The Top Things to do in Custer State Park

Byilive4travel

If you are planning on visiting South Dakota then a great area to visit is the Blackhills. Below you can find the best things to do in Custer State Park, which is one of the top attractions in the Blackhills. It covers an area of 71,000 acres.

It is a beautiful park with a lot of wildlife and areas for swimming and fishing, and worth a visit or a drive along the wildlife loop road, it was certainly one of my highlights in South Dakota, traveling as a solo female and a place I felt safe visiting.

Here you will find everything you need to know to visit the park, including opening hours, prices and what to do in Custer State Park during your trip.

A herd of bison roaming in an open grassy field at Custer State Park in South Dakota. The animals are scattered across the landscape near a paved road, with a few yellow cones marking the roadside. Rolling hills covered with pine trees rise in the background under a bright blue sky, creating a peaceful prairie scene typical of the park’s wildlife areas.

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Facts about Custer State Park

Custer State Park was South Dakota’s first state park and is the largest it has.  It was named after Lt Colonel George Armstrong Custer, who I had learned about at school, who had fought and died in the Battle of Little Bighorn and is one of a few places in the US named after him, though it is a few hundred miles away from where he died in the Battle of Little Bighorn.

The park was founded in 1912 and became the first official state park in March 1919.  Since then the size of the park has considerably increased, with it now covering an area of 287km2 (71,000 acres).

In 2022 of the 14.4 million people to visit South Dakota, 2.1 million of them visited Custer State Park. Over the years, a few films have used Custer State Park as a film location, with most of them about native indians of the area.

Where is Custer State Park

Custer State Park is located in the Black Hills of South Dakota in the west of the state, close to the borders with Wyoming and Nebraska.  It is located 15 miles from the city of Custer and 30 miles west from Rapid City.

If you are coming from Rapid City then the address you will want to put in your GPS is Custer State Park, 13329 US Highway 16A, Custer, SD 57730, this will take you to the east entrance of the park which is closest to Rapid City and Mount Rushmore.

If you are coming from Crazy Horse Memorial then you will want the West Entrance station, Custer, SD 57730, United States or you can enter through Sylvan Lake Entrance Gate, 24571 SD-87, Custer, SD 57730, United States and drive Needles Highway.

 

Custer State Park Hours

Custer State Park is open 24 hours a day and every day of the year as highway 16a goes through the park. If you are just driving along the highway and are not planning on stopping then you will not need to pay the entrance fee. This isn’t the most interesting part of the park though.

If you are planning to visit the park and stop and take the wildlife loop road and needles highway then you will need to pay the entrance fee to the park.

If you plan on visiting Custer State Park from 1 October to 30 April you will find that showers, flush toilets and other water systems might not be working and only the Custer State Park visitors center is open during that time.

Custer State Park Visitors Center

The Visitors Center located close to the east entrance of the park, the entrance that you will come to if you drive from Rapid City or Mount Rushmore, and by the turn off for the wildlife loop is open 7 days a week as follows:

1 October 2023 to 27 May 2024 (Memorial Day) – 9am to 4pm – Though it is closed for Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

28 May 2024 to 2 September (Labor Day) – 8am to 8pm

3 September to 30 September 2024 – 9am to 6pm

The visitor center is a great place to start your trip and the place I started to find out what the best things to do for a solo female traveler who just has a few hours to spend in the park. While I was there I also watched the 20 minute film about the park that is narrated by Kevin Costner, after that I looked around the exhibition on the Bison and the different animals you can expect to see in the land covered by Custer State Park.

Wildlife Station Visitor Center

The Wildlife Station Visitor Center which is located 8 miles along the wildlife loop road if you started at the Custer State Park visitors center, is open 7 days a week as follows:

1 October 2023 to 26 May 2024 – CLOSED

27 May 2024 to 30 September – 9am to 5pm

The building where the wildlife station is located was originally a herdsman’s and was converted into a visitors center over 35 years. It was renovated in 2017 and now you can see exhibitions on the different animals you can find in the park and find out more information on those animals. It is only open in the summer months, but it is a great place to stop while you are driving, to get out and stretch your legs and hopefully see some of the wildlife walking close to the visitors center.

Bison Center

A large herd of bison roaming freely across a wide grassy plain in Custer State Park, South Dakota. The bison are scattered throughout the field, some kicking up light dust as they move. Rolling hills and clusters of pine trees stretch into the distance beneath a pale blue sky, creating a classic view of the park’s open prairie landscape.

