Legion Lake + Walking the Legion Lake Trail and more in Custer State Park ⛰ South Dakota travel blog

Hi there!

 

Custer State Park in the Black Hills has a number of lakes.

One of these lakes is Legion Lake.

And like other Custer State Park lakes, you can go for a nice leisurely walk directly along the lake!

 

 

 

Some quick things about Legion Lake in Custer State Park of the Black Hills

 

 

1. Legion Lake is listed as being at an elevation of 5,010 feet.

 

2. Legion Lake has a hiking trail that loops around the lake!

 

The Legion Lake Trail is listed as being a little less than a mile. You’ll be walking mostly along the lake, but there are spots where you’ll be hiking around the rocks of the Black Hills too! You can consider this an easy hike in Custer State Park!

 

 

There are spots where you can go slightly off trail to hike to higher ground for grand views of the lake.

 

 

More pictures of hiking along the Legion Lake Trail below!

Also see more of the best hikes in Custer State Park, including other easy Custer State Park lake trails.

 

 

3. The Lenker Rock is an icon of Legion Lake.

 

This is located towards the back of the lake. You can see it up closing by hiking to it or by kayaking to it!

 

 

 

4. You can rent kayaks, canoes, and stand-up paddleboards at Legion Lake.

 

 

5. The Legion Lake Lodge is located at Legion Lake.

 

The Legion Lake Lodge is a location where you can find a convenience store and gift shop in Custer State Park.

 

 

Legion Lake has “resort cabins” which are the luxury cabins compared to the Custer State Park camping cabins.

 

 

The Legion Lake lodge cabins are furnished cabins in Custer State Park.

 

 

6. Legion Lake has a restaurant with outdoor seating directly on the lake.

 

You can eat with lake views at the Legion Lake lodge restaurant!

 

 

 

7. There are picnic tables along Legion Lake.

 

You can bring your own food and enjoy the views too!

 

 

8. There is a swimming beach at Legion Lake.

 

There are no lifeguards at the Legion Lake beach. The quickest way to access the beach is from the side of the Legion Lake lodge.

 

 

9. There is a bathroom near the Legion Lake beach.

 

 

10. Legion Lake is located right off a main road that goes through Custer State Park.

 

 

11. The Legion Lake Campground is across the road from Legion Lake.

 

For tent camping and RV camping, there’s a traditional campground that’s managed by South Dakota state parks.

This is one of the many Custer State Park campgrounds.

This is a modern campground with regular bathrooms, showers, electricity, and drinking water available. There are non-electric campsites available that will be cheaper.

There are no camping cabins at the Legion Lake Campground.

 

 

More below about what it’s like to hike the Legion Lake Trail!

 

 

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Starting the Legion Lake Trail

There’s a parking lot at the Legion Lake Lodge, and another smaller parking lot closer to the Legion Lake trailhead. It really doesn’t matter which you park at since they are both right along the trail.

 

 

It’s a loop around the lake, so it also really doesn’t matter where you start the trail from, and it really doesn’t matter which direction you go.

That said, the official trailhead is off to the right as you are facing the lake. You can look for the “fishing pier” and it is further to the right of that. This is the western side.

 

 

You will really never be too far from the lake so it won’t be possible to get lost, but there are blue markers for the trail.

 

 

And then off you go to hike the Legion Lake Trail right alongside a Custer State Park lake!

 

 

And that’s a bit about Legion Lake in Custer State Park!

 

If you are interested in Legion Lake, then you may also be interested in these South Dakota activities:

• Center Lake (another Custer State Park lake trail)
• Sylvan Lake (another Custer State Park lake trail)
• Custer State Park camping cabins
• Things to do in Custer State Park for views
• The Needles of the Black Hills and driving through the Needles Eye Tunnel
• Stockade Lake camping cabins
• Iron Creek Tunnel
• Best hikes in Custer State Park
• Getting to Little Devils Tower trailhead
• Custer State Park lakes

 

HAPPY WALKING AROUND LEGION LAKE!