This is a park not to be missed. Compared to it's connected neighbor Wind Cave (the above ground part) the geographical features are quite different. I wasn't even sure that we'd visit this park when I was planning the trip but am glad that I had planned extra days so we had time to go. If you like rocky hiking trails this is the place for you. Even the loop around Sylvan lake has several rocky parts you have to go through not to mention the extra rock scrambling opportunities off the path should you feel so inclined. The needles highway is a very scenic drive and the cathedral spire hike (only 2.3 miles total out and back) - designated a strenuous one due to a section of very rocky surfaces but has a rewarding view of the rock spires at the end. read more

We were on an organized week long tour of the area. We thought this park might just be a throw in, we were wrong. Amazing park, beautiful and you can drive through the park in your own vehicle and see the vistas and animals in your own. Looked like really nice camping areas. read more

Custer State Park - Custer state park - Parks Near Me - Custer, South Dakota

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Big, nice views, clean park grounds, fun & enjoyable park. Big boulders! Lots of things to do!!

Beautiful lodge and it is right where you want to be. This was the perfect spot to do all we wanted to do in this area of South Dakota! Bathroom was a little small but shower was huge. Beds were comfy. Great outside space. Restaurant was pricey but food and service were excellent read more

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Wow, what an impressive state park! We stayed in the lodge for 2 nights, went on a cookout, got to see tons of wildlife, go hiking, and so much more. I had no idea this was such an awesome place to see and visit prior to arriving, but man did it make the trip worth it. It was mid May so swimming in the lakes was going to be a bit chilly, but I would've loved to take that on too. Next time. Cause we'll definitely be back! read more

Custer State Park - Parks Near Me - Custer, South Dakota

Family vacation 2021...bringing the California variant of COVID-19 to your city. If you want to be surrounded by a herd of bison, then you need to go to Custer State Park and take the Wildlife Loop. They had bison of all sizes...from big bulls to baby calves. There had to be about 50 in the herd that walked between my car and the cars belonging to the other tourist. The tourists on their Harley Davidson motorcycle were the real brave souls. Bison aren't the only animals on the loop. We also saw pronghorn. We could've seen more if we took the entire loop. It's a beautiful state park. There is much more to do than just bison watching. They also have nice hiking trails and campgrounds. Yup, we liked it! read more

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We wanted to see Bison and Custer State Park fulfilled that desire. We bought the SD State Parks Pass which covered any of the parks for a year. Drove the wildlife loop and what an adventure it was as we slowly drove through herds grazing along the roadways. Big bulls that walked right by the car and at the last minute looked like they were going to bump into us. It was an amazing road trip and well worth adding the park to your list of locations to visit. read more

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This ride was amazing me and my family were able to see wildlife. We seen mole rats, deers, donkeys and buffaloes definitely recommend it. The kids were able to feed the donkeys apples and snacks! Such a great experience read more

Huge park! We stayed 3 nights at the Blue Bell Campground which after driving by all the others I liked the best. It feels remote although there is a lodge nearby. The roads in this park are so curvy you can only go 35mph at most. Gorgeous scenery! We took the Iron Mountain Road to Mount Rushmore. Super twisty so much so that by the end I couldn't wait to get out of the car! Maybe because I wasn't driving...but I wouldn't want to! It was really cool to see Mount Rushmore in the distance through the tunnels. They planned that right! We also took the Wildlife Loop Road but because we were there after the bison roundup we only saw one big bull on the top of a rise not far from the road. Was a great drive so we weren't disappointed. We hiked to Black Elk Peak from the Sylvan Lake parking lot. What an epic hike with great views! Give yourself 4-5 hours and bring snacks and water. The dogs had a blast! The other hike we did was Cathedral Spires. It only took a couple hours and when we got to the Cathedral area we were all alone! It was definitely a religious experience! Amazing vegetation and flowers. I know this is a super popular hike so we felt so lucky it was quiet and peaceful. The beginning of October the weather was amazing and there weren't crowds anywhere. read more

If you're wondering whether or not it's worth the trip; IT IS. Plenty of wildlife and beautiful scenery. There's multiple scenic drives you can take, and plenty of beauty wherever you go. We saw some donkeys, pronghorns, prairie dogs, and I heard some people saw buffalo! It's roads are nice, and the visitors center is AMAZING. The weekly park pass was 20$ for our vehicle I believe. There's nice places to eat, a general store, a tiny gas station, and lots of roadside turnouts for pictures. I'd recommend it to anyone! read more

