I spent two days here hiking and LOVED IT. I went to Spearfish Canyon and Badlands but would recommend to spend most of your time at Custer. I did the Wildlife Loop Road, Needles Highway, Iron Mountain Road scenic byways. I started all of my hiking from Slyvan Lake and covered Black Elk Peak, Little Devil's Tower, and Sunday Gulch Trail. Amazing views and well-marked trails You can get a great view of Mount Rushmore from Iron Mountain Highway in Custer State Park. This saved me $11 and some time sifting through crowds. Would recommend doing this to spend more time at Custer! read more

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OMGOODNESS!!! This place is truly special!! If you want to see some wildlife and Bison roaming freely this is the place to come. It was recommended that I visit this park to see Bison. It was a little difficult navigating to the correct area (mainly because they roam freely) but once I was on the right track, we saw sooooo many Bison. It was so awesome! I was a little worried that we might not see any Bison because we entered the park about 90 minutes before sunset. I'm glad that didn't happen. After driving in the park for about 30 minutes we knew we were in the right spot because there was a group of cars all parked on the side of the road. This was a dead giveaway that bison were in the area. We saw a heard of about 50-60 bison roaming the area. Everyone stayed in their cars and snapped pics from their windows or sunroofs. The bison could care less that we were there. The paid no attention to us at all and came so close to our cars that we could have reached out our windows and touched them. It got a little to close to comfort for me so after about 20 minutes I drove off. Must go place!! **sorry I didn't upload any pics. I used my personal camera to capture this moment** read more

This is what yellow shone used to be like before it became a summer vacation bucket list item. Few crowds, lovely scenery and Buffalo. I enjoyed this ever so much more! Twisty roads, and spectacular views both summer and winter. Look for the great rock for Atkins as well as the open plane of bison. Buffalo round up is the last weekend of September's read more

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Me and my boyfriend camped here for 4 nights, and had an amazing time. We stayed in a campground called center lake. It has many bathrooms all within walking distance, and WARM SHOWERS!!! There is a lake to swim at, and lots of fun things to do. Our campsite was right by a calming stream, and came with a firepit and picnic table. When we got there, we had lots of questions and the ranger's managed to awnser all of them without us even asking while checking us in! They were an older couple who were just adorable. They were so helpful and sweet, and they helped make sure our stay was amazing!! There are so many beautiful drives and beautiful hikes you can take around the park. I highly recommend this campsite and park!!! We had a amazing time! read more

The state park is fantastic. Amazing hiking trails, wildlife viewing via the wildlife loop and reasonably close to several other places of interest. Our family stayed in the Game Lodge campground for 13 days and really enjoyed it. Very spacious sites, and attentive hosts. There are only electric hookups here...potable water is available along with a dump station. If this campground offered FHU, it would be one of the best we've camped in. Clean facilities (bathroom/showers) and a laundry room is available, although it was closed for the off season. The nearby Creekside Lodge has a washer and dryer that is available if needed. Would love to return in the summer or early fall to experience more. read more

Menu is diverse and portions are excellent. Beast of all, good is great! Eat there before the season ending.

I truly loved South Dakota a true America state, only USA flags everywhere, statues of all American past presidents, and those important heroes who are part of a true American history, wether they were wrong or not with their laws but that's the past. They honor there veterans, and soldiers everywhere you go. very conservative state, what I have been raised to honor, my American country. I loved the state and national parks, I'm a true adventurous outdoor person, and I love that my husbands follows all my craziness. read more

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We spent two days driving through the park. Not many animals were out as it was very hot but the scenery is like no other. We'll worth the trip. read more

Custer State Park - Don't miss the Needles Eye Tunnel on the Needles Highway. If you're lucky, you may even encounter a tour bus going through! - Parks Near Me - Custer, South Dakota

Custer Park is amazing as you drive through the different paths. The cost is $20 per vehicle but it's worth to see animals roam free. Remember they are in their environment so there is no telling how they will act. Do not pet the bison :) There is also a great restaurant to order food that's in Custer park. read more

