Things to do Custer State Park

Custer State Park is located in the Blackhills of South Dakota and is consistently listed as one of America's top 10 State Parks.

Things to do in Custer State Park

Take one trip to Custer State Park, and you will quickly see that it is on par with any large National Park in the US! There are plenty of activities, jaw-dropping scenery, epic wildlife, and numerous camping and lodging options.

Custer State Park is a destination itself, and it is centrally located to several national park sites, including Wind Cave, Jewel Cave, Mount Rushmore, and the Badlands. It is also close to Crazy Horse Memorial, Tombstone, and Sturgis, South Dakota. Let's explore the things to do at Custer State Park!

Now, let's explore all the things to do in Custer State Park!

Custer State Park Scenic Drive

There are three epic scenic drives in Custer State Park. This is not an exaggeration either, each one is an integral part of the Custer State Park and Black Hills area experience and links to other iconic parks like Wind Cave, Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse.

Custer State Park Wildlife Loop Road

The Custer State Park Wildlife Loop is an 18-mile roadway that takes you through the grasslands filled with wildlife. Visitors often see one of the 1300+ bison, pronghorn antelope, elk, mule deer, mountain goats, bighorn sheep, prairie dogs, birds, coyotes, and the famous begging burros that will stick their heads in your car if you are not watching! This drive alone makes it worth visiting Custer State Park.

When I visit Custer, I typically plan a day where I get up in the morning and drive the wildlife loop drive and look for wildlife, then make my way to Wind Cave National Park. After time at Wind Cave, I return back through the wildlife driver, looking for wildlife again. This time, you can also stop by the Wildlife Station Visitor Center and/or Bison Center.

Park Ranger John Pro Tip: Make sure to take some dirt roads that lead off the wildlife loop road. You will find fewer park visitors and get up into the pine forest. Watch out for other cars, as they can surprise you around the corner, especially when looking at wildlife and the scenery.

The Needles Highway

The Needles Highway (part of the Peter Norbeck National Scenic Byway) is a 14-mile drive through some of the best scenery you could hope for. Here, you will find awe-inspiring rock spires, rugged mountain scenery, and dense forests of Birch, Aspen, pine, and Spruce that dazzle with color in the fall.

One of the highlights is seeing the needle-like granite formations, which will, without a doubt, capture your attention,

The highlight will be reaching the Needles Eye Tunnel at the summit, which, at eight feet wide and nine feet, nine inches tall, barely fits one car at a time.  If you get a chance, watch a few other vehicles go through first before squeezing your way through.

Fun Fact: The original idea of Mount Rushmore was planned for the Needles area. Gutzon Borglum rejected the needles due to the poor quality of the granite and the strong opposition from Native American groups and decided on Mount Rushmore and its southeast-facing sun exposure.

Iron Mountain Road

The Iron Mountain Road is the third must-do drive to Custer State Park and forms the eastern edge of the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway.

The Iron Mountain Road (Highway 16A) is 17 miles long and has 314 curves, 14 switchbacks, three pigtails, two tunnels, and two splits. It will take at least 45-60 minutes to complete but it took me longer after getting out several times to take photos.

I would also recommend taking your time and stopping, as it can be a nightmare for those who suffer from motion sickness. The key is to go slow and enjoy the amazing scenery as you go on your adventure to Mount Rushmore!

One thing to keep in mind is that if you drive from Mount Rushmore to Custer, you will want to do a U-turn and drive the opposite way through the Scovel Johnson  Tunnel. Trust me!

Explore Sylvan Lake

Words can't describe the beauty of Sylvan Lake. I vividly remember taking this picture, thinking to myself that it looked more like a painting than real life!

Sylvan Lake is at 6,145 feet in elevation and sits among the granite Spires for which this area is so well known. This area includes fishing, swimming, rock climbing, and kayaking.

