7 Beautiful State Parks To Visit In South Dakota

Those who call South Dakota home love nothing more than to brag about the serene beauty of their state. How could you not brag with all of these beautiful state parks to visit in South Dakota?! You will not believe some of the jaw dropping beauty that exists in this midwest state.

Custer State Park

Matthew Paulson / Flickr Located in Western South Dakota, Custer State Park is the epitome of true beauty. Every year, thousands of visitors make their way to the park to watch the famous “Buffalo Roundup.” In Custer State Park, you experience true beauty along with a unique history. It was in this park that Custer first discovered gold back in 1874. There is no end to the rich history found in this state park. Custer State Park Spur, Custer, SD 57730, USA

Shadehill State Recreation Area

Darren Campbell/Google Local In Western South Dakota, large lakes are few and far between. One of those lakes is Shadehill Reservoir. The lake was created by a dam in 1951, and offers more than 5,000 acres of water to swim, fish, and play in. Shadehill State Recreation Area, 19150 Summerville Rd, Shadehill, SD 57638, USA

Indian Creek Recreation Area

Jamey Tollefson/Google Local Another State Park in South Dakota that will blow you away with its history is Indian Creek Recreation Area. This land was explored by Lewis and Clark in 1804 and is ready for you to explore it today! Indian Creek Recreation Area, 100 Camp Ground Rd, Woodworth, LA 71485, USA

Palisades State Park

Don Graham / Flickr Palisades State Park is one of the most beautiful and unique sites in east river South Dakota. Split Rock Creek runs through the park between 50 ft vertical cliffs of quartzite. You can camp here in tents, campers or adorable cabins to have up-close and personal access to the trails, swimming, and jaw dropping views this park has to offer. Palisades State Park, 25495 485th Ave, Garretson, SD 57030, USA

Lewis & Clark Recreation Area

Derek / Flickr Lewis & Clark Recreation Area is located near Yankton, SD. It is one of South Dakota’s distinguished state parks, as it has a striking beauty all its own. Perfect for sailing, fishing, or just a day on this jet ski. This state park offers several different campground options. Lewis & Clark Recreation Area, 43349 SD-52, Yankton, SD 57078, USA

Fort Sisseton Historic State Park

Don Graham / Flickr This South Dakota state park is named after the Sisseton Indian Tribe. It contains many historical treasures, as it was settled as a frontier army outpost. This park offers endless beauty and adventure with its camping, snowshoeing, fishing, canoe rentals and more. Fort Sisseton Historic State Park, 11907 434th Ave, Lake City, SD 57247, USA

Lake Herman State Park

Tom Bennett / Flickr This South Dakota state park has the luck to be located right on a peninsula in the middle of Lake Herman. The lake itself was formed by the melting of glaciers, years ago. The park is named after Herman Luce, the first settler in the area. His original cabin still stands in the park today. State Park Drive, State Park Dr, Herman Township, SD 57042, USA

Matthew Paulson / Flickr

Located in Western South Dakota, Custer State Park is the epitome of true beauty. Every year, thousands of visitors make their way to the park to watch the famous “Buffalo Roundup.” In Custer State Park, you experience true beauty along with a unique history. It was in this park that Custer first discovered gold back in 1874. There is no end to the rich history found in this state park.

Custer State Park Spur, Custer, SD 57730, USA

Darren Campbell/Google Local

In Western South Dakota, large lakes are few and far between. One of those lakes is Shadehill Reservoir. The lake was created by a dam in 1951, and offers more than 5,000 acres of water to swim, fish, and play in.

Shadehill State Recreation Area, 19150 Summerville Rd, Shadehill, SD 57638, USA

Jamey Tollefson/Google Local

Another State Park in South Dakota that will blow you away with its history is Indian Creek Recreation Area. This land was explored by Lewis and Clark in 1804 and is ready for you to explore it today!

Indian Creek Recreation Area, 100 Camp Ground Rd, Woodworth, LA 71485, USA

Don Graham / Flickr

Palisades State Park is one of the most beautiful and unique sites in east river South Dakota. Split Rock Creek runs through the park between 50 ft vertical cliffs of quartzite. You can camp here in tents, campers or adorable cabins to have up-close and personal access to the trails, swimming, and jaw dropping views this park has to offer.

Palisades State Park, 25495 485th Ave, Garretson, SD 57030, USA

Derek / Flickr

Lewis & Clark Recreation Area is located near Yankton, SD. It is one of South Dakota’s distinguished state parks, as it has a striking beauty all its own. Perfect for sailing, fishing, or just a day on this jet ski. This state park offers several different campground options.

Lewis & Clark Recreation Area, 43349 SD-52, Yankton, SD 57078, USA

This South Dakota state park is named after the Sisseton Indian Tribe. It contains many historical treasures, as it was settled as a frontier army outpost. This park offers endless beauty and adventure with its camping, snowshoeing, fishing, canoe rentals and more.

Fort Sisseton Historic State Park, 11907 434th Ave, Lake City, SD 57247, USA

Tom Bennett / Flickr

This South Dakota state park has the luck to be located right on a peninsula in the middle of Lake Herman. The lake itself was formed by the melting of glaciers, years ago. The park is named after Herman Luce, the first settler in the area. His original cabin still stands in the park today.

State Park Drive, State Park Dr, Herman Township, SD 57042, USA

Of course, this list is just a few of the many amazing state parks to visit in South Dakota. There are so many truly beautiful places in South Dakota we just can’t fit them all in one list! No doubt about it: South Dakota is most certainly full of beauty waiting to be discovered. What parks would you add to this short and sweet list?