The Bison Center, which is located further along the wildlife loop, past the Wildlife Station Visitors center is open 7 days a week as follows:

4 November 2023 to 26 May 2024 – CLOSED

27 May 2024 to 2 September 2024 – 8am to 8pm

3 September 2024 to 4 November 2024 – 9am to 4pm

The Bison Center is new to the park and only opened in May 2022, here you can learn all about the 1,400 bison that live in the park and the importance of these bison. There are also trails behind the center that you can walk, a short one and a longer one, to see the bison. The herd of bison in Custer State Park are one of the largest publicly owned herds in the world.

If you visit in November you may get lucky to see the Buffalo auction where 200-500 of the herd are sold, to help manage the numbers of bison that live in the park.

Custer State Park Entrance Fee

If you are planning just to drive straight through the park on Highway 16a or south Highway 87 without stopping then you do not need to pay the entrance fee to Custer State Park. If you do want to stop, or drive along Needles Highway or the Wildlife Loop Road then you will need to make sure that you have purchased a pass.

The entrance fee for cars is $20 per vehicle for a 1-7 day pass or $36 for an annual pass for all state parks in South Dakota for 1 vehicle, $18 for a second vehicle or $80 for an annual state park pass that is transferrable between vehicles.

You can pay the entrance fee either at the visitors center or buy your entrance ticket to Custer State Park online.

Things to do in Custer State Park

If you are visiting Custer State Park, you will find many things to do in the park. Here are the best things to do at Custer State Park:

Iron Mountain Road

As I had visited Mount Rushmore in the morning I decided to drive down the Iron Mountain Road (Highway 16a) to the east entrance of Custer State Park.  It is 17 miles long and goes through the Blackhills of South Dakota. 

It was designed with many switchbacks and curves and so it takes a while to drive this road as you generally cannot drive faster than 30mph.  It is a beautiful drive and there are a few tunnels which were built to frame Mount Rushmore when you look through them.  It will take you around 45 minutes to an hour to drive.

Be aware though there are size restrictions on vehicles as you pass through 3 narrow tunnels.

The road can be closed on occasion in winter when this snow, but will open again as soon as they are able to clear the snow.

A narrow, one-lane tunnel carved through a massive granite rock formation along Iron Mountain Road in Custer State Park, South Dakota. Sunlight filters through the trees and illuminates the rugged rock surface, while the tunnel’s rectangular opening frames another tunnel visible farther down the road. Tall pines and small green shrubs surround the rocky landscape, adding to the natural mountain scenery.

Custer State Park Visitors Center

The visitors center at Custer State Park is located at the East Entrance and it has a great display on the Bison that you can see throughout the park. The Rangers are very knowledgeable and helpful about the best places to visit in your time in the park, so make sure to ask them which things you should do in the time you have there. 

They also a 20 minute movie you can watch in the theatre there, documenting the history of the park..

Peter Norbeck Outdoor Education Center

The Peter Norbeck Outdoor Education Center is one mile from the visitor centre and worth a visit to see an educational program or to see the childrens museum.

Wildlife Loop Road

Probably the most popular thing to do in Custer State Park is to drive the 18 mile wildlife loop road that winds through red walled canyons, rolling prairies and pine covered hills.  I decided to drive this as soon as I arrived in the park, as on this road you will see the most animals in Custer State Park.  It’s possible to see Bison, burros, prairie dogs, pronghorn deer, mule deer, whitetail deer, elk, coyotes, eagles, hawks and many other types of birds.

I hadn’t been driving long when I saw a few cars had stopped ahead of me to watch the bison in the field to the side.  I decided to stop and have a look at them myself.  It was the first time I had seen bison in real life and it was amazing to see how big they actually are.

I was told by the rangers that if I saw any of the 1,300 bison that roam the park that I need to stay in the car, or be at least a football pitch away from them as they can run very fast and are dangerous.

All of a sudden I realised that they were now crossing the road and I was surrounded by the herd in front and behind my car.  I guess they are used to cars and they just walked around all the cars.  Some tourists even got out to get close up shots!!  No way I was going to do that though after the warnings from the Rangers.

A large bison and a smaller one walk across a paved road in front of a white pickup truck in Custer State Park, South Dakota. More bison graze on the grassy field in the background under a clear blue sky, with a tree-covered hillside rising beyond the open prairie.

The scenery along the drive is stunning and I couldn’t help but stop along the way to take pictures.

