falls between March and April, December and January see an average of 5 inches of snow with an average temperature near 25 degrees Fahrenheit.

For those looking to fly into South Dakota to experience the 1880 Train, Rapid City Regional Airport is about 40 minutes away by car. Those traveling long distances will likely need to connect in Denver, Las Vegas, Dallas/Fort Worth, or Minneapolis, since direct flights to Rapid City are limited. Shuttles, taxis, and rideshare companies all serve the airport. There are also multiple rental car companies and motorcycle rental services available.