Best Things to do in Custer State Park in South Dakota (plus One Day Custer State Park itinerary)
A visit to Custer State Park is a must-do on any South Dakota road trip. In this guide, we’ll show you why! We’ll share the best things to do in Custer State Park, from scenic drives to hiking to wildlife spotting, plus include what to do around Custer State Park in the surrounding Black Hills. Finally, we’ll share with you suggestions for a one day Custer State Park itinerary or longer to help you plan your trip!
If you’re headed to South Dakota, chances are you likely have already heard of places like Mount Rushmore and Badlands National Park, and you should absolutely have those on your South Dakota road trip itinerary!
But, have you heard of Custer State Park? If not, we’re here to tell you that you should definitely put this on your radar. This 71,000 acre state park is jam-packed with incredible scenic drives, tons of wildlife, beautiful lakes, and amazing hiking. In fact, some have even said the scenery and wildlife in the Custer State Park rivals that of the nearby national parks and forests!
Intrigued? We hope so! And we want to help you plan your trip!
In this guide, we’ll go over the best things to do in Custer State Park. We’ll include our favorite hikes and drives, plus give you helpful tips and advice along the way. We’ll also share how you can plan a perfect Custer State Park itinerary filled with the must-see places, whether you have just one day in Custer State Park, or a few more!
Let’s get to it!
In this Custer State Park guide:
Mount Rushmore: Best Things to Do and Complete Guide
How to Plan One Day in Wind Cave National Park
Badlands National Park: Best One Day Itinerary
How to Drive the Peter Norbeck Highway: South Dakota's Best Scenic Drive
Where is Custer State Park
Custer State Park is found in the southwestern corner of South Dakota, in the heart of the region known as the Black Hills. This region is jam-packed with some of South Dakota’s best places, like Mount Rushmore and Wind Cave National Park, so it’s ideally located to be a part of a road trip that includes all of these places!
View over the Black Hills region of South Dakota from a Custer State Park hiking trail
How to get to Custer State Park
Getting to Custer State Park is pretty easy! You’ll definitely need your own car (or a rental) as there is no public transportation to or within the park (aside from hired tours), but all the roads are easy, and don’t require any sort of high clearance or 4WD vehicle.
The closest airport to Custer State Park is in Rapid City, just 40 minutes away.
The Black Hills of South Dakota are home to a ton of other amazing outdoor gems and attractions as well. After checking out all the top attractions in Custer State Park, many people like to continue a road trip through the nearby areas. Here are some distances from places near Custer State Park that we think would be good additions to a South Dakota road trip that includes Custer!
Custer State Park to Mount Rushmore: 20 miles, 45 minutes
Custer State Park to Rapid City: 30 miles, 40 minutes
Custer State Park to Wind Cave National Park: 11 miles, 30 minutes
Custer State Park to Hot Springs: 36 miles, 45 minutes
Custer State Park to Badlands National Park: 1 hour 15 minutes, 70 miles
Custer State Park to Devils Tower National Monument: 2 hours 15 minutes, 122 miles
Why You Should Visit Custer State Park
A chance to see a ton of wildlife makes Custer State Park worth a visit!
If you’re any sort of outdoor enthusiast, Custer State Park deserves a spot on your bucket list.
If you manage to get to all the best things to do in Custer State Park, you’ll have the chance to:
Drive through narrow rock tunnels as small as 8 feet wide
Hike to the tallest peak in South Dakota
Walk among towering rock spires
Get caught in bison “traffic jams”
Spiral your way around pigtail turns with scenic views over Mount Rushmore
Visit a place once named in the top 10 wildlife destinations in the world! That’s crazy!
Plus, there’s tons of other places to visit near Custer State Park that make the journey out here even more worth it.
So, if you’re asking yourself if it’s worth visiting Custer State Park, the answer is a resounding “yes!”. Even if you only have one day in Custer State Park, we promise you will love it.
Best Time to Visit Custer State Park
Awesome views from Custer State Park in the summer
You can visit here any time of year, but there are some things to consider when deciding the best time to visit Custer State Park.
Spring through fall is generally the best time to visit Custer State Park, where you can pretty much do everything there is to do in the park. In the summer, the temperatures are hot but they don’t get unbearable in the Black Hills, so you can expect temperatures somewhere in the 80s during the day (great swimming weather at one of the park’s many lakes!).
