Hotels & Motels

The hotels and motels in and near Custer State Park have all the amenities you need for a comfortable stay — from pools and hot tubs to high-speed wireless internet and complimentary breakfast. Book a suite with name-brand familiarity of Holiday Inn, La Quinta or Best Western, or go for a rustic boutique vibe at the K Bar S Lodge. Better yet, stay closest to Custer State Park wildlife at the State Game Lodge, Legion Lake Lodge or other lodges located within park limits.

Pet-Friendly Hotels

Want to bring your four-legged friend along? There’s pet-friendly lodging aplenty near Custer State Park. The Bavarian Inn, Rocket Motel, K Bar S Lodge, Shady Rest Motel and Chalet Motel all welcome pets. Many campgrounds, RV parks, and bed-and-breakfasts near Custer State Park also welcome your furry family. Remember to clean up after your pets and check each destination for specific pet rules.

Campsites & RV Parks

Set up camp, haul your RV or kick back at a comfortable glamping resort. The area surrounding Custer State Park offers remarkable camping options for every type of nature lover. Within the park, there are nine designated campgrounds. To reserve a campsite or check availability, visit the South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks web portal. Nearby, explore distinctive camping experiences in Custer, like the Buffalo Ridge Camp Resort, where visitors can stay in a glamping tent, a luxury tipi or even a treehouse. Enjoy a heated pool, volleyball court and dog park at Beaver Lake Campground, or stay at the Mount Rushmore KOA campground for a camping experience with a more traditional feel.

Cabins & Vacation Rentals

A cabin perfectly complements the wild beauty of the Black Hills area, and the region has no shortage. Pine Rest Cabins sits between famous Black Hills destinations such as Custer State Park, Mount Rushmore National Memorial and Crazy Horse Memorial. For great access to the city of Custer, consider Rock Crest Lodge, situated on a hill in the city limits. Gold Camp Cabins, located just outside Custer, provides cozy, dog-friendly cabins. These quaint cabins offer a fishing pond, volleyball court and fire rings to elevate your stay. For those who prefer larger vacation rentals, JPF Vacations offers full-sized log homes that are great for families or large groups.

Bed & Breakfasts

Looking for a quick and cozy stay that will send you off with a delicious home-cooked breakfast in the morning? A handful of bed-and-breakfast options surrounding Custer State Park stand ready. The Holly House Bed & Breakfast offers a handful of uniquely themed rooms, and the Dakota Dream Bed & Breakfast & Horse Hotel is a conveniently located B&B that invites you to bring your horses along for the journey. Enjoy a perfect blend of comfort, character and convenience at one of these charming bed-and-breakfasts.

Hotels & Motels

Custer and Hill City host brand-name hotels, bed-and-breakfasts, themed inns, roadside motels and cozy cabins — all within a 10-mile radius from Crazy Horse Memorial.

For example, Rock Crest Lodge & Cabins in Custer sits on a woodsy 10 acres that border the Black Hills National Forest, and offers newly remodeled lodge rooms and cabins (some with fireplaces, hot tubs and full kitchens), an outdoor pool, picnic area and playground. And just outside Custer sits the welcoming and beloved Bavarian Inn, a perfect match of quaint and comfortable. Just a short half-mile from Hill City’s Main Street, Newton Fork Ranch showcases eight fully furnished log cabins with morning views of whitetail deer grazing in a meadow. Custer State Park’s Sylvan Lake Lodge flaunts double-peaked wooden ceilings, hardwood floors and a stone fireplace beside a hillside forest of pine and spruce trees, with easy access to Sylvan Lake. Hunters, equestrians and naturalists enjoy Dakota Dream Bed & Breakfast & Horse Hotel in Custer for its horse barn, dedicated freezers for winter hunting season, cozy beds and location close to Custer and the George S. Mickelson Trail.

Campsites & RV Parks

Living the van life, car camping or traveling by RV? Lucky you. The Black Hills region is filled with campgrounds and RV parks, whether your travel plans warrant luxury accommodations, like glamping tents, traditional parks with hook-ups and electricity, or off-the-grid backcountry camping.

Custer’s Buffalo Ridge Camp Resort pairs luxury with 85 acres of unspoiled wilderness with deluxe cabins, glamping tents, luxury tipis, unique treehouses, RV hookups, tent sites and camping cabins. In Hill City, Rafter J Bar Ranch hosts six camping areas and a resort activity center separated by large meadows and shaded by ponderosa pines. Travelers seeking a horseback view of Crazy Horse find refuge at Bridle Ridge Horse and RV Camp. Outside of Hill City, Firehouse Campground & Cabins provides cabins, RV spaces and tent camping sites for campers who like their accommodations with a side of beer tasting (Firehouse Smokejumper Station winery and brewery is located on-site).

Check Out the Big Badlands Overlook

Upon entering Badlands National Park from the east, the Big Badlands Overlook is the first major view, making it the first stop for many park visitors. It offers a captivating panorama of the park's iconic features. You'll never experience a sunrise or sunset like this, when the play of shadows and colorful skies amplifies the beauty of the Badlands’ distinctive formations.

