Don't have time to read the full article? Here are my Custer SP top finds:
🏨Lodging: K Bar S Lodge, Under Canvas Mt Rushmore, Custer SP Lodges
📍Tours: Full Day Jeep Bison Safari, Custer SP - Mt Rushmore & Crazy Horse tour, and Mt Rushmore Night Ceremony & Tour with Tunnels & Stargazing
Sylvan Lake Lodge and Cabins at Custer State Park
Sylvan Lake Lodge in Custer State Park has 67 rooms some of which overlook Sylvan Lake and offers great cabins. Sylvan Lake Lodge was built in 1937 with a new wing of rooms added in 1991. There are 31 cabins in the hillside surrounding the historic lodge.
Sylvan Lake Cabin
We stayed in Cabin #511 during our stay and really enjoyed it. The cabin was up a small set of stairs! If you have any knee or mobility restrictions make sure you let them know when you call for a reservation.
The cabin was nicely furnished but not large. With two people sleeping in the bed one of us had to crawl over the other person to get in and out of bed. The bed was super comfortable.
The cabin does have a small kitchenette with a mini-fridge, microwave, small stove top. This worked out so great for us. We had been driving for hours to reach the park and all we wanted to do was relax. We picked up snacks at the store and made microwave mac and cheese and sandwiches for dinner.
There was a bathroom in the cabin with a small walk-in shower and toilet. The sink was outside the bathroom.
Outside the cabin, we had a picnic table and fire ring which would be great for making smores and relaxing.
Click Here to Book the Sylvan Lake Lodge & Cabins
Sylvan Lake Lodge Accommodation Options
35 Lodge Rooms sleep one to six people. There is an elevator available in the lodge
There are 32 cabins near Sylvan Lake Lodge.
Sleeping Cabins
2 room cabins with 1 queen bed and a sofa sleeper sleep one to three people
1 room cabins with two queen beds sleep one to four people
Honeymoon Cabin
The honeymoon cabin is a one-room cabin with a king bed and can sleep one to two people
Housekeeping Cabins
1-room cabins with a variety of bed sizes
3-room cabins with 4 double beds and a sleeper sofa sleep one to ten people
3-room cabins with 2 bathrooms, 2 queen beds, and a sofa sleeper sleep one to six people
Senator's Cabin
The Senator's Cabin is five rooms with three queen beds, 2 sofa sleepers and can sleep one to ten people.
Cathedral Spires Cabin
The Cathedral Spires Cabin is 4 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms. The cabin has 1 king bed, 5 queen beds, 2 sets of twin bunks, and two sofa sleepers that can sleep one to twenty-two people.
This cabin has a stone gas fireplace and deck overlooking Sylvan Lake.
Room Amenities
- Private Bathroom (all lodge rooms and most cabins)
- Serta 12-Inch Plush Mattresses (lodge rooms)
- Wood-Burning Stone Fireplace (upper loop sleeping cabins)
- Private Balcony (Premier lodge rooms)
- Full Kitchen or Kitchenette (housekeeping and group cabins)
- Mini-Refrigerator (lodge rooms and select cabins)
- Coffee Maker (all units)
- Microwave (lodge rooms and most cabins)
- Flat-Screen TV (all units)
- Hair Dryer (all units)
- Air Conditioning and Heat (all units)
- Private Outdoor Fire Pit and Picnic Table (cabins)
- Covered Deck with Patio Furniture (Needles-style cabins)
- Free WiFi (lodge public areas)
- Elevator Access (only lodge in Custer State Park with elevator)
- No Pets in Lodge Rooms
- Pet Friendly in Select Cabins (fee applies)
- ADA Accessible Premier Room with Roll-In Shower
- Free Parking
- Sylvan Lake Lodge Dining Room with Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
- Stone Veranda Dining with Scenic Views
- Bar and Lounge
- Sylvan Lake General Store with Groceries and Supplies
- Watersport Rentals on Sylvan Lake (kayaks, paddleboards, paddleboats)
- Black Elk Peak Trailhead Walking Distance from Lodge
- Cathedral Spires and Sunday Gulch Trail Access
- Meeting Rooms and Wedding Venue
Sylvan Lake Lodge Map
Things to know when booking a room at Sylvan Lodge
Reservation phone number - 888-875-001
Sylvan Lodge phone number - 605-574-2561
We definitely suggest calling for reservations. The online system can get confusing and a bit overwhelming.