In the spring and fall, the temperatures are a bit milder, which might be nicer for outdoor activities like hiking, and the crowds might be a bit less. The Black Hills also have some great fall foliage, which is typically caught somewhere between the end of September to early/mid October.
The winters in Custer State Park get cold, and can be a bit snowy. Some facilities and services close for the winter, plus some of the popular scenic drives won’t be open, so if you’re looking to find all the best things to do in Custer State Park, winter won’t be the best time.
Where to Stay Near Custer State Park
If you are looking to stay near Custer State Park, there are several towns nearby that make a convenient and central location to both Custer State Park and other destinations within the Black Hills.
The town of Custer is just west of the park, about 14 miles from the Visitor Center. Staying here will put you super close to all the best places in Custer State Park, plus there are lots of places to eat and shop in its cute downtown area.
Keystone is about a half hour away from the Custer State Park visitor center. We would recommend staying here if your top priority in the Black Hills is seeing Mount Rushmore, or being closer to Rapid City. It’s also a great starting point to drive the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway, which goes through Custer State Park (more on that later!).
Hill City is about 45 minutes from Custer State Park, and not the most ideally located, although it does lie along the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway and is perfectly doable to do a day trip into Custer State Park from here.
Rapid City is about 40 minutes from Custer State Park and we wouldn’t recommend staying here. It’s convenient because this is where you’ll probably fly into, and it’s a bigger city with more places to stay and eat, but that’s where the convenience ends. The other places listed above are definitely more centrally located for visiting the top spots in Custer State Park and the nearby areas.
Lodging in Custer State Park
If you want to stay inside the park, you’re in luck because there are several options and you’ll be just a hop, skip, and a jump away from all the must-see places in Custer State Park.
There are four lodges in the park (Game State Lodge, Sylvan Lake Lodge, Blue Bell Lodge, and Legion Lake Lodge) that have rooms, cabins, dining, shopping, water sport rentals, and guided tours available.
Check out the website here to learn more and compare each of these options.
Camping in Custer State Park
There are 9 standard campgrounds in Custer State Park ranging from $15-$30, depending on if you tent camp or need electric hookups. In general, the campgrounds are open between April/May to October/November-ish.
When choosing which campground to stay at in Custer State Park, keep a careful eye on what each one offers, as they are all different. Some have vault toilets versus regular flush toilets, some have laundry and shower facilities, some cannot accommodate large RVs or have no electric hookups, and some take same day reservations.
Check out more information on each of the Custer State Park campgrounds here.
Camping near Custer State Park
Our awesome free campsite near Custer State Park!
There are tons of camping options (both free and paid) in the area of the Black Hills National Forest surrounding the park. Check out the National Forest site to take a look at many of them. With whichever one you choose, you won’t be too far from any of the best attractions of Custer State Park or the Black Hills.
Custer State Park Map
We’re throwing this handy map here so that you can orient yourself as we talk about all the best things to do in Custer State Park. Refer to this map as you read through this article so you can plot out the course for your own Custer State Park itinerary!
A map of Custer State Park, found on the park brochure and on the South Dakota State Park website
Best Things to Do in Custer State Park
So, we’ve gone over a lot of the logistics, but what actually is there to see and do in Custer State Park?
We’re glad you asked!
From epic drives to scenic hikes and lots of wildlife, we think you’ll fall in love with the park just like we did. To help you out, here’s a list of our favorite things to do in Custer State Park!
Drive Wildlife Loop Road
Finding wildlife is one of the best things to do in Custer!
Driving Wildlife Loop is by far one of the most popular and well-known things to do in Custer State Park. If one of your main questions is “Where is the best place in Custer State Park to see wildlife?”, then this road is your answer!
Wildlife Loop Road is an 18 mile route that takes you from the Custer State Park visitor center along 16A to the Blue Bell Entrance Station on route 87, and the reason it’s so popular is because it is part of what makes Custer State Park such an amazing wildlife viewing destination. Along this road, you’re almost guaranteed to spot wild bison, prairie dogs, and the famous “begging burros” that call Custer State Park their home. If you’re lucky, you may also see elk, coyotes, deer, pronghorn, and even bighorn sheep.
Driving by a herd of bison on Wildlife Loop Road!