If you do one hike in Custer, hike the one-mile Sylvan Lake Shore Trail.  This hike has epic views, with granite rocks serving as a breathtaking backdrop of the lake. You can very well see rock climbers on the rock formations, people kayaking, and just enjoying this amazing place.

I even noticed a wedding venue set up just around the corner. Can you imagine those wedding photos?

You can also stay at the Sylvan Lake Lodge and Cabins for easy access to the lake.

Custer State Park Game Lodge

Have you ever wanted to sleep where a U.S. President has slept? The State Game Lodge was the "1927 Summer White House" for President Calvin Coolidge.

Dwight D. Eisenhower also stayed in this breathtaking lodge made of stone & wood and is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Today you can rent out either room that one of the presidents stayed in! This magnificent lodge also has a dining room, a store and a place to unwind and grab a drink.

Click here to book your stay at the State Game Lodge or call (888)875-0001.

Make sure to check out all the Custer State Park Lodges within the park

Go Hiking

One of the best ways to explore Custer State Park is to head out on foot and go for a hike. There are over fifty miles of hiking trails and over a dozen Custer State Park Hikes to choose from! Top hikes include:

Black Elk Peak Loop - 7.1 mile moderate hike

Cathedral Spires Trail - 3.0 mile strenuous hike

Black Elk Peak Trail - 6.4 mile moderate hike

Little Devils Tower Spur Trail - 3.8 mile moderate hike

Sylvan Lakeshore Trail - 1.0 mile easy hike

Lovers' Leap Trail - 4.2-mile moderate hike

Make sure to download the Custer State Park Hiker's Guide to Custer State Parks Trails.

Custer State Park Buffalo Roundup 

Each September is a special time in Custer State Park. It is where more than 14,000 people come to see and feel the thundering sound of the 1300+ Bison getting rounded up by park staff and volunteers.

Each year, they brand, test, and treat the heard of Bison. Why? Park Staff want to help protect one of the world's largest American Bison herds.

Visit the Mount Coolidge Fire Tower

Season: Typically open from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM from Memorial Day into late September.

If the gate is open at the mountain's base, park visitors may proceed to the top, but oversized vehicles and campers are not allowed.

If you reach the top on a clear day, you will be gifted with a sweeping view of the Black Hills, Mount Rushmore,  Crazy Horse, the Needles, and the Badlands.

This is still a working fire tower, and its stonework was one of the last jobs completed by the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) as they replaced the log structure. Don't forget to check out the interpretative exhibits on the outside deck.

Custer State Park Tours

Custer State Park offers several tours, including jeep tours, a hayride and Chuck Wagon Cookout, and horseback riding.

Jeep Tours in Custer State Park

Buffalo Safari Jeep Tours is a 1.5-2 hour tour that includes taking an open-air Jeep, which only these vehicles are allowed to go off-road. You will look for some of the park's wildlife, including bison, deer, elk, and pronghorn antelope. Other options include a Private Buffalo Safari Jeep Tour, a Sunrise Safari, a scenic byway tour, and a Buffalo corrals Jeep Tour.

Click here to book your Buffalo Safari Jeep Tour.

Custer State Park Horseback Riding

Have you ever wanted to ride a horse? Here is your chance to  go out with wranglers who will watch for your safety as you ride against the backdrop of the French Creek Nature Area. This area has lots of wildlife viewing opportunities and breathtaking scenery. You can choose anything from a half-hour to a full-day trail ride.

Click here to book your Horseback Riding Trail Ride.

Guided horseback trail tides are located at the Blue Bell Lodge.

Hayride and Chuck Wagon Cookout

What is more fun than a good old-fashioned hayride and cookout? Here, you take a 45-minute scenic wildlife tour to a mountain meadow canyon for a chuck wagon feast that includes a steak dinner and a full folk band for a dinner show. Paying guests get a souvenir cowboy hat and bandanna!

Click here to book your Hayride and Chuck Wagon Cookout.

Reservations for the Safari Jeep Tour and hayride & chuckwagon cookout can also be made by calling (605)255-4541.