When you book a room the cost of your room for the first and last night including tax is required as a deposit.
The park will refund your deposit if you cancel at least 15 days prior to your arrival date. There is a $25 cancellation fee
If you plan to visit during the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally the entire stay must be paid in full when you make your reservation. You can cancel thirty days before the rally rates for a $25 cancellation fee.
Sleeping cabins do not have a kitchen. Housekeeping cabins have kitchen or kitchenettes and are furnished with limited eating/cooking utensils. All units have coffee pots, microwaves, small refrigerators, TV's, Heat and A/C, towels and linens.
$10 for a rollaway/crib per night - available in select units
$10 for extra person
$10 per pet per day, only allowed in certain cabins.
Check out is at 10 am
Ice machines are available on the first floor of the lodge or may be picked up at the bar
You have to display a parking pass!!!
Sylvan Lake Dining Room is open 7 am to 9 pm
Breakfast - 7 am to 11 am
Lunch - 11 am to 5 pm
Dinner - 5 pm to 9 pm
Reservations are recommended! The bar closes at 10 pm.
Sylvan Lake General store is open from 8 am to 8 pm
The general store has grab and go food including pizza, sandwiches, sides and ice cream.
Things to do When Staying at Sylvan Lake Lodge & Cabins
🏊 Swim in the cold, clear waters of Sylvan Lake from the lodge's shoreline beach
🛶 Rent a paddleboat or rowboat on Sylvan Lake for a leisurely paddle among the granite boulders
🥾 Hike the Sylvan Lake Shore Trail, an easy and extraordinarily scenic loop around the boulder-strewn lake
🚗 Drive the Needles Highway, one of America's most spectacular scenic roads, starting directly from the lodge area
🏔️ Hike the Black Elk Peak Trail, reaching the highest point in the United States east of the Rockies at 7,244 feet
🦌 Wildlife watch for mule deer, mountain goats, bighorn sheep, and wild turkeys throughout the surrounding high country
📸 Photograph the reflections of granite boulders and pine forest in the glassy surface of Sylvan Lake at dawn
🌅 Watch sunsets from the lodge porch and lake shore as the light softens across the granite formations
🍽️ Dine at the Sylvan Lake Lodge Restaurant with views over the lake and surrounding boulder landscape
🌌 Stargaze from the lake shore at 6,200 feet under some of the darkest skies in the Black Hills
🏛️ Drive to Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse Memorial, and Jewel Cave, all within easy reach of the lodge
Best Custer State Park Tours & Activities
Mt Rushmore & Crazy Horse with Iron Mtn Rd, Needles & Sylvan Lake
⭐️ Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars (40+ reviews) | ⏳ Tour Length: 6 hours | 🚙🏔️ Check Rates and Availability
Explore South Dakota's largest state park on your own with a fully private Black Hills Open Top Tour, an extrmely popular tour that typically books an average of 40 days in advance!
The itinerary covers an impressive range of terrain and landmarks. The adventure begins on the famous one-way tunnels and pigtail bridges of Iron Mountain Road, followed by a stop at the lesser-known George Washington Profile View before a full 90-minute visit to Mount Rushmore National Memorial, where your guide brings the history of all four presidents to life against the sweeping backdrop of the Black Hills. From there the route winds through the stunning granite spires of Needles Highway to the serene pine-forested shores of Sylvan Lake before a full 90-minute visit to the Crazy Horse Memorial, the largest mountain monument in the world and one of the most inspiring stops in all of South Dakota. A picnic lunch complete with snacks, bottled water, and beer or wine is included along the way.
