Custer State Park Special Events


	Home	FAQ's	Site Index	Contact GFP	Our Privacy Policy	Disclaimer

Custer State Park Special Events

Visitor Appreciation Days

Open House Weekend click here for a PDF brochure

Spring Open House and Free Fishing Weekend
May 16, 17, 18, 2008
Enjoy a free weekend at Custer State Park, beginning at 8 a. m. Friday and ending 11 p.m. Sunday. Entrance Fees are not charged at any SD state park or recreation area during this weekend. Camping fees are still required.

To celebrate the beginning of the summer season, visitors can enjoy nature hikes, hayrack rides, cowboy cookouts, gold panning demonstrations, pancake feeds and other special events. This is also the weekend for the park's infamous buffalo chip throwing contest.

Fishing Licenses are also not required on South Dakota waters during this special weekend. The park hosts a free fishing derby, awarding prizes for anglers in each age group.
For more information on the weekend's activities, contact the Peter Norbeck Visitor Center at (605) 255-4464. (NOTE: Camping fees are required.)

National Trails Day click here for a PDF brochure

June 7, 2008

Grab your hiking gear and get ready for an adventure into the backcountry of Custer State Park. The park boasts some of the best natural scenery within the Black Hills, and event participants have the wonderful opportunity to view the landscape through a series of guided hikes.

Teaming up with the American Hiking Society (AHS), Custer State Park is offering three special hikes in conjunction with National Trails Day. Each hike takes participants through a mixture of habitats, as well as exposes hikers to the beauty of western South Dakota. Using a combination of recreation and education, park naturalists will motivate participants to look beyond the scenic vistas. The hikes are geared to tell the stories behind the scenery and share the reasons why Custer State Park is such a significant public resource.

Registration is not required for any of the hikes; however, a valid park entrance license is required on all vehicles. Interested participants should wear sturdy shoes or hiking boots and dress according to the weather. Furthermore, snacks and bottled water are recommended for each hike and can be purchased at nearby concession facilities.
National Trails Day highlights the importance of trails across the country. Events are being hosted in all 50 states, and tens of thousands of hikers will take to the outdoors for some recreational excitement. Please join us for an interpretive and educational exploration of Custer State Park.

9:00 a.m. Wading Through Rocky Spires / 3 miles
Cathedral Spires Trail (Easy to Moderate)
Meet at the Sylvan Lake General Store, located at the north end of Needles Highway (Hwy 87).

1:00 p.m. Trek the Tower / 3 miles
Little Devil’s Tower Trail (Moderate to Strenuous)
Meet at the Sylvan Lake General Store, located at the north end of Needles Highway (Hwy 87)
*Note: This trail is not recommended for individuals with physical limitations or health-related issues. For more information, contact the Peter Norbeck Visitor Center at (605) 255-4464.

2:00 p.m. Riparian Retreat / 3 miles
Grace Coolidge Walk-In Fishing Trail (Easy to Moderate)
Meet at the Peter Norbeck Visitor Center

South Dakota Bat Festival ... Come Hang with Us

Saturday August 9th, 2008

Photo - Kiesow Bat

Bats are perhaps the most unknown and under-appreciated mammal species in North America. Due to their nocturnal (night) habits, they are seldom seen by park visitors. Furthermore, many people have misperceptions of bats, which causes fallacies to pass from one generation to another.

Custer State Park is teaming together with the South Dakota Bat Working Group, South Dakota State University, Black Hills National Forest, and the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks to host an educational event about bats. Participants will learn about bat characteristics and the on-going research related to the various species. Most importantly, participants will have the chance to work with biologists to capture live bats and understand bat survey techniques.

Interested participants should meet at the Tatanka Theater in the Game Lodge Campground between the hours of 5:00 - 10:00 p.m. The festival includes an assortment of activities and informational sessions on the front deck of the theater, with the capture activity starting after dark.

Buffalo Roundup Arts Festival

September 27, 28, 29, 2008

Enjoy three days of South Dakota's finest artists and craftsmen at the 15th Annual Buffalo Roundup Arts Festival. Start your morning with a pancake feed, enjoy on-going Western and Native American entertainment or browse the many exhibits and craft booths located on site. It's a South Dakota experience you won't want to miss. The first 2 festival days are held on the festival grounds adjacent the Peter Norbeck Visitor Center. On the 3rd and final day the festival is held on the festival grounds located at the buffalo corrals complex on Buffalo Roundup Day.

Buffalo Wallow Chili Cookoff

Sunday September 28, 2008
The 19th annual chili cook-off sponsored by the Custer County Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with the Buffalo Roundup Arts Festival. Limited to 30 chili chefs. For more information or a registration packet contact the Custer Chamber at 1-800-992-9818.

Buffalo Roundup

Monday September 29, 2008

Feel the thunder and join the herd at the 43rd Annual Custer State Park Buffalo Roundup. Watch cowboys and cowgirls as they roundup and drive the herd of 1,500 buffalo into the buffalo corrals. Following the actual roundup stay and watch as park staff sort, brand, and vaccinate the herd in preparation for the fall Buffalo Sale.

Future Buffalo Roundup Date:

2009 - Sept. 28th

Halloween Night Hike click here for a PDF brochure

October 24 and 25, 2008

Enjoy an autumn evening during the 11th Annual Halloween Night Hike on October 24 and 25. Following a one-mile paved hiking trail, participants take a guided night hike through a festive educational event.

Five costumed characters will depict scenes along the path about various nature stories. This year's event focuses on the following theme, Fairy Tales of Nature Gone Bad. Hikers will hear a habitat argument between Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf. Another skit will highlight how a princess can be attracted to an amphibian, by kissing a frog. Each character station will provide an entertaining way to view the outdoors and perhaps offer a "different" interpretation of past fairy tales.

The paved path is lit only by carved jack-o-lanterns, and at times, spooks in the woods will visit the groups to share some holiday spirit. However, the hike is suitable for families with young children. The event is geared toward exposing participants to the interesting and humorous sights, sounds, and night life of Custer State Park.

Hikes depart every 15 minutes between 5:30 - 8:30 p.m. from the Peter Norbeck Visitor Center. Reservations are required and can be made beginning September 27 by calling the visitor center at (605) 255-4464. Participants are encouraged to dress according to the weather.

Come explore Custer State Park after dark and learn about its natural history through "humanly" shared stories.

43nd Annual Buffalo Auction

November 15, 2008

The buffalo was once faced with extinction. Due to the conservation efforts of organizations like Custer State Park, buffalo now number over 250,000. Each fall the Park sells surplus buffalo to the highest bidder at the live auction on the third Saturday in November. Buyers and non-buyers alike are invited to attend this annual event that has helped preserve a part of the American past.

Future Buffalo Auction Dates:

2009 - November 21