Horseback trail rides reservations can be made by calling the Blue Bell Lodge Stables at (605)255-4700.

Watch a play at the Black Hills Playhouse

How many parks do you know of where you can spend the day hiking, kayaking, or taking a scenic drive and then watch a play? It's entirely possible here at Custer State Park at the Black Hills Playhouse!

This gem is located off the Needles Highway and Iron Mountain Road and features talented actors across the United States. 2025 shows include Murder on the Orient Express, Legally Blonde, Waitress the musical, and the Book of Will.

Click here to book your tickets to the Black Hills Playhouse!

Tours and Things To Do near Custer State Park

Go Camping

Custer State Park has camping opportunities for everyone. There are nine campgrounds including camping cabins, modern campsites with electric hookups, campgrounds with flush toilets and showers, horse camps, and primitive camping too!

Game Lodge Campground: 11 cabins, 59 campsites
Sylvan Lake Campground: 39 campsites
Legion Lake Campground: 26 Campsites
Grace Coolidge Campground: 20 sites, 6 tent-only sites
Bluebell Campground: 23 cabins and 31 campsites
Center Lake Campground: 71 campsites
French Creek Horse Camp: 3 cabins, 28 campsites
Stockade North Campground: 42 campsites
Stockade South Campground: 13 cabins, 23 campsites

Click here to book your campsite at Custer State Park.

For a fun adventure check out Escape Campervans. These campervans have built in beds, kitchen area with refrigerators, and more. You can have them fully set up with kitchen supplies, bedding, and other fun extras. They are painted with epic designs you can't miss!

Escape Campervans has offices in Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Denver, New York, and Orlando

Hotels near Custer State Park

There are several lodging options near Custer State Park in the towns of Keystone and Custer.

Under Canvas Mount Rushmore - 2 miles from the park. 3-star eco-friendly hotel.

Baymont by Wyndham Keystone - 2 miles from the park.  Free breakfast buffet, a terrace, and laundry facilities. For some rest and relaxation, visit the hot tub. A 24-hour gym and a business center are available to all guests.

Quality Inn Keystone - 1.84 miles from the park. Free breakfast buffet, a fireplace in the lobby, and a hot tub, and free in-room Wi-Fi.

K Bar S Lodge, Ascend Hotel Collection - 1.7 miles from the park. A free breakfast buffet, a firepit, and laundry facilities are just a few of the amenities provided at K Bar S Lodge, Ascend Hotel Collection. Free in-room WiFi and a restaurant are available to all guests.

Comfort Inn And Suites Custer - 10 miles from the park.  Free breakfast buffet, laundry facilities, and a gym at Comfort Inn And Suites Custer. For some rest and relaxation, visit the hot tub. In addition to a business center, guests can connect to free in-room Wi-Fi.

Click on the map below to see the current rates for hotels and vacation rentals near Custer State Park.

Additional Custer State Park Articles

Complete guide to Custer State Park - Your complete guide to planning a perfect vacation to Custer State Park.

Custer State Park Lodging Guide - This lodging guide has all the lodging options in Custer State Park, including State Game Lodge, Creekside Lodge, Sylvan Lake Lodge, Legion Lake Lodge, and Bluebell Lodge.

Explore area Parks

After exploring Custer State Park, check out other area parks. Custer State Park is an excellent hub for exploring the Black Hills, especially with the number of campgrounds and lodges on site.

Nearby Parks include:

• Mount Rushmore National Memorial
• Wind Cave National Park
• Jewel Cave National Monument
• Theodore Roosevelt National Park
• Badlands National Park
• Minuteman Missile National Historic Site
• Devils Tower National Monument
• Crazy Horse
• There is also camping at the Mount Rushmore KOA

Check out all of the National Parks in South Dakota along with neighboring National Parks in Iowa, National Parks in Minnesota, National Parks in Montana, Nebraska National Parks, North Dakota National Parks, and Wyoming National Parks