So cool! We've driven through twice so far. Both time we have unique experiences with wildlife. The first time a heard of bison passed through and the second time we were able to feed the donkeys. Beautiful scenery. Definitely a must see! read more

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Wildlife loop rd alone is worth the price of admission. Nice leisurely ride and tons of bison. Also saw deer and donkeys. Pretty scenery around every bend. Needles highway is a must drive too. read more

Custer State Park- BEAUTIFUL! Plus, you get to see some real wild life! The animals were adorable and we went during early spring- so that bison calves had just been born!!! If you're visiting Mount Rushmore, you HAVE to add this State Park to your list! Take a peek of what we saw during our trip here! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4guLfqci1NU&t=1126s read more

I travel extensively in my RV. This park is magical. The view of the Catalinas is breath taking. The park is very well managed and pristine. I used to ride my horse here too, and they have an equin camp with well maintained corrals. Primitive camping in the equine area and water and electric in RV area. One of my favorite places to camp. read more

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A top notch state park. Place is huge with lots of variety in ecosystems. Amazing wildlife. Unbeatable scenery. Infrastructure at campsites is acceptable. Very knowledgeable and energetic rangers. Definitely a place to see and stay at. read more

AMAZING AMAZING AMAZING! I love this park. It is GORGEOUS. A lot of people expect it to be like a zoo and have animals out ready to see you. Not the case. You have to connect with nature and be patient. The views are amazing. Stayed at north stockade campground and it was amazing! Will be returning. read more

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Favorite park in the area. The wildlife and the drive is incredible. So many bison. The views are breathtaking and the tunnels are so fun. Get out and hike!! The Burris were so cute. We took a box of oat Cheerios and they followed us everywhere. People were feeding them junk food and it made me sad. Feed them healthy things please! read more

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What a beautiful park and drive thru breathtaking South Dakota! We took the Sylvan Lake Road entrance and so glad we started there. The lake is not only beautiful, it is tranquil and relaxing. From there, we drove approximately 1/2 of the entire park and were lucky enough for that to include the two tunnels your car can barely get thru. Fun! And, the views, the vistas...... there were many and I think I captured enough to give you a good idea of what you're missing if you pass this park by. Our visit was the first week of October where autumn and winter met, then was blissfully followed by several days of sunshine and blue skies. The colors, the snow, sunshine and big blue skies made this the perfect time for our adventure to Custer State Park. read more

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Our family went on a road trip to South Dakota and we were able to go to Custer State Park on our way to Mount Rushmore. The drive was scenic and fun and beautiful. It was delightful seeing the wildlife from the car and some we got to approach in person! Such an incredible sight. The park was lovely and I highly recommend it if you happen to be heading to Mount Rushmore! read more

