Custer Park - Enjoy the National Monuments in the Black Hills of South Dakota

By: Blake--Parker

Have you ever desired to roam where the buffalo roam? Then head on over to Custer State Park (Custer Park) in South Dakota’s Black Hills just 25 miles south of Rapid City on US Hwy 16A, and a few miles east of historic Custer SD. Custer State Park offers four distinct resorts, each with its own personality and packed full of things to do that your whole family will love.

One resort is the State Game Lodge nestled in the scented pines. Built in the 1920’s, it served as the “Summer White House” for President Calvin Coolidge. Grace Coolidge Creek, known for its amazing fishing, meanders nearby through the valley of birch, oak, and aspen trees. Accommodations range from cabins to stately lodge rooms to a recently-renovated motel. While you are there, book a buffalo jeep safari and observe the mutli-ton animals in their natural habitat.

The renowned Frank Lloyd Wright designed Sylvan Lake Lodge on Hwy 87, was added after the original Victorian lodge burned in 1935. Located at the base of the Harney Peak Trail off the Needles Highway, this resort connects with many hiking trails and provides access to the beaches of the lake for fishing, swimming, or just relaxing. The Lakota Dining Room features delightful game dishes. For the more rustic in nature, cabins situated in the spruce forest are also available.

The Blue Bell Lodge, also on Hwy 87, offers guests a more pastoral Western flavor with trail rides and chuck wagon cookouts as some of the activities. The facilities are in a guest ranch style. Each cabin has its own fire ring for telling ghost stories or playing the harmonica at the end of the day.

Legion Lake Lodge, located on Hwy 16A, sits directly at the edge of the water of Legion Lake. It boasts comfortably-sized family cabins and recreational activities such as swimming, boating, and fishing. Named because it once hosted the American Legion, this site has access to the Centennial Trail right from the Lodge’s back steps. Be sure to include a stroll along the Badger Clark trail in your list of things to do.

There are many attractions in Custer State Park. Wildlife Loop Road allows travelers to view wildlife such as bison, prairie dogs, burros, and deer from the convenience of their cars. The best times for viewing are early in the day and early evening when the wildlife is most active. Don’t forget to look skyward. You may see a bald eagle.

The Annual Buffalo Round Up and Art Festival is held each year at the end of September, when the fall foliage is breath-taking. Spice up your mouth with the chili cook-off, or watch in amazement as hundreds of bison are corralled for branding and vaccinations by cowboys and cowgirls. Western activities are available for young and old alike. Local artisans let you view their skills and purchase finished works.

The Park is the haven for cyclists from around the world who thrill to both the fat tire and the dirt road rides. Hikers can appreciate the state hiking system, designed to allow for all levels of physical ability trails around the numerous waterways, meadows, and ponds. Motorcyclists, bikers, and horseback riders can explore countless paths left behind by ranchers and loggers. Several well known trails include the Centennial Trail that winds through a good portion of the area, the Grace Coolidge Walk-In Fishing Area on US Hwy 16A, and the George S. Mickelson Trail, where it is claimed the ghosts of Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane still roam. The Mickelson Trail, which opened in 1998, is designed for hikers and bikers of all levels with gentle slopes, easy access, and hundreds of converted railroad bridges. The panoramic views of nature in spring and fall are breathtaking. However, except in the springtime, no water is available along the trail, so please bring plenty in environmentally friendly containers.

For a more elegant night out, book reservations to take in a play at the Black Hills Playhouse, built in 1946. It is one of the oldest, continuously running summer playhouses, and boasts some of the most enjoyable off-Broadway acting in the West. Funded by the University of South Dakota, the theatre now has five dormitories to house the thespians and stage crew. The Children’s Theatre of South Dakota is an outreach program designed to introduce the younger generation to the arts.

Finally, do not forget to visit the Crazy Horse Memorial and Mount Rushmore, both located at the edge of Custer State Park. The memorial to Crazy Horse began to emerge from the mountain in 1948 and is still a work in progress. It is a privately funded operation. Mount Rushmore is a National Monument depicting the heads of four presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Teddy Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln.

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Go to Custer SD to learn about Custer State Park

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