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The photographic opportunities for Custer State Park are pretty
extensive. The specialty of the park for landscape photography
would be the Needles area, the prairie section, the French Creek
Natural Area, Mt. Coolidge Lookout tower area as well as the Sylvan
and Stockade lake systems.
The wildlife viewing at Custer State Park is where it really excels.
See our wildlife page for good spots to see animals.
A good photography kit for Custer State Park would be a 70-300mm
lens for the wildlife, and a standard range of 17-50mm. Due to
the folding canyons and tight terrain once in the park, and ultra
wide angle of 10-20mm would also be handy to have. These lenses
are especially useful in the slot canyons and dense forests of
the park. Often times you will find large, interesting rock formations
right along the trail, which a 17-50 would not be able to fit
in for dramatic effect. You will want at least 300mm for filming
the animals as some of them are in fact hunted in Custer State
Park. This means you will have a harder time getting closer to
most animals. That said, 200mm should be perfectly fine for the
bison, buros and pronghorn.
In the canyons of the park, a tripod is a must for reliable landscape
photography.
The Needles: Located in the far northeast corner of the
park on route 87. This area features spectacular, sharp rising
rock formations that rise out of the forest like an old temple.
Classic Sylvan Lake is also in this area.
Harney Peak: The highest point in South Dakota at 7,244
feet. It's also the highest point east of the Rocky Mountains
in the United States. The peak itself is a jutting spire of rock
with world class views in all directions. If you are lucky you
may even spot some mountain goats. Definitely a park highlight.
Stockade Lake: If you enjoy filming larger lakes, jump
all over this one as it is easily the largest in the park.
Wildlife Drive: Open prairie mixed with stands of pine
and rolling hills. A very scenic area that reminds one a bit of
the flatter Yellowstone areas. Short hikes lead to pastoral views.
A must do in the park.
Blue Bell area: Thick ponderosa forest and ridges. Scenic
country.
Route 87 near Wind Cave Park: Larger hills with dense forest
and large meadows. Good area to see elk.
Grace Coolidge area: Nice looking hardwood river bottoms
juxtaposed with rocky cliffs and a clean, small stream in Grace
Coolidge Creek.
Mt. Coolidge Lookout Tower: 5,941 feet with great views
out onto the prairie and the Black Hills. This good spot is located
on highway 87 in the NE corner of the park just before it meets
highway 16a just a few miles east of Stockade Lake.
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New! Download the South Dakota Campground
Pack. This Campground Pack features eight campgrounds from the
most popular parks in South Dakota. These universal files play
on iPad, iPhone, iPod, Android, or any home computer. Click the
iPod for more information.
Coming Soon: Parkcamper: South Dakota High Definition
Campground Pack features the camp sites
of Custer State Park, Badlands National Park and Wind Cave National
Park in South Dakota ion DVD.
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