List of South Dakota state parks
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The U.S. state of South Dakota operates 13 state parks, 43 recreation areas, 6 nature areas, and 1 trail, totaling approximately 96,000 acres. These sites are administered by the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish, and Parks.
South Dakota State Parks (Hover mouse over pog to popup clickable link)
These areas preserve natural geologic features, historic and sacred Plains Indian sites, and historic pioneer settlements and forts. They also provide recreational facilities and access to waterbodies, including the Missouri River, on which there are 25 recreation areas.
South Dakota State Parks and recreation areas range in size from the 19-acre Sandy Shore Recreation Area to the 71,000-acre Custer State Park. It was the first park established in the system, in 1919. Good Earth State Park at Blood Run is the most recent park, added in 2013. System-wide visitation in 2016 was 7,500,000.[1]
State parks
| Name | County | Size | Coordinates | Estab- lished |
Image | Remarks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| acres | ha | ||||||
| Bear Butte State Park | Meade | 1,935 | 783 | 44.45989°N 103.45085°W | 1961 |  |
Geological laccolith, traditional landmark and sacred religious site for the Lakota Indians.[2] |
| Custer State Park | Custer | 71,000 | 29,000 | 43.7706°N 103.3964°W | 1919 | .jpg) |
South Dakota's first and largest state park. Located in the southern Black Hills and known for the scenic Needles Highway, Sylvan Lake, and as a wildlife habitat with a famous herd of bison.[3] |
| Fisher Grove State Park | Spink | 277 | 112 | 44.883461°N 98.356702°W | 1946 | The first stagecoach road from Watertown to Pierre crossed the James River at this location.[4] | |
| Fort Sisseton Historic State Park | Marshall | 125 | 51 | 45.659398°N 97.528266°W | 1959 |  |
The remains of historic Fort Sisseton, established in 1864, are preserved within the park.[5] |
| Good Earth State Park at Blood Run | Lincoln | 650 | 260 | 43.475595°N 96.5942°W | 2013[6] | The largest Oneota cultural site discovered to date in the upper Midwest.[7] | |
| Hartford Beach State Park | Roberts | 331 | 134 | 45.402196°N 96.673074°W | 1945 | American Indian burial mounds and former trading post on Big Stone Lake.[8][9] | |
| Lake Herman State Park | Lake | 227 | 92 | 43.992878°N 97.160426°W | 1946 | Wildlife habitat and historic Herman Luce settler's cabin on the eastern shore of Lake Herman.[10] | |
| Newton Hills State Park | Lincoln | 948 | 384 | 43.219041°N 96.570193°W | 1949 | Rolling hills and woodland on the southern end of the Coteau des Prairies geological formation.[11] | |
| Oakwood Lakes State Park | Brookings | 293 | 119 | 44.449753°N 96.981982°W | 1945 | A former gathering spot for American Indians, the park is nestled among eight connected lakes and contains a historic 1869 log cabin. | |
| Palisades State Park | Minnehaha | 434.5 | 175.8 | 43.687645°N 96.517166°W | 1972 |  |
Distinctive Sioux quartzite rock formations along Split Rock Creek.[12] |
| Roy Lake State Park | Marshall | 560 | 230 | 45.709686°N 97.448803°W | 1946 | Fishing, beaches and campgrounds on Roy Lake in the glacial lakes area of South Dakota.[13] | |
| Sica Hollow State Park | Marshall, Roberts | 900 | 360 | 45.7421°N 97.242668°W | 1968 | A significant historical site for the Sioux Indians, the park's name comes from the word for evil or bad in Dakota, referring to the red-tinted bogs in the area.[14] | |
| Union Grove State Park | Union | 282 | 114 | 42.920242°N 96.785321°W | 1947 | Prairie woodland along Brule Creek with rich birdwatching and fall foliage.[15] | |
State recreation areas
| Name | County | Size | Coordinates | Estab- lished |
Image | Remarks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| acres | ha | ||||||
| Angostura Recreation Area | Fall River | 1,125 | 455 | 43.345873°N 103.42202°W | 1954 | Shoreline and beaches on the eastern edge of Angostura Reservoir.[16] | |
| Big Sioux Recreation Area | Minnehaha | 430 | 170 | 43.57305°N 96.594378°W | 1978 | Recreation area along the Big Sioux River[17] hosting some of the largest trees in the state.[18] | |
| Burke Lake Recreation Area | Gregory | 106 | 43 | 43.183192°N 99.260023°W | 1947 | Recreation area surrounding the 25-acre Burke Lake. | |
