During our South Dakota road trip, we couldn’t miss spending some time hiking and exploring the best trails in Custer Park. We only had one day to explore and were able to experience so much of the park. This one-day Custer Park itinerary is full of amazing views and challenging hikes. We drove the Needles Highway, one of the most scenic routes in the USA. We hiked two amazing trails: Cathedral Spires, where we witnessed one of the most EPIC views we have ever encountered while hiking, then we hiked to the highest point in South Dakota, Black Elk Peak via Harney Peak, and we also picnicked at Sylvan Lake.
If you are short on time but still want to be able to experience this beautiful state park we have this perfect one-day itinerary.
One Day Custer Park Itinerary:
Drive Needles Highway
One of the most scenic things to do at Custer Park is driving the Needles Highway. This highway gets its name because of all the rock formations that you see along the way. As you drive will go through different tunnels with the Needle Tunnel being the highlight of the drive. Don’t miss it!
Hikes
Hike the Cathedral Spires
If you don’t have a lot of time or just want to have a quick hike you shouldn’t miss this trail. It is definitely one of the most beautiful hikes we have ever done. It is a relatively short and fairly easy hike, at just 1.6 miles. As you are hiking you get that rush of expectation of what you are going to see at the end. And let me tell you, you won’t be disappointed. At the end of the hike, you are surrounded by these amazing spirals (which give the name to the trail).
Hike Black Elk Peak via Harney Peak
If you want you can combine this hike with the Cathedral Spires, but we decided to hike them separately and take a break to have a picnic at Sylvan Lake. The usual route to take is _____________________ but on the day we were there that trail was closed so we had to take a longer route and trust me it was challenging. As we kept going up all the other friendly hikers kept giving us encouraging words, so we must have looked dreadful. But then you make it to the top and all pain goes away when you get to see the amazing view.
Relax at Sylvan Lake
We decided to have a picnic lunch at Sylvan Lake before heading to our Black Elk Peak Hike.
Sylvan Lake is the perfect spot if you want to relax with some food and music and do some people-watching. Alternatively, you can leave the lake for the end of your day and swim or kayak.
This state park surprised us so much and left us wanting more. While there we were already planning when to come back with more time to keep exploring all that it has to offer.
If you want to see how we spent our day and how the hikes looked, we have a video showcasing our day at Custer Park:
Useful Links and Info:
Here are some links and info you might find useful while visiting Custer Park:
Entrance Fee:
$20.00 per vehicle
Hikes:
-Cathedral Spires Trail — 1.6 miles
https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/south-dakota/cathedral-spires-trail
-Black Elk Peak via Harney Peak Trail —6.4 miles
https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/south-dakota/black-elk-peak-trail
Alternatively, you can combine both hikes if you follow this trail:
-Black Elk Peak via Cathedral Spires Trail —7.2 miles
https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/south-dakota/black-elk-peak-via-cathedral-spires-trail
Check out our visit to Badlands National Park: How to explore Badlands National Park in 2 days!
What are you most excited to do at Custer Park? Comment below!
