Custer State Park, South Dakota is a beautiful park and wildlife reserve of approximately 71,000 acres in the Black Hills. Custer State Park is known for its amazing landscapes, scenic drives, and a free roaming bison herd. The size of the bison herd varies slightly from year to year but averages approximately 1400 bison. At Custer State Park you can also see pronghorns, prairie dogs or burros.
There are 18 different hiking trails at Custer State Park from easy to strenuous. The views along all the trails are always gorgeous and a fun thing to do at the park. The Sylvan Lake shore trail is an easy to moderate loop around that can be accessed from multiple points along the lake. Sylvan Lake is the crown jewel of Custer State Park and is a fun place for hiking, fishing, boating, swimming or just enjoying the view. Another great shoreline trail is Legion Lake. The trail is an easy one-mile loop that can be accessed from the west end of the fishing dock parking lot. Legion Lake also has a swimming beach, general store, and restaurant.
Custer State Park has some stunning scenic drives. The Needles Highway is a spectacular drive through rugged granite mountains and pine forests. The highlight of the Needles Highway is the amazing needle-like formations at the top of the drive. Iron Mountain Road is a favorite in Custer State Park. This winding road offers beautiful views of Mount Rushmore and the surrounding Black Hills. On Iron Mountain Road you will experience 314 curves, 14 switchbacks, 3 pigtails and 3 one lane tunnels! The Wildlife Loop at Custer State Park brings visitors through beautiful rolling hills and grasslands on the south end of the park. The Wildlife Loop is a great place to see bison, pronghorn, burros, and other wildlife at the park. Stop in at the Bison Center to learn all about the park’s bison herd.
Custer State Park also has eight different campgrounds. We camped at Game Lodge Campground and enjoyed our visit. In 2023 a campsite with electricity was $30 per night.
Below are the chapters, for this video:
0:00 Intro to Custer State Park
0:40 Bison Herd and Wildlife
2:41 Sylvan Lake
4:28 Legion Lake
6:01 Needles Highway
7:26 Iron Mountain Road
8:57 Wildlife Loop
10:13 Game Lodge Campground
11:16 Closing
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