Campground · Custer State Park
A wooded base near the lake, with campsites and cabins.
Overview
Map
Plan your stop
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Custer Tour Guide
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Custer State Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Custer audio tourRecorded for this area
How Water Striders Stay Afloat“If you notice tiny insects skating across a quiet pond, watch the dimples beneath their legs. Water striders use surface tension, the pull between water molecules, to stay on top.”
Plays on the road 0.1 mi from Stockade Lake South Campground in the Parkwolf Custer Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
“We recently toured Badlands, Custer State Park, Mount Rushmore and more! We learned so much from this app as we toured each of these sites. The audio tours are worth the money.”
Guide
Stockade Lake South is a seasonal campground on the south side of Stockade Lake, about four miles east of Custer. It pairs 23 numbered campsites with 13 camping cabins, making it a quiet overnight base if you want to explore the park by car and have a roofed option. The park lists it for mid-size RVs, but some sites slope enough that leveling can take extra work.
Come in on Stockade Lake Drive, south of US 16A; GPS can be unreliable in the park, so follow a park map. Some campers find the loop’s wayfinding awkward, and several RVers report there’s no dump station on site. The park listing confirms drinking water but doesn’t specify campsite water or sewer hookups, so check those details before bringing an RV.
There’s no food service listed at the campground. Legion Lake Lodge, about five miles east, has a limited-service restaurant and a store. This campground runs seasonally, and showers, flush toilets and other water systems may shut during the winter operating period; vault toilets usually remain available.
Wildlife
993 sightingsBisonMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
91 sightingsWapitiMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
260 sightingsBighorn SheepMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
85 sightingsMountain GoatMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
259 sightingsBurroMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
711 sightingsPronghornMost seen around 6 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Custer. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
Keep exploring
EasyDoran Trail2.3 mi · 1.5 hr · 0.5 mi awayCCC stone paths lead to pine-framed Stockade Lake views
ModerateStockade Lake Trail1.5 mi · 1.3 hr · 0.8 mi awayA short rocky climb opens a view toward the Needles.
ModerateMount Coolidge Trail3.3 mi · 1.8 hr · 2.7 mi awayClimb the fire tower road for Black Hills views and CCC history.
EasyHeddy Lookout Trail0.8 mi · 30 min · 2.7 mi awayA short wooded walk to a covered overlook above Heddy Draw
ModerateHeddy Draw Horse Trail7.1 mi · 4 hr · 2.8 mi awaySteep Black Hills horse trail with a long descent into Heddy Draw.
ModerateLegion Lake Trail1 mi · 1 hr · 2.8 mi awayA rocky ridge loop with blue markers and a Mount Coolidge glimpse.
EasyLegion Lakeshore Trail0.7 mi · 30 min · 2.9 mi awayAn easy lakeside loop beneath granite cliffs and pines.
ModerateSaw Mill Trail2.2 mi · 1.3 hr · 3.2 mi awayA forested ridge traverse links two mapped Saw Mill sections.
Campground · 0.2 mi awayStockade Lake Group AreaA shared lakeside camp for groups, tents and small trailers.
Sight · 0.4 mi awayStockade LakeThe park’s only lake open to every kind of boat.
Campground · 0.5 mi awayStockade Lake North CampgroundA pine-shaded base with a boat ramp and fishing pier.
Sight · 0.5 mi awayGordon StockadeA small reconstructed fort tied to the Black Hills gold rush.
Entrance station · 0.6 mi awayWest Entrance StationA west-side entry booth for park access and local advice.
Sight · 2.5 mi awayMount Coolidge Fire TowerClear-day views reach Rushmore, Crazy Horse and the Needles.
Scenic pullout · 2.8 mi awayHeddy Draw OverlookA short walk to a covered shelter and broad Black Hills views.
Campground · 2.9 mi awayLegion Lake CampgroundCamp in the trees, with the lake and lodge across US 16A.Parkwolf’s Custer ranking
The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.
