Custer State Park

Custer State Park was the first and is the largest South Dakota State Park. It covers an area of over 71,000 acres in the Black Hills. The park is named after Lt. Colonel George Armstrong Custer. The hilly terrain of the park is home to a free range herd of about 1300 bison, 15 or so feral donkeys, elk, deer, coyotes, cougars, river otters, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, pronghorn, prairie dogs, turkeys, and the occasional moose.
Humans also inhabit the park because it has a visitor center, lodges, campgrounds, a few lakes, picnic areas, restrooms, country stores, gas pumps, etc. I camped in the park in Sept 2019 and made a return visit in July 2025.

Custer State Park

Park residents

Visitor Center

Visitor Center Entrance

Visitor Center

Exhibits

Gordon Stockade Historic Site

An expedition led by Lt. Colonel George Custer discovered gold in the Black Hills in the summer of 1874. The Black Hills were part of the Sioux Reservation at that time and off limits to white folks. Of course this didn't stop a group of prospectors from moving into the Black Hills in the winter of 1874. The group, known as the Gordon Party, built a log stockade on the bank of French Creek as defence against the Lakota Sioux. Their venture was less than profitable, and they were evicted by the U.S. Cavalry five months later. The stockade has been reconstructed 3 times over the years, and the third replica is what stands today.

Interpretive sign

Gordon Stockade

Cabin replicas

Cabins from earlier reconstructions

Vintage fireplace

Lakes and Lodges

There are four lakes, four historic lodges, and nine campgrounds in the park (I think). There is also a very large general store (Coolidge General Store). The lakes are Sylvan Lake, Center Lake, Stockade Lake, and Legion Lake. (Some people throw in Game Lodge Pond as a fifth lake, but nah). Campgrounds are associated with each lake. The four lodges are Sylvan Lake Lodge, Blue Bell Lodge, Legion Lake Lodge, and State Game Lodge. Better make reservations early.

Sylvan Lake

Canada Geese (Branta canadensis)

Coolidge General Store

State Game Lodge

Blue Bell Lodge

Blue Bell Lodge Dining Room

Our Scamp
Campsite 9E Blue Bell Campground

Legion Lake Lodge

Legion Lake

Canoes and Kayaks

Needles Highway

The Needles Highway is a scenic 14-mile stretch of SD-87 running from Sylvan Lake to its junction with US-16A. The highway offers stunning views of forests, meadows, and towering granite spires, from which it derives its name. Needles Highway passes through two miniscule tunnels, Needles Eye Tunnel and Iron Creek Tunnel.

Needles Eye Tunnel

Granite Formations

Needles

Needles Highway Scenic Overlook

Decorated Guardrail

Wildlife Loop Road

The Wildlife Loop Road is 18 miles long from the east entrance near the Custer State Park Visitor Center to SD-87 near Blue Bell Lodge on the western side. The park holds an annual buffalo roundup in late September during which much of the herd is driven into corrals at the south end of the Road for health checkups, vaccinations, and culling. I visited the park Sept 30 and missed the actual roundup by a couple of days. Animal encounters are frequent along this very scenic drive, and there's always a chance you could be accosted by some donkeys looking for a handout.

Free Range Bison Sept 2019

Free Range Bison July 2025

Picturesque Black Hills Sept 2019

Picturesque Black Hills July 2025

Bison Center

Penned Bison Sept 2019

American Bison (Bison bison)

Wild turkeys
(Meleagris gallopavo)

Pronghorn (Antilocapra americana)

Donkeys (Equus africanus asinus)

Nosey Donkey (Equus panhandleus)

Mount Coolidge Fire and Lookout Tower

Mount Coolidge Fire and Lookout Tower is located on top of a 6,023 foot mountain just off SD-87, about 3 miles south of US-16A. It was constructed in the late 1930s by the CCC. The Tower offers a 360-degree panoramic view of the Black Hills, and it's still in use as a fire lookout tower. If you have sharp eyes and/or a good pair of binoculars you can see part of Mt. Rushmore Memorial to the north, and Crazy Horse to the northwest. I only had a 120mm zoom lens on my camera, but I've enlarged the photos so you can see them. George Washington is the only one visible at Mt. Rushmore Memorial. (Click on the photo twice for an enlarged view).

Mt. Coolidge Fire and Lookout Tower

View east from lookout tower
SD-87 foreground

Mt. Coolidge Fire and Lookout Tower

George Washington's Face Mt. Rushmore
View is to the North

Mt Coolidge Fire Tower - up close and personal

View West to Northwest
Crazy Horse center right

Crazy Horse in circle

Background information obtained from Wikipedia, Copilot AI, and Custer State Park literature.
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