Deadwood Self-Guided Walking Tour
Explore Deadwood South Dakota on a self-guided audio tour
Walk Deadwood’s historic streets, infamous saloons, and Wild West landmarks
At a Glance
📍 Location: Deadwood, SD
🚶♂️ Type: Self-Guided Walking Tour
⏱ Duration: 2 hours (flexible)
📏 Distance: 1.7 mi / 2.75 km
✅ Includes: App download, GPS-triggered audio, No expiration
📶 Works Offline: Download ahead of time - no cell service required
🎧 Multiple Languages: English, Spanish
From $9.99 per phone
Use anytime. No expiration.
What to Expect
Explore Deadwood on a self-guided audio walking tour through Main Street, old saloon sites, frontier landmarks, and Mount Moriah Cemetery. As you walk, GPS-triggered stories reveal how the 1876 gold rush shaped a rough Black Hills boomtown filled with outlaws, fortunes, and lasting legends.
Tour Highlights
Walk Deadwood’s historic Main Street and surrounding gold rush district
Visit landmarks tied to Wild Bill Hickok, Calamity Jane, Seth Bullock, and Jack McCall
See famous sites like Saloon No. 10, the Bullock Hotel, Adams Museum, and The Gem Theatre
Explore the story of Deadwood’s saloons, brothels, hotels, and frontier fortunes
Continue to Mount Moriah Cemetery for some of the town’s most visited gravesites
Pause anytime for museums, photos, food, drinks, or views
Experience the Wild West on a Deadwood Self-Guided Tour
Walk the rugged streets of historic downtown on a Deadwood self-guided tour that plays automatically through your smartphone's GPS. Starting near the city center, you’ll follow a walkable route past historic buildings while the legendary stories of the Wild West unfold around you.
Deadwood Tour Highlights & History
Along the way, you will visit iconic landmarks that defined the American frontier:
Adams Museum: Uncover the pioneer history and artifacts of the Black Hills
Saloon No. 10: Step inside the famous site where Wild Bill Hickok played his final hand
Mount Moriah Cemetery: Pay your respects at the resting places of Hickok and Calamity Jane
As you walk, you will discover how the 1876 gold rush transformed a lawless gulch into a booming town of gunslingers, outlaws, and massive fortunes.
Explore at Your Own Pace
Enjoy complete flexibility. Pause your Deadwood self-guided tour to pan for gold, grab a drink at a local saloon, or snap photos of the historic architecture. The audio resumes exactly where you left off, letting you move freely without the pressure of keeping up with a guided group.
How Your Self-Guided Tour Works
This is a self-guided experience with no in-person guide. Download the tour app in advance and start whenever you are ready. The tour works entirely offline and uses your location to trigger stories seamlessly along the route.
What You’ll See on Your Deadwood Walking Tour
Historic Main Street
Wander down the very same brick-lined streets where infamous outlaws and hopeful gold seekers forged the spirit of the Wild West. This beautifully preserved thoroughfare immerses you in authentic 1876 architecture and the captivating history of the Black Hills.
Mount Moriah Cemetery
Perched high on a picturesque cliff overlooking Deadwood Gulch, this storied graveyard serves as the final resting place for the town's most legendary pioneers. Take a peaceful walk among the Victorian-era headstones to uncover the fascinating, often tragic tales of the people who shaped this frontier town.
Wild Bill Hickok Gravesite
Pay your respects to the legendary gunslinger whose larger-than-life story ended suddenly during a fateful poker game at Saloon No. 10. You can join the generations of visitors who still leave playing cards and coins at the base of his bronze bust in tribute to an American icon.
Calamity Jane Gravesite
Visit the resting place of the fierce, buckskin-clad frontierswoman who famously requested to be buried right beside Wild Bill Hickok. Her gravesite offers a poignant reminder of the bold, independent women who defied expectations to brave the rugged realities of the Dakota Territory.
Original Site of Saloon No. 10
Stand on the exact spot where Wild Bill Hickok drew the infamous "Dead Man's Hand" just moments before his untimely demise. This historic location provides a thrilling, tangible connection to one of the most notorious assassinations in American frontier history.
Days of ’76 Museum
Dive deep into the pioneer and rodeo heritage of the Black Hills through an award-winning collection of authentic horse-drawn wagons and stagecoaches. This state-of-the-art facility brings the trials, triumphs, and daily lives of the earliest Dakota settlers into vivid focus.
Adams Museum
Uncover the region's most intriguing mysteries, from the legendary Thoen Stone to rare dinosaur fossils, inside Deadwood's oldest history museum. It operates as a fascinating treasure trove of frontier oddities and artifacts that tell the true, unvarnished story of this gold rush town.
