Sylvan Lake, Custer

Absolutely Gorgeous! Breathtaking! Peaceful! This is a place where you must stay the night to enjoy the sunrise. A perfect place for kayaking. You can host your wedding ceremony by the lakeside. Picnicking strongly encouraged! Take phone solar chargers and a real camera because you are going to take lots of photos!

This might be my new favorite lake that I have ever visited. The scenery was top notch and the trail around the lake was great and not too difficult. The water temp was much warmer than expected. I don't know if you are able to swim in it, but the water temp would allow you to do so. I didn't get to walk the trail to Black Elk Peak, but if I ever go back, I will make sure to take the hike.

So glad we were told about Sylvan Lake! The name makes it sound pretty, serene and, you know, kinda dull. Turns out this is a Must See place! Beautiful and amazing rock formations, stark contrasts, great walks, trails and hiking. Became one of the highlights of our trip.

Fun place for family to just relax and splash in the lake. We got a week pass which was $20. We weren’t planning on stopping here but so glad we did. People there were more prepared, they had food, chairs, towels, digging toys and canoes and such. Definitely kid friendly lake.

We hiked here two different days, the views were amazing. The lake itself was beautiful and the trails were very well marked and had rails/concrete steps on a few of the difficult parts. We hiked the Sunday Gulch Trail one day then hiked Harney Peak and Little Devil’s Tower the next. These didn’t seem too bad at first but for the average hiker I would say they are very moderate. Be sure to wear boot/shoes and expect some water along the trail! There were parts that surprised me and got very steep. The views are worth the hike and you are almost guaranteed to see wildlife. We saw goats and tons of deer. Best place I’ve hiked in South Dakota for sure. Highly recommend this place!