Sylvan Lake Campground

We just returned home from our five night stay at sylvan lake campground in the third week of August. We had a blast! Site 21 is probably the most isolated site and an uphill 2 min walk from the parking lot. But with 3 kids(14,11 and 8) we had plenty of help. And it was definitely worth it for the peace and quiet you have up there. You don’t hear your neighbors at all and they don’t hear you-our kids can be loud hahah. We got our six person tent on the area just fine and we had good room around the campfire. We had cell service at our site but not down at the parking lot. Bathrooms were clean, showers were clean and water was hot, and water at the pumps was delicious. What an amazing area with so much to do! I feel like we probably needed one more night to have finished everything we set out to do. Needles highway was amazing but it’s a slow drive with all the twists and turns. Sunday Gulch and Cathedral Spires were the two hikes we did and they were gorgeous. We did the Spires one in the evening around 6 and it was epic! We were the only ones there and we saw the biggest buffest mountain goat ever! Also make time for Rushmore and Crazy Horse. And a trip out to Badlands wasn’t my favorite part but it was still a beautiful site to see. It was just really hot and windy and I prefer the parks where you can get out and hike and not just drive around. Wild Spruce in Custer was a great little organic/natural foods market should you need to restock on supplies. And the soft serve next door was delicious, especially the chocolate which tasted like a fudge bar from when I grew up(80s baby!). Don’t hesitate to book a site at this campground. It’s quiet and beautiful and close to a lot of great parts of the park.

Campground very close to trailhead for Black Elk peak which is why we chose. Winding roads to get here so be careful if driving at night. Had tent site SL27 which was walk in but was close to car..just a few feet away. Tent pad to use so nice and flat. No reception (Cricket)

First of all, Lydia Oetker is the campground attendant. She is excellent. She is constantly driving around as she checks on the campground. We had a minor issue, and she fixed it. She is an asset to the South Dakota park system. The only minus is no internet or phone connection.

Absolutely loved this campground! The views were amazing! Easy access to everything in Custer State Park. Host on site and very helpful. The restrooms were very clean. My 25' trailer fit perfectly in spot #3. I would highly recommend this state park campground in the beautiful Custer State Park.

First of all, the location is great but can get very busy and hard to find parking so be prepared to walk. We wanted to come here to have a picnic, walk the trail and take in the views. The only thing we got to do was have a 10 minute picnic as it rained and caused everyone to basically run to their cars to wait it out and or leave. We chose to leave since we didn't know how long it was going to last and we were tired anyways. Still wished we could have walked the trails and around the lake. Seems like a beautiful area. Work checking out if your in the area.

The location can’t be beat! There is a walking trail that leads to Sylvan Lake and I always see deer on the trail. The bathroom is clean and I love having. The private, separate shower rooms! There are mixed sites here. Some sites are very close together and out in the open, others are a little more tucked away for privacy and then there’s the really cool walk in campsites! We always try to stay here a couple of nights when visiting the area. Follow @thetravelingcabin if you are interested in seeing more of my travels!