Custer State Park Photos
More like Custer State Park
Recommended Reviews - Custer State Park
Start your review...
Reviews With Photos
Don't forget to pack fresh apples and carrots before hitting up CSP's wildlife loop ;) Custer SP is a beautiful must-visit. Begging burros, Sylvan Lake, Needles Hwy's narrowest tunnels, bold geese, prairie dog town. Amusing sights for all! Thought I followed all of National Treasure's instructions at Sylvan Lake. Maybe you'll have better luck unlocking that treasure cavern haha . Couldn't find anyone at the pay station entrances to ask some questions ;) + Restrooms and a few water bottle refill stations throughout the park. Thanks again Stan for the suggestion!
This is an absolutely fantastic state Park! It was $25 per car, no discounts for entry, but that entrance is good for an entire week, they don't sell simple day passes, unfortunately We came here to drive the wildlife loop and we're not disappointed. We saw antelope, Buffalo, Prairie dogs, and even had the opportunity to feed the begging burrows. It wasn't super busy today either, I thought it would be on a holiday weekend so that was wonderful. Give yourself a good one to two hours as you need to drive slowly to see everything. There are a lot of baby buffaloes right now, so that was great fun
I had a ton of fun visiting this state park! There is lots of great nature and wild life to be seen, along with a variety of hiking trails for various fitness levels, or even just nature drives if you're not feeling a hike. My personal favorite spots were Legion Lake (both for the easy hike, and the Dockside Grill), and the Wildlife Loop (for the amazing Buffalo photo opportunities). I would definitely recommend checking out Custer!
We took a jeep tour through this delightful state park, which can hold its own to any of South Dakota's national parks. It was absolutely a extremely fun afternoon activity. We got to see bison and all kinds of wildlife fairly close up from inside the jeep. The park is filled with really beautiful sites - including lakes and gorgeous open air plains - and you never know what animals will make an appearance for a photo op. There were prairie dogs and antelope doing their thing as we made our way around the park. And the baby bison were so cute as they clung closely to their mothers.
I had an amazing opportunity on our previous trip to take the whole family to see this awesome park located just a few miles away from Mount Rushmore. one of the things that really excited my family and I was the wildlife road that you could take got to see some amazing animals freely grazing right on the sides of roads. It was a great experience I was told that if you want to see even more come earlier and you will thoroughly enjoy how much our life is out and about we went about 1 o'clock and still having to enjoy the time seeing lots of wildlife This wildlife road definitely can take you about two hours to drive on so be prepared for that if you take the wildlife road After that, we continued on to see the eye of the needle and many other amazing places they had inside the park. After driving around, we stopped by the lake. They have some beautiful deck seating for you if you decide to either go in get some food and eat on the deck area outside or take it to go either way it is a great atmosphere inside the gift shop plenty of smiling faces and Nice People working in this area. Oh, I definitely think that it was a world park and every person we encountered whether it was a park range or a worker they were very nice and courteous easy to talk to and we definitely just enjoyed our time there
We started off our day at Custer State Park. We began by going into the visitor center, which is an absolute MUST DO. Why? Because when you walk in there is a large scale model of the park and they mark it to show the last reported sighting of bison. The volunteers then showed us how to find that area, and they also showed us another visitor center along the way where they recommended we stop to get further updated information. The bison were located at the southern end of the park, so the beginning of our drive was just through beautiful landscape, without much wildlife at that point. We stopped as instructed at the next visitor center, and got an updated status of the bison, as well as directions on how to find them, as you needed to go off on one of the side roads. We headed off, and then as we rounded the bend on the road there they were! Hundreds of bison as far as you could see. It was absolutely amazing. You can easily pull to the side of the road and stop, and you can roll down your windows and just observe - it was incredible. Several times we were stopped along the way as they crossed the road in front of us. It was absolutely one of the highlights of our trip to South Dakota. After we finished driving through the herd, we continued our journey and ended up at the Blue Bell Lodge for lunch, which we highly recommend. From there, we drove the Needles Highway, a big portion of which in our case was done in the rain. But despite the rain, there was still lots to see, even though a lot of it for us was from inside the car, where we periodically rolled down the windows to take pictures. I would say our day at Custer State Park was absolutely the best experience we had during the entire stay in South Dakota, so I would highly, highly recommend it!
Wow what an incredible place! We just got back from spending 3 days at Custer State Park and it really is a South Dakota gem. There's so much to do here, we barely scratch the surface. Needles Highway is super neat, the trails are endless, Wildlife Loop is beautiful even if you can't see the animals, the campgrounds are well maintained and the visitors centers are all so nice with great bathrooms! Every interactions with the staff at Custer was also great, super friendly and respectful. Thank you for keeping this park so beautiful!
This is the second largest park in the country, only the Adirondacks are larger. The park is 71,000 acres. We were here 18 yrs ago staying in the rustic Sylvan Lake Lodge. Today we did the 18 mile wildlife loop road rather than needles highway. Big horn sheep, elk, mountain lions, prairie dogs, burrows, wild horses & bison inhabit the park. The rock formations look like needles. He ponderosa pines are dark & give the Black Hills their dark appearance. Pres. Calvin Coolidge made the state game lodge his summer White House.
Awesome experience, it was 25$ a car and we took the wildlife loop, lots of buffalo and some pronghorn. Neat experience
We went around dinner time which was around 2 hours before sunset. At first we didn't see many animals and thought we timed it wrong, but then we started to see so many! The last 3rd of our drive was filled with deer, pronghorn, donkey, buffalo, birds, and prairie dogs. The donkeys were particularly fun because they came up to the car and wanted to be fed! We saw HUNDREDS of buffalo and go to see them cross the road with baby buffalo too! This is really cool. We'd definitely recommend. EDIT: we went to check out the visitor center which was very cool too. They had a nice ~20 minute movie which was well done.
We absolutely loved visiting Custer State Park. We saw bison, bighorn sheep, pronghorns, burros, birds, elk, prairie dogs, white-tailed deer, and mule deer. I learned that this state park is the 4th largest state park in the lower 48 states. We were surprised by how many animals we saw. If you drive around wildlife loop at sunrise or sunset, you will have plenty of opportunities to view all kinds of animals. Bison are my far the most common in the park. There is so much to explore in this park. It's extremely well maintained, clean, and well taken care of with plenty of wide open green spaces and prairies for the wildlife to graze in. Highly recommend visiting Custer State Park!
Great visit! We did the wildlife loop and the needles road and both were fabulous. When we entered we saw a huge herd of bison crossing the road. The roads are well maintained, signage is great and the rest areas are nice. Park rangers are knowledgeable as well.
4 years ago
Located in the beautiful black hills of South Dakota! I finally got a chance to check off some bucket list parks and states. This should easily be a national park, it has alot to do and see in one park. You will see alot just driving thru, so have your camera prepared. Lots of parking, just be patient on the weekends. I believe we visited during the week, we visited approx a yr ago. You can swim hike, bike, or just sit and take in the awesome views of mother nature! If you are visiting Mt Rushmore you minds as well stop and check it out. Drive Needles hwy with Sylvan Lake to take in all the beauty, no regrets. If love Bison you love are definitely in the right state to see them. This indeed was one of our best road trips ever! This was planned out with hotels, foodie spots and of course nice lodging by me. Get out and Enjoy Dani~ read more
1 year ago
Hoping to see some bison, we got lucky the day we visited, as volunteer ranchers from around the local town just so happened to be moving a giant herd to a different grazing spot, so it was really cool - the herd literally passed right by our car a few different times!! It was so cute to see some little bison making the trek with their mom. Stopped off at the visitors center before driving the wildlife loop. It's a nice newer looking facility, had pictures and descriptions of things you might see while driving/roaming the land and other good infographics. There was a short movie about the bison playing in their theatre room, which was interesting to learn about how they got here, habitat, and seasonal living. 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
3 years ago
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
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
2 years ago
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
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
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
2 years ago
6 years ago
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
3 years ago
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
6 years ago
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
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
4 years ago
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
5 years ago
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
1 year ago
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
3 years ago
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
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
5 years ago
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
2 years ago
More info about Custer State Park
13329 US Hwy 16A
Custer, SD 57730
Directions
(605) 255-4515
Call Now
Visit Website
http://gfp.sd.gov
Hours
Indoor Amenities
Outdoor Amenities
Ask the Community - Custer State Park
Review Highlights - Custer State Park
Why does Yelp recommend reviews?
7 reviews that are not currently recommended
The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.
5 months ago
12 years ago
2 years ago
11 years ago
6 years ago
5 years ago
16 years ago
