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Custer State Park

National Park · South Dakota, 🇺🇸 United States
Area 284 km²
Time zone America/Denver
Official website gfp.sd.gov/parks/detail/custer-state-park/
Custer State Park

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Featured Lists

Epsota24 / CC BY-SA 3.0

Custer State Park Essentials

Spanning 71,000 acres in South Dakota's Black Hills, Custer State Park is defined by its dramatic granite geology and free-roaming wildlife. This selection highlights the engineering of the Needles Highway, including its narrow tunnels and the iconic Cathedral Spires. It also covers the 18-mile Wildlife Loop, home to a herd of 1,500 bison, and historic landmarks like the Gordon Stockade and the Civilian Conservation Corps-built lookout at Mount Coolidge.

10 places

Best Campgrounds

This selection of campgrounds provides access to Custer State Park’s diverse landscapes, ranging from lakeside sites to pine-forested loops. Key locations include Stockade Lake and Legion Lake, which offer water activities and proximity to the Needles Highway. The Game Lodge Campground features amenities like a sanitary dump station and power supplies, while sites like Spokane Creek provide a mix of cabins and tent spaces near Iron Mountain Road. These locations serve as base points for viewing bison herds and exploring the Black Hills.

8 places

Scenic Viewpoints

This collection features the most prominent granite formations and overlooks along the Needles Highway in Custer State Park. These sites showcase the unique geology of the Black Hills, including narrow tunnels carved through solid rock, jagged spires, and high-altitude peaks. Visitors can observe the effects of erosion on 1.7-billion-year-old granite and access panoramic views extending from the 6,023-foot Mount Coolidge to the distant Badlands and Mount Rushmore.

7 places
Epsota24 / CC BY-SA 3.0

Scenic Lakes & Reservoirs

The Black Hills' lakes and reservoirs are characterized by dramatic granite outcroppings and high-altitude locations within Custer State Park and the surrounding National Forest. These man-made bodies of water, including the historic Sylvan Lake created in 1891, provide habitats for trout and opportunities for non-motorized boating. Visitors can explore the largest of these, Stockade Lake, which sits near the historic Gordon Stockade, or find quieter fishing spots like Bismark Lake. Sandy swimming beaches and historic masonry dams define the unique recreational landscape of this South Dakota region.

7 places

Custer State Park — Map

Custer State Park — Map

Climate & when to visit

Best time to visit: June, September

Select a month

Typical weather in January

Poor
  • 0° (feels like -6°) · extremes -21°–8°
  • -10° at night
  • 3 rainy days
  • 15 sunny days
  • 6 hours of sunshine per day
  • Dry air
  • Light breeze
  • UV index 1 · low

Typical weather in February

Poor
  • 2° (feels like -5°) · extremes -21°–12°
  • -10° at night
  • 3 rainy days
  • 15 sunny days
  • 7 hours of sunshine per day
  • Dry air
  • Light breeze
  • UV index 2 · low

Typical weather in March

Poor
  • 8° (feels like 2°) · extremes -14°–19°
  • -6° at night
  • 6 rainy days
  • 16 sunny days
  • 7 hours of sunshine per day
  • Dry air
  • Light breeze
  • UV index 4 · moderate

Typical weather in April

Poor
  • 12° (feels like 7°) · extremes -10°–23°
  • -3° at night
  • 10 rainy days
  • 14 sunny days
  • 8 hours of sunshine per day
  • Dry air
  • Light breeze
  • UV index 5 · moderate

Typical weather in May

Fair
  • 18° (feels like 13°) · extremes -3°–28°
  • 3° at night
  • 13 rainy days
  • 15 sunny days
  • 9 hours of sunshine per day
  • Dry air
  • Light breeze
  • UV index 6 · high

Typical weather in June

Great
  • 25° (feels like 22°) · extremes 4°–34°
  • 9° at night
  • 13 rainy days
  • 18 sunny days
  • 11 hours of sunshine per day
  • Dry air
  • Light breeze
  • UV index 8 · very high

Typical weather in July

Good
  • 30° (feels like 28°) · extremes 9°–36°
  • 14° at night
  • 12 rainy days
  • 21 sunny days
  • 11 hours of sunshine per day
  • Dry air
  • Light breeze
  • UV index 9 · very high

Typical weather in August

Good
  • 29° (feels like 26°) · extremes 8°–35°
  • 13° at night
  • 10 rainy days
  • 19 sunny days
  • 10 hours of sunshine per day
  • Dry air
  • Light breeze
  • UV index 7 · high

Typical weather in September

Great
  • 23° (feels like 19°) · extremes 0°–32°
  • 8° at night
  • 7 rainy days
  • 20 sunny days
  • 9 hours of sunshine per day
  • Dry air
  • Light breeze
  • UV index 6 · high

Typical weather in October

Poor
  • 14° (feels like 9°) · extremes -8°–25°
  • 0° at night
  • 6 rainy days
  • 17 sunny days
  • 7 hours of sunshine per day
  • Dry air
  • Light breeze
  • UV index 3 · moderate

Typical weather in November

Poor
  • 6° (feels like 0°) · extremes -13°–17°
  • -5° at night
  • 3 rainy days
  • 15 sunny days
  • 6 hours of sunshine per day
  • Dry air
  • Light breeze
  • UV index 2 · low

Typical weather in December

Poor
  • 0° (feels like -6°) · extremes -20°–8°
  • -10° at night
  • 3 rainy days
  • 13 sunny days
  • 5 hours of sunshine per day
  • Dry air
  • Light breeze
  • UV index 1 · low

Climate data: NASA POWER (MERRA-2) · 1996–2025

Practical information

Currency
US Dollar USD $ · Card payments · Widely accepted
Emergency numbers
911 Police · Ambulance · Fire brigade
Electricity
Type A / Type B
120 V · 60 Hz
Languages
English
Tap water
Safe to drink
Driving side
Right
Calling code
+1
Learn more

Tours & Activities

Needles Eye Tunnel
Walk
Needles Eye
Drive
Sylvan Lake

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