Here are some helpful tips on how to experience this top attraction in Custer State Park!
How long does it take to drive Wildlife Loop in Custer State Park? We would say to plan for one to two hours on Wildlife Loop Road. I know that sounds like a long time to drive just 18 miles, but you’ll definitely want to drive slow to keep your eyes peeled for wildlife and to keep them safe in case they decide to linger on or near the road. Plus, if you do see something, you’ll likely want to pull over to observe and take pictures.
And the best reason why it might take so long? You might get stuck in a “bison traffic jam”! Whether it’s bison herds lingering along the road, or cars backed up watching the bison in the fields, you’re bound to find yourself in a jam (but in our opinion, it’s the best kind of traffic jam!).
A typical bison traffic jam in Custer State Park!
When is the best time to drive Wildlife Loop Road? The loop is open all year, and the best time of day to drive it is in early morning hours or evening hours (just before sunset), when the animals are most active. We drove the loop around 4:00, though, and were able to see plenty of wildlife!
Where can you see the wildlife along Wildlife Loop Road? While it’s possible to see it anywhere in the park, there are actually certain locations along Wildlife Loop Road where you’re probably more likely to see specific kinds of wildlife.
Bison
Bison are the main attraction of Wildlife Loop Road. Big herds of these guys can usually be found along the east portion of the road between the visitor center on 16A (the start of the loop) and the Wildlife Station Visitor Center. We ran into huge herds (and lots of “bison jams”!) near and on Fisherman Flats Road near the Wildlife Station.
Prairie dogs
These cute little guys are found all over South Dakota! But on Wildlife Loop Road, there is a prairie dog town towards the Blue Bell Entrance. Between that entrance and 4 Mile Draw road, keep your eyes peeled on the southern side of the road for these guys poking their heads up out of their burrows.
Burros
The Burros, or “Begging Burros” in Custer State Park are often found along Wildlife Loop Road near the intersection with Lame Johnny Road, and that’s exactly where we found them on our trip. These guys are descendants from the herd that used to bring visitors up the nearby Black Elk Peak but have since been released into the park after that service was discontinued. They are famously called “Begging Burros” because they are not shy…they’ll come right up to car windows begging for food, which they have grown accustomed to. While we read in other places that it’s okay to feed them, we read on official park brochures that feeding of any wildlife is discouraged, and we figured the burros were included, so we didn’t try feeding them. We just said a quick hello and drove by! Since feeding of any kind of wildlife is never a good thing, I’d definitely encourage you to check in with a park ranger or staff about their stance on feeding the burros before you go!
Where is the entrance to Wildlife Loop Road? You can start from either end of the road, either at the Visitor Center along route 16A or the Blue Bell entrance along route 87. I don’t see an advantage for driving one way or another.
Driving Wildlife Loop Road is definitely a highlight in Custer State Park, so be sure to include this drive on your Custer itinerary!
Drive the Needles Highway (and see the Eye of the Needle)
The rock spires that make up the scenery along the Needles Highway in Custer. Can you see the tunnel?
If there is something that Custer State Park has no shortage of, it’s epic scenic roads!
Driving the Needles Highway is another must-do Custer State Park activity. This is a 14 mile point-to-point drive that begins and ends on two different points along route 16A in the park. Along the way, you’ll be treated to amazing views of the tall needle-like rock spires that give the road its name.
Another cool feature of the Needles Highway in Custer is that you’ll drive through two narrow tunnels that have been carved through the granite mountainsides. The most famous of the two is called the Needles Eye Tunnel.
On one side of the tunnel is a view point with awesome views of the surrounding landscape, and an up close look at the Eye of the Needle rock formation.
Along the Needles Highway, you can make various stops at different trailheads if you’re interested in hiking, or stop at Sylvan Lake – the park’s most popular lake destination (both of which we talk more about below!).
Whether you just want a leisurely drive or you’re looking to do some of the amazing hikes off this road, driving the Needles Highway is an awesome thing to do at Custer State Park!
Here is some more information about this Custer National Park highlight:
Where is the Needles Highway in Custer State Park? This scenic road cuts right through the heart of the park. From 16A, turn North onto route 89 towards Sylvan Lake. At the lake, continue onto route 87, which will bring you back to route 16A (at a different point from where you started).
