Welcome to Custer State Park
Pictures and Information
We followed the scenic winding road in Wind Cave National Park and was heading north. Then we passed over a small bridge and saw a sign that said we were in Custer State Park. But there is also two other signs that said, "Don't approach a buffalo," and "Entering a Fee Area." Hmmm... wonder what that means.
The first animals we saw in Custer State Park were some antelope, a momma and a bambie. We saw that Custer State Park had a fire here, a lot of the pine trees were scorched, and dead.
We ran into a sign that said we needed a "Park License" so we pulled into the drive with the building, but it was closed. We put $10 in an envelope and deposited it anyway, and put the park license on the windowshield.
Discover Custer
State Park, scenic drives, historic lodges, wildlife viewing, a 71,000 acre
Vacation Paridise, 1500 free roaming buffalo
Lodging
and Dining information: 1-888-875-0001; Visitor Center: 605-255-4464
Camping
Reservations: 1-800-710-2267
More Pictures of Custer State Park
-A
view of Custer State Park from a bridge we crossed over... Custer
State Park view
-a sign for Mt Coolidge scenic overlook... Mt
Coolidge sign
-Custer State Park Hwy 16 entrance heading west... Hwy
16 entrance heading west
BlueBell Campground Pictures
We went looking for the Blue Bell Campground. They had 1 tent site open.
-Bluebell Campground Office...
Bluebell Campground
Office
-Bluebell Campground horse stables... horse
stables
-All sites reserved unless posted open... all
sites reserved sign
-Bluebell Campground restrooms... restrooms
-Bluebell
Lodge and Resort... Bluebell
Lodge and Resort
-A green and red covered wagon at Bluebell Campground...
green and red covered wagon
We left Bluebell, and went looking for Legion Lake Campground. On the way we passed some scenic overlooks and some great views of Custerstate Park. We saw a directions sign where Hwy 16a east seperates from Hwy 16a west.
Legion Lake Campground
When we found Legion Lake Campground, we saw it was small, and had two spots open, but they were more a camper type parking site.
-Legion Lake Campground restrooms... restrooms
Bismark Lake Campground
So we set off to find Stockade Lake and ran into Bismark Lake Campground, which wasn't on our map. Bismark Campground had spots available but the weeds were tall, and it was $19.00 a night.
Stockade Lake and Campground
The Stockade Campground had no vacancy, so we kept traveling west on Alt 16 and ran into Custer Mountain Campground. Wow, is it scenic there, and they had lots of empty spots, and the restrooms were a log cabin style. We paid for 2 nights for $20.00 per night. We may stay even longer. We did however travel to the East Shore of Stockade Lake to go swimming, and drove around the picnic area. There is also a dock for unloading a boat. Along the drive is a memorial monument, as well as the entrance for Stockade South Campground. All of the campgrounds we saw followed the same procedure as "Choose a spot and the attendant will contact you."
-Stockade Lake East Shore swimming
area... swimming area...
another view
-East Shore
Picnic Area sign... picnic
area sign
-View of swim area from other side of Stockade Lake... view
of swimming area
-Then we saw a Stockade Lake Bridge Plaque... Stockade
Lake Bridge Plaque
-a nice scenic view of Stockade Lake... scenic
lake view... here's a view
from the bridge
-Stockade Lake picnic area, day use only sign... day
use only sign
-a memorial to Anna Donna Tallent, first white women to enter
the Black Hills at Custer, SD... memorial...
closeup
- picture of
the stockade at French Creek... stockade
at French Creek
Continue traveling to Custer Mountain Campground...
__________________________________________________
New
and Updated Pages
Make a reservation
at a South Dakota hotel
Pollock, SD - 3/18/08 A small town located near
the border of North and South Dakota, see pictures
Menno,
SD - 3/15/08 took a trip to Menno, SD and added the pictures.
Lakota
Indians Withdraw Treaties with USA - The Lakota Sioux Indian withdrawal from
all treaties with the U.S. government.
Jamestown
No Dakota - Jamestown ND was one of our stops on the way back to Southern
So Dakota. See pictures and video.
Tripp So Dakota
- Added winter pictures and events. Also see Armour
SD and Parkston SD