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This park really blew me away. Seriously stunning beauty at every turn. With several hotels, camping, restaurants and multiple visitor centers it is more like a national park. It is extremely clean and well kept and staff here was super helpful and friendly. Whenever we visit parks I like to stop at the visitor centers. So our first stop after entering from LH Road was the Wildlife Visitor Center. The rangers were so sweet and so helpful. They gave us some fantastic ideas for kid friendly hikes and let us know about what wildlife to look out for (no bears but mountain lions). Make sure to drive the Wildlife Loop where you will see Bison and wild burros. Iron Mountain Road and Needles Highway are both must drives too. The views are outstanding and driving through the tunnels is so cool. Sylvan Lake was great for an easy walk. There is a general store and picnic tables there. The State Game Lodge was perfect for a sit down lunch and bison watching. You can purchase your pass online (good for 7 days) just make sure to print it out so you can display it in your car. Or just purchase it at one of the manned entrances. read more

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State parks are usually modest sized, modestly pleasant places to go fishing, camping, and a bit of hiking. Custer in comparison is huge, with a variety of animals across multiple ecosystems. The prairie, forest, and Needles would each be great on their own, it's amazing to combine in a single day of scenic drives. Several very good hikes of varying difficulty and length. The visitor center was just built a few years ago and definitely worth a stop to learn a bit through its modern exhibits. Lots of visitor-friendly and well situated amenities like historic lodges, campgrounds, and restaurants. read more

We hit Custer State Park around noon to fill in the afternoon after visiting Rushmore and Crazy Horse. I wished I would have researched this better because you could spend a week here enjoying everything Custer has to offer. Encompassing 71,000 acres in the Black Hills, Custer State Park is home to abundant wildlife and adventure; camping, hiking, biking, swimming, fishing, or relaxing, there's something here for everyone. We did Needles Highway, wildlife loop, and Kayaked on Sylvan Lake. We later referred to it as the Yellowstone of South Dakota. $20 entrance fee good for a week. We stayed in a Rapid City Airbnb and enjoyed the town's proximity to the attractions and amenities. I definitely recommend and will return. read more

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One of the most beautiful and most well maintain parks that we have been to. For the wildlife, big Horn sheep, deer, wild turkeys, and of course horses and bison, beautiful. The prairies and Fields were spectacular to see all the bison there are amazing and then not far from town we went to a Art Festival, and also to the hot air balloon glow at night. I love it and I WOULD go back and I will go back. read more

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I love custard state park. It is 71,000 acres of Beautiful scenery it cost $20.00 to get in,but that is for 7 days pass. There is everything to do here boating -fishing -hiking -swimming-Horse back riding-Jeep tour and even hay rides at the chuckwagon cook out. There's a buffalo round up in September and almost 1400 head of buffalo. And avoid the park the first full weekend in August that is Sturgis motorcycle rally and there are thousands of bikes in town. The park just celebrated their one hundredth year. Back in 1923 there was a zoo that was there for 50 years where the visitor center is now but they closed the zoo in 1970. There are three main highways through the park one is the Wildlife Loop which is 18 miles of grasslands -hills and huge Ponderosa trees. This is where the wildlife calls home the buffalo, donkeys,Prairie dogs, pronghorns,deers and even mountain goats. Other animals live here but I haven't seen them. Going early this year we got to see baby buffalo-donkeys and prairie dogs. Iron mountain road 18 miles of but it takes about 45 to 60 minutes to drive with hair pen curves and switch backs and pigtail bridges. Three tunnels my favorite is the tunnel that frames Mount Rushmore when coming out you've got a great view. And after a few curves you can stop and take some pictures. Needles highway is 14 miles and takes 45 to 60 minutes. Two tunnels to go through. Lots of curves with spectacular views of Pine Forest Meadows and rugged granite mountains. The road name came from the needle like granite formation which seems to be piercing the horizon. It is one of my favorite places to be. You can get out and walk between the granite rocks and see the needle in the sky. There is a tunnel right at the eye and it is 8 feet wide and 9'9" high. This is a fun place to stand and watch the cars go through. This road is closed in the winter. But the park is open all year long. Four different lodges and 8 camp grounds to stay at. There's a visitor center and educational center and a wildlife visitor center. Custer Park is a must put it on your bucket list. And there are so many other places close to visit. read more