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On an excursion to South Dakota we expected to see many stunning things. But we were unprepared for how stunningly beautiful and diverse would be Custer State Park. From lakes to granite spires to dense Black Hills forest to grassland with wildlife herds, we would have been the poorer for having not seen it. If you are making a trip to South Dakota to see Mt. Rushmore and Badlands National Park and Wind Cave National Park, highly recommend you plan in a visit to Custer State Park too. You can see it in as little as a few hours, if you simply want to drive the Peter Skene Ogden and Wildlife Loop roads, or you can enjoy it for several days, including staying in the park if you choose at either campgrounds or cabins and hiking or biking or fishing and canoeing. We planned a few hours on one day and we ended up going back for a second full day. Standing among the granite spires early on a Saturday morning with only the wind, my hubby and a park ranger tracking an Elk herd to keep me company remains one of my best memories of a three week road trip. FEES Visitor entry fee is nominal (like $20 or so for vehicle as I recall) and was good for multiple days. (Campground use fees extra.) The folks who are stationed at the entrances (you'll get a window sticker) are mostly volunteers who are very friendly and helpful and communicate how happy they are to have you visiting this park they love. HISTORY REFERENCES There is a rich and long history of the importance of this part of South Dakota to Native American tribes and as root of conflict in settling the west. Take the time to stop at the visitor centers and historic sites. You can almost feel the spirits speak here. TIMING IS EVERYTHING This part of South Dakota gets snowed in during winter. (Many of the hotels in places like Hill City close down for that reason.) Although parts of the park are open for winter recreation it is when the spring thaw comes and then summer arrives that the park can be uber crowded with traffic at snail's pace. We planned for that "sweet spot" in timing our visit around end of the first week of June. Weather was gorgeous and summer crowds not yet arrived in full force. So good calendar timing will help if you, like us, enjoy fewer crowds rather than more in outdoor spaces. August is bad timing given Sturgis, SD is not all that far away and Sturgis Motorcycle Rally people are said to visit the park in huge numbers of noisy bikes. Also, the earlier you go in during the day, the more serene will be the experience. We're rise at dawn people when we travel and we were the beneficiaries of being early morning visitors here. One understands why Native American tribes considered this land sacred. PLANNING THE VISIT Good information is at www.custerstatepark.com. Look at the map there, the park is shaped like the continent of Africa, to get an idea of the size and the four distinct driving loops that can be done all at once or across a couple of days depending on how much you want to park and explore on foot. They are 1) Iron Mountain Road which connects part of the park to Mt. Rushmore, 2) Needles Highway (my fav part through the granite spires), 3) Wildlife Loop Road and 4) Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway, which includes portions of other drives. If you're considering the Needles Highway drive, don't be discouraged by how twisty the road appears on the map or the warnings about how narrow it is in places or how much the traffic backs up. All of that is true, but it is not nearly as daunting to drive if you choose off peak times. (Of course, I say this as the passenger and not driver on this trip.) Nature's beauty meets engineering marvel. If you're intimidated by the mountain drive and stick to the Wildlife Loop portion of the park you'll have a lovely experience there too. For us the Wildlife Loop was also discouraging for how little wildlife were present. And as much as signs are posted everywhere not to feed the animals because it makes them ill, some idiot (yep, that's a value judgment) was feeding pork rinds to wild burros. THIS N THAT: 1) ACCESSIBILITY: Due to living with MS for several decades, I look for firm surfacing these days for pathway exploration. There are some of those in the park if you need to consider that too. Visitor collateral is not great about defining what is and isn't accessible, but staff at entry can help point the way. Most of the lodges and the few restaurants inside the park have accessible entries and loo. 2) EATS: Visit the Blue Bell Lodge dining room. Not because the food is good or the service either. But it is a fun and rustic place to have a meal, connect with some of the Park's more recent history and learn the back story of the name. (Not what you think.) 3) STAY: Hill City is a great location for lodging, convenient to Custer State Park, Mt. Rushmore and for excursions to Badlands National Park and Windcave National Park. read more

