Minnesela Ghost Town

Butte County, South Dakota44.6410, -103.8120

Can you visit?

Likely private land

Private or unlisted land · Ask the owner first

Nearest town
2.8 miBelle Fourche, SD
Mild months
Apr–Oct7 of 12
Elevation
3,170 ft967 m
Minnesela, South Dakota
Photo: Unknown resident of Minnesela., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Minnesela is an abandoned town in Butte County, South Dakota. It lies at about 3,170 feet above sea level.

On the map

20 mi40 miSpearfishSturgisLeadSummersetBlackhawkNorth SpearfishMinnesela
  • BLM
  • National Forest
  • Private or unlisted

Star: Minnesela. Dots: other ghost towns within 40 miles, colored by land manager. Squares: towns over 1,000 people. Rings are straight-line distance. Live map: © OpenFreeMap, OpenMapTiles, OpenStreetMap contributors.

The closest town with more than 1,000 people is Belle Fourche, SD, about 2.8 miles northwest in a straight line. The nearest city over 50,000 is Rapid City, SD, 49 miles away.

Ghost towns nearby

  1. Mason12 mi north
  2. Arpan13 mi northeast
  3. Crown Hill14 mi south
  4. Big Bottom15 mi east
  5. Maitland17 mi south
  6. Carbonate17 mi south
  7. Lancaster City18 mi south
  8. Gayville19 mi south

Distances are straight lines. Roads to ruins are often dirt, and a 20-mile hop can take an hour.

Who owns the land

Private or unlisted land

The point we have for this town is not on any public or protected parcel in PAD-US, the national map of public land. That usually means private land. Ruins on private land are off limits without the owner's permission, even when no fence or sign is visible. Look from the public road.

The point is the town location from Wikidata, and the land record is from PAD-US 3.0 (USGS). Ruins can spread past that point, and land changes hands faster than the database. How we read PAD-US.

Weather by month

0°20°40°60°80°100°3613Jan3915Feb5024Mar5933Apr6844May7954Jun8760Jul8757Aug7846Sep6235Oct4824Nov3715DecJan: 0.4 inFeb: 0.5 inMar: 1.2 inApr: 2.1 inMay: 3.0 inJun: 3.0 inJul: 2.0 inAug: 1.5 inSep: 1.3 inOct: 1.7 inNov: 0.7 inDec: 0.6 inrain
Mild month (average high 55–88°F, low above 28°F) 32°F, freezing Rain and snow water, inches

Mild months here run April to October, judging by NOAA normals from Belle Fourche. July to August bring 10 or more days at 90°F and up; snow is normal from October to May.

NOAA 1991–2020 normals from the Belle Fourche station (USC00390559), 2.8 miles away. About 18.0 inches of precipitation a year.

Facts

LocationButte County, South Dakota
Coordinates44.64100, -103.81200
Elevation3,170 ft (967 m)
Census counts2010: 0
Also known asMinnesela, South Dakota, Minnesela, SD
SourcesWikidata Q6868103 · Wikipedia article

Questions

Where is Minnesela ghost town?

In Butte County, South Dakota, at 44.6410, -103.8120. The closest town with more than 1,000 people is Belle Fourche, SD, about 2.8 miles northwest in a straight line. The nearest city over 50,000 is Rapid City, SD, 49 miles away.

Can you visit Minnesela?

Likely private land. The point we have for this town is not on any public or protected parcel in PAD-US, the national map of public land. That usually means private land. Ruins on private land are off limits without the owner's permission, even when no fence or sign is visible. Look from the public road.

When is the best time to visit Minnesela?

Mild months here run April to October, judging by NOAA normals from Belle Fourche. July to August bring 10 or more days at 90°F and up; snow is normal from October to May.

Are there other ghost towns near Minnesela?

Yes. Mason (12 mi), Arpan (13 mi), Crown Hill (14 mi), Big Bottom (15 mi).

More ghost towns in South Dakota

All 70 ghost towns in South Dakota · Ghost towns near Rapid City