DOG-FRIENDLY PARKS IN SIOUX FALLS, SD

The Big Sioux River's falls, dropping 100 feet through quartzite rock formations, gave the city its name and original economic purpose. This city of 192,000 sits at 1,400 feet elevation in southeastern South Dakota, where the river curves through the urban core. Continental climate brings harsh winters averaging around 15°F with substantial snow, and warm summers reaching the mid-80s. The surrounding landscape consists of rolling prairie, with the river valley creating the area's most dramatic topographic feature. Sioux Falls has grown beyond its original falls area, spreading across both banks with suburban development extending in all directions.