Ghost town · South Dakota
Pactola
Pactola is a ghost town in South Dakota, at a modelled elevation of 1,359 m. Black Elk Peak stands 2,207 m to the south, 15 miles off. The nearest named place is Perrin Mountain, a peak 0.9 miles away. Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway passes 12 miles off.
ghost town in South Dakota, United States
How to reach it
Coordinates44.07360, -103.48380
- 12.0 mi off the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway, National
- 24.5 mi off the Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway
- 24.7 mi off the Wildlife Loop Road Scenic Byway
Overlooks nearby
- Breezy Point Overlook & Picnic Area · 13 mi
- Mount Rushmore Viewpoint · 14 mi
- Borglum View Terrace · 14 mi
- Historic Viewing Terrace · 14 mi
Named places within 25 miles
Peaks
- Perrin Mountain: 0.9 mi
- Thrall Mountain: 2.3 mi
- Scruton Mountain: 3.0 mi
- Norris Peak: 3.3 mi
- Hat Mountain: 3.4 mi
Artworks
- Pronghorn: 9.9 mi
- Patriarch: 10.6 mi
- The Arches: 11.0 mi
- Tyranosaurus Rex: 11.8 mi
- Apatosaurus: 11.8 mi
Parks: 59
- Pactola Reservoir Recreation Area: 2.4 mi
- Presbyterian Church Camp: 3.6 mi
- Wheaton College Summer Camp: 3.8 mi
- Cliffside Park: 8.6 mi
- Braeburn Park: 8.9 mi
Attractions: 34
- Stratosphere Bowl: 9.6 mi
- 1880 Train (Hill City): 10.7 mi
- Bippity Boppity Bounce: 10.9 mi
- Winnie the Pooh garden: 10.9 mi
- Three Little Pigs: 10.9 mi
Museums: 22
- Civilian Conservation Corps Museum: 10.1 mi
- Black Hills Institute: 10.7 mi
- South Dakota State Railroad Museum, Ltd.: 10.8 mi
- Dinosaur Museum: 12.0 mi
- Keystone Historical Museum: 12.7 mi
Ghost towns: 12
- Merritt: 6.3 mi
- Teddy Bear: 8.5 mi
- Tigerville: 10.2 mi
- Addie Camp: 10.6 mi
- Greenwood: 10.8 mi
Historic sites: 11
- Lookout Mill: 11.0 mi
- Fallen Officers Memorial: 12.0 mi
- The Berlin Wall at Memorial Park: 12.7 mi
- Mount Rushmore National Memorial: 13.5 mi
- The Quarter Pounder with Cheese: 16.6 mi
Beaches: 3
- Sheridan Lake North: 6.4 mi
- Sheridan Lake South: 7.2 mi
- Sylvan Lake Beach: 16.2 mi
Gardens: 3
- terrace: 11.3 mi
- William Noordermeer Gardens: 11.3 mi
- Memorial Park Rose Gardens: 12.8 mi
Cliffs: 3
- Dam Back Side: 16.1 mi
- Ephel Duath: 16.2 mi
- Aquarium Rock: 16.4 mi
Picnic sites: 2
- Spring Creek: 6.7 mi
- March-Dake Plaza: 13.7 mi
Waterfalls: 1
- Thunderhead Falls: 3.7 mi
Rest areas: 1
- I-90 Black Hillls Welcome Center: 16.4 mi
Summits around it
The highest named summits within 17.0 miles of Pactola. Elevation from each summit’s own record; bearing measured between the two coordinates.
| Summit | Bearing | Elevation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Elk Peak | S 189° | 2,207 m | 14.5 mi |
| Odakota Mountain | SW 232° | 2,194 m | 17.0 mi |
| Little Devil's Tower | S 190° | 2,134 m | 15.5 mi |
| Copper Mountain | SW 234° | 2,111 m | 15.9 mi |
| Medicine Mountain | SW 226° | 2,086 m | 16.0 mi |
| Saint Elmo Peak | SSW 202° | 1,954 m | 15.0 mi |
| Samelias Peak | S 179° | 1,952 m | 9.8 mi |
| Elkhorn Mountain | S 187° | 1,940 m | 13.1 mi |
When to go
Light through the year
| Date | Sunrise | Golden hour | Sunset |
|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | 06:58 | 18:28 | 19:06 |
| June solstice | 05:12 | 19:57 | 20:41 |
| September equinox | 06:42 | 18:15 | 18:53 |
| December solstice | 07:27 | 15:31 | 16:19 |
Local time (America/Denver).
Climate normals
Months averaging 50–80 °F: Jun–Sep.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg °F | 24 | 24 | 31 | 38 | 48 | 58 | 65 | 63 | 54 | 42 | 33 | 25 |
| Precip in | 0.3 | 0.6 | 1.1 | 2.3 | 4.3 | 3.5 | 3.1 | 2.4 | 1.6 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 0.4 |
1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, NOAA NCEI — Pactola DAM, under a mile away.
Where this comes from
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