How long does it take to drive the Needles Highway in Custer State Park? The park recommends planning about 45-60 minutes to drive this road. But if you make stops at Sylvan Lake and do a few hikes, driving the Needles Highway can be an all day activity!
What is the best direction to drive the Needles Highway? You’ll get great views either way, but in our opinion, driving the Needles Highway in a counter clockwise direction, starting from the eastern most entry to the road near the Legion Lake Lodge, is the better direction. Going in this direction, you’ll start off mostly along a forested drive, but you’ll have nice views of the rock formations in front of you for a while, and you save the good stuff for last. We drove the road clockwise, and when we got past the Iron Creek Tunnel the road became uneventful, with most of the views behind us.
What are the vehicle restrictions for the Needles Highway? There are two narrow tunnels that you definitely want to be aware of before deciding to take larger vehicles on this road. Here are the tunnel sizes:
Iron Creek Tunnel: 8’9” wide and 10’10” tall
Needles Eye Tunnel: 8’ wide and 9’9” tall
When does the Needles Highway open and close? The Needles Highway generally closes with the first snowfall, usually some time in October, so keep your eyes on road conditions if you plan on visiting Custer around then! It remains closed until April 1st, but in the winter you can still walk, bike, and ski it.
Hike to the tallest point in South Dakota (Black Elk Peak)
Taking in the views from Black Elk Peak is an awesome thing to do in Custer State Park!
Hiking was our favorite thing to do in Custer State Park. There are lots of hikes in Custer, but we’re singling out the hike to Black Elk Peak because we loved it so much! The views over the park and the needle-like spires are amazing. Plus, Black Elk Peak is the highest point in South Dakota, so it’s an awesome feeling to make the trek up and stand on the tallest point in the state.
The hike up Black Elk Peak isn’t difficult. In fact, the crowds that make the hike up to the summit are a testament to its accessibility. However, there are some tricky rocky sections, and it’s not a short hike either, clocking in at 6.5-7.5 miles and about 1500 feet of elevation gain, depending on which route you take to the top.
Take your pick from other Custer State Park hikes
Besides Black Elk Peak, there are many other awesome hikes in Custer State Park that are worth considering. Our favorite hikes in Custer State Park start near Sylvan Lake along the Needles Highway. Here are our favorites:
Little Devil’s Tower
The view of Black Elk Peak from the summit of Little Devils Tower in Custer
We loved this hike in Custer State Park! It’s a 3 mile round trip moderate hike that has some fun scrambling elements towards the top, and brings you to a summit with awesome views of the area and of Black Elk Peak. Check out our Custer hiking guide to learn more about hiking to Little Devils Tower!
Cathedral Spires
Walking through the Cathedral Spires in Custer!
This was Kevin’s favorite hike in Custer State Park! It’s a pretty easy 3 mile round trip hike to an area where you can walk right beneath the towering rock spires.
Check out our Custer hiking guide to learn more about the hike to the Cathedral Spires.
Other hikes in Custer State Park to consider
Sylvan Lakeshore Trail: 1 mile loop. If you’re looking for something a little less intense, this is an easy scenic stroll around Lake Sylvan.
Sunday Gulch Trail: A 3.2 mile loop that’s considered strenuous due to slippery boulder hopping and the use of metal handrails along the trail.
Lovers Leap Trail: A 4 mile loop up to a rocky outcrop with views.
Relax or kayak at a Custer State Park lake
There are five lakes in Custer State Park to choose from for swimming, boating, and fishing (with a South Dakota fishing license), all popular things to do in Custer, especially in the summer!
Sylvan Lake is the most picturesque, and the most popular, especially because this is where many popular trailheads begin and because it lies along the Needles Highway. Here, you can take a swim, walk around the easy Sylvan Lake trail to take in the views, or hop on a kayak or paddleboard that you can rent from the nearby Sylvan Lake Lodge.
For a quieter experience, check out Stockade Lake, Center Lake, or Legion Lake.
Drive Iron Mountain Road from Custer State Park to Mount Rushmore
Seeing Mount Rushmore from Iron Mountain Road is a great thing to do in Custer!
Another scenic drive in Custer State Park? Yup! And this one will take you from Custer to another major highlight of the Black Hills…Mount Rushmore!