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Custer is an awesome place to spend a few days, and an incredible value for $20! There are SO many trails with wildly varying lengths, elevations, and difficulty so you can see awesome views regardless of how much time and energy you have! Little Devil's Tower and Lover's Leap trail were some of our favorites. I spent 2.5 days here and was never bored, but trails are spread across a few core areas, so plan your trails ahead of time! The wildlife loop was also an awesome drive when we wanted to give our legs a rest! We saw tons of wildlife-- bison, burrows, pronghorn, deer, and prairie dogs! There are also a few other scenic drives which are incredible, most notably Needles Highway. I am not a huge hiker, and found this trip to be super fun and accessible for my group! I highly recommend! We visited in early October and the weather was gorgeous and the crowds were minimal! read more

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Recommended place to visit. Beautiful scenic beauty with lots of wildlife. Visitor center staff is very helpful and friendly. They guided us well about where and when can we see wildlife. Wildlife loop was beautiful. We were lucky that it rained and it dissipated the heat and we were able to enjoy. More fun in groups with friends and family. read more

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What an amazing experience! At other parks you can get bogged down by entrance fees, but this was only $20! The trails were all well marked, while also not being distracting. With a variety of elevations and difficulty levels, there is a trail for everyone at Custer! Little Devil's Tower was the main trail my group hiked- the view from the top was breathtaking! With only few people on the trail during October- seemed like the ideal to get away before the winter months! Definitely plan out your trails ahead of time to get the most of this gorgeous location! Good hiking shoes and lots of water recommended as well as snacks along the way! Lots of wildlife on the scenic route- I got to pet a donkey!! read more

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This park is AMAZING. Visiting here has been one of the highlights of summer vacation.

We had a great time camping (RV) in Custer State Park! We took a family trip just as it started to get cold. A lot of the campgrounds in the area were already closed for the season, but Custer was open, and had facilities! A hot shower in a heated room was very nice, and exceeded my expectations. I can't say enough good things about the park. The landscape is unbelievably beautiful! We were able to see a lot of wildlife, such as bighorn sheep, American Buffalo (Bison?), several different types of large birds, prairie dogs, deer and much more! It was nice to relax, and get some fresh air! read more

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I set aside a whole day for Custer State Park. If you love beautiful places, you will love this gorgeous state park. We throughly enjoyed a walk around Sylvan Lake, a picnic at Legion Lake, and driving the Wild Life Loop Road. We finished our day with a lovely dinner at the State Game Lodge Dining Room. Highly recommended! read more

What a beautiful park! So much to do, such friendly rangers, and SO many buffalo....Buffaloes? Buffalo? Who buffa-knows. Anyways, there is a lot of them. We also saw foxes and deer! We had a blast driving through the park. You could easily spend a whole day here. Unfortunately we only had time to make a nice drive through the park, but we still loved it! It's not super cheap, it was $20 per vehicle for the pass, which does last a week. There is no day pass option. There is a visitor center with info, a lake, multiple scenic viewpoints, cabins for rent, meadows for picnics and so much more! Definitely stop here if you are in this area. read more

Custer State Park - Buffalo! - Parks Near Me - Custer, South Dakota

If you are in the Black Hills or visiting Mt Rushmore you HAVE to check out this park. Encompassing 71,000 acres in the Black Hills, Custer State Park is home to abundant wildlife and adventure; camping, hiking, biking, swimming, fishing, or relaxing, there's something here for everyone. The new Custer State Park Visitor Center is open year-round and is a great start to your adventure. Fees - Daily:7-Day License: $20 per vehicle | Motorcoach License: $3 per person per visit In the summer of 1874, Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer leads an Army expedition into the Black Hills. At French Creek, traces of gold are found that confirm widespread rumors. Word of the gold discovery quickly spreads, triggering the Black Hills Gold Rush and flow of fortune seekers to these "mountains of gold." While the search for gold may have dried up, Custer's discovery is remembered in the county, city, and state park that share his name.in read more

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This is a beautiful state park featuring gorgeous views and a wildlife loop with bison who come right up and across the road.

This place was beautiful. Tons of bison, baby bison, and amazing scenery. Out of all the surrounding state parks, I would recommend this one if you want photos and up-close moments with bisons. If you hike up the small trail, there were baby mules and donkeys. What a nice addition to see in nature. This is a must see spot! read more

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No need to repeat all that has been said. We spent about 3 days in and out of the park ($20 for a week pass), driving every road, from prairie to alpine, it's never ending, take your time and enjoy the drive. Fall is the best time, the leaves were changing, the climate great for walking and fewer tourists once the roundup was over (29th Sept). Oh but don't miss that roundup, it's one of those once in a life things. We stayed at State Park Lodge and Sylvan Lake Lodge. We preferred the latter. read more

