Notable waterfall · Pennington, South Dakota
Thunderhead Falls
Thunderhead Falls is a waterfall in Pennington, South Dakota.
Thunderhead Falls: crowds and conditions
Typical pattern: moderate; weekends busier. Been there recently? Post today’s status and it shows here for the next traveller.
Status options for this waterfall: Water flowing well · Low flow / trickle · Dry, no water · Entry closed.
Best time to visit Thunderhead Falls
Season: July to January, best August to November right after rains; most dry up from February to June.
Busiest days: Weekends and long holidays.
Crowd: Moderate; weekends busier.
Typical week: Mon light · Tue light · Wed light · Thu light · Fri light · Sat busy · Sun busy.
How to reach Thunderhead Falls — distance from nearby cities
Coordinates: 44.05764, -103.41325. Road distances are estimates; the road-trip planner uses real routes and adds stops worth the detour.
Places to visit near Thunderhead Falls
- Stavekirke Chapel · church · Pennington · ~11 km · Must-see
- Sheridan Lake Dam · lake · Pennington · ~12 km · Must-see
- Pactola Reservoir Recreation Area · lake · Pennington · ~12 km · Must-see
- Storybook Island · park · Pennington · ~15 km · Must-see
- Reptile Gardens · sanctuary · Pennington · ~17 km · Must-see
- Dinosaur Park · park · Pennington · ~17 km · Must-see
- Sitting Bull Crystal Caverns · cave · Pennington · ~17 km · Must-see
- Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Help · church · Pennington · ~19 km · Must-see
- Hotel Alex Johnson · fort · Pennington · ~19 km · Must-see
- The Journey Museum · museum · Pennington · ~20 km · Must-see
- Horse Thief Lake Dam · lake · Pennington · ~24 km · Must-see
- Black Hills Institute · museum · Pennington · ~24 km · Must-see
- Mount Rushmore · sanctuary · Pennington · ~25 km · Must-see
- Lincoln Borglum Visitor Center · museum · Pennington · ~25 km · Must-see
- Iron Mountain · viewpoint · Pennington · ~28 km · Must-see
- Black Elk Wilderness · sanctuary · Pennington · ~28 km · Must-see
- Lakota Dam · lake · Custer · ~29 km · Must-see
- Black Elk Peak · viewpoint · Pennington · ~29 km · Must-see
Other waterfalls near Thunderhead Falls
- Spearfish Peak · waterfall · Lawrence · ~68 km · Must-see
- Spearfish Falls · waterfall · Lawrence · ~66 km
- Roughlock Falls · waterfall · Lawrence · ~67 km
- Bridal Veil Falls · waterfall · Lawrence · ~68 km
- Waterfall On River St · waterfall · Fall River · ~87 km
- Cascade Falls in Hot Springs South Dakota · waterfall · Fall River · ~87 km
- Fall River Falls Placard · waterfall · Fall River · ~91 km
- Mirror Creek Falls · waterfall · Lawrence · ~92 km
- Upper Windy Pine Falls · waterfall · Lawrence · ~94 km
- Lower Windy Pine Falls · waterfall · Lawrence · ~94 km
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) · Overture Maps Foundation (CDLA-Permissive-2.0)
Frequently asked
Is Thunderhead Falls flowing now?
No visitor has reported the water flow status for Thunderhead Falls yet. Typical pattern: moderate; weekends busier. Busiest: Weekends and long holidays.
What is the best time to visit Thunderhead Falls?
July to January, best August to November right after rains; most dry up from February to June. Moderate; weekends busier.
What are the places to visit near Thunderhead Falls?
Nearby: Stavekirke Chapel (church, 11 km), Sheridan Lake Dam (lake, 12 km), Pactola Reservoir Recreation Area (lake, 12 km), Storybook Island (park, 15 km), Reptile Gardens (sanctuary, 17 km), Dinosaur Park (park, 17 km).
Is Thunderhead Falls worth visiting?
Thunderhead Falls is listed as a notable waterfall in South Dakota on Spotwander.