National Historic Site

Minuteman Missile National Historic Site

Midwest

About Minuteman Missile

During the Cold War, a vast arsenal of nuclear missiles were placed in the Great Plains. Hidden in plain sight, for thirty years 1,000 missiles were kept on constant alert; hundreds remain today. The Minuteman Missile remains an iconic weapon in the American nuclear arsenal. It holds the power to destroy civilization, but is meant as a nuclear deterrent to maintain peace and prevent war.

From the National Park Service.

Region: Midwest
State: South Dakota
Designation: National Historic Site
Entrance fee: None listed

Trail data for this park is still being added.
Places for this park are still being added.

Know before you go

Fees, hours, weather and getting to Minuteman Missile.

Entrance fees

The National Park Service lists no entrance fee for this park.

Hours

Delta-09 Missile Silo

Mon: 9:00AM - 3:00PM
Tue: 9:00AM - 3:00PM
Wed: 9:00AM - 3:00PM
Thu: 9:00AM - 3:00PM
Fri: 9:00AM - 3:00PM
Sat: 9:00AM - 3:00PM
Sun: 9:00AM - 3:00PM

Visitors are invited to go inside the fenced compound and look down into the silo at a Minuteman missile in its historic state, protected by a glass viewing enclosure. A narrated ranger guided tour of Delta-09 is available year-round using your cell phone. Inclement weather may close this site on occasion.

Weather and when to go

Rapid weather changes are common in the western South Dakota area where Minuteman Missile National Historic Site is located. Variations from season to season and from year to year are great. Characteristics of the climate are hot dry summers and bitterly cold winters. Wind is a constant on the Great Plains, winds in excess of 50 mph not uncommon. During the winter season, winds typically blow from the north-northwest and have been known to cause wind chills in excess of -40 degrees.

Getting there

Minuteman Missile National Historic Site is located at three sites along a fifteen mile stretch of Interstate 90 in western South Dakota. The Visitor Center is located immediately north of I-90, exit 131. The two historic sites which make up the park are four miles (Launch Control Facility Delta-01) and 15 miles (Launch Facility Delta-09) from the Visitor Center. No public transportation systems serve the park.

Directions from the National Park Service

Contact the park

Address: 24545 Cottonwood Road, Philip, SD 57567
Phone: (605) 433-5552
Email: mimi_information@nps.gov
Official site: nps.gov/mimi

From the National Park Service, checked weekly. Fees, hours and road conditions change: confirm with the park before you go.

Trip planner

A day-by-day plan for Minuteman Missile

Tell us your dates and what you are into. We group the stops by where they are, so each day is one part of the park, not a zigzag.

Plan your park trip Free. No account needed.

Things to do in Minuteman Missile

The park service's own list, with how long each takes.

Tour the Front-line of the Cold War at Delta-01

Guided Tours · about 50 min · Reservation required

Learn what it was like to have the awesome responsibility of thermonuclear war at your fingertips. The thirty-minute guided tour of the control center at Delta-01 begins with a wa…
The Minuteman Missile Mobile Tour

Self-Guided Tours - Walking · about 35 min

A Mobile Phone guided tour of Delta-09 and Delta-01 is available for visitors to learn the history of Minuteman Missile on the Great Plains and how it was operated for thirty year…
Spot a (Former) Nuclear Missile Silo

Scenic Driving · about 2 hours

The South Dakota landscape hides former missile silo sites in plain sight - many of them can be found in-between Minuteman Missile National Historic Site, Interstate 90, and Badla…
Get Your National Park Passport Stamped at Minuteman Missile

Hands-On · about 15 min

The Passport program was started by Eastern National in 1986 and was established to help visitors discover the beauty and history found in America’s national parks. Cancellation s…
Visit the Delta-01 Launch Control Facility

Scenic Driving · about 45 min

For every 10 Minuteman nuclear missiles (know as a Flight) there would be a Launch Control Facility that housed Air Force personnel. Delta- 01 occupies an open, grassy tract of la…
Driving Delta Flight

Scenic Driving · about 3 hours

This activity is a vehicle-based driving tour beginning at the visitor center, and visiting all eleven locations that made up Delta Flight. Follow in the path of Air Force personn…
Consider Deterrence and Destruction at Delta-09

Self-Guided Tours - Walking · about 15 min

Gaze Armageddon in the face with a visit to the Delta-09 missile silo. The viewing enclosure over the silo allows for visitors to gaze directly down at a Minuteman II missile. Con…