Minuteman Missile National Historic Site
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Minuteman Missile National Historic Site at a glance
- Best time
- April–May, September–October
- Trip length
- 2–4 hours to 1 day
- Don't miss
- Tour the Front-line of the Cold War at Delta-01
- Nearby city
- Philip, SD
Explore this park
About Minuteman Missile National Historic Site
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.
Weather Information
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.
Operating Hours
Delta-09 Missile Silo
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.
- Monday9:00AM - 3:00PM
- Tuesday9:00AM - 3:00PM
- Wednesday9:00AM - 3:00PM
- Thursday9:00AM - 3:00PM
- Friday9:00AM - 3:00PM
- Saturday9:00AM - 3:00PM
- Sunday9:00AM - 3:00PM
Delta-01 Launch Control Facility
A recorded audio tour at Delta-01 is available for all visitors that guides you to the front gate of Delta-01. To enter the Delta-01 facility, visitors need to attend a ranger-guided tour. Due to the size of the elevator and the confined space underground, advance reservations are required and tours are limited to 6 visitors at a time. Inclement weather may close this site on occasion.
- Monday9:00AM - 3:00PM
- Tuesday9:00AM - 3:00PM
- Wednesday9:00AM - 3:00PM
- Thursday9:00AM - 3:00PM
- Friday9:00AM - 3:00PM
- Saturday9:00AM - 3:00PM
- Sunday9:00AM - 3:00PM
Common questions
Planning Minuteman Missile National Historic Site
The summary above covers timing and highlights. These go deeper on reservations, crowds, and logistics — check Alerts and Permits for live updates.
TrailVerse lists 2 reservation types on the Permits tab, including Minuteman Missile NHS Tours and Delta One Launch Facility. Recreation.gov listings can change seasonally — confirm current rules before you set dates.