There are two hiking trails on the wildlife loop, the Prairie trail is a 3 mile loop through the grasslands, and is especially nice during spring and summer.  The other is the Centennial Trail, with 22 miles of the 111 miles, located within Custer State Park.

Rolling grasslands and scattered pine trees stretch across the open landscape of Custer State Park in South Dakota. A few wildflowers dot the foreground, while gentle hills and a small pond appear in the distance under a bright blue sky with wispy white clouds.

As I was driving along I also saw the Pronghorn Antelope which looked beautiful.

Two pronghorn antelope graze in a sunny meadow surrounded by tall green grass in Custer State Park, South Dakota. Dense trees with bright green foliage form a shaded backdrop behind the animals.

At the side of the road I also spotted the Prairie Dogs.  At the time I had no idea what they were, but they were so cute to watch for a while.  Though to me they don’t look much like dogs!!

A prairie dog stands upright on its hind legs beside a dirt path in Custer State Park, South Dakota. It appears to be holding food in its small paws, surrounded by dry grass and patches of bare earth in the background.

Begging Burros

One of the other famous animals in the park is the Begging Burros and true to their name they were blocking the road, not letting the cars pass and trying to get some food from the tourists.  I parked up to take a few pics for my niece who loves donkeys and they wandered close to see if I had any food!!  If you have the windows down they will also stick there head in the car to try and find food!!

Two donkeys stand closely together on a paved road in Custer State Park, South Dakota. They face away from the camera, appearing calm and relaxed, with grassy fields and scattered trees lining the road in the background.

Needles Highway

After the wildlife loop I decided to drive Needles Highway, it is 14 miles long and you drive through the forests and the granite formations, one of them called the Needles Eye.  It’s a stunning drive with amazing scenery.

It was completed in 1922 and is Highway SD87.  It was believed that it would be impossible to build because of the all the granite rock obstructions in the road, but somehow they managed to make tunnels through some of these rocks and put roads around others.  It is a spectacular scenic drive and something you must do while visiting Custer State Park.

This highway was designed for enjoying the views and expect it to take you a while to drive, especially in summer when there can be long queues as only one car can pass through the tunnels at a time.

There are width restrictions on bigger vehicles passing through the tunnels, so make sure to check if you are in something bigger than a car.

Needles Highway is open from 1 April (dependent on weather conditions) to the first fall of snow, usually around October as it is too difficult to clear the snow during these months and it is meant as a scenic drive.

A woman stands on a grassy overlook along Needles Highway in South Dakota, smiling at the camera. She is wearing a white tank top with an owl design, black shorts, and sunglasses on her head. Behind her, dense green pine forests stretch across rolling hills and rocky peaks under a bright blue sky dotted with fluffy white clouds.

Needles Eye Tunnel

A narrow one-lane tunnel carved through tall granite rock formations on Needles Highway in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Sunlight highlights the textured stone walls, and a glimpse of forested hills is visible through the far end of the tunnel.

The Needles Eye Tunnel is amazing to see, it is a narrow road, wide enough for just one vehicle that passes through the granite rock and surprisingly does look like the eye in a needle.

The tunnel is very narrow and you need to make sure that your car/RV will fit through it, its only 8 feet 4 inches wide and 11 feet 3 inch high.  There are lots of pull off’s near so you can park up to explore further.

The granite spire looking like the eye of a needle was created by wind and rain, freezing and thawing over the years.

Sylvan Lake

At the end of Needles Highway you will find Sylvan Lake, where I saw a couple getting married at the edge of the lake.  It is such a beautiful spot and I can understand why someone would want to get married there.

Sylvan Lake in Custer State Park is a man made lake and was created in 1881 when a dam was built across Sunday Gulch Creek.

Sylvan Lake is one of the most popular parts of the park and many people choose to come to the lake for the day.  In summer it is a great place to cool down especially by Sylvan Lake shore where there is swimming beach and a place to rent Kayaks, Paddle Boats or Paddle Boards.

I chose to hike around the lake on the Sylvan Lake Shore Trail.

Sylvan Lake Shore Trail

If you don’t want to swim or are visiting outside of summer and are looking for a little exercise while at Sylvan Lake, then a great option is the Sylvan Lake Shore Trail.  It is a 1 mile hike that goes around the edge of the lake with great views of the lake.

It’s a very easy trail and most of it is flat, though there are a few parts where you need to walk through narrow rock areas and over exposed rock.  The trail though has amazing views of the lake all the way around and is certainly worth a stop.