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Our USAF Reunion had arranged for a bus tour and this was our second stop. This is our second time to visit Custer State Park over the last three or four decades. It is a perfect drive through activity to see plenty of wildlife like Bison, Burros, Wild Sheep, Prairie Dogs and more. Our bus driver recited numerous historical facts and interesting stories about the area and the establishment of the park. Last time we drove through by ourselves but this was more enjoyable because we could focus on looking for wildlife and the scenery instead of the traffic. The Bison we saw were not too far off the road but far enough that we could safely step off the bus to get better photos. When we saw the Wild Burros they were approaching cars looking for a handout, almost like being in San Francisco (it's a joke-get over it!) and one lady got off the bus to hand out some treats! She made it safely back to the bus and said they were very gentle. We made a stop at the Custer State Park Visitors Center on our way out of the park to see the informational displays and to use the restrooms. Then we were off to our final stop. read more

What can I say about this beautiful state park? Not enough!!! I drive David crazy and make him drive through this park as often as possible. Since it is so hot here, we've been going in the late afternoon. There are so many things to do and see in this natural wonder. We purchased a yearly pass for $36, when we first arrived here. There is camping, hiking, fishing, swimming, chuck wagon cookouts, hayrides and just the spectacular mountain and valley views that my pictures cannot do it justice. Yesterday we drove in closer to 5 PM, just after a light rain. We love the road from Wind Cave to Custer. As soon as the temperatures start going down, all the animals start coming out. We saw herds of Buffalo, and then some single bulls. If you're lucky they will be near the road or crossing over. We could get close up in our car without bothering them. What a sight! Moms and babies, giant bulls and the prairie dogs that seem to occupy the ground close to them. Then we took the Wildlife loop. Herds of Elk, and many deer seem to come out as dusk approaches. We ride up and down the mountains snd marvel at the rock formations. We take windy and pretty scary roads up the mountain as well as dirt roads to view the animals and landscapes. Yesterday we came upon a herd of donkeys. They are very friendly and people were feeding them apples and carrots. Some moms had nursing babies along side of them. We stopped for ice cream at Legion Lodge. These past two weeks have been unbelievable in the Black Hills of South Dakota! read more

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We love Custer State Park. There is so much to do and see. If you love the outdoors and wildlife then you will love this park. Camping, cabins and lodges to stay. Plenty of places to eat and explore. If you love hiking, kayaking or just listening to the wind in the trees then you will love Custer State Park. Take a leisurely drive on the Wildlife Loop to see buffalo, pronghorns, deer, prairie dogs and so much more. Take your time and enjoy. read more

Custer State Park - Parks Near Me - Custer, South Dakota

We came to South Dakota and only meant to visit the Badlands but luckily a fellow hiker told us to visit Custer State Park. We are so glad we did because there was so much wildlife here! Bison herds were abundant and one bull got so close to me in the parking lot! We also saw a herd of bighorn sheep, mule deer, and burros that were so friendly they ate carrots out of our kids's hands. There are adorable prairie dogs and my husband also saw elk on early morning! The visitor center has a great short film and a wonderful exhibit that was fun to check out. Lots of great information there! Peter Norbeck Outdoor Education Center was a great place to take the kids! The rangers are so informative and friendly! The kids also completed their Junior Naturalist Programs there and earned patches. There are general stores for anything you need i.e. bait, fishing license, food, or souvenirs. The lodges also have restaurants for dining. Whatever you do, make sure to head to Sylvan Lake! It was my favorite part. Such surreal beauty. read more

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Excellent experience through Custer State Park the scenic drive seeing the bisons was the best part of our trip well worth the $20 entrance fee even though it seemed like you didn't need to pay it, but you might get busted. Much better than wasting your money at the Custer Monument AKA crazy horse. read more

Beautiful park. Workers and park rangers friendly and helpful. Lodges well maintained although the stores don't have much in the way of useful items. ie: s'more kits, milk, bread. They're more like gift shops. The lake water at Legion is crystal clear and perfect for fishing, kayaking or swimming. Beautiful beach so bring the sand toys. There is an easy hike around the lake also. The hike around Stockade Lake is a little harder but the view is worth it. Lots of wildlife throughout park. read more

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I had a amazing time exploring this park. I only wish I had more time to travel more trails. We did the little devils tower trail, and we were able to see fools gold throughout our hike. The rock and trails shimmer a silver color which is unique. I did not expect to climb rocks, so that was fun. Sylvan lake is a must as well. I went to a wedding at the state game lodge, and how beautiful is the fire place outside and inside. I will definitely be back. There is something about being in nature and experiencing great views. read more