Historic Adams House
Marvel at the exquisite Queen Anne-style architecture and original Victorian furnishings preserved inside this lovingly restored 1892 mansion. Beneath its elegant veneer lies a gripping narrative of local prominence, sudden tragedy, and a complex family legacy.
Broken Boot Gold Mine
Descend into the subterranean world of the 1870s gold rush by exploring the authentic, century-old tunnels of a real mining operation. This immersive experience lets you feel the dark, rugged conditions that hopeful prospectors bravely endured in their ultimate quest for riches.
Historic Bullock Hotel
Admire the grand architecture of Deadwood’s oldest hotel, built in 1895 by the town's legendary first sheriff, Seth Bullock. Beyond its beautiful facade, this stately landmark is famously known among visitors and locals alike for ongoing rumors of lingering spirits.
The Brothel Deadwood
Take a respectful, eye-opening look into the hidden history of the women who worked in Deadwood's longest-running underground industry. This unique stop thoughtfully explores the complex social dynamics of the frontier town, from the initial gold rush era all the way to 1980.
Seth Bullock Gravesite
Hike the steep, scenic path through Mount Moriah Cemetery to visit the secluded burial site of Deadwood’s most formidable lawman. Positioned specifically so his spirit could forever gaze upon his beloved Mount Roosevelt, the site rewards you with breathtaking views of the surrounding Black Hills.
Outlaw Square
Take a breather in this lively downtown gathering space that regularly hosts vibrant community events, live music, and historical reenactments. It serves as the modern beating heart of Deadwood, seamlessly blending contemporary outdoor entertainment with authentic historic charm.
Silverado-Franklin Historic Hotel
Step into the opulent lobby of this 1932 landmark that has proudly hosted everyone from American presidents to Hollywood legends over the decades. Its stunning period architecture perfectly captures the glamorous era of Deadwood that emerged long after the dust of the gold rush finally settled.
Deadwood History & Information Center
Housed in a beautifully restored historic train depot, this welcoming center is the perfect springboard for your self-guided journey. Stop by to admire the classic railroad architecture and gather expert local insights that will enhance your entire Black Hills adventure.
Jack McCall Capture Site
See the exact historic location where the cowardly assassin Jack McCall was finally cornered after fatally shooting Wild Bill Hickok. It is a compelling piece of true crime history that vividly brings the chaotic aftermath of Deadwood's most infamous murder to life.
Mount Moriah Chinese Section & Burner
Honor the vital cultural contributions of Deadwood’s early Asian immigrant population at this historically significant burial ground. Featuring a beautifully restored ceremonial burner, the site offers a quiet place for reflection on the diverse communities that helped shape the frontier.
The Gem Theatre
Uncover the notorious history behind Al Swearengen’s infamous entertainment house, once the dark epicenter of early Deadwood’s illicit vices. Though the original structure was lost to fire, standing at the site invokes the gritty, cutthroat reality of life in the 1876 mining camp.
Deadwood Main Street Sign
Capture the perfect souvenir photo beneath the iconic welcome sign that proudly spans across the town's historic central artery. It is a classic, must-do photo op that perfectly frames the beautiful, brick-lined frontier architecture stretching out behind it.
Homestake Adams Research & Cultural Center
Delve deeper into the area's rich past at this premier archival repository dedicated entirely to preserving Black Hills history. It stands as a fascinating architectural landmark holding the original documents, photographs, and blueprints that physically built the region.
Meeting Point
Your Deadwood walking tour begins at the Deadwood History & Information Center.
The Deadwood History & Information Center can be found on Siever Street, between Deadwood Street and Pine Street. It is beside the Adams Museum..
FAQs About Our Deadwood Audio Walking Tour
-
There is a suggested donation of $5 for adults and $3 for children to visit the Adams Museum.
This is included in the Deadwood Individual Adult Museum Pass, at a cost of $22, for the Adams Museum, Days of ’76 Museum, and Historic Adams House.
Visit the Deadwood History, Inc website for more information.
-
Admission to the Broken Boot Gold Mine costs the following:
Child (5 & Under): Free
Student (6–17 yrs): $10.00
Adult (18–59 yrs): $12.00
Senior (60+): $10.00
Military (With ID): $10.00
AAA: $10.00
Visit the Broken Boot Gold Mine website for more information.
-
Admission to the Calamity Jane Gravesite is included in the entrance fee to the Mount Moriah Cemetery. This is $2.00 in cash.
Visit the Mount Moriah Cemetery website for more information.
