1. French Creek Horse Camp
City: Custer State Park, SD
Category: Accommodations
Telephone: (605) 255-4515, (800) 710-2267
Address: CSP No. 4
Description: No more driving 3 miles to Blue Bell Campground to take a shower when you stay here. A new era began in 1998 with the opening of a comfort station housing showers, flush toilets, and sinks with hot and cold running water from a newly drilled well. The familiar vault toilets were left in place, though, to save you a potentially lengthy hike in the middle of the night. There are no hookups or dump station at this horse camp on North Lame Johnny Road. The campground has three camper cabins and 22 reservable sites with electricity and two that are available on a first-come, first-served basis. As popular as this place is, it’s a good idea to reserve a site well in advance, especially for the summer months. You can begin booking sites on Jan. 2 of each year. The campground, 3 miles east of Blue Bell Lodge, is open all year with limited facilities from Nov until May. With reservation, each site gets a corral. The fee is $25 per night per camping unit, and $45 for a cabin. Once here you can ride just about anywhere in Custer State Park except the Sylvan Lake watershed area and the walk-in fishing area that links Grace Coolidge and Center Lake Campgrounds. Both areas are posted. Four trails depart from the campground; see the Recreation chapter for more information.
2. The Needles
City: Custer State Park, SD
Category: Parks & Recreation
Address: SR 87
Insider Pick:
Description: Climbers popularized the granite spires along the Needles Highway (SR 87) in the 1940s and 1950s, and this well-known area still offers traditional climbing as well as bolted routes. On many of them you’ll have to pack various forms of hardware and place your own protection. The Needles area is recommended for more experienced climbers. Newer routes are not included in Paul Piana’s comprehensive Touch the Sky, which was published in 1983; other titles include Recommended Climbing Routes in the Needles of Custer State Park, by John Page; Black Hills Needles: Selected Free Climbs, by Dingus McGee, and Classic Rock Climbs No. 7 Devils Tower/Black Hills, by John Harlin. This area is within the boundaries of Custer State Park, and you’ll need a park entrance license if you drive in. Parking is available along the highway from Sylvan Lake to the spires. Classic routes include Riddle (5.7), Tricouni Nail (5.8), and Nantucket Sleighride (5.10).
3. Black Hills Playhouse
City: Custer State Park, SD
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (605) 255-4141, (605) 255-4242
Address: SR 87
Description: This rustic playhouse, fashioned from an abandoned 1934 Civilian Conservation Corps camp, has offered professional summer theater since 1946. Quality performances in a novel setting have made it a popular attraction for locals and tourists alike. The historic structure has been undergoing renovations so check the website for show locations before venturing down through Custer State Park solely to see a performance. For information about shows, see the Arts chapter.