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The OIYS Visitor Center

State parks to visit in South Dakota January 14, 2022 Sarah M. What are the most well-known parks in South Dakota? Majestic and mighty, full of pomp and circumstance, Mount Rushmore is an American treasure and is definitely one of South Dakota’s proudest claims to fame. Featuring George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln, Mount Rushmore is the world’s largest sculpture, with each granite-carved bust roughly 60 feet tall. Originally created to entice tourists out to South Dakota; today, the iconic attraction attracts three million visitors annually and is a magnificent, modern-day wonder. What are some national parks I should visit in South Dakota? While South Dakota is best-known for its epic presidential monolith (hence our nickname of the “Mount Rushmore State”), our state is so much more than just one headlining attraction. South Dakota is a state that is immensely beautiful, and nowhere is this more true than the Badlands. The massive 242,756 acres known as Badlands National Park is a true show stopper; it offers varied landscaping with sharp buttes and pinnacles among its untouched prairie expanse. Home to numerous different wildlife species, it’s also a favorite spot for birdwatching, photography, and stargazing. The sunsets here are surreal, and absolutely worth seeking out. What are some of the prettiest state parks to visit in South Dakota? While we adore all of the Mount Rushmore State’s superlative state parks, Custer State Park sure ranks at the top of the list! Tucked away in the Black Hills is gorgeous Custer State Park and its equally gorgeous Sylvan Lake - the result of a man-made dam that is now one of the most photographed places in the state. Created in 1881 via a dam built across Sunday Gulch Creek, Sylvan Lake in South Dakota is quite possibly the most easy-to-recognize body of water, thanks to the dramatic rock walls that surround it every which way. It’s known as one of the most beautiful places in the country, with Architectural Digest even saying, “Within Custer State Park, which is part of the Black Hills, the natural rock formations surrounding Sylvan Lake are mesmerizing.”

The OIYS Visitor Center

State parks to visit in South Dakota

January 14, 2022

Sarah M.

What are the most well-known parks in South Dakota? Majestic and mighty, full of pomp and circumstance, Mount Rushmore is an American treasure and is definitely one of South Dakota’s proudest claims to fame. Featuring George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln, Mount Rushmore is the world’s largest sculpture, with each granite-carved bust roughly 60 feet tall. Originally created to entice tourists out to South Dakota; today, the iconic attraction attracts three million visitors annually and is a magnificent, modern-day wonder. What are some national parks I should visit in South Dakota? While South Dakota is best-known for its epic presidential monolith (hence our nickname of the “Mount Rushmore State”), our state is so much more than just one headlining attraction. South Dakota is a state that is immensely beautiful, and nowhere is this more true than the Badlands. The massive 242,756 acres known as Badlands National Park is a true show stopper; it offers varied landscaping with sharp buttes and pinnacles among its untouched prairie expanse. Home to numerous different wildlife species, it’s also a favorite spot for birdwatching, photography, and stargazing. The sunsets here are surreal, and absolutely worth seeking out. What are some of the prettiest state parks to visit in South Dakota? While we adore all of the Mount Rushmore State’s superlative state parks, Custer State Park sure ranks at the top of the list! Tucked away in the Black Hills is gorgeous Custer State Park and its equally gorgeous Sylvan Lake - the result of a man-made dam that is now one of the most photographed places in the state. Created in 1881 via a dam built across Sunday Gulch Creek, Sylvan Lake in South Dakota is quite possibly the most easy-to-recognize body of water, thanks to the dramatic rock walls that surround it every which way. It’s known as one of the most beautiful places in the country, with Architectural Digest even saying, “Within Custer State Park, which is part of the Black Hills, the natural rock formations surrounding Sylvan Lake are mesmerizing.”

The OIYS Visitor Center

Majestic and mighty, full of pomp and circumstance, Mount Rushmore is an American treasure and is definitely one of South Dakota’s proudest claims to fame. Featuring George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln, Mount Rushmore is the world’s largest sculpture, with each granite-carved bust roughly 60 feet tall. Originally created to entice tourists out to South Dakota; today, the iconic attraction attracts three million visitors annually and is a magnificent, modern-day wonder.

What are some national parks I should visit in South Dakota?

While South Dakota is best-known for its epic presidential monolith (hence our nickname of the “Mount Rushmore State”), our state is so much more than just one headlining attraction. South Dakota is a state that is immensely beautiful, and nowhere is this more true than the Badlands. The massive 242,756 acres known as Badlands National Park is a true show stopper; it offers varied landscaping with sharp buttes and pinnacles among its untouched prairie expanse. Home to numerous different wildlife species, it’s also a favorite spot for birdwatching, photography, and stargazing. The sunsets here are surreal, and absolutely worth seeking out.

What are some of the prettiest state parks to visit in South Dakota?

While we adore all of the Mount Rushmore State’s superlative state parks, Custer State Park sure ranks at the top of the list! Tucked away in the Black Hills is gorgeous Custer State Park and its equally gorgeous Sylvan Lake - the result of a man-made dam that is now one of the most photographed places in the state. Created in 1881 via a dam built across Sunday Gulch Creek, Sylvan Lake in South Dakota is quite possibly the most easy-to-recognize body of water, thanks to the dramatic rock walls that surround it every which way. It’s known as one of the most beautiful places in the country, with Architectural Digest even saying, “Within Custer State Park, which is part of the Black Hills, the natural rock formations surrounding Sylvan Lake are mesmerizing.”