Custer State Park, South Dakota: Wildlife, History, and Adventure

Custer State Park (71,000 acres) in the Black Hills offers a quintessential Great Plains experience:

Wildlife

Free‑roaming bison herd (~1,300), pronghorn, elk, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, white‑tailed/mule deer, coyotes, prairie dogs.

Historic Sites

• Custer Battlefield National Monument (Little Bighorn) – museum, Last Stand Hill trail.
• Crazy Horse Memorial – world's largest mountain carving in progress.

Activities

• 200+ miles hiking/biking/horse trails
• Fishing (trout, bass, panfish) in stocked lakes/streams
• Camping (1,200+ sites: tent, RV, cabins)
• Scenic drives: Wildlife Loop Road, Needles Highway, Iron Mountain Road
• Rock climbing, swimming, jeep tours, Buffalo Safari Jeep Tour

Open year‑round; autumn rut and spring calves are wildlife highlights.