| Buryanek Recreation Area | Gregory | 166 | 67 | 43.415231°N 99.173167°W | 1983 | Missouri River area where George Shannon of the Lewis and Clark Expedition was lost in 1804.[19] | |
| Chief White Crane Recreation Area | Yankton | 186 | 75 | 42.851249°N 97.460067°W | 2001 | Located on the Missouri River and known for its bald eagle habitat, the site is named for a Plains Indian leader who met the Lewis and Clark Expedition nearby in 1804.[20] | |
| Cow Creek Recreation Area | Sully | 257 | 104 | 44.555685°N 100.47618°W | 2001 | Fishing area and boat launch on the shore of Lake Oahe on the Missouri River.[21] | |
| Farm Island Recreation Area | Hughes | 1,800 | 730 | 44.345921°N 100.27995°W | 1946 | A former island (now connected to mainland via causeway) located on the Missouri River.[22] | |
| Indian Creek Recreation Area | Walworth | 187 | 76 | 45.522137°N 100.38682°W | 2001 | Camping area and boat launch on the Missouri River.[23] | |
| Lake Alvin Recreation Area | Lincoln | 59 | 24 | 1957 | Beach and fishing area surrounding Lake Alvin.[24] | ||
| Lake Cochrane Recreation Area | Deuel | 88 | 36 | 44.714191°N 96.478932°W | 1974 | Recreation area nestled between Lake Cochrane and Lake Oliver.[25] | |
| Lake Hiddenwood Recreation Area | Walworth | 332 | 134 | 45.549856°N 99.985001°W | 1947 | One of the earliest artificial lakes in South Dakota, established in 1927.[26] | |
| Lake Louise Recreation Area | Hand | 320 | 130 | 44.620547°N 99.140553°W | 1945 | Area adjacent to the 164-acre Lake Louise.[27] | |
| Lake Poinsett Recreation Area | Brookings | 196 | 79 | 44.534183°N 97.083956°W | 1976 | Camping area and boat launch on the southern shore of Lake Poinsett.[28] | |
| Lake Thompson Recreation Area | Kingsbury | 416 | 168 | 44.323468°N 97.434631°W | 1998 | Located on the northern shore of Lake Thompson, better known as one of the "Twin Lakes" in Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House on the Prairie book series. | |
| Lake Vermillion Recreation Area | McCook | 267 | 108 | 43.594764°N 97.185172°W | 1967 | Fishing, swimming and boating area on the southern end of the 512-acre Lake Vermillion.[29] | |
| Lewis & Clark Recreation Area | Yankton | 928 | 376 | 42.867723°N 97.521526°W | 1966 | Located upriver and adjacent to Gavins Point Dam on the former site of Fort Yankton.[30] | |
| Little Moreau Recreation Area | Dewey | 160 | 65 | 45.349193°N 101.08448°W | 1962 | Grassland and former winter campgrounds of Plains Indian tribes.[31] | |
| Llewellyn Johns Recreation Area | Perkins | 114 | 46 | 45.775402°N 102.17742°W | 1945 | Campground located where explorer Hugh Glass was attacked by a grizzly bear in 1823 and near the passage of George Armstrong Custer's 1874 expedition to the Black Hills.[32] | |
| Mina Lake Recreation Area | Edmonds | 300 | 120 | 45.447464°N 98.74082°W | 1950 | Boating, fishing and swimming area on the shore of the man-made Mina Lake reservoir.[33] | |
| North Point Recreation Area | Charles Mix | 1,055 | 427 | 43.083064°N 98.550327°W | 2001 | Located on the eastern shore of Lake Francis Case on the Missouri River above Fort Randall Dam.[34] | |
| North Wheeler Recreation Area | Charles Mix | 43.171927°N 98.825552°W | 2001 | Small park and campground with access to Lake Francis Case on the Missouri River.[35] | |||
| Oahe Downstream Recreation Area | Stanley | 933 | 378 | 44.436944°N 100.39978°W | 2002 | Located on the Missouri River just below Oahe Dam.[36] | |
| Okobojo Point Recreation Area | Sully | 135 | 55 | 44.57596°N 100.49547°W | 2001 | A sandy peninsula on the shore of Lake Oahe on the Missouri River.[37] | |
| Pease Creek Recreation Area | Charles Mix | 600 | 240 | 43.140208°N 98.731855°W | 2001 | River access at the confluence of Pease Creek and the Missouri River.[38] | |
| Pelican Lake Recreation Area | Codington | 152 | 62 | 44.852222°N 97.208448°W | 1978 | Camping, boating and other activities on the southern shore of Pelican Lake.[39] | |
| Pickerel Lake Recreation Area | Day | 368 | 149 | 45.485552°N 97.248138°W | 1949 | Comprising east and west sections on the 955-acre Pickerel Lake.[40] | |
| Pierson Ranch Recreation Area | Yankton | 60 | 24 | 42.873642°N 97.482167°W | 2001 | Primarily a campground located between Lewis & Clark Recreation Area and Chief White Crane Recreation Area on Gavins Point Dam.[41] | |
| Platte Creek Recreation Area | Charles Mix | 252 | 102 | 43.298531°N 98.997651°W | 1983 | Fishing and river access at the junction of Platte Creek and Lake Francis Case on the Missouri River.[42] | |