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Custer State Park was just okay for me. I mainly came here for the highly talked about 18 mile WILDLIFE LOOP ROAD. I had researched you get up close encounters with buffalo and plenty of animals. I also read that there can be lines of traffic on the road and it gets pretty backed up when animals are nearby. Of course when I arrived on a random Tuesday July 17, 2018 the guard at the gate let me bypass the $20 entrance fee for access to the Wildlife Loop Road. I found that strange because it wasn't a holiday and as I drove the 1st mile without stopping, thoughts ran through my head..."am I going to see any wildlife???" Virtually none!!! How disappointing!!! No wonder the guard let me straight into the park. I think there would have been plenty of visitor backlash had they paid $20 fee and encountered zero animals. I did stop once on the Loop for a few burrows that were eating grass under trees. Since this was the only spot where people found animals, these burrows were being ambushed by tourists! Funny, they could have gone to a Petting Zoo if they wanted to see some donkeys. The 18 mile Wildlife Loop Road was a complete bust! Maybe it was just too hot in the day for animals to come out of hiding. There is a Wildlife Station Visitors Center located along the Loop Road. You can just pass this by as it was a waste of time, with nothing to see unless you needed the bathroom. Also, after leaving the Wildlife Loop Road, you do come upon the main Visitors Center of Custer State Park but this was disappointing as well as it didn't have a souvenir and gift shop that I was looking for and the Ranger/Park employees were just sitting down in chairs and looking disinterested with assisting anyone with their itineraries or helping folks navigate their way through the park. After initially starting my day at Wind Cave National Park right next door to Custer and finding Wind Cave to be a letdown...my journey was off to a poor start and now I had to do my own spontaneous research on how to best explore Custer for the rest of the day. Well...here comes better news. I found 14 mile NEEDLES HIGHWAY! This was a nice drive. From the Visitors Center, you can access the road. Though, the majority of the scenic portion of Needles Drive happened at the end of the 14 miles. As you're driving initially, don't give up...it'll get better. I finally stopped off the road at the CATHEDRAL SPIRES TRAILHEAD. This was a great 2.2 mile roundtrip hike to get up close encounters to the Needles area. Btw, these Needles are like elongated black spires coming out of the ground. It was very reminiscent of Garden of the Gods area in Colorado Springs, except instead of colorful rocks, you're immersed in black rocks in the Black Hills of South Dakota! Along the way on CATHEDRAL SPIRES TRAIL, you can connect to other worthwhile hikes such as HARNEY'S PEAK and which I ended up doing...LITTLE DEVILS TOWER. I will caution, getting to LITTLE DEVILS TOWER requires a half mile uphill and strenuous climbing of rocks while following a spray painted blue arrow embedded on the rocks. When you reach the summit of LITTLE DEVILS TOWER, it's totally worth it. You get a grand view of Custer State Park and beyond. You're as high up as the Needles you encounter by the side of the road. It's certainly picture worthy from all angles. Back along NEEDLES HIGHWAY, the last section has NEEDLES EYE TUNNEL which permits one car at a time in either direction to pass through. It's a cool area where you can pull off the road to photo the tunnel embedded under black needle spires as well as receiving plenty of beautiful overlooks of Custer Park in the distance. The other memorable portion of Custer I'd like to mention was SYLVAN LAKE. After completing Needles Highway, SYLVAN LAKE was a worthwhile stop. Here you have a beautiful lake surrounded by black rocks. I hiked around the lake. It was a simple 1 mile or so walking on flat ground but you come across great views of the lake as well as opportunities to hike some of the rocks, especially the rocks located next to the parking lot when you first arrive. On top of the rocks you'll get scenic views of the lake looking down. You can't miss it as plenty others were hiking the rocks. Along the rest of the hike around the lake you walk alongside rock formations and an area where you slither in and out of a passageway with boulders resting right above your head! Some final points....I had read that LEGION LAKE is a popular area to visit. Also, LOVERS LEAP TRAIL is a 3 mile loop that is difficult but I never reached. Although Wildlife Loop Road never met expectations, I still managed to find worthwhile things to do in Custer State Park. It's location is also ideal being situated in the heart of the Black Hills next to Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse Memorial, Badlands National Park, Wind Cave National Park and the cozy western towns of Lead, Deadwood, Keystone and Hill City. read more

This park has so many stunning views. Had I not needed to reach an event at a certain time I would have certainly loved to do more exploring here! There is so much to explore and many campground options as well. I will definitely come back one day for a trip with my family! read more

