Sylvan Lake
Custer, SD
A small reservoir framed by granite boulders at the north end of the Needles Highway in Custer State Park. A short loop trail circles the lake, and the Black Elk Peak trail starts here; a park pass is required.
Sylvan Lake is a small reservoir in Custer State Park in the Black Hills of South Dakota. It sits at 6,145 ft (1,873 m), covers about 17 acres (7 ha) and has roughly 1 mile (1.6 km) of shoreline. It was created in 1891 when Theodore Reder dammed Sunday Gulch Creek. The maximum depth is about 30 ft (9 m).
Trails circle the lake, and it is a popular starting point for hikes to Black Elk Peak and the Needles. The Needles Highway (SD-87) also passes by Sylvan Lake.
For road trippers: the lake lies inside Custer State Park, so the park's access and fee rules apply; please check with South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks beforehand. According to the park, the Needles Highway closes to vehicles with the first snow and reopens April 1 at the earliest. Check current conditions before a late-autumn or spring drive.
- Nearest town
- Custer, SD
- Category
- Nature & parks
- GPS
- 43.8462, -103.5617
- Editor's pick
- ★
Hours, fees and access change. Confirm with the operator or park before you go.
Good to know
Best time to go
The most pleasant months are usually May–June and September. Still fine, with some compromises, in April, August and October. Cold, short days in December–February. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)
Featured in these trip guides
Nearby
© Little Mountain 5 · CC BY-SA 3.0Needles Highway and Needles Eye Tunnel
Photo by Conner Baker on UnsplashCrazy Horse Memorial
© Bernard Spragg. NZ from Christchurch, New Zealand · Public domainMount Rushmore National Memorial
© Chad Davis from Minneapolis, United States · CC BY 2.0Custer State Park Wildlife Loop
Campsites nearby
- Bearded Buffalo ResortCampsite5 mi from Sylvan LakeCaravansWaste disposalWi-Fi
- Custer's Gulch RV Park and CampgroundCampsite6 mi from Sylvan LakeTentsCaravansWaste disposal
- Happy Holidays RV ResortMotorhome stopover18 mi from Sylvan Lake · 100 pitchesMotorhomesElectricityWaste disposalWi-Fi
- Black Hills RV ParkMotorhome stopover19 mi from Sylvan LakeMotorhomesElectricityWaste disposalWi-Fi
- Elk Mountain CampgroundCampsite20 mi from Sylvan Lake · 48 pitchesTentsCaravansDrinking waterToilets
- Rapid City RV Park & CampgroundMotorhome stopover21 mi from Sylvan LakeMotorhomesElectricityWaste disposalWi-Fi
All campsites in South Dakota · Campsite data: © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL 1.0 · Updated October 3, 2026
FAQs
Where is Sylvan Lake?
Sylvan Lake is in Custer, SD, at GPS 43.8462, -103.5617. It is about 6 mi from Mount Rushmore.
Can you camp near Sylvan Lake?
Yes. The nearest campsite listed in OpenStreetMap is Sylvan Lake Campground, about 1 mi away; within 25 mi there are 57 campsites and motorhome stopovers.
Which road trips pass Sylvan Lake?
Sylvan Lake is a stop on these CampingSpirit trip guides: Southern Black Hills: Crazy Horse, the Needles and Wind Cave and Bison, needles and prairie: by camper through the Badlands and Black Hills.
What is there to see near Sylvan Lake?
Places worth a stop nearby: Needles Highway and Needles Eye Tunnel (1 mi), Crazy Horse Memorial (3 mi), Mount Rushmore National Memorial (6 mi) and Custer State Park Wildlife Loop (11 mi).
When is the best time to visit Sylvan Lake?
The most pleasant months are usually May–June and September. Still fine, with some compromises, in April, August and October. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)