Belle Fourche

Belle Fourche (pronounced behl FOOSH) is a city in the Badlands and Black Hills region of South Dakota. It is the closest settlement to the geographic center of all 50 states of the United States (the geographic center of the 48 contiguous states is in Lebanon, Kansas).

Get in

Belle Fourche is at the junction of US Highways 85 and 212.

  • 🌍 Belle Fourche Municipal Airport. FAA code EFC. General aviation only, no scheduled service. (updated Feb 2023)

See
  • 🌍 Geographic Center of the Nation Monument, 415 5th Ave, ☏ +1 605 892-2676, toll-free: +1-888-345-5859. A 21 foot diameter etched granite structure in front of the town's visitor information center and museum, honoring Belle Fourche as the town closest to the center of the nation. 
  • 🌍 The actual geographic center of the nation. The actual geographic center is located on private property outside of town. Drive north on US Hwy 85 about 13 miles, turn left onto Old Hwy 85 (marked by a small blue sign with white lettering), and drive another 7.8 miles until you see a barn on the left. On the right side of the road is a sign telling you that you have reached the center of the nation. On the pasture there is a US flag and a geographic survey marker that marks the center of the nation. The ranch owner allows visitors to reach this spot, but you will have to climb through a barbed wire fence and dodge cow pies and snakes to get to it. He didn't want a larger monument to be developed on his property, which is why the monument was built in Belle Fourche proper. 

Eat

Drink

Sleep

Go next
Routes through Belle Fourche
Belfield ← Bowman ←  N  S  → Spearfish → Cheyenne
Billings ← Crow Agency ← Jct N S ←  W  E  → Watertown → Minneapolis


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