“If you were looking to live in a rural community, but still have access to larger communities, Murdo is ideal,” shared Murdo Area Economic Development director Ashley Geigle.
Located along Interstate 90, Murdo is less than two hours from Rapid City, two and a half hours from Sioux Falls, and 45 minutes from Pierre.
“We believe in the potential for continued growth and prosperity with opportunities still ahead for our community to thrive,” said Geigle.
This fall, 605’s multimedia designer Cailyn Patterson and I traveled the 211 miles from Sioux Falls to explore Murdo’s offerings.
“Murdo is the crossroads of America. Whether you’re driving coast to coast or from Mexico to Canada, at some point you’ll end up going through Murdo.” -Ashley Geigle
We met with Geigle at her office before checking into Range Country Lodging.
The independently owned lodge was designed to reflect the area’s history and ranching heritage.
“We put in a lot of research and posted many artifacts about people who homesteaded here in the 1900s, and all of our rooms have a Western motif to them,” explained owner Greg Miller.
YEEHAW, COWBOY!
Murdo was established in 1906 and named after Murdo MacKenzie—a prominent cattleman.
“The history fills the halls and it’s like a miniature museum,” said Geigle.
Range Country Lodging is thoughtfully equipped with 41 rooms, spacious suites in outbuildings, and amenities such as an indoor pool and hot tub, and a complimentary hot breakfast served out of a chuckwagon.
“We have more of a boutique hotel atmosphere, and we’ve gotten a great response from our visitors,” explained Greg.
Next up was a local favorite, Circle E Drive-In.
The popular institution has been in the community for four decades with two previous owners before Heather and Chad Whitney took the reins in 2022.
“We took the leap of faith and purchased the business because it was very successful,” shared Heather.
But the timing was bittersweet. Three days before opening, Heather and Chad’s son, Alec, passed away due to complications from Type 1 Diabetes.
“Our nickname for him was Big Al since he was six foot four, was a gentle giant, and loved anything to do with beef and cattle,” Heather reminisced.
The Whitneys created the Big Al Burger to keep Alec’s legacy alive.
AWARD WINNING BURGER
Circle E Drive-In’s infamous Big Al Burger has been named South Dakota’s Best Burger and titled one of the Top Five Burgers in the State by the South Dakota Beef Industry Council.
“When we bought the business, the previous owners said they ran a special jalepeño burger,” shared Heather. “They wanted us to continue serving it. We named it the Big Al because if you knew him, you liked him, and if you tried that burger, you liked it.”
Chad and Heather served us the Big Al, the Hawaiian Chicken, BBQ Wings, Cheddar Cheese Curds, and Potato Wedges with a side of Nacho Cheese.
For a sweet treat, we dove into what Circle-E calls a Cyclone; similar to a blizzard. While Patterson munched on the seasonal Apple Pie, I tried the Circle-E Special—a blend of chocolate, peanut butter, and banana.
After lunch, Patterson and I roamed around the Pioneer Auto Museum before grabbing dinner at Prairie Pizza.
Since opening in 2009, Prairie Pizza has become an instant favorite among locals.
“The community embraced us,” said owner Carma Miller, who is also the wife of aforementioned Greg.
“It was overwhelming at first, but it was worth it, as families joked with us saying they would go broke because they were ordering so many pizzas,” Greg chuckled.
Prairie Pizza offers gourmet pizza with a twist—the crust is lined with a cinnamon and sugar concoction and is served with a side of icing.
“My idea was that not everybody eats their crust, but everyone wants dessert,” explained Carma.
Geigle added, “I love when I’m in a different community and I hear, ‘I love the crust at your pizza place in Murdo,’ and you know exactly what they’re talking about.”
They also offer traditional and boneless wings and cheesy garlic bread.
Patterson and I ordered the Oasis—a 16-inch dish with Canadian bacon and pineapple. After enjoying a slice or two, we packed up our pizza and headed to TapHouse 22.
Occupying the space of what used to be a Schwan’s depot, TapHouse 22 introduced the world of craft beer to Murdo.
“You couldn’t get a tap beer in Murdo, and that was a niche we wanted to bring to the community,” said managing member Tami Flynn.
“I often share the joy and passion I have living in Murdo.”
-Ashley Geigle
Featuring 22 beers, the taphouse serves brews from various breweries throughout the state.
Options include Remedy Brewing Company in Sioux Falls, Lost Cabin Beer Co. in Rapid City, Mt. Rushmore Brewing Company in Custer, Sturgis Brewing Company, and more.
“I always try to keep the places balanced and represent the different types of beers, like IPAs, dark beers, domestics, sours, and ciders,” shared Tami.
Some staples are the Queen Bee from Remedy, Red Cut Red Ale from Sturgis, and Lord Grizzly from Lost Cabin.
“It’s such a unique and fun space,” shared Geigle.
The next morning we visited our last stop, Sugar Coated. Owner and baker Sophie McKenzie recently opened a licensed commercial kitchen for her sugar cookie decorating business.
Situated on her home and ranch property, the Cookie Barn allows McKenzie to ship her cookies across the country, offer classes, and host various events, all while being close to her family.
DECORATED, SEALED, DELIVERED
For more information, visit sugarcoatedbysophie.myshopify.com to order for your next event. Choose from preset designs and themes, or create a custom order.
Sugar Coated offers a variety of decorated cookies, as well as classics like chocolate chip and lemon.
“I love decorating cookies for businesses with their logos, first birthday parties, or bridal showers,” shared McKenzie. “I just love being creative.”
Before Patterson and I hit the road, we had the chance to decorate our own treats. With goodies in hand, we said our goodbyes to Geigle, and headed back to Sioux Falls.