| Randall Creek Recreation Area | Gregory | 184 | 74 | 43.051021°N 98.555139°W | 2002 | Just downstream from Fort Randall Dam on the Missouri River and noted as a habitat for bald eagles.[43] | |
| Revheim Bay Recreation Area | Walworth | 296 | 120 | 45.522778°N 100.4074°W | 2001 | Day-use park on the Missouri River near Mobridge.[44] | |
| Richmond Lake Recreation Area | Brown | 349 | 141 | 45.539902°N 98.611093°W | 1947 | Recreation area on Richmond Lake with separate units for camping, wildlife viewing and boat access.[45] | |
| Rocky Point Recreation Area | Butte | 350 | 140 | 44.709229°N 103.71253°W | 2005 | Located on the 8,000-acre Belle Fourche Reservoir.[46] | |
| Sandy Shore Recreation Area | Codington | 19 | 7.7 | 44.893844°N 97.240953°W | 1969 | Beach area on the banks of Lake Kampeska.[47] | |
| Shadehill Recreation Area | Perkins | 2,150 | 870 | 45.761144°N 102.21849°W | 1952 | Extensive shoreline of Shadehill Reservoir, one of the larger lakes in western South Dakota.[48] | |
| Sheps Canyon Recreation Area | Fall River | 6,565 | 2,657 | Campground, water access and horse riding trails on the western side of Angostura Reservoir.[49] | |||
| Snake Creek Recreation Area | Charles Mix | 695 | 281 | 43.389979°N 99.119491°W | 1983 | Access and activities on Lake Francis Case on the Missouri River.[50] | |
| Spring Creek Recreation Area | Hughes | 149 | 60 | 44.546055°N 100.486216°W | 2001 | A day-use park at the junction of Spring Creek and Lake Oahe on the Missouri River.[51] | |
| Springfield Recreation Area | Bon Homme | 24 | 9.7 | 42.855881°N 97.884586°W | 1957 | Access to Lake Oahe on the Missouri River.[52] | |
| Swan Creek Recreation Area | Walworth | 106 | 43 | 45.319177°N 100.3°W | 1983 | Bluffs and water access on the eastern shore of Lake Oahe on the Missouri River.[53] | |
| Walkers Point Recreation Area | Lake | 41 | 17 | 43.956806°N 97.028614°W | 1990 | Camping and access to the 2,800-acre Lake Madison.[54] | |
| West Bend Recreation Area | Hughes | 154 | 62 | 44.170744°N 99.721021°W | 1984 | Recreation area with marina on Lake Sharpe of the Missouri River.[55] | |
| West Pollock Recreation Area | Campbell | 243 | 98 | 45.884314°N 100.33565°W | 2001 | Water access and hunting area on Lake Oahe of the Missouri River.[56] | |
| West Whitlock Recreation Area | Potter | 260 | 110 | 45.048094°N 100.26607°W | 1983 | Missouri River access and historic campsite for Arikara and Mandan Plains Indians.[57] | |
State nature areas, trails and other areas
| Name | County | Size | Coordinates | Estab- lished |
Image | Remarks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| acres | ha | ||||||
| Adams Homestead and Nature Preserve | Union | 1,600 | 650 | 42.53905°N 96.528179°W | 1997 | Homestead and nature preserve on the Missouri River,[58] this area contains one of the largest stands of cottonwood trees in the state.[18] | |
| Beaver Creek Nature Area | Minnehaha | 165 | 67 | 43.558174°N 96.541611°W | 1967 | Natural prairie, tilled field and a historic 1870s log cabin.[59][60] | |
| Big Stone Island Nature Area | Roberts | 100 | 40 | 45.34723°N 96.487953°W | 1976 | Island in Big Stone Lake that was previously a Plains Indian village and later a resort.[61] | |
| LaFramboise Island Nature Area | Hughes | 555 | 225 | 44.361169°N 100.36242°W | 2002 | Sand bar island in the Missouri River.[62] | |
| George S. Mickelson Trail | Lawrence, Pennington, Custer, Fall River | 1998 |  |
A 109-mile long mixed-use trail running from Bear Butte to Edgemont along the historic Burlington Northern rail line through the Black Hills.[63] | |||
| Spearfish Canyon Nature Area | Lawrence | 127 | 51 | 44.349956°N 103.94432°W | 2008 |  |
Popular waterfall viewing area in Spearfish Canyon.[64] |
| Spirit Mound Historic Prairie | Clay | 320 | 130 | 42.867608°N 96.954431°W | 2001 |  |
A prominent hill on the prairie, Spirit Mound is the site of Plains Indian legends and was visited by members of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.[65] |
Proposed expansion
The state is currently exploring establishing a new state park in Spearfish Canyon. The proposed Spearfish Canyon State Park would encompass 1,600-acres including Spearfish Falls, Roughlock Falls, and portions of Little Spearfish Canyon. The land is currently owned by the state of South Dakota and the federal government.[66][67]