Scenic view of Sylvan Lake in South Dakota, surrounded by tall pine trees and dramatic granite rock formations under a partly cloudy sky. The calm water reflects the rugged landscape, creating a peaceful and picturesque mountain setting.

Black Elm Peak Trail

Another popular hike, which starts at Sylvan Lake is the Black Elk Peak trail (formerly known as the Harney Peak).  This is a 7 mile loop, which is quite tough.  It starts at 1890 metres above sea level and at the peak is 2,225 metres.  It takes around 4-5 hours to complete but is worth it for the views at the top by the Harney Peak Fire Tower.

The Harney Peak Fire Tower was staffed from 1911 to 1967 and here they would look over the Blackhills looking for any smoke and signs of forest fires.

Cathedral Spires Trail

This hike can also be started at Sylvan Lake and is around 3 miles roundtrip.  It is a tough hike as you do need to scramble over rocks but it is worth it for the views.  You can also join the Black Elk Trail or the Little Devil’s Tower Spur Trail to get up higher and have amazing views.

 

Once I had finished my hike around Sylvan Lake I drove to Crazy Horse Memorial to explore and see the laser show in the evening.  It was a busy but amazing day with lots of beautiful sights and if you are in the area then you must visit Custer State Park.

For more information on Custer State Park and The Blackhills, check out this paperback book here.

Tours to Custer State Park

If you are staying in Rapid City and don’t have access to a car, then there are many day tours that you can take to Custer State Park to see the Black Hills and the surrounding area. You can even take a Hot Air Balloon at sunrise to see the park from another amazing perspective.

Places to stay near Custer State Park

The closest city to Custer State Park is Custer which is located 5 miles from the west entrance to Custer State Park. Keystone a quaint town is 8 miles from the East entrance.  Here are the best places to stay in each:

Custer

EO Bungalows Custer – Looking for a bit of luxury then this is the place for you.  With air conditioning, a patio, free wifi, a kitchenette this is a great choice.  Click here for more information and prices.

Bavarian Inn – This beautiful motel has both an indoor and outdoor swimming pool, free wifi, cable tv, microwave and fridge in each room.  A continental breakfast is also available for all guests.  Click here for more information and prices.

Holiday Inn Express & Suites Custer – This hotel has a fitness centre, free wifi, a hot tub and sun terrace. A good breakfast is also available for all guests.  Click here for more information and prices.

Keystone

Under the Canvas Mount Rushmore – If you want to try Glamping and getting away from wifi then you can choose from different tents with ensuites or shared bathrooms.  The site also has a restaurant and bar.  Breakfast is available at an extra cost if required.  Click here for more information and prices.

Holiday Inn Express & Suites Keystone – This hotel has a indoor pool, hot tub, tennis court and terrace.  The rooms have air conditioning, free wifi and cable tv.  Buffet and american breakfast are available for all guests.  Click here for more information and prices.

If you are planning to continue travelling around South Dakota then check out my other guides, to help you plan your trip:

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38 Comments

  1. This state park looks like such a great day out. I would love to see bison up so close. I like the little path and tunnel through the rocks! Would love to visit here one day

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  2. Oh that’s amazing! South Dekota is a place I would love to travel in the US! One day! How adorable are those Bison! Beautiful photos! 🙂

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  3. I would totally love to go hiking in this area. Just gotta watch out for those crazy big animals who think they own the place 😀 Great post and loving the photos 🙂

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  5. Wow! I didn’t realize it was so close to Mt. Rushmore! I’m hoping to do some road trips with my kids when they get older. I’m adding Custer State Park to my list of places to stop! How cool to see all those animals!

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  6. Wow this sounds like it was an amazing adventure! All of the wildlife you witnessed along the way is unbelievable! The views and the landscape are stunning, thanks for sharing!

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  7. I love this park. One of the funniest travel memories I have happened here. My dad managed to knock the sliding door off of our old minivan and it tumbled down the side of a hill at an overlook where you could see Mount Rushmore. We had to recruit some rock climbers who were taking pictures there to rappel down the side of the steep hill and hoist it up. It’s been over 20 years since and we still laugh until we cry every time the story comes up.

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    1. That’s a good story!! Can’t believe he actually managed to get it back!! It is a beautiful park and I was really surprised how amazing it was 🙂

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  8. That’s so cool to be that close to wildlife! I agree with you though: I wouldn’t have gotten out of my car to see the bison up close. No thanks!

