If you drive just outside the East side of the city, you’re sure to have a pleasant drive through South Dakota’s best looking prairie. If you venture out about 10 miles outside of city limits to the town of Valley Springs, South Dakota, there is a point where the states of South Dakota, Iowa, and Minnesota meet. The Tri-State Marker marks this spot.
The marker sits at the edge of a river, farmland, a dirt road, and a semi-busy country road. It’s quite a pleasant place to stop if you’re in the area. There’s plenty of room to park and step out to stretch your legs while posing for social media photos where you get to honestly proclaim “I am in 3 states!”.
Despite having been vandalized many times over the years, the marker sits proudly along the road wearing scars from high school kids who have left their mark on the iron post.
A plaque sits inside the marker’s concrete base displays the 160 year history of the marker.
Some of the battle scars the Tri-State Marker has taken over the years.
The Tri-State Marker probably isn’t something you’d set out to see specifically on a journey through the Sioux Falls area. But it’s definitely something to cross off your bucket list if you happen to be in the area.