Driving Iron Mountain Road is a really unique thing to do in Custer. It makes up a small portion of route 16A, stretching 17 miles from Custer State Park to Mount Rushmore (where 16A joins route 244). But in those 17 miles, the road twists, turns, and literally spirals its way across the Black Hills. Along the drive, you’ll drive through three narrow tunnels that were built to perfectly frame Mount Rushmore and were designed to showcase the monument.
One of the three tunnels on Iron Mountain Road from Custer to Mount Rushmore
From some of the tunnels along Iron Mountain Road, you get a perfectly framed view of Mount Rushmore!
You’ll also loop around three pigtail turns in the road (sections of the road that loop back under itself).
Going under one of the pigtail bridges on Iron Mountain Road
It is said that the road was purposely built so twisty and narrow to reduce the speed limit and allow (or more like force!) visitors to slow down and enjoy the drive. You may even encounter wildlife such as bison, elk or deer along the way.
Here is some more info on driving Iron Mountain Road from Custer to Mount Rushmore…one of Custer State Park’s highlights!
Is Iron Mountain Road scary? Not at all! This isn’t a road with drop offs or cliff edges. The first half of the drive from Custer State Park is a pretty low key drive through the forest of the Black Hills. There are a couple of road side exhibits along the way and when you reach the “summit” of the road, there is a nice viewpoint of Mount Rushmore from afar. The last portion of the road as you drive towards Mount Rushmore gets a little more interesting with the tunnels and pigtail turns that make this road famous, but these aren’t scary, just interesting elements of the drive.
How long does it take to drive Iron Mountain Road? It took us about 45 minutes to drive Iron Mountain Road. It can take a little bit longer depending on if you stop at any of the road side exhibits, the viewpoints, at the tunnels to get the famous picture of the perfectly framed Mount Rushmore, or at the Iron Mountain Road Visitor Center, located about half way down the road. This is open from mid-May to Labor Day and has visitor information, a café, gift shop and supplies. We didn’t make any of these stops in the 45 minutes we took to drive, so just plan accordingly if you want to!
Where does Iron Mountain Road start? Iron Mountain Road begins in Custer State Park. 16A runs through the heart of the park and then branches off to start the Iron Mountain Road (if coming from the west on 16A, you’ll take a left onto Iron Mountain Road rather than continuing on Highway 36, and if coming from the east, you’ll take a right onto 16A, rather than continuing straight and driving to Custer). The Iron Mountain portion of 16A ends 17 miles later, where you’ll take a left onto route 244 which will take you to Mount Rushmore.
What is the best direction to drive Iron Mountain Road? You’ll definitely want to drive Iron Mountain Road from South to North (Custer State Park to Mount Rushmore), rather than the other way around. This way, you’ll see the famous shots of the monument as you drive through the tunnels. You can definitely back track back down this road after your visit, but be sure to plan your route so that you drive Iron Mountain Road toward the monument as well.
What are the vehicle restrictions on Iron Mountain Road? There are three tunnels that you have to be aware of, making this road impassable to large vehicles.
Here are the size restrictions for the three tunnels found on Iron Mountain Road:
Doane Robinson Tunnel: 12’x11’4”
CC Gideon Tunnel: 11’6”x10’9”
Scovel Johnson Tunnel: 10’9”x11’
RVs and larger vehicles aren’t recommended as well due to the tight pigtail turns.
When is Iron Mountain Road open? All year! However, there may be some closures of Iron Mountain Road in the winter due to snowfall and until they can safely clear the road.
Take a Tour of Custer State Park
The various lodges found within the park offer different tour options around Custer State Park.
These include a Buffalo Safari Jeep Tour (which was named a “Top 10 Safari in the US”!), a Needles Highway Sunrise Jeep Tour, hayrides, horseback rides, and more.
Check out more information here.
Attend an event (Like the Buffalo Roundup)
Throughout the year, Custer State Park holds events and guided tours, such as guided hikes along certain trails, snowshoe hikes, ice fishing demos, and more, but the most popular event in Custer and a huge draw to the park takes place every September…the Buffalo Roundup.
If you happen to find yourself here in the fall, attending this event is a unique thing to do in Custer State Park. This roundup event began in the 1960s as a way to eradicate brucellosis from the bison herd. Today, it’s used as a way to manage the herd size to levels that the land can support. It does this by helping to determine the number of bison they can sell at their fall auction. There are usually two viewing areas set up around the corrals on Wildlife Loop Road. There’s also a corresponding art festival for three days surrounding the event. Check out the details for any specific year here.