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Loved this park: definitely recommend taking the Sunday Gulch Trail, it's one of the more popular ones and has such a wide variety of landscapes. There's also so many people climbing some of these rocks as you pass; cool to see it being such an active rock climbing scene! The trail itself will take you 2-3 hours and features some elevation. I won't spoil all the surprises, but it's truly beautiful and picturesque and worthy of a National Park distinction (for beauty, but I guess it lacks what needs protection). I also looped around the wildlife road and while that took a little while, I was able to spot some wildlife. The fee is $20 for seven days, which is steep if you're only coming for a few hours. I wish there was an option to simply do a daypass, but nonetheless--don't miss your opportunity to check this place out! read more

Visited in late July and was able to see Bison crossing early in the morning (before 7:30am) and in the evening (between 6:30pm-7:30pm) on the Wildlife Loop Trail. I started my drive on the trail from the State Game Lodge as that's where the herd was seen both times. During the rest of the day, the trail was very quiet with very little animal activity. Be careful driving as there are deer, bison, and goats crossing the road throughout the area. read more

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Beautiful landscape--that's where it ends. Bathrooms were atrocious (even for parks) and the motorcycles took SO much from the park. What park seeks out idling motorcycles, cigarette & vape smoke everywhere, & hard liquor sales for bikers to drink while on hikes? (True.) Really disappointed in a park we were looking forward to. If you're planning a trip to this area of the country and think "this might be a fun add?" - don't. You'll be disappointed and wished you spent your time elsewhere. We cut almost a full day from how long we wanted to spend at this park because of how bad it was. read more

Custer State Park - Parks Near Me - Custer, South Dakota

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This is one great state park - on par with some of the national parks. I am glad I had done my research so that we allotted enough time to see more than the highlights. The $20 entrance fee for seven days is worth it. We started with an early morning drive through the wildlife loop where we saw plenty of bison and not much else wildlife. We also drove up to the fire tower on one of the peaks (I forget the name) from here you can see Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse. We then went on a great hike to the Cathedral Spires. The only downside is that it being a Saturday in mid-September, despite or in spite of Covid, the park was jammed by late afternoon especially at Sylvan Lake and the Needles highway. We came back on a Monday and drove the Iron Mountain highway which was fun given the tunnels, pig tails, and views of Mount Rushmore. We also stopped in the visitor center where it's friendly staff was helpful. Given it was so hot that day we went on a shady walk at the Badger Hole. It was a bit less crowded on this day. Two pieces of advice - there is much to do so give yourself multiple days and arrive early in the day to dodge the crowds. read more

It was cool to see all buffalo and they didn't care if were driving or not they owned the road and they know it. Lol There was a few baby buffalos with their mommas such a beautiful sight to see. I'd go again. There are also lots of lodges and cabins you can stay the night in. My daughter & her husband stayed in one of the lakeside cabins a few nights and loved it they rented canoes and stuff. Me I stayed in town where it's touristy lol read more

Custer State Park - Buffalo - Parks Near Me - Custer, South Dakota

This park is amazing! There are different animals and sights around every corner. The buffalo are completely fearless and will walk right in the road besides your car. There are deer everywhere! We also saw lots of interesting birds, bunnies, eagles, prairie dogs, and even a pronghorn! Most of the animals we saw were on the Wildlife Loop, but we saw some eagles and deer on the Needles Highway as well. We stopped for lunch at Legion Lake and had a wonderful time. The food and service were great! We loved sitting on the patio by the lake in the sun. The rangers were very nice and helpful. They gave us a bunch of recommendations on what to do when we entered the park. The entrance fee was only $20 per vehicle for the whole week. Everyone recommended The Needles, which we loved despite getting caught in a spontaneous hail storm (common in the summer) our first time through. Once the sun came out, we drove through The Needles a second time and it felt like a completely new experience. There are 3 amazing tunnels carved into the rock! And lots of places to park and take photos along the way. We had such a great day yesterday that we are headed back to Legion Lake to kayak today! We hope to come back soon and stay in one of the cabins. read more

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Check it out! Hundreds of Buffalo and unbelievable scenery! The Needles Hwy drive was interesting also. Lots of memorable photo ops throughout the park. $10 pp to experience the most beautiful part of our country. Don't miss the film in the visitors center, narrated by Kevin Costner and very well done. Do Custer State Park, it wasn't that crowded and there's so much to enjoy! read more