REVIEW #700! Tuesday (8/30/12) morning, the sky scrubbed clear bright blue by the previous day of rainstorms, I headed out of Manderson to the Wounded Knee monument. It's a very small cemetery for such a big, sad story. My friend packed me off with a half-pint of homemade chokecherry jam and said "Custer is scenic." A very helpful woman named Theresa at Earth Goods natural grocery in Hot Springs was a lot more enthusiastic about Custer State Park - she pulled out some tourist maps of the park and gave me lots of tips and recommendations. We discussed the merits of different attractions - she said the Wildlife Loop was definitely worth visiting, though there were animals all over - and she agreed with me, "A cave is a cave - you can see the more interesting stuff up on top (animals)." I loaded up my new provisions and drove past the old Wild West brick buildings, and the scenery definitely changed - more altitude, more trees - it just got prettier and prettier. I just had a feeling that this was a really great place to stay for a couple of days to explore - after getting settled into a gorgeous cabin at Blue Bell Campground, I headed off to explore. The rangers at the gate to the Wildlife Loop had put a pink wristband around my handlebar, so they just smiled and waved me through when I returned. As soon as I went around the bend and through the official gate - there was a GIANT bison standing to my right, at 90 degrees to the road, looking just like the bison on the back of a buffalo nickel. There were no other cars - I wanted to take a picture but I was worried about stopping too close to that guy! He was HUGE! I continued along and saw a few more bison dotted here and there, munching grass solo, seemingly oblivious to my passing by. Then, I saw a man on horseback along to my right - riding along into the bushes. A ranger's jeep and another vehicle passed me up and pulled over - I saw the horseback ranger come out of the woods again and raise his right arm and point. I pulled over IMMEDIATELY and freed up my camera - and was treated to the sight of about 40 antelope streaming from around a hill, down and across a creek, and over the road just about 20 or 30 feet in front of me! The ranger and his guest were also outside their vehicles - the guest had a camera with a lens the size of the Hubble telescope on it - I imagine he got better photos than I. There were a few stragglers - I got back on my motorcycle and coasted downhill on the shoulder in neutral, without turning on the engine, to get a better look. Since I am on a dual-sport, I got to take off on some of the dirt roads instead of waiting for the bison to get off the paved road. I practiced sneaking up on antelopes - cutting off my engine and coasting down the hill in neutral to get a closer look. I went to Legion Lake and had a swim, and drove all around Highway 16A to see the Needles and Mt Rushmore. There are so many excellent dirt roads - and this park is full of so much gorgeousness - scenery, animals, sunsets - it is by far one of the best State or National parks I have ever visited. More densely packed with quality experiences and opportunities - and not nearly as many people or traffic as Yosemite or Yellowstone. I would rate Custer above Yellowstone - for sure! It's absolutely spectacular and it's one of two places I visited on this trip that I am definitely planning to visit again soon (the other is Lassen). read more

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I loved Custer State Park! While we didn't stay on park premises during our trip we spent an entire day exploring the park and I am quite sure we didn't see the entire thing. A few can't misses - The Wildlife Loop - Wildlife roam this park like no other I've seen. We got up close and personal with buffalo, elk, mule deer and white tailed deer, wild turkeys, long horned sheep, and a particularly demanding herd (?) of donkeys that have gotten used to being fed by park goers because they think nothing of sticking their huge braying heads inside an open car window looking for a snack. The loop is going to take a few hours to get through by car but the views are pretty and being on the lookout for animals was a lot of fun. Needle's Highway - You actually pass through the park on Needle's highway, named for a rock formation that looks like a needle. The road is windy and narrow and I'm glad I wasn't the one driving but the drive itself is nice and has picnic grounds and campsites along the way. Stockade Lake - I actually requested that we turn around after passing the lake coming into Custer so I could pause for a photo op. Gorgeous. Blue Bell (Ranch?) - I remember the name because it reminded me of ice cream and was a camping site in Custer that also housed horses and looked like tons of fun. I want to go back and stay there. This park is primo and I didn't feel the least bad dropping $15 for a car day pass because they obviously use those funds to keep Custer State Park well maintained and open to one and all. read more

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We climbed Black Elk which was amazing! I really wish we didn't have to pay to do it! Everything in South Dakota cost a ton of money so I wasn't Surprised! I wanted to see a buffalo so bad, but that never happened! The scenery was amazing! read more

