Looking for more fun things to do near Sylvan Lake?
Hike the Sunday Gulch Trail or trek to the top of Black Elk Peak.
LOCATION
- Sylvan Lake is located in the northwest corner of Custer State Park, South Dakota, off Highway 87. It’s a half hour drive southwest of Mount Rushmore and one hour southwest of Rapid City.
CURRENT INFO
- Visit the Custer State Park website for more information about the park, including Sylvan Lake.
WE WERE THERE
- June, 2022, for a few hours on the lake after hiking the Sunday Gulch Trail and enjoying lunch at Sylvan Lake Lodge
SWIM
Sylvan Lake has cold, somewhat clear water that is ideal for swimming on a hot day. The water is a little weedy around the edges, but not bad once you’re further out. A sandy swimming beach (also weed-free) is located on the east side of the lake near the trailhead parking lot.
The swimming beach provides a nice shallow entry for young swimmers, but it gets crowded on sunny days. Fortunately, you can enter Sylvan Lake from numerous other points along the shore. You won’t have the place to yourself, but there is more than enough room for all once you’re out in the water.
Please note: Jumping or diving off the rocks is not allowed at Sylvan Lake or any other lakes within Custer State Park.
PADDLE
Sylvan Lake is a fun, easygoing place to paddle, and is ideal for novices. The water is typically calm and flat. Because it’s a lake (technically a reservoir), there are no strong currents or tides. It’s a great place to simply play on the water with no agenda other than to have fun. Before you head out, here are some tips and important safety reminders:
- Kayak, canoe, and paddle board rentals are available near the Sylvan Lake General Store in summer.
- Registration with the state of South Dakota is required for non-motorized watercraft over 12 feet in length. Fortunately, inflatable boats (like ours) are exempt. If you are bringing a non-inflatable boat that is over 12 feet in length from out of state, please check the requirements ahead of time.
- Make sure everyone has a life vest.
- Bring plenty of water, snacks, sunscreen, and shade hats.
- Consider bringing bug spray. Sylvan Lake was not buggy during our visit, but this can vary depending on the time of year or the time of day.
GOOD TO KNOW
- Custer State Park has a $20 per vehicle entrance fee. When you pay, you’ll receive a pass for your car window that is valid for seven consecutive days. If you don’t yet have a pass, you can purchase one from the entrance station southwest of Sylvan Lake on Highway 87.
- Parking is limited. Arrive early to avoid congestion both in the parking lots and on the lake. Sylvan Lake is a popular place!
- Restrooms and drinking water are available near both parking lots. There is also a general store near the south parking lot that sells souvenirs and a limited selection of food and drinks.
- Leashed pets are allowed.
- Thunder storms are common in the late afternoon or evening in summer. Keep an eye on the skies, and get out of the water if a storm is about to hit.
- Fishing is allowed at Sylvan Lake. You can purchase a South Dakota state fishing license from the Sylvan Lake General Store.
HIGHLIGHTS
Sylvan Lake is a joy to experience on the water. Float, paddle, or swim — whatever you choose, you’ll be surrounded by beauty (not to mention a lot of other happy people, too).
THE KIDS’ TAKE
Sylvan Lake is summer fun at its finest. Kids can happily while away the day splashing in the water, playing at the beach, and climbing the rocks (just remember, no jumping off, please). Our kids loved being towed across the lake in their float tubes, then hopping off to explore the rocky shoreline.
We played at the lake following our hike to Sunday Gulch. If you plan to hike, this is definitely the way to go, because if you let your kids into the water first, they may never want to leave! Besides, a post-hike swim is a great reward for the entire family. Don’t forget the snacks and water — they will work up a major appetite.
WHILE YOU’RE HERE
There is so much more to explore at Custer State Park. Some of the most popular trails begin right here at Sylvan Lake. For an adventure, give the Sunday Gulch Trail a try. For a longer, but overall less strenuous hike, check out the trail to Black Elk Peak, my favorite hike in Custer State Park. Little Devils Tower and the Cathedral Spires are two other great hiking destinations.
Custer State Park is also known for its scenic drives. We drove the Needles Highway to reach Sylvan Lake, and highly recommend taking the extra time to enjoy this winding route during your visit to the Black Hills.
Looking for food? The Sylvan Lake General Store has a few pre-packaged options. On summer weekends, a grill stand near the general store sells burgers and hot dogs. If it’s not the weekend, or if you want a more refined atmosphere, drive to nearby Sylvan Lake Lodge. We splurged on a delicious post-hike lunch at this historic lodge. Don’t worry — coming in your hiking gear is A-OK (at least in the afternoon). Enjoy!
With so much to do, you might as well spend the night. Better yet, spend several! We camped at nearby Bismarck Lake Campground. Custer State Park also offers several campgrounds (beware — they fill up far in advance), cabins, and historic lodges.
Our Experience
After a filling lunch at Sylvan Lake Lodge, it was time to head out on the water. We drove back to Sylvan Lake, found a parking spot along the road near the south end of the lake, and began our preparations. Yes, preparations. Fun on the water doesn’t just spontaneously appear — there are swimsuits to don, sunscreen to apply, float tubes and an entire kayak to inflate, not to mention the gathering or paddles, life jackets, water bottles, and towels. It’s a process.
But it’s all worth it, right? Certainly, we were all eager to get out on gorgeous Sylvan Lake. So eager, in fact, that the boys couldn’t even wait for their parents to board the kayak before they took to the water in their float tubes. No matter; we would easily overtake them in our sleek inflatable craft.
Once Michael and I made it out on the lake, the boys quickly swooped in behind us. Float tubes are fun, but difficult to maneuver on flat water, and they were hoping to hitch a ride. After linking their tubes to the stern of our kayak, we were on our way.
Now, as you might expect, pulling anything from the stern of your kayak creates drag. We didn’t exactly fly across Sylvan Lake, but rather puttered along at a decidedly relaxed pace. But Sylvan Lake is small and we had no goal in mind beyond sheer pleasure, so I couldn’t really complain.
As we paddled our way to the north end of the lake, the boys decided to disembark to explore a small island (really a big chunk of rock jutting up out of the water). There was no place to beach the kayak, so the boys slid into the water, then climbed atop the rock. With our cargo jumping ship, Michael and I took a quick spin around the island. The boys, who had decided to swim for shore, yelled after us, demanding we not leave them behind.
We paddled south once more, where the boys decided to unhitch from the kayak and venture out on their own. J discovered the value of a paddle, and commandeered one of ours. Soon Michael was in the water with them, and I had the kayak all to myself.
It was clear the boys weren’t going to return to shore without a little coaxing. Indeed there was some initial resistance when it was time to go. Slowly, we headed for the shore, but not before I took a quick dip in Sylvan Lake to test the water for myself. Refreshing!
Back at shore, the process of packing up began. I toweled off the kayak, the tubes were deflated, and paddles, life vests, and bags of wet clothing were packed into the car. Yes, it was a lot of work, but Sylvan Lake was absolutely, undeniably worth it.