-
Admission to the Days of ’76 Museum costs the following:
Adults: $10
Children (6–12): $5
Children (5 & Under): free
This is included in the Deadwood Individual Adult Museum Pass, at a cost of $22, for the Adams Museum, Days of ’76 Museum, and Historic Adams House.
Visit the Deadwood History, Inc website for more information.
-
Admission to the Historic Adams House costs the following:
Adults: $12
Children (6–12): $5
Children (5 & Under): Free
This is included in the Deadwood Individual Adult Museum Pass, at a cost of $22, for the Adams Museum, Days of ’76 Museum, and Historic Adams House.
Visit the Deadwood History, Inc website for more information.
-
The entrance fee to Mount Moriah Cemetery is $2.00 in cash.
Visit the Mount Moriah Cemetery website for more information.
-
Admission to the Mount Moriah Chinese Section & Burner is included in the entrance fee to the Mount Moriah Cemetery. This is $2.00 in cash.
Visit the Mount Moriah Cemetery website for more information.
-
Admission to the Seth Bullock Gravesite is included in the entrance fee to the Mount Moriah Cemetery. This is $2.00 in cash.
Visit the Mount Moriah Cemetery website for more information.
-
The entrance fee to The Brothel Deadwood is $15.00 per person.
-
Admission to the Wild Bill Hickok Gravesite is included in the entrance fee to the Mount Moriah Cemetery. This is $2.00 in cash.
Visit the Mount Moriah Cemetery website for more information.
-
Tours are fully refundable up to 24 hours in advance.
If it’s within 24 hours or you had an issue during your tour, email support@drivesanddetours.com. We review all requests individually and will always do our best to make things right.
Our goal is to ensure every traveler has a great experience exploring with Drives & Detours.
-
You will walk for three miles on Drives & Detours’ Deadwood tour. This is mostly easy and along flat, well-paved surfaces. There are some hills to climb.
-
Yes, downloading the Drives & Detours app will give you full access to the tour you have purchased, as well as many other self-guided tours.
-
Download the tour before you go. Some areas have poor signal, which can make downloading the tour difficult. Once the tour is downloaded, it will work without any cell signal
The tour audio plays automatically as you approach each stop
Want to see more? Tap “View Stop” to see photos and bonus content
To return to the map, tap the small down arrow between the “previous” and “next” buttons
Follow the blue line and audio directions to stay on route
Use audio controls to pause, rewind, or skip—just like a podcast
Safety first: Keep your eyes on the road or sidewalk, follow traffic laws, and stay aware of your surroundings
-
No—download your Deadwood tour before you go, and you won't need a cell signal. Drives & Detours’ tours work without any cell signal once they are downloaded to your device.
-
Once you have purchased your Deadwood walking tour from Drives & Detours, you can use it whenever you want. You can always take the tour another day if the weather is bad on the day you plan to take it.
-
Unfortunately, Drives & Detours cannot guarantee that the Deadwood self-guided tour is accessible. People with wheelchairs, strollers, or mobility impairments are very welcome, but we recommend checking the Travel South Dakota website for detailed information.
Pro Tips for Your Drives & Detours Deadwood Self-Guided Tour
Download before you go.
Enable location services—GPS triggers the audio.
Use earbuds, headphones, or your car speakers.
Pause and resume anytime. If you take a break, just reopen the app and head back toward your last stop.
Lost your way? Tap any pin on the map, then tap the right-turn-arrow icon to open your default maps app for turn-by-turn directions to that spot.
Drives & Detours' Nearby(ish) Tours
Yellowstone Grand Loop Drive
Discover Yellowstone’s geysers, canyons, and wildlife at your own pace on this self-guided Grand Loop driving tour. GPS-triggered audio brings each landmark to life with stories of fire, ice, and history—plus insider tips on where to stop and what to safely skip. From Old Faithful to Hayden Valley, explore the park’s most iconic sights without missing a thing.
Discover Denver’s Historic Lower Downtown (LoDo)
Step into Denver’s history with our self-guided LoDo walking tour. Explore the city’s founding at the confluence of rivers, its gold rush boom, and the preserved landmarks that remain today. With rich audio narration, you’ll uncover how this historic neighborhood continues to shape Denver’s identity.
Chicago Loop Self-Guided Audio Walking Tour
The Loop is the vibrant center of Chicago where soaring architecture, legendary art, and centuries of history come together. From the Willis Tower and the Art Institute to Cloud Gate and the Chicago River, every block tells a story of ambition and reinvention. Explore the city’s architectural icons, public plazas, and hidden corners with GPS-activated audio on this self-guided walking tour.
Discover More Drives & Detours
