All Custer places
49 places
1Sylvan LakeGranite towers and still water, with a one-mile shore loop.
2Needle’s EyeA granite spire’s tiny eye beside a narrow tunnel.
3Black Elk PeakA historic stone lookout crowns South Dakota's highest summit.
4Mount Coolidge Fire TowerClear-day views reach Rushmore, Crazy Horse and the Needles.
Custer State Park Bison CenterMeet the herd’s story through interactive exhibits.
Custer State Park Visitor CenterGet oriented before the wildlife drive; ask where bison are moving.
State Game LodgeA Summer White House still working as a lodge and restaurant.
5Cathedral Spires PulloutA roadside pause for the Needles' jagged granite skyline.
Sylvan Lake LodgeA 1937 stone-and-pine lodge above Sylvan Lake.
6Center LakeSwim, fish or take the upper loop for a lake overlook.
7Legion LakeBeach, paddling and an easy shoreline loop in one stop.
8Stockade LakeThe park’s only lake open to every kind of boat.
9Gordon StockadeA small reconstructed fort tied to the Black Hills gold rush.
10Badger Hole Historic SiteA poet’s furnished cabin with a short, story-filled woodland loop.
11Black Hills PlayhouseA 345-seat summer theatre with a tradition stretching back to 1946.
12Norbeck OverlookA quick roadside look at Rushmore along a winding scenic drive.
13Peter Norbeck Outdoor Education CenterHands-on nature exhibits lead straight to open-ended outdoor play.
Wildlife Station Visitor CenterA herdsman's house brings the prairie story onto the Wildlife Loop.
Blue Bell LodgeA Black Hills cabin base with a creekside patio and backcountry cookout.
Legion Lake LodgeCabins, lakeside dining and boat rentals share one stop.
Coolidge General StoreA former Coolidge staff house with pizza, malts, and useful supplies.
Sylvan Lake General Store & EateryA quick bite, lake gear and boat rentals beside Sylvan Lake.
14Heddy Draw OverlookA short walk to a covered shelter and broad Black Hills views.
Hole-In-Wall Picnic AreaA curious cave and footbridge stop along Needles Highway.
15Blue Bell Lodge StablesA guided horseback ride into French Creek’s pine-lined backcountry.
Blue Bell StoreA handy fuel and supply stop along the Wildlife Loop.
Creekside LodgeRoomy suites and a paved creekside trail, right in the park.
Iron Mountain Picnic AreaPicnic among granite boulders, with Mount Rushmore visible from the rocks.
Ellerton Picnic AreaA shaded picnic stop beside Wildlife Loop Road's visitor-center junction.
Sylvan Lake CampgroundA compact base camp a short stroll from Sylvan Lake.
Blue Bell CampgroundPine shade, tent pads, and cabins beside French Creek.
Game Lodge CampgroundA central base near Wildlife Loop Road and State Game Lodge.
Center Lake CampgroundPonderosa shade beside the lake for swimming and fishing.
Grace Coolidge CampgroundCreekside camping with tent-only sites across US 16A.
Legion Lake CampgroundCamp in the trees, with the lake and lodge across US 16A.
Stockade Lake North CampgroundA pine-shaded base with a boat ramp and fishing pier.
Stockade Lake South CampgroundA wooded base near the lake, with campsites and cabins.
French Creek Horse CampA creek-side base camp with two corrals at every site.
Stockade Lake Group AreaA shared lakeside camp for groups, tents and small trailers.
Calvin Coolidge Group AreaFive electric sites share a shelter and central fire ring.
Shady Rest Non-Profit Youth Camp AreaPrimitive tent camping reserved for organized nonprofit youth groups.
16Iron Creek TunnelThread a one-lane passage beneath a massive granite outcrop.
17Hood TunnelA one-lane squeeze through the granite on Needles Highway.
Sylvan Lake Entrance StationThe gateway to the Sylvan Lake and Needles Highway approach.
West Entrance StationA west-side entry booth for park access and local advice.
Wilson’s Corner Entrance StationA quick checkpoint before the Needles Highway’s granite spires and tunnels.
Blue Bell Entrance StationA quick pass checkpoint at the start of Wildlife Loop
East Entrance StationGet a license here before turning off US 16A to explore.
Playhouse Entrance StationA simple entry for the Black Hills Playhouse and north park roads.
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Custer Tour Guide
Custer, narrated.
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.
Recorded for this place
Sylvan Lake: Rocks and Water0:00 / 0:34
“You're coming up on Sylvan Lake, where tall granite outcrops rise straight beside the water. I'd stop here for the one-mile shore loop; allow about an hour to see the rocks and little coves up close.”
Plays as you drive up to Sylvan Lake in the Parkwolf Custer Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Sylvan Lake Lodge: A Meal Above the Lake
- Little Devils Tower: The Summit Scramble
- Needle’s Eye: The Rock and the Tunnel
- Why It’s Called Black Elk Peak
- 82 audio storiesacross Custer’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Bison, Wapiti, Bighorn Sheep, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 40 trails, 49 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“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.”