Stop at the Pinnacles Overlook

The Pinnacles Overlook is the highest-elevation overlook (3,342 feet) accessible by the scenic byway, offering a panoramic view of the Badlands. This vantage point unveils the vastness of the landscape, with the Black Hills peeking over the horizon on clear days. Nature lovers can spot bison in the valley below or on the upper northwest prairie. The overlook also becomes a lambing hot spot for bighorn sheep from late April to early May, providing a chance to witness adorable lambs navigating the rocky slopes.

Drive the Badlands Loop Road

The Badlands Loop State Scenic Byway is perhaps the best way to experience Badlands National Park in under an hour. That is, if you drive the 39-mile loop without stopping — but almost nobody does that. Breathtaking rock formations and native grassland filled with numerous species of plants and animals virtually guarantee you’ll want to stop somewhere along the route to enjoy the view. There are 16 designated scenic overlooks. Each are convenient and safe spots to pull off on the roadside to take in the sights and snap outstanding photos.

Best Hikes in Badlands National Park

Some things go together — like hiking and Badlands National Park. Explore the unique terrain of the park by foot on one of these beautiful trails:

Notch Trail

This intermediate hike spans about 1.5 miles, leading you up, down and all around the Badlands’ rocky terrain. The trail is highlighted by a 50-foot ladder — a steep ascent that adds an extra thrill to your excursion.

Castle Trail

The Castle Trail is a flatter but lengthier trail that leads you through rippling grasslands and colossal buttes. The trail spans 10.3 miles as an out-and-back journey, but many hikers choose to enjoy shorter sections of the trail, as there are great views along the entire route. If you’re lucky, you’ll spot bighorn sheep, deer, prairie dogs or even buffalo along the way.

Fossil Exhibit Trail

This self-guided and fully accessible boardwalk offers a fascinating journey into the prehistoric past. Delight in tactile exhibits and lifelike replicas of extinct animals that once roamed the area, providing an entertaining and educational experience for all ages.

Door and Window Trails

Located 2 miles north of the visitor center, each trail is wheelchair-accessible and leads to gorgeous Badlands views. It won’t take long to see why the Door Trail (0.9 miles out and back) and the Window Trail (0.3 miles out and back) are two popular stops for many Badlands adventures.

Spend an Afternoon Spotting Bison and Other Wildlife

In a conservation effort during the 1960s, a pair of trucks transported 50 bison 223 miles from Theodore Roosevelt National Park to Badlands National Park to bolster the dwindling population. Today, the herd has grown to more than 1,000. Visitors most often spot bison off Sage Creek Rim Road and near the Pinnacles entrance station.

But they aren’t the only wild residents you’ll find in the park. Since their reintroduction in 1964, bighorn sheep have enjoyed the park’s rocky formations, like those at Pinnacles Overlook, Castle Trail and Big Badlands Overlook. You might also spy some deer and coyotes during your visit. And if cute is what you seek, don’t skip a stop at prairie-dog towns easily viewed at Burns Basin Overlook, Sage Creek Campground and Roberts Prairie Dog Town.

Exercise caution and keep a safe distance from all wildlife. Wild animals can be aggressive to humans if they get too close. Always practice safe and sustainable travel. For more on responsible travel (and a free sticker), check out the Forever 605 pledge.

Learn More and Become a Junior Ranger at the Visitor Center

Located near the Cedar Pass Campground and Cedar Pass Lodge, the Ben Reifel Visitor Center is the place to learn about the park’s history through displays, an indoor theater and a bookstore. It’s also where younger visitors can earn their Junior Ranger badge. All they have to do is fill out the fun-packed activity book to become official!

See How Clear a Night Sky Can Be

Badlands National Park is designated as an International Dark Sky Park, meaning it offers some of the darkest skies in the country. Imagine gazing up at a celestial canopy glittering with countless stars, planets and galaxies, a sight that fills you with wonder and reminds you of the vastness of the universe. Check out a ranger-led Night Sky Program on weekends between Memorial Day and Labor Day for a truly amazing experience.

Accessibility in the Park

Accessibility continues to be a priority in South Dakota. In Badlands National Park, amphitheater programs are wheelchair-accessible and involve accessible telescopes for sky viewings. Ramped entrances, accessible restrooms and reserved parking are available to wheelchair users at both the Ben Reifel Visitor Center and White River Visitor Center. The former includes a chance to hold fossils and rocks, and the park film is open-captioned with listening devices available.

There are two wheelchair-accessible campsites at Cedar Pass Campground. Most overlooks are accessible to wheelchair users. The Fossil Exhibit Trail, Window Trail and first sections of the Door and Cliff Shelf trails are accessible. The surrounding terrain at Conata Picnic Area has an accessible vault toilet, although surrounding terrain is rough, and the Bigfoot Pass Picnic Area also has an accessible vault toilet in addition to ramps and reserved parking. The Cedar Pass Lodge’s gift shop and dining room are fully accessible with ramps, wide doors and aisles, restrooms and reserved parking.

More Things to Do Near Badlands National Park

Looking for more? Make the most of your Badlands adventure by immersing yourself in rich Indigenous culture at a historic Lakota village, feeling the Cold War power of the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site or marveling at the wonders of the Black Hills. Around the park, get up close with some furry friends at