Plan Your Ghost Town Road Trip To Snoma, South Dakota

Start your journey by taking US Highway 385 through ponderosa pine corridors toward Snoma’s Finnish Cemetery, where weathered headstones mark the only remnant of this vanished railroad community. You’ll find the Michelson Trail crossing where tracks once ran, then continue to nearby Galena for outdoor recreation and Maitland’s visible shaft houses at coordinates 44.0847, -103.7462. Base yourself in Deadwood’s historic district for guided tours and underground mine exploration, with Custer State Park’s Wildlife Loop Road ($25 for seven days) breaking up your ghost town hunting with bison herds and prairie vistas that’ll reveal South Dakota’s layered history beyond what maps show.

Table of Contents hide

1 Key Takeaways

2 Getting to Snoma: Route Options and Scenic Byways

3 Exploring the Abandoned Buildings and Historic Railroad Remnants

4 Nearby Ghost Towns Worth Adding to Your Journey

5 National Park Stops and Natural Attractions Along the Way

6 Deadwood Base Camp: Historic Tours and Overnight Accommodations

7 Frequently Asked Questions

7.1 What Should I Pack for a Ghost Town Road Trip in South Dakota?

7.2 Are the Abandoned Buildings in Snoma Safe to Explore?

7.3 What Is the Best Time of Year to Visit Snoma?

7.4 Do I Need a Special Permit to Access Snoma Ghost Town?

7.5 Are There Restaurants or Gas Stations Near Snoma?

8 References

Key Takeaways

Snoma is a ghost town with no remaining structures; only the Finnish Cemetery with weathered pioneer headstones marks the former Finnish immigrant settlement.
Access Snoma via the Michelson Trail, which crosses where railroad tracks once ran before being torn up, leading to the town’s decline.

Combine your visit with nearby ghost towns: Galena offers recreation and festivals, while Maitland features visible shaft houses at specific coordinates.
Use US Highway 385 or Native American Scenic Byway for scenic routes through ponderosa pines and rolling prairie instead of monotonous interstates.
Base yourself in Deadwood, a National Historic Landmark 30+ miles away, offering guided tours, ghost town exploration, and historic attractions.

Getting to Snoma: Route Options and Scenic Byways

The journey to Snoma becomes an adventure in itself when you trade the efficiency of Interstate 90 for South Dakota’s network of scenic byways. I’ve discovered that US Highway 385—the Black Hills Parkway—offers the most liberating route, winding past Pactola Reservoir‘s glittering waters and through ponderosa pine corridors. You’ll find byway viewpoints perfect for stretching your legs between Rapid City and Hill City, where Snoma waits in silent decay.

The Native American Scenic Byway presents another option, following Highways 1806 through rolling prairie where roadside history markers tell stories of Sitting Bull and Wounded Knee. For more information about these routes and other scenic drives, visit the Travel South Dakota website. These routes reject interstate monotony, embracing sharp turns and unexpected vistas. Allow extra time—these winding roads demand it, but reward you with authentic wilderness experiences. South Dakota’s six scenic byways include both national and state-designated routes that guide travelers through the state’s most remarkable landscapes.

Exploring the Abandoned Buildings and Historic Railroad Remnants

When you arrive at Snoma’s coordinates expecting weathered homesteads and skeletal railway trestles, reality delivers a sobering truth: this ghost town earned its “barren site” classification honestly. Buildings were hauled off to Glenham decades ago, leaving empty pastures where Finnish immigrants once built their community.

The impact of railroad decline on town fortunes becomes starkly clear—when tracks to Hanna were torn up after lumbering operations ceased, Snoma’s fate was sealed. Like Barren, Snoma represents ghost towns with no remaining structures, where civilization has completely vanished. Similar to Okaten, which saw its population declined after Milwaukee Road bankruptcy in 1980, railway failures proved devastating to these prairie communities.

Your sole destination here is the Finnish Cemetery, where weathered stones reveal the historical significance of Snoma Cemetery through names and dates of pioneer families. The Michelson Trail now crosses where rail once ran. Everything else? Gone. Respect private property boundaries, snap photos from roadways, and move on—there’s nothing else to explore.

Nearby Ghost Towns Worth Adding to Your Journey

Five ghost towns cluster within an hour’s drive of Snoma, transforming your sparse cemetery visit into a legitimate exploration route. You’ll discover mining equipment relics scattered across these abandoned sites, from Maitland‘s shaft houses to Spokane‘s mica-yielding quartz operations.