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We were up here over Labor Day and it is truly one of the prettiest state parks I've been to. As usual we didn't have much time, so I would absolutely love to return. There is so much available to you here at a very short distance. There are a lot of fantastic camping sites to choose from and many have very nice bathroom and shower accommodations, electrical hookups, waterfront camping sites, and more. There are countless trails for the avid hiker with breathtaking views. Harney peak is one of the most beautiful hikes I've been on in the US. And there are so many more you would never have time for them all. There are tons of other outdoor activities to keep you entertained as well. The town of Custer is right in the middle of the park so you can run in, visit some cute shops, have a bite, or refill supplies. There are a couple amazing caves nearby and Jewel cave was definitely worth it and id love to go again. Crazy horse monument is in the vicinity, Mt. Rushmore is not far away, and so many other sites I'd love to see. I definitely recommend driving Needles Highway, the rock formations are amazing! There is a fee to enter the park (15.00) and if you're camping there is a nightly fee which depends on the campsite you're staying in. All in all, this was definitely worth it!! Read my reviews of jewel cave, Harney peak, Mt Rushmore, and Bismarck campground for more info. read more

Custer State Park - Needles highway, worth the drive! - Parks Near Me - Custer, South Dakota

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Incredible experience for the whole family! Great drives and views ! The wildlife scenic route is a must! The buffalos are incredible! We had amazing camping accommodations. The host at the campsite was friendly, informative and loved their job! What a great place to visit! read more

This is a great place to take a drive, enjoy amazing vistas, and see some wild life up close in the natural habitat. But leave yourself enough time to drive slow. The roads are windy and often at cliffs edge. Plus you don't want to miss anything or hit anything. We came in from north-west by Sylvan Lake, which in and of itself was gorgeous, and that is the route for the best mountain vistas, and the Needles Eye tunnel. Then we did the Wildlife Loop at dusk. It was worth chatting up the Ranger at the gate. She told us where the Buffalo had been sighted, which took us off the paved road of the loop behind a horse camp back into the dust and gravel, but so worth it. We saw a huge male cross right in front of us, and a whole pack of about 8-10 including babies walking the dirt road back toward the coral. We would have missed all of that on the paved loop. When we were on the paved loop, we saw at least 50 deer, about a dozen wild turkeys, at least 5 baby rabbits, and a coyote... then we ran out of daylight and wished we came earlier. Who knows what we missed on the dark on the way out. What we didn't miss was one more huge buffalo! He was coming right at us head on... on the dark paved 25 mph road outside the wildlife loop. Drive slow! A great day, so much to absorb give yourself enough time. read more

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While Custer State Park may not be at the top of your bucket list of places to visit, it stacks well against state parks across America. It's located in the Black Hills National Forest, South Dakota. We most recently visited in early September (2017). The fall foliage just beginning to change was breathtaking against the sky at all hours of the day. Expect to see wildlife thriving... bison, pronghorn antelope, mountain goats, white-tailed and mule deer, elk, and burros. We never saw any wild turkeys, eagles, or bighorn sheep, but CSP is their home too. Katherine C. mentioned that "$20 is steep for the day use," but that entrance fee is "per vehicle" for 1-7 days. Motorcycles are $10. Additionally "an annual park entrance license is $30 and you can buy a second annual park entrance license for $15." There is so much to do in this area. Their official webpage might help you out the most: https://gfp.sd.gov/state-parks/directory/custer/ Enjoy the outdoors! On second thought, definitely add this park to your bucket list. 2017 Yelp Challenge 97/100 read more

Avoid this park!!!!!!!!! Not worth the 20.00 and not seeing any wild animals especially when there main advertising is Buffalo's Very disappointed............just save your money and go to Yellowstone much nicer and worth the money! read more

Had pleasant time at center lake, the people are nice there is swimming with pylons that mark the deep end, I had to cross I could not live with myself it i did not attempt a crossing i found a log for support and make it across and back. The area has hot showers, but the toilets are separate. good times! read more

One of the best state parks with huge bison herd, wild donkeys, prairie dogs and horse camp. We were lucky to see the bison herd across huge field and stopping traffic. Make sure to drive the gravel roads and head to Needles Hwy with Sylvan Lake! Spectacular and unique pinnacles with tunnels. Must see! read more

