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Voykit pocket guide · United States

Kadoka

Skip as a destination: use it as a quick fuel-and-snack stop on I-90 between Wall and Rapid City, or a base for the Badlands Petrified Gardens (15 min).

Kadoka is a small town (pop. 654) on I-90 in the Badlands region of South Dakota. Its main draw is the Badlands Petrified Gardens, a roadside attraction open April–October. Most travellers pass through in 30 minutes; one night works if you want a cheap motel before entering Badlands National Park.

Sketch, not to navigate by: shapes follow this guide’s areas and places, not official boundaries. North is up.

Country: United States
Best months: May–Sep
Avoid: Nov–Mar (most attractions closed)
Stay: 0–1 nights

Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.

Essentials

Currency: USD
Money: Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for tips and small vendors.
Daily spend: Budget $60–90 excl. bed · Mid $90–150 excl. bed (estimate; check)
SIM and data: AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.
Emergency: Police / Fire / Ambulance 911
Plugs: Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Chargers are dual-voltage; hair dryers and straighteners from 230 V countries need a converter.
Tipping: Sit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: US$1–2 per drink or 20% of the tab.; Taxi / ride-hailing: 15–20%, in the app.; Hotel housekeeping: US$3–5 a night.; Porter / valet: US$2–5 per bag or car.; Tour guide: US$10–20 per person for a day tour.; Counter service / tablet prompts: Optional; 0–15%.
Water: Tap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.
Toilets: Free public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations. Rest areas on highways are free.

What things cost

Item	Price
Coffee (gas station or café)	$2–4
Burger and fries	$8–12
Motel double room	$70–150
Petrol (per gallon)	$3–4

Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.

Get in

By air

RAP · Rapid City Regional Airport: About 1 h 15 min west on I-90

Typical fares

I-90 from Kadoka to Rapid City: about 1 h 15 min, no toll
I-90 from Kadoka to Wall: about 20 min

Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card

Get around

You need a car. I-90 runs east–west; local roads are paved but sparse. No public transport.

See and do

Known for

Badlands Petrified Gardens
I-90 pit stop

Day trips

Where	How	Time
Badlands National Park	I-90 east to Exit 131 (Pinnacles entrance), about 30 min	About 40 min
Wall, South Dakota	I-90 east, about 20 min	About 25 min
Rapid City	I-90 west, about 1 h 15 min	About 1 h 20 min
Custer	US-16 west from Rapid City, about 1 h 30 min	About 1 h 40 min

Sleep

I-90 Exit 150 area: Motels and fast food; convenient for a single night.

Phrase card

English	Say or show
Hello	Howdy
Thank you	Thanks
How much is it?	How much?
Where is the petrol station?	Where's the gas station?

Etiquette, safety and scams

Etiquette

Greeting: Handshake and 'hi, how are you?' — reply 'good, thanks'; avoid: Treating the question as a real health enquiry
Restaurants: Tip 18–22% and wait for the check; avoid: Leaving without tipping
Personal space: Keep an arm's length in queues; avoid: Standing close to strangers
Politics and religion: Listen more than you speak; avoid: Opening with hot-button topics
Smoking: Smoke only in marked areas; avoid: Smoking near doors or in parks where banned

Scams and watch-outs

Petrified Gardens closes for winter (check exact dates).
No petrol stations in town after 22:00 (check).
Cell service can be patchy on the highway.

Very safe. Watch for deer on the highway at dusk and summer heat (35°C (95°F)+).Very safe. Watch for deer on the highway at dusk and summer heat (95°F (35°C)+).

One and two days

No timed day plan for Kadoka yet. Suggested stay: 0–1 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.

Badlands Petrified Gardens
I-90 pit stop

Sources

Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.

Wikivoyage: Kadoka, revision 5226601 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5226601

Pocket card

Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.

Kadoka

To this address, please

My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)

Police / Fire / Ambulance911

Voykit · checked 2026-09

Printed from Voykit (/kadoka). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.