Galena delivers the strongest experience with outdoor recreation opportunities—their second-Saturday-in-June bash features bluegrass music and self-guided hikes through Civil War veteran graves. The town went through cycles dependent on railroad line operations and mining company activities, experiencing its most significant abandonment in the 1940s.

Your Extended Route:

Galena (8 miles from Deadwood): Alpine setting, restored Catholic church, annual June festival
Spokane (17 minutes from Powder House Lodge): 1890s gold rush disappointment turned mica producer

Etta (5 minutes from Keystone): Tin-to-lithium mining evolution, spodumene processing remnants
Maitland: Visible shaft houses at coordinates 44.0847, -103.7462
Ardmore: Agricultural ghost town hosting fire station reunions

Throughout the northern Black Hills, you can follow abandoned railroad grades that once served logging operations and mining communities. These routes offer additional exploration opportunities beyond the main ghost town sites.

National Park Stops and Natural Attractions Along the Way

Beyond abandoned settlements and weathered headstones, South Dakota’s Black Hills deliver some of America’s most concentrated natural spectacles—and you’ll pass several en route to Snoma. Mount Rushmore’s Presidential Trail offers 422 steps through native wildlife habitats where you’ll spot mountain goats near the carved faces.

Custer State Park’s Wildlife Loop Road ($25 for seven days) puts you face-to-face with bison herds roaming freely. The park stretches over 71,000 acres and encompasses granite peaks, grasslands, and mountain waters that support abundant wildlife populations year-round. Wind Cave and Jewel Cave provide underground escapes from summer heat—ranger-led tours reveal intricate passages formed over millennia. Wind Cave features the densest cave system in the world with rare boxwork formations still developing today.

Spearfish Canyon’s three waterfalls cascade through limestone walls, with trailhead parking at Latchstring Restaurant where you can refuel on local cuisine. Each stop breaks up highway monotony while connecting you to landscapes that dwarf human timelines.

Deadwood Base Camp: Historic Tours and Overnight Accommodations

Roughly sixteen miles northwest of Snoma, Deadwood functions as your operational headquarters—a town where history isn’t preserved behind velvet ropes but woven into every creaking floorboard and brass-fitted saloon door. Jeannine Guern’s guided history walking tours run six days weekly, tracing Wild Bill Hickok’s final steps through this National Historic Landmark. Ghost tours penetrate the Lucky Nugget Casino‘s former brothel chambers and Adams House’s spirit-inhabited corridors.

Your Deadwood Base Camp Essentials:

Mount Moriah Cemetery’s $3 million restoration reveals where outlaws rest eternally
Broken Boot Gold Mine’s underground passages simulate dynamite-era prospecting
Bullock Hotel’s Queen Anne architecture provides haunted lodging experiences
Self-guided brochures from the Visitor Center map Calamity Jane’s paths
Brothel Museum preserves prostitution history from 1876 through 1980’s raid

The Original Deadwood Tour offers a one-hour narrated journey through Deadwood and Mt. Moriah “Boot Hill” Cemetery
Ghosts & Graves of Gunslingers Gulch tour provides skip-the-line access to Deadwood’s darkest legends

Frequently Asked Questions

What Should I Pack for a Ghost Town Road Trip in South Dakota?

Pack layers for temperature swings, two water bottles, sunscreen, and a rain jacket. You’ll want packing lightweight camping gear like a sleeping bag and pad. Don’t forget bringing along a metal detector—you might uncover forgotten treasures in abandoned homesteads.

Are the Abandoned Buildings in Snoma Safe to Explore?

No, you can’t safely explore Snoma’s buildings—they’re on private property with serious structural integrity concerns. Like forbidden ruins, they’re crumbling from decades of neglect. Photograph from public roads instead, respecting property lines while taking necessary safety precautions.

What Is the Best Time of Year to Visit Snoma?

Visit Snoma during late June through August when you’ll enjoy warm sunny weather and pleasant temperatures averaging 68-80°F. You’ll have long daylight hours for exploring, though you’ll encounter fewer crowds if you go in early September instead.

Do I Need a Special Permit to Access Snoma Ghost Town?

You don’t need special permits since the cemetery’s on public land. However, nearly 60% of ghost towns involve private property access, so watch for trespassing concerns. Stay on county roads and respect any posted boundaries for hassle-free exploration.

Are There Restaurants or Gas Stations Near Snoma?

No, Snoma’s a true ghost town without services. You’ll find nearby fuel stations and local diner options in Lead, Deadwood, or Sturgis—stock up before venturing out. Pack snacks and fill your tank for this remote adventure.