Mt Rushmore Night Ceremony, Tunnels & Stargazing Tour
⭐️ Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars (82+ reviews) | ⏳ Tour Length: 4 hours 45 minutes | 🌟🚐 Check Rates and Availability
One of the most popular and memorable evening experiences available and is booked an average of 69 days in advance, making it one of the most sought-after evening tours in the region!
This open-top tour from Black Hills Open-Top-Tours combines a full narrated visit to Mount Rushmore National Memorial with the park's iconic nightly Lighting Ceremony before finishing with a scenic after-dark drive up Iron Mountain Road through the famous one-lane tunnels and a stargazing stop at Norbeck Overlook under some of South Dakota's darkest skies. The sliding glass roof of the open-top vehicle makes for a uniquely immersive stargazing experience on clear nights.
Lodging in Custer State Park
⭐️ 4.3 of 5 Stars - State Game Lodge - Click here for Rates and Availability.
The crown jewel of Custer State Park, a National Register of Historic Places landmark that served as the Summer White House for President Calvin Coolidge in 1927!
Make sure to read my full review of the State Game Lodge.
⭐️ 4.3 of 5 Stars - Sylvan Lake Lodge - Click here for Rates and Availability.
Perched at 6,145 feet on the Needles Highway at the top of the Black Hills, this stunning 1937 lodge overlooks one of the most breathtaking lakes in all of South Dakota!
Make sure to read my full review of Sylvan Lake Lodge & Cabins.
⭐️ 4.0 of 5 Stars - Creekside Lodge - Click here for Rates and Availability.
A beautifully modern 30-room lodge nestled among pine and oak-covered bluffs along the babbling Grace Coolidge Creek, right next door to the historic State Game Lodge!
Make sure to read my full review of the Creekside Lodge.
Make sure to read my lodging guide to Custer State Park.
Lodging Near Custer State Park
⭐️ 4.8 of 5 Stars - K Bar S Lodge - Click here for Rates and Availability.
A wonderfully secluded mountain lodge nestled in the Norbeck Wildlife Preserve and Black Hills National Forest, with stunning profile views of Mount Rushmore from three outdoor decks!
Located just 30 minutes from Custer State Park and 5 minutes from Mount Rushmore, the 96 spacious rooms feature flat-screen HDTVs, Keurig coffee makers, and select rooms with private hot tubs and refrigerators. A complimentary hot breakfast buffet is served each morning in a stunning glass-walled gazebo where guests can watch local wildlife wander the grounds. Two outdoor hot tubs, fitness center, business center, outdoor fire pits, laundry facilities, free WiFi, free parking, and pet friendly. Open April through October!
⭐️ 4.4 of 5 Stars - Under Canvas Mount Rushmore - Click here for Rates and Availability.
A luxury glamping resort in the Black Hills just 15 minutes from Custer State Park and 6 miles from Mount Rushmore, where you sleep under the stars in a premium canvas tent with a king bed and wood-burning stove!
Choose from Stargazer Tents with a skylight above the bed, Suite Tents with a private ensuite bathroom and soaking tub, or family-sized tents sleeping up to 6. The on-site restaurant and espresso bar serve seasonally inspired meals and s'mores kits, with fire pits, guided hikes, a complimentary activity schedule, adventure concierge, and free parking. Pet friendly, open May through September!
Click this link or the map below for a map of lodging and vacation rental options in the area of Custer State Park.
Additional Custer State Park Information
Explore area Parks
After exploring Custer State Park, check out other area parks. Custer State Park is an excellent hub for exploring the Black Hills, especially with the number of campgrounds and lodges on site.
Nearby Parks include:
- Mount Rushmore National Memorial
- Wind Cave National Park
- Jewel Cave National Monument
- Theodore Roosevelt National Park
- Badlands National Park
- Minuteman Missile National Historic Site
- Devils Tower National Monument
- Crazy Horse
- There is also camping at the Mount Rushmore KOA
Check out all of the South Dakota National Parks along with neighboring National Parks in Wyoming, National Parks in North Dakota, National Parks in Nebraska, Montana National Parks, Minnesota National Parks, and Iowa National Parks.
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