Also, on a weekly basis, rangers hold interpretive programs at the visitor centers. The schedule of these programs is posted at the visitor centers and campgrounds in the park.
How Much Time Do You Need in Custer State Park?
The Black Elk Peak hike is a great addition to any Custer State Park itinerary
Now that we’ve covered all the fun things to do in Custer State Park, it’s now time to plan out your time there so you can fit everything in!
So how much time do you need in Custer State Park? We would say that to experience all the best things to do at Custer State Park that we mentioned above, 2-3 days should do it.
However, if you’re short on time, the good news is that you can certainly see the best of Custer State Park in one day. More days is really just icing on the cake if you want to see a little bit more and go at a more relaxed pace. With that said, let’s get into some suggestions of how you can plan your time in Custer!
One Day Custer State Park Itinerary
As we said above, having just one day in Custer State Park is actually enough time to see the highlights! It will be a busy day, but worth it!
This is how we suggest you spend your one day in Custer:
Start off your morning by driving Wildlife Loop Road…ideally around sunrise to try and see the most animals!
Tackle your next scenic drive, the Needles Highway. Along the way, you can spend some time relaxing or kayaking on Sylvan Lake, or you can do one or two of the short hikes we mentioned above, such as Cathedral Spires, or the Sylvan Lake Loop.
If you’re interested in seeing Mount Rushmore, spend the late afternoon driving Iron Mountain Road. Stay at Mount Rushmore for the evening lighting ceremony before heading back to your accommodations for the night.
Alternate one day Custer State Park Itinerary:
If you want to do less hiking and more sightseeing, we suggest a good use of your one day in Custer would driving the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway. This 70 mile loop connects the three scenic drives in Custer State Park along with a lot of the best things to do in the Black Hills. It will be a jam-packed day, but it will be worth it to squeeze in as much as you can with your little time.
An ideal place to begin the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway is right in Custer. From there, you’ll hit the Needles Highway, then Wildlife Loop, Iron Mountain Road, Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse, and finish back in Custer.
It’s a packed route, but it’s the best way to spend a day in Custer State Park and the nearby area!
Custer State Park Itineraries with More Time
With more than one day in Custer State Park, you can do a bit more hiking, or just go at a more leisurely pace.
With two or three days in Custer State Park, this is how we would spend our time:
Day 1: Drive Wildlife Loop in the morning. Then, drive the Needles Highway. With more time, you can spend more of your first day in Custer doing hikes along this road, and if you’re up to it, doing a bigger hike up to Black Elk Peak and combining it with other trails in the area. Spend the evening relaxing or kayaking on Sylvan Lake.
Day 2: Today, you can do another hike such as Sunday Gulch. Check out Stockade Lake for swimming or a scenic walk around the lake. Drive Iron Mountain Road to Mount Rushmore. If you have time on the way back through Custer, drive Wildlife Loop again – this time in the evening to see maybe more or different types of wildlife!
Day 3: A third day in Custer State Park gives you a chance to do more hiking, go on a guided tour (or event if it is being offered during your visit), or explore more of the area near the park, such as Wind Cave National Park, Crazy Horse, Jewel Cave National Monument, and more. We’ll talk more about these below when we talk about things to do near Custer State Park.
Tips for Visiting Custer State Park
As you’re checking off all the best things to do in Custer State Park, here are some tips to keep in mind!
How much does it cost to visit Custer State Park? The one time vehicle fee is $20 which lasts for seven days. Or, you can buy an annual pass for $36 for the year if you know you’ll be there multiple times.
Wildlife. A lot of wildlife can be found in Custer State Park, which is one of the reasons it’s so well-visited! Just be sure to take it slow on the road and keep your eyes peeled. We saw a lot of bison and deer along roads within the park, so you want to make sure you are driving slowly enough that you can stop if something decides to dart or walk out, especially at dawn and dusk. Also, don’t approach or feed any of the wildlife. The park recommends keeping at least 100 yards away.
Pets are allowed on the trails! But must be kept on leashes no longer than 10 feet.
Leave no trace. Please practice the other principle of Leave No Trace to leave this park pristine for other visitors to enjoy.