Custer's Last Stand may not have gone the way he hoped, but the state park that bears his name may be one of the most amazing camping destinations we've ever seen. And our stay at Grace Coolidge Campground will always be a treasured memory. There are many campgrounds spread around Custer SP. Coolidge is a small-ish one set along the banks of a creek. There are about 20 sites here, most of which are tucked in the trees, providing plenty of shade. We checked in right at dusk, after a long day of driving. The campground attendant introduced himself, and pointed out our spot. There's potable water at the bathroom/shower building, and he asked if we wanted to fill up before we parked. (We didn't, but it was nice he asked.) Our spot was nice and level, the perfect place to tuck in our teardrop for the night. Though the campground was full, everyone observed the quiet hours, and it made for a pleasant evening of watching the stars. In the morning, we took our pup on two short, but beautiful, hikes, before hitching up and heading to our next destination. If all the campgrounds at Custer are as nice as Coolidge, we may just have to spend a month staying at each of them. read more

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Driving down the iron Mountain Road to Custer Park was the most amazing driver ever, then driving along the wildlife loop rd we were able to hang out with Bison or buffalo what ever you call them but it's a cool experience, other wildlife are out there too and not shy to come up to your window, park is open 24 hours so we stuck around until night time to watch the starts luckily that day there was a meteor shower so we were able to experience that. read more

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We haven't seen the park during the day, but we came to the Halloween Night Hike and loved it so much. We can't wait to see what this place looks like in the daytime. The Night Hike was awesome because we were told there was a missing prairie dog, and we had to listen to different animals around the park to find out what happened to him. It was really entertaining, even for the adults and we all had a great time! We will definitely be back to check out the area in the daytime, and we will come back for any of their night hikes in the future! read more

Custer State Park - Halloween decorations... - Parks Near Me - Custer, South Dakota

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After visiting Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse Memorial, we headed to spend afternoon at Custer State Park. I did some research beforehand, but was still surprised by the size of it and quantity of things you could do at the park. Wildlife loop is a must, but don't just drive, take hikes too. Needles are one of the kind, Wild burros stole our hearts and Sylvan lake offers the best way to cool yourselves after exploring this park for at least half a day. read more

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Just know what you are facing if you drive the Wildlife Loop Road. You pay $20 to enter the park and the road is long and VERY curvy with hairpin turns. Two weeks ago our son saw zero wildlife but we hoped to see some and what we saw after all that curvy driving was a herd way off in the distance so you could see brown spots on the landscape. Then at the same spot 4 mules walked around all the cars looking for food and some people fed them so they hung around. So much for wildlife. If you are bringing kids on that curvy road don't make any promises. The scenery is pretty, but more or less the same. Sylvan Lake is a lovely stop with high rock formations behind it. Be sure to put Yellowstone and Grand Teton on your wish list for more guaranteed wildlife experiences. read more

This is my happy place. I stopped here with my family on our last two cross country trips and it's great. Next time, we plan to stay in Custer and visit the park during the day just to change things up. read more

There are so many great things to say about this park but perhaps the photo's sum it up best. If you love the outdoors, nature, animals, climbing, hiking and exploring...you'll probably need to put this park on your bucket list. And if you can, spend at least one full day exploring it, if not several..as you really need to spend at least two full days driving through to experience a little bit of everything it has to offer. I'm grateful for the time I've been blessed to spend here, it's heaven on earth. read more

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

Love this State park although $20 is steep for the day use. With that being said, you really need a few days to explore this State park. Lots of scenic trails to hike and rocks to climb. There is a lot of animals to see too. We saw buffalo, prairie dogs, pronghorn, and white tail deer, along with burros! read more

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This is a MUST go. It's $20 for the day. There is so much to do. Do NOT miss the wildlife loop. There are so many animals, the best part by FAR is the buffalo. I would pay $50 to go see them again. They are right by the car, crossing the road. We even got to see the calf's. Needles highway is also a GREAT drive. If you have anyone that gets carsick, pack some meds for that. It's a lot of windy roads. read more

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