Mt Rushmore may lure travelers to the Black Hills, but it's nearby Custer State Park that often creates the most lasting memories. Not only does it boast some of the best American wildlife viewing outside of Yellowstone, but also curvaceous mountain drives, serene lakeside retreats and plenty of open range.
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Custer State Park
Top choice in Black Hills
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
Mount Rushmore National Memorial
8.35 MILES
Visitors can't help but be impressed by the sheer scale and massive physical effort of the team behind Mount Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota…
23.1 MILES
From a shifty-eyed Nixon in repose to a triumphant Harry Truman, lifelike statues dot corners throughout the center of Rapid City. Collect all 42. Maps…
23.38 MILES
The best water you'll drink in the Black Hills flows freely from this spring right in the center of town. It's not cold, but it's also not so hot you'll…
13.14 MILES
The world's largest monument is this 563ft-tall work-in-progress (with a lot of work to go). When finished it will depict the Sioux leader astride his…
15.22 MILES
This park, protecting 44 sq miles of grassland and forest, sits just south of Custer State Park. The central draw is, of course, the cave, which contains…
22.39 MILES
If you visit only one Black Hills cave, this would be a good choice. It's 13 miles west of Custer and is so named because calcite crystals line much of…
Journey Museum & Learning Center
23.63 MILES
This impressive downtown facility is four museums in one, looking at the history of the region from prehistoric times until today. Collections come from…
24.07 MILES
Right near the center, this is the country's largest left-as-found mammoth fossil display. Hundreds of animals perished in a sinkhole here about 26,000…
Nearby Black Hills attractions
1. Mount Rushmore National Memorial
8.35 MILES
Visitors can't help but be impressed by the sheer scale and massive physical effort of the team behind Mount Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota…
13.14 MILES
The world's largest monument is this 563ft-tall work-in-progress (with a lot of work to go). When finished it will depict the Sioux leader astride his…
15.12 MILES
Oodles of bears big and small in this drive-through park live off the land and hope you'll do something forbidden like offering them a Big Mac, or your…
15.22 MILES
This park, protecting 44 sq miles of grassland and forest, sits just south of Custer State Park. The central draw is, of course, the cave, which contains…
16.51 MILES
Reptiles, snakes, giant tortoises and many more critters inspire countless 'wows.'
6. Jewel Cave National Monument
22.39 MILES
If you visit only one Black Hills cave, this would be a good choice. It's 13 miles west of Custer and is so named because calcite crystals line much of…
23.04 MILES
All that drama underground has produced some spectacular rocks. See these plus dinosaur bones and some stellar fossils here at the South Dakota School of…
23.1 MILES
From a shifty-eyed Nixon in repose to a triumphant Harry Truman, lifelike statues dot corners throughout the center of Rapid City. Collect all 42. Maps…