Cool wildlife, fun activities, beautiful scenery – that’s the trifecta of a great vacation spot for my family, and Custer State Park, tucked in the Black Hills of South Dakota, checked all of the boxes and then some. If you’re heading to South Dakota, make sure Custer State Park is part of your trip
Part of raising our children as global citizens includes learning more about the people that came before us and knowing the history of where we’re visiting. We were upfront with our kids about the fact that native peoples had been pushed off the land in many cases across South Dakota, including the land at Custer State Park. It was an enlightening trip as we heard about the Lakota’s history and culture, and has led to several conversations about America’s past.
Watching for Wildlife in Custer State Park
We didn’t have to wait long to see some of Custer’s abundant wildlife. Within five minutes of entering the Park, traffic slowed and we craned our necks to see what the fuss was about. Some bighorn sheep were lounging under some trees. Not much farther on our way through the park and we saw some deer nibbling on tall grass.
Custer’s wildlife even has their own self-drive trail – the Wildlife Loop Road. Traffic jam due to a bison herd crossing the road? Mountain goats blocking tunnels? We experienced both on the Loop. There’s really nothing cooler than looking out of your car window and making eye contact with a bison as big as a VW Bug. But even better was looking out our windows and seeing hundreds of these historic and important animals.
Keep your eyes peeled for pronghorn antelope, elk, bison, prairie dogs, burros and more on this 18-mile loop around the park’s open prairie and forested areas. These animals are best viewed from the safety of your car. I saw some folks taking pictures of bison with only a wooden fence between them. Don’t do that – they can run 60 mph!
If you stop off at the Visitor’s Center, they can let you know the best spots on the loop to see certain animals. We learned that dawn and dusk are some of the best times to see animals, but we saw all of them, except for elk, during the day.
Our favorite experience at Custer was the Buffalo Safari Jeep Tour. Think African safari open-air jeep except in South Dakota with bison as the main attraction. Our guide provided us with fascinating info about the Park’s geography, geology, (there’s gold in dem hills and dem hills are millions of years old), history, and its bison herd. Call 605-255-4388 for reservations.
There are about 1,400 bison at the park, one of the largest herds in the world. They freely roam around, and the Park adheres to a “Mother Nature” relationship with them, meaning that they don’t intervene with the herd — no veterinary care, food, or shelter are provided for them. That’s except for once a year, when the public are welcome to watch the annual round up where they brand the calves and vaccinate for an infectious disease.
Bison were nearly wiped out by the federal government in an effort to move the Lakota people off the land in the late 1800’s, so it was great to see this herd (and others in the area) flourishing.
Family Activities in Custer State Park
LAKES at Custer State Park
There are two beautiful lakes at Custer State Park. As soon as our boys learned they had small, sandy beaches, they were in their swim trunks and putting on sunscreen. Perfect for kids of all ages, Legion Lake and Sylvan Lake had gradual shores for a ton of shallow water to play in.
You can rent paddle boards, kayaks and canoes at both lakes. Go on a sunny day because that hillside water is COLD.
You can take a nice, leisurely stroll around a lake or a more strenuous, longer trek at Custer State Park. Since we had hiked at Devil’s Tower, Mt. Rushmore and at Spearfish Canyon the days prior, we didn’t do much hiking other than the lakeside trails, but there are plenty of options for walkabouts.
SCENIC DRIVE at Custer State Park
Needles Highway is one of the most scenic drives in the U.S. and is worth the 45 minutes of being white-knuckled as you drive around hairpin turns with sheer drop offs on one side. Tall obelisks of granite jut up into the sky, and there are a couple of one-way tunnels.
Take some dramamine if you’re prone to getting car sick and/or have some ginger ale at the ready. We lucked out with strong stomachs, but be careful if you queasy.
We were worried that our Honda Pilot wouldn’t be able to squeeze through the one-lane tunnels, only to watch a tour bus thread his way through (though there were scratches alongside it). Take your time driving and be sure to stop off at one of the several lookout points to take some photos of the majestic and unique landscape of the Black Hills. If you can only spare a few hours at Custer State Park, make sure this 18-mile trip is on your list.
HORSEBACK RIDING at Custer State Park
I’m a horse girl – always have been, always will be, so when I saw that Custer SP had trail rides through the hills, I was all in! Our sure-footed, sweet steeds, Blaze and Marco, packed us through the prairie and forests, through some running creeks, and up and down hills. I adored seeing the Park from horseback. Nate loved it, too (my not-as-horse-loving Alex decided to hang back with his dad). I was on a Black HIlls high for the rest of the afternoon.
They allow children, but they must be able to ride independently. Be sure to call the Blue Bell Lodge Stables at 605-255-4700 and reserve a time in advance.
Check out the Visitor’s Center to orient yourself around the park. They also have a schedule for daily junior naturalist and other activities such as nighttime hikes, Hook ‘Em and Cook ‘Em fishing expeditions, gold panning, and archery.
Where to Stay in Custer State Park
Whether your family loves to tent camp, stay in an RV, hang in a cabin, or lounge in a hotel room, there are several different ways to stay at Custer State Park. We got to try out three different spots as room reservations were selling out when I started booking, and I couldn’t get consecutive nights at any one location. We stayed in a cabin and in two different lodge rooms.
Our one-bedroom cabin at the Game State Lodge was pretty rustic for my taste, but the boys immediately ran in and jumped on the bed, revelling in how cool it was. I will say that being able to step off our porch and see thousands of stars at night was pretty amazing. Fire pits also come with the cabins, and we were able to enjoy s’mores with our neighbors that night (s’mores supplies are available at the general store near State Game Lodge).
We also stayed in a Game State Lodge hotel room, which was more like a motel room, but it did have a microwave and refrigerator. And our final night was in a Creekside Lodge suite, which was the most like a typical Hampton Inn. And to ensure you’re out enjoying nature, and not holed up in your room playing on your phone, there’s no wifi in the rooms.
If you’re considering a stay at one of Custer’s lodges or cabins, book out as far in advance as you can. The Park is gaining in popularity and rooms are getting booked more than a year in advance.
There are restaurants at several of the lodges as well. Our favorite was at Legion Lake Lodge, Dockside Grill, where you can dine on a gorgeous patio overlooking the lake. Thumbs up for the pancakes! There’s also a general store where you can pick up pizzas, hot dogs, sandwiches, or campsite food. We failed to get restaurant reservations one night and had to grab dinner on the fly at the store (it’s open unti 7p.m., thank goodness!). My kids discovered Cup O’ Noodles for the first time, and life may never be the same.
Again, with the heavy demand in the park, reservations for dinner are essential. Our one regret was not doing the Chuck Wagon cookout. You’re taken out on a hay wagon and served a cowboy menu in a mountain canyon. It sounds idyllic, but it was sold out when I tried to make reservations – another one to book early. 605-255-4531
Custer State Park was a great 3-day stop for us on our tour of South Dakota and its majestic Black Hills. Not only did we enjoy all the Park has to offer, but it was a great spot to take off on day trips to Wind Cave National Park, Hot Springs, SD and Jewel Cave National Monument. It’s also close to Crazy Horse and Mt. Rushmore. Be sure to book as much as you can, as far in advance as you can.
Whether you want to soak in all of the activities that this unique South Dakota State Park has to offer, or just sit back and enjoy the scenery, it should be at the top of your list of things to experience when visiting the Black Hills.