What to pack for Custer State Park:
Bug spray- especially in the summer!
Sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses
Layers
A good pair of hiking shoes if you plan to do a lot of hiking, especially in the Sylvan Lake area. The terrain can be pretty rocky and steep on those trails.
Lots of water and snacks
Things to Do Near Custer State Park
There are plenty of South Dakota Gems, like Mount Rushmore, right near Custer State Park!
Chances are, you’re in the area for more than just Custer State Park, as cool as the park may be! Luckily, the park lies right in the heart of the Black Hills, where there are plenty of other awesome places to go!
Here are some of the best places to go near Custer State Park that would make great additions to any South Dakota Black Hills road trip.
MOUNT RUSHMORE: As you saw above, Mount Rushmore is an easy day trip from Custer State Park, and to get there, you get to drive the scenic Iron Mountain Road!
WIND CAVE NATIONAL PARK: This National Park is an easy day trip from Custer State Park. Here, you can go underground and explore one of the most complex cave systems in the world, and see the largest example of boxwork, a unique geologic feature.
MAMMOTH SITE: Just 10 minutes south of Wind Cave is Hot Springs, SD, which houses the Mammoth Site. This is a fascinating thing to do near Custer State Park, as it houses the world’s largest mammoth research site, and gives you the chance to tour the active dig site!
CRAZY HORSE MEMORIAL: Located near Custer State Park off route 385, Crazy Horse memorializes the famous warrior of the Oglala Lakota tribe. Construction began in 1948, and it’s still a work in progress, but you can still visit the grounds for up close viewing of the carving, and to visit museums, see films, attend cultural programs from local indigenous groups, and watch the evening laser show. Optional tours can also bring you even closer to the monument (to the base of the carving or even to the top) for an extra fee. The admission cost to Crazy Horse is about $12-15 per person depending on time of year. You can read more about the history and story of the Crazy Horse Memorial here and check the calendar of events here to plan a visit.
JEWEL CAVE NATIONAL MONUMENT: Another great place to go near Custer State Park is the Jewel Cave. Located just 15 minutes west of Custer, this monument is often overshadowed by the nearby Wind Cave, but it’s actually the third longest cave in world! Here, you can tour inside the cave or explore the trails outside. Note: Tours of the Jewel Cave have been closed for a while now due to elevator repair. Be sure to check the site before you go to get the current status. Above ground, three trails ranging from a quarter mile to over 5 miles take you through forest, meadows, and above Hell Canyon for views, wildlife, and wildflowers.
DEVILS TOWER: Devils Tower is a couple hours away from Custer State Park, so it’s not the most convenient place to go, but if you have time in your Custer State Park itinerary, a trip to Devils Tower would make a good addition. This massive and striking geologic feature is cool to see up close. During your visit, you can learn more about the tower and its formation, and hiking trails around its base to see it from every angle imaginable.
SPEARFISH CANYON: An hour a half from Custer is Spearfish Canyon, a 20 mile scenic byway that will take you through towering cliffs, viewpoints, and several roadside waterfalls. We wouldn’t say to drive out here just for this, but if you’re heading this way, particularly to go to Devil’s Tower, it’s a nice scenic detour.
LEAD/DEADWOOD: These two historic towns are located about an hour and a half away from Custer. If you’re into old western style themes and gold mining history, these are great places to go near Custer State Park.
BADLANDS NATIONAL PARK: This National Park is about 75 minutes away from Custer State Park, but no South Dakota road trip is complete without a visit to the Badlands. If we recommend one place to go near Custer State Park, it’s Badlands National Park. With scenic drives, fun hiking, and lots of wildlife, this was our favorite place in South Dakota.
More Information for your South Dakota Road Trip
If any of the above sound interesting to you, then we have a lot more information about how to create the perfect South Dakota road trip itinerary, including Custer State Park! Check out our other articles to get a kickstart on your planning!
SOUTH DAKOTA ROAD TRIP ITINERARY: Learn how to plan the perfect South Dakota Black Hills road trip (from one day to one week)
ONE DAY IN THE BLACK HILLS: Driving the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway of South Dakota is the perfect way to spend one day seeing the best spots in the Black Hills, and it includes all the Custer State Park highlights!
Are you planning a trip to Custer State Park? Which of these Custer State Park attractions are you most excited for? Let us know below!