Custer State Park, located at the southern end of the Black Hills National Forest in South Dakota, offers visitors a vacation spot that combines the best of all words: outstanding natural scenery, a plethora of wildlife to enjoy, numerous small towns for stocking up on supplies and experiencing a taste of the past, and some scenic drives to create unforgettable memories. This park was one of my favorite stops during a three-month trip in the U.S. west, and it’s a place I’ll return to explore more and relive favorite spots.
Sylvan Lake Campground
When planning our trip to the Black Hills, I chose Sylvan Lake Campground for its proximity to the lake and the walking trails. From our site, I could walk my dogs for approximately a quarter of a mile to get to Sylvan Lake. The lake was created in 1881 when a dam was built on Sunday Gulch, and the pristine waters that reflect the granite boulders surrounding it offers visitors the chance to swim, kayak and fish. The trail that follows along the shoreline is about a mile long and climbs up a small hill along the backside of the lake. You can access the Sunday Gulch Trail and Black Elk Peak Trail #9 from this loop; look for the signage.
The 39 sites in the campground are on the small side, and although I did see some larger trailers wedged in, this campground is more suitable for tents and campers under 27 feet. Some sites have electricity, and some are unserviced. Water is available near the entrance, and you can find a dump station off the Wildlife Loop Road. The bathrooms were spacious and clean, which is always a pleasant surprise on a more extended trip.
Most sites have a decent amount of privacy and nestle among the trees. The park rangers made a point of getting around to talk to everyone each day, and we enjoyed getting to know them over our five-day stay. We also got familiar with the habits of a yellow-bellied marmot that enjoyed hanging out in a ditch across from our site, much to the chagrin of our dogs.
The campground is situated in the northwest portion of the park, so to access the rest of the park, we took the Needles Highway once to experience the tunnels. Then for subsequent visits, we exited through the Sylvan Lake Entrance and drove down to the west entrance near Stockade Lake for a less white-knuckled drive. The town of Custer is nearby, with a well-stocked grocery store and several restaurants and breweries if you want a break from camp cooking.
Driving Around the Park
A highlight of visiting Custer State Park is the opportunity to explore the area through one of the many scenic drives. The 18-mile Wildlife Loop Road covers the southern portion of the park, through rolling hills where you can find herds of bison and pronghorn lazing in the grass or grazing along the hillsides and roads. You’ll have plenty of time to take in the views when the bison decide to use the road to move from one place to another—a typical traffic jam in this part of the country. Give yourself at least an hour and a half to complete the loop, and stop in the Wildlife Station Visitor Center to check out the displays and information about the park and its wildlife.
If you plan to take the Needles Highway or Iron Mountain Road, leaving the big rigs at the campground is best. Both roads feature narrow tunnels that can be difficult to navigate with larger vehicles. I made it through all of them in my 24-foot Sprinter van, but I admit I had to inch through the 9-foot-wide, 11-foot-4-inch-high Iron Creek Tunnel and the 8-foot-4-inch-wide, 11-foot-3-inch-high Needles Eye Tunnel on the Needles Highway. The stress was worth it, though, for the mystical views of the granite pinnacles along this 14-mile stretch and watching other vehicles squeeze their way through the tunnels. You can almost hear drivers exhale in relief as the rear of their car or truck clears the tunnel’s exit.
The three tunnels along the 17-mile Iron Mountain Road are a bit larger. Still, this scenic road, which connects Custer State Park and Mount Rushmore National Park, features 314 curves, 14 switchbacks and three pigtails (which allow you to gain or lose elevation quickly in a short distance). It’s not a road built for speed, so enjoy yourself, take your time and revel in the scenery—but don’t take your eyes off the road for long.
Day Trips Outside the Park
About 30 minutes west of the Sylvan Lake Campground, the Crazy Horse Monument speaks to the passion of a man and his vision for a fitting memorial to a revered warrior. Commissioned by Lakota Chief Henry Standing Bear, sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski began work on the monument in 1948, and his family and foundation continue the transformation of the mountain today. A scale model in the museum gives visitors an idea of how the Crazy Horse Monument will one day look.
The museum at the site tells the story of the creation of this vast piece of art, as well as the history of the Lakota people. During our visit, we took in a presentation of a Lakota woman and her daughters performing traditional dances and telling the stories behind them. Throughout the year, visitors can partake in various events, including the biannual Volksmarch, during which guided hiking tours are led up to the monument, where participants can see the mountain carving up close.
South of Custer State Park, Wind Cave National Park offers two experiences. Above ground, bison, elk, and pronghorn roam freely through the verdant landscape, and prairie dogs squeak and whistle, protecting their underground cities. Under the surface, you can explore one of the world’s longest and most complex cave systems. To enter, you must take a guided tour. You can reserve tickets for some tours; for others, it’s first come, first served, so make sure to get there early during the busy summer months.
A unique feature of this cave system is the boxwork formation. According to the National Park Service website, “Boxwork is made of thin blades of calcite that project from cave walls and ceilings, forming a honeycomb pattern. The fins intersect one another at various angles, forming '‘boxes’ on all cave surfaces.” During my tour, I saw multiple areas covered with these structures, and the ranger guiding us explained that Wind Cave contains the most abundant boxwork in the world.
Five days was not enough to see everything at Custer State Park, but it was easy to see why this region is a popular destination for campers, history buffs and wildlife lovers. Time to start planning the next visit!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Pamela Hunt is a freelance writer and editor in Burlington, Vermont. She lives to travel, whether in her camper van with her two dogs or further afield, to places where she can practice a new language, sample the local cuisine and learn something new every day. ■