Why should you go to this state park? Well this park is very large at 71,000 acres and is located in the Black Hills Area of South Dakota. There is wild life galore for the animal lovers (we saw the free range bison, pronghorn antelope, elk, mountain goats, prairie dogs, and a band of friendly burros). For the water loving crowd there are FOUR lakes (Stockade, Legion, Slyvan, and Game Lodge), there are areas for boating, swimming and fishing. There are several hiking and biking trails in the park (the Centennial trail is 22 miles long). Many scenic drives and a informative visitor center. There are 9 campgrounds and several lodges and cabins in the park to stay in. There are enough actives to keep everyone happy.
The link above is to a map of the park which is very large so it’s when planning your trip it will be very helpful to keep the map handy so you can refer back to it often. Also a word of warning if you are planning on RVing here and you are a newbie like we were at the time. We didn’t realize that not every campground has dump stations! There is only one dump station in Custer state park which is by the Game Lodge on the far Eastern side of the park. Our first stay was at Stockade Lake North campground which is on the far opposite end of the park from the dump station at the Game Lodge Campground so this is something you’ll need to consider when making your plans.
Visitor Center
The visitor center had information of the history of the area, geology, and wild life. It’s a good stop at the beginning to gain and understanding of the area and figure out what you most want to see if you are short on time. Its located by the wild life loop rd and US Highway 16A. There is a lot of information on the bison and great explanations for the kids on their size and behavior. Link to the visitor center.
Wild Life Loop
The wild life loop is a scenic drive with an opportunity to see lots of wild life. The ranger said you might see bison, pronghorn, deer, elk, coyotes, burros, prairie dogs, and eagles. The wild life loop as a visitor center which is a good stop to ask where the bison have been spotted that day. The rangers track the herd so they can give you a good idea of where to find them in the park. We found the burros on the side of the road and had learned from another group to bring carrots with us because they are very friendly and will allow you to come right up and feed and pet them. The is also a prairie dog town that is worth the stop, bring binoculars with as they are a little ways off the road. We drove this 18 mile loops twice because we enjoyed it that much!
Needles Highway
Needles highway is 14 miles in length and winds through ponderosa pines, black hills spruce, and granite rock formations. There is a few tunnels so not a place to drive a big vehicle or camper! Needles eye formation is a unique rock named for the opening resembling a needle eye – amazing what wind, rain, and freeze/thaw can do! Needles Eye Tunnel is only 8′ 9″ wide and 9’8 high and the Iron Creek Tunnel is 8’9″ wide and 10’10” high. This is a must see activity in the park. Check out the other scenic drives here!
Stockade Lake
Stockade lake gets its name from the nearby Gordon Stockade. We toured the stockade which is a replica of a log fortress from the 18070s used by the Gordon Party for protection against the native Americans during the gold rush. It’s a nice little area to walk around with signs and is self guided, we were able to go into a couple of the buildings.
This is the largest of the 5 lakes in Custer State Park. There is a swimming beach, hiking trails, a playground, boating, fishing and camping in the area.
We camped in north stockade lake and honestly this was our favorite campground in the park. It was high on a bluff over the lake, with wooded sites, and a nice hike with amazing views. If you are coming in from the West this is the first campground in the park.
Legion Lake
Legion Lake has a lodge with a general store, souvenirs, and a restaurant. There are also several cabins in the area around the lake and a small campground right across the road from the lake and swimming beach. There is a nice short hike around the lake which is about 0.7 miles long and if you look closely you will see the ground glitters with mica! You can even see it in the water. This was our favorite hike in the park! You can also rent kayaks and paddle boats at the lodge. We camped here too and it’s proximity to all the action made it a nice campground. None of the sites here are very large though and there are only a few sites so be sure to book early!
Game Lodge
The State Game Lodge was built in the 1920s from local stone and wood and it served as a “Summer White House” for President Calvin Coolidge in 1927. In the lodge they have different styles of accommodations and a stately 1920s dinning hall. Reservations are recommended as the restaurant often fills up fast. Game Lodge campground is right next to the entrance of the wildlife loops off Highway 16A by the east entrance to the park. We stayed in this campground and was equally impressed by the sites and the clean facilities. Our family stayed in one of the cabins which was also very clean and quaint inside. There are often bison roaming around this area. There is a creek by the campground that the kids enjoyed splashing in. If you are coming in from the East then this is the closes campground to the entrance.
Slyvan Lake
If you are coming in from the Northwest (by Hill City, SD) down highway 87 then Slyvan Lake is the first campground and lodge that you will find in the park. Actually this lake is referred to as the crown jewel of the park and is very picturesque so it’s no surprise it’s a popular spot for weddings. The lodge was built in 1937 and has a restaurant that will require advanced reservations to get into. There are also several cabins sprinkled throughout the hillside. The campground isn’t for large RVs or tents, they cannot accommodate anything over 27 feet. This is were Black Elk Peak is located which is the highest point in America east of the Rockies. There are several challenging and breath taking hikes around this lake. Of course it is also very popular to swim or rent a boat at this lake as well. This is worth a stop on your trip but make sure to get up here early as parking can fill up fast!
Recap
Aside from the 9 campground there are also several Lodges and cabins in the park to stay in. I only touched on the three campgrounds were stayed in. I would go back to any of them in a heart beat. All the campgrounds were clean and each had something we loved about them. Our family stayed in the Game Lodge Cabins and the Game Lodge itself as well as in the cabins by Legion Lake. All of the places our families have stayed in were beautiful and clean, you also could not go wrong staying at any of these sites.
We want to come back here again. This a beautiful and memorable trip. We absolutely love this state park!
You can find more information on all the campgrounds if you click here.
You can find more information on the lodges and cabins if you click here.
