Hi there!
Custer State Park in the Black Hills has a number of lakes.
Can you swim in Custer State Park?
You can swim in Custer State Park at the Custer State Park lakes!
Can you hike in Custer State Park?
You can hike in Custer State Park at some of the Custer State Park lakes!
Some of the lakes have trails around the lake, which makes for some easy walks in Custer State Park with views!
Are there picnic areas in Custer State Park?
You can bring your own food and go for a picnic with VIEWS at Custer State Park lakes!
3+ Custer State Park lakes to go to for VIEWS!
Side note!
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1. Sylvan Lake
See more about this Custer State Park lake: Sylvan Lake
2. Legion Lake
See more about this Custer State Park lake: Legion Lake
3. Stockade Lake
See more about this Custer State Park lake: Stockade Lake
4. Center Lake
See more about this Custer State Park lake: Center Lake
Plus, there is also a “pond,” and that’s the Game Lodge Pond. It’s pretty small. See more about Game Lodge.
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More South Dakota experiences! Read the reviews at partner websites!
Top South Dakota tours
- Hot air balloon over the Black Hills
- Black Hills day trip (with Mount Rushmore and Custer State Park)
Where to stay in the Black Hills
Custer State Park lodges:
- State Game Lodge, a Custer State Park resort
- Sylvan Lake Lodge, a Custer State Park resort
More places to stay in Custer SD:
- Standard hotel: Holiday Inn Express
- Cheaper standard hotel: Best Western Buffalo Ridge Inn
- Cute and unique accommodation on a budget: Chalet Motel
Cheap car rentals
- Search here for car rental deals
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Things to do at Custer State Park lakes
Sylvan Lake
You can go swimming in Custer State Park at the Sylvan Lake beach.
You can have a picnic with lake views at Sylvan Lake.
Sylvan Lake is one of the Custer State Park lakes where there are kayak rentals.
You can go for a lakeshore hike around Sylvan Lake.
You can hike to the Sunday Gulch trailhead from Sylvan Lake.
You can also hike into Black Hills National Forest from Sylvan Lake.
The Black Elk Peak Trail starts near Sylvan Lake, and this trail will take you into the Black Elk Wilderness of Black Hills National Forest.
Hiking all the way to Black Elk Peak means reaching the highest point in the United States east of the Rocky Mountains, according to the US Forest Service. This is one of the best hikes (to start!) in Custer State Park.
Legion Lake
You can go swimming in Custer State Park at the Legion Lake beach.
You can have a picnic with lake views at Legion Lake.
Legion Lake is one of the Custer State Park lakes where there are kayak rentals.
You can go eat at the Legion Lake Lodge restaurant with outdoor dining and views of a Custer State Park lake.
You can go for an easy lakeshore hike around Legion Lake.
Stockade Lake
You can go swimming in Custer State Park at the Stockade Lake beach.
You can have a picnic with lake views at Stockade Lake.
You can go biking (and driving!) around Stockade Lake.
You can go for a hike into the forest from a hiking trail that starts near Stockade Lake.
Stockade Lake is the only Custer State Park lake that has South Dakota state park camping cabins nearby, which would be the Stockade South camping cabins. (If you don’t count the “pond” that is near the Game Lodge camping cabins!)
Center Lake
You can go swimming in Custer State Park at the Center Lake beach.
You can have a picnic with lake views at Center Lake.
You can go for an easy lakeshore hike around Center Lake.
And those are some lakes in the Black Hills of South Dakota!
If you are interested in Custer State Park lakes, then you may also be interested in these other South Dakota activities:
- Easy lakeshore hikes in Custer State Park
- The Needles of the Black Hills and the Needles Eye Tunnel
- Best hikes in Custer State Park for VIEWS
- Things to do in Custer State Park for views
- Can you see Crazy Horse Memorial from the road?
- Things to do in the Black Hills for views
- South Dakota state park camping cabins in Custer State Park
- Things to do in Black Hills National Forest
- Getting to Little Devils Tower trailhead
- Quick things to do in Badlands National Park
- Things to do in Jewel Cave National Monument
- Driving through Spearfish Canyon from Mount Rushmore to Devils Tower
HAPPY VISITING A CUSTER STATE PARK LAKE IN THE BLACK HILLS!
Things you might want to pack for your South Dakota road trip
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- For women: Merrell hiking shoes (one of the best outdoor shoe brands, perfect for hiking)
- For men: Merrell hiking shoes
- Rain poncho in case it rains and it won't stop you from doing things outside!
- For women: Teva walking sandals (one of the best sandal brands for the outdoors)
- For men: Teva sandals
- Moisture-wicking tech t-shirt for women perfect for hiking and hot days when you'll be outside a lot sweating
- tech-t-shirt for men
- For more ideas, do a search for hiking clothes!
Here are some ideas for a classic South Dakota road trip going from east to west!
After you go to Badlands National Park, you can head west to Wall Drug and then onwards to Mount Rushmore!
You've made it to the Black Hills, where you'll find Custer State Park.
While you're in the area, you can also go to Wind Cave National Park and/or Jewel Cave National Monument and/or the Mammoth Site!
Drive the Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway on your way west out of the Black Hills and South Dakota as you continue your epic road trip to Devils Tower National Monument and Wyoming!
Then, onwards to the best places to visit in Wyoming with your grand finale of Wyoming being one day in Yellowstone National Park!
Read more for your South Dakota road trip: Best places to visit in South Dakota
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