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  9. Wow, wild Bison to see with your own eyes – this must have been a very unique experience for you! I really envy you a bit for this, since I am fascinated of wild and big animals since I am a child and only had the chance to see such beautiful and impressive creatures only in the zoo. Really glad to see them there in nature… and you even saw a bear in Yellowstone?!
    Overall the whole landscape there looks so beautiful, reminds me a little bit to Yellowstone where we have been last year. The mid and west of the USA has really some of the most impressive landscapes I have ever seen in the world.

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    1. Yeah it was the first time I had seen Bison in the wild, though once I got to Yellowstone I saw a lot more of them 🙂

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  10. What a beautiful park! I’d never heard of it before but it’s on my radar now! I’d love to see bison and pronghorn in the wild. I’m sure it was magical!!

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  11. Your post totally brought me back to my trip to SD last fall. I loved those bison and those cheeky burros! South Dakota is such a beautiful state; I loved revisiting it through your photos.

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  12. I love Custer State Park, such a little unexpected gem! I would love to go back and stay in one of the cabins there someday.

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  13. They are so huge form your pictures wow! The park looks great! A safari of your own in the states, why not?! No need to see tigers and lions to be happy with nature. Sounds like a great outing there! Nature looks so beautiful too.

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  14. Custer looks like a great State Park – and one I hadn’t heard of before your post. I’d love to watch the Bison roaming free around the land, although I don’t think I’d want to get too close – I think they could be mean if they felt threatened! The hikes and walks here look great too – perfect for a day out in nature!

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  15. There are so many amazing national parks throughout US. This one sounds like another must-visit. The pictures of the wildlife is interesting. It’s totally worth the drive itself since you can get so many amazing views along the way!

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  17. Custer State Park is certainly one of the lesser known gems. In any other part of the country this would probably be a National Park and get more attention, but in a way I’m glad it doesn’t. I remember my visit there and driving through the tunnels and a tranquil night of camping along a creek.

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  18. This looks gorgeous! I’m long overdo for a US road trip (and I should include this stop!) Thanks for sharing!

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  19. Wow! What a wonderful day. We would love to drive around the park exploring the wildlife. When the bison was so close to the car I was for a moment like what would come next.. But glad they just passed by. The Needle’s eye looks like an interesting place too and what a beautiful way to end the day watching a couple getting married, isnt it? 🙂

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  21. It is altogether a different experience to see wildlife in their natural environs. The National Parks of the US are rendering yeoman service in the preservation of Wildlife and the environment. Custer Park seems amazing in terms of landscape and wildlife.

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  22. I think after watching the sunrise I went to the Badlands National Park but I did consider Custer State Park. After seeing your photos on the 18 mile wildlife loop I wish I had stopped here too. It must have been pretty scary with those Bisons surrounding the car! Funny you mentioned the Crazy Horse Memorial because I did drive past this too.

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  24. The granite rock formations certainly are in the shape of needles! What an amazing creation of nature. One can never get enough of long drives like these.

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  25. Oh my, I would’ve started freaking out if the bison started coming towards my car. Luckily they know to avoid the cars! I’m surprised at the diverse amount of wildlife at Custer State Park, wasn’t expecting the donkeys.

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  27. Thanks so much for this article! We did a big California road trip this year and now I have my sights set on the Dakotas, Yellowstone, and Mt. RUSHMORE. This looks like a great addition to my plans.

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  28. This is a very interesting write up as I’ve always been curious about South Dakota. The bisons looks like majestic beasts and all part of the Dakota culture. And the scenery looks just as equally epic! Thanks for sharing!

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  29. Wow, the road passing through the rock formations looks so cool. The drive through Custer State Park and witnessing the wildlife up close sounds like a great adventure.

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  30. Great post! Definitely sounds like you had a super eventful day! Custer State Park sounds really incredible. It must be amazing to get so close to so much wildlife.

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  31. Lovely photos, brought back memories ! I love this park such a little unexpected gem : the wildlife (Prairie dog, donkey, antelope, buffalo) is amazing and the needles are beautiful rocks formations. I went to the Badlands National Park & Mount Rushmore the next day 🙂

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  33. The rocks look super cool — and those bison! I definitely forget, sometimes, that we have such cool wildlife in the States. I would love to road trip through the country sometime and stop in all the national and state parks.

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  35. The Prairie Dogs!! So cute!! I would freak out if there’s a bison so close to my car, but your trip looks amazing!

    Reply

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