When the cold sets in, towns answer with ice fishing derbies, sled events and winter carnivals. When South Dakota gathers, it does so at a scale that can surprise first-time visitors.

Ice fishing tournaments draw anglers to the frozen glacial lakes.

What sets it apart

Snowmobile rallies use the hills' extensive trail network. Small as it sounds, it is exactly the sort of thing that defines the experience on the ground.

Winter carnivals keep prairie towns lively through the cold months.

Why it matters

In the end, the story here is really a story about the northern plains and the people drawn to them. For the crowds who return year after year, it has become a fixture of the South Dakota calendar.