Custer State Park is the Black Hills at its best. Granite spires, pristine lakes, roaming bison herds, and trails that feel like they belong in a national park. Sylvan Lake alone is worth the trip - and then you find out there are trails dropping into canyons and scrambling through boulder fields right from the shore.
ModerateA short hike to the base of the Cathedral Spires - massive granite needles jutting out of the Black Hills forest. The trail ends in a boulder field surrounded by towering spires on all sides. One of the most dramatic payoffs for a relatively short hike anywhere in South Dakota.
ModerateA loop that combines the scenic Sylvan Lake shoreline walk with the rugged Sunday Gulch descent through a boulder-choked canyon. Short distance but surprisingly challenging with ladders, rock scrambles, and creek crossings. One of the best hikes in the Black Hills.