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

Loved this place! So glad we spent a little extra time to get here. Took the wildlife loop and saw as much wild life as used to be in Yellowstone before they reintroduced the wolves. Bison, pronghorn, deer, big horn sheep, prairie dogs, wild donkeys and so on. Such a tranquil setting ...open and not crowded. Beautiful scenery with perfect roads. The visitor center was a fun stop with some cool exhibits kids would like. Wish we had more time there! A must do in the Black Hills. read more

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Do NOT miss this gem!!! We drove through the winding hills and stopped often to take pictures. We drove slowly looking for wildlife and saw pronghorns, chipmunks, donkeys, buffalo whitetail deer and bighorn sheep here. At the visitor center they show an amazingly beautiful film (narrated by Kevin Costner) all about the park. The Park Rangers and volunteers are very helpful and they also keep tabs on where different animals are being seen in the park so they can tell you. We bought the 7 day pass so we could come as often as we wanted. read more

Custer State Park - Evening time when we saw the bighorns and their multiple little ones -- so wonderful! - Parks Near Me - Custer, South Dakota

Wow! I almost skipped doing this! SO thankful I didn't! What an experience! I was smiling from ear to ear the entire length of the drive. Lots of animals to be seen. Very peaceful. I felt safe the entire journey throughout. The beautiful background paint gorgeous pictures. I visited at 2pm on a Wednesday. There were plenty of buffalo and other animals out and about. The park had visitors going in both directions, however I don't think I saw more than 20 cars within my hour I spent here. I can only imagine that on the weekends and during the mornings it would be busier. Mornings are said to be busier as the temperatures are cooler and that's when the animals migrate. But if you want to avoid the swarms of people, go later, the animals will still be there. Word to the wise. Be mindful of the traffic. Be kind and allow for room on the road. Everyone wants to see the animals, share the enjoyment. Enjoy this awesome time. read more

Custer State Park is a must see if you visit the Rapid City or Black Hills area. The entrance fee is $20 but it covers 7 consecutive days of visits within the park. This park is quite vast, so I highly recommend planning a few days to visit the park. If you enjoy outdoor activities this is the place for you. There are numerous hiking trails with various levels of difficulties, from the novice short trails to the longer hard to maneuver trails. There are also several lakes and several places to fish. Custer State Park is a great place to visit even if you do not want to hike or perform outdoor activities, due to the amazing views and scenery. This is especially a great place to visit with your family and a great place for outdoor activities to involve your children. I highly recommend Custer State Park, you will not be disappointed. read more

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My husband and I visited Custer State Park for three days and enjoyed it. A 7 day park pass is only $20 which we thought was very reasonable. The bathrooms and showers were very clean and well maintained. We rented kayaks at Sylvan Lake which were a little pricy. A 30m rental is definitely enough time. The lake is scenic but not very large. We really enjoyed Wildlife Loop Road, we drove the loop twice and saw bison (and babies!!), burros, elk, deer, and prairie dogs. There are a lot of hiking trails in the park but most of them are pretty extensive, we wished there were more moderate trails. We were there during the week in end of May/beginning of June and it was pretty busy. The roads are scenic but narrow and wind a lot, definitely drive with caution. read more

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Such beautiful country! The rangers at the visitor center were very knowledgeable and assisted us in finding the Buffalo! Which we did! Such amazing creatures! After numerous pictures and just watching the Buffalo, we traveled on to Sylvan lake. So pretty! The water was a little cool but felt great! Next time we will rent a canoe! Just to tired from our trip out to SD. read more

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

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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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This may be a State Park, but you will think you are in a National Park once you are hiking or swimming in the lake and watching people climb the rocks. What a wonderful place! We hiked around Sylvan Lake (and got lost). It was a little cold but we even took a dip. I only wish we had more time here. We visited on a Saturday so the park (and parking lots) were all very full. If you are in the area, you definitely want stop here or at least drive up Needles Highway to take in the view. This place has the best views and most interesting hiking in all of the Black Hills. Don't miss it! read more

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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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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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

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

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

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

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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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

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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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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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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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

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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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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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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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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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

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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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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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

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

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