Custer State Park

Why visit

Few places in America pack so much into one park. In a single day you can drive among hundreds of bison, swim in a mountain lake, hike to the highest point in South Dakota and squeeze your car through a tunnel cut in the granite. The park was set aside in 1919, largely thanks to Peter Norbeck, the governor who also championed the roads that make it so easy to explore.

What to see

• The Wildlife Loop Road: 18 miles through the prairie, the best place for bison, pronghorn, prairie dogs and burros.
• The Needles Highway: granite spires, one-lane tunnels and wide views.
• Sylvan Lake: a boulder-ringed lake with an easy shoreline trail.
• Black Elk Peak: at 7,242 feet the highest point in South Dakota, reached on a trail of about 7 miles there and back from Sylvan Lake.
• The State Game Lodge: the stone and timber lodge that served as President Coolidge’s summer White House in 1927.
• Legion Lake and Stockade Lake: quieter lakes for paddling, fishing and picnics.

The bison herd

The park manages a herd of well over a thousand bison, which roam freely and often stand in the road. Drive slowly, stay in your car and let them move on their own time. Every year at the end of September, cowboys and park staff round up the whole herd at the Buffalo Roundup, a spectacle that draws thousands of visitors. Read our guide to the Buffalo Roundup.

Park license

Every vehicle needs a park license, sold at the entrance stations and the visitor center and valid for seven days. An annual license is good value if you plan to come back. Check the current price with South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks before you go.

Tips

• Drive the Wildlife Loop early in the morning or in the evening, when animals are most active.
• Never approach bison on foot. They are fast, unpredictable and dangerous.
• Book the park lodges months ahead for summer. See where to stay.
• Some scenic roads close in winter, and services are limited from late autumn to spring.