Solitude, Scenery & Adventure

Create memories as you discover up-close encounters with free-roaming wildlife in an outdoor enthusiast’s haven.

Custer State Park is a 71,000acre vacation paradise located in the southern Black Hills. It’s open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and is renowned for its stunning vistas, scenic drives, and abundant wildlife.

Family-friendly activities are available in the park year-round; hiking, swimming, skiing, climbing, snowshoeing and camping provide endless opportunities for adventure. As the season changes from autumn to winter and snow starts falling, the park’s magnificent wildlife becomes easier to spot.

Temporary License: (valid for 7 days) $20 per vehicle

Annual License: $36 (first vehicle) $18 (second vehicle)

Transferable License: $80. Valid at all South Dakota State Park fee areas.

Bison are the most famous inhabitants of the park; some 1,300 of them wander the expansive grounds, sharing space with elk, deer, prairie dogs, antelope, coyotes, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, wild turkeys, and a herd of friendly “begging” burros. Keep an eye out while you are exploring and do not approach the animals— they’re wild!

30M bison once roamed the Great Plains, but were slaughtered nearly to the point of extinction by settlers. Conservation efforts have led to a slow but steady resurgence, with some 1,300 calling Custer State Park home.

For an up close and personal experience, sign up for a Jeep tour! They operate all year and can be requested even in the dead of winter.

The winter enthusiast can take advantage of hiking trails that are open all year. Several guided hikes are offered during the colder months, including the “First Day Hike” held on January 1 and a trek over the Lover’s Leap Trail in February. If you’d rather venture out on your own, hiking the Needles Highway when it’s closed to traffic during the winter months is an excellent way to get a closeup view of some of the park’s most iconic attractions, such as the Cathedral Spires rock formations and Needles Eye. Snowshoes are a great way to tackle the park’s plentiful snowfall. For a unique adventure, try something new, like ice fishing.

The Custer State Park Visitor Center, opened in 2016, is a must-see. The beautiful building houses an array of features including educational displays and exhibits, interactive maps, and a 20-foot tall scale model replica of the Cathedral Spires. You can even find out where the bison are currently located in the park at any given time. A 100-seat theater showcases a 20-minute film, narrated by Kevin Costner, that immerses visitors into the park’s attractions and natural history. It’s the perfect place for visitors of all ages to learn more about the Black Hills and prairies of western South Dakota. The Visitor Center is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. from October 1 to Memorial Day, but closed for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Custer State Park is a model of conservancy and land use, a vision shaped by park founder and former South Dakota governor and U.S. senator Peter Norbeck. The park successfully reintroduced a diverse group of species, including bison, elk, Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, and mountain goats, into the preserve. Remember, all these creatures are wild and should never be approached; view them from a safe distance.

Whether you are an outdoor enthusiast eager to explore the countless miles of trails or simply driving through the park for the spectacular views, Custer State Park has something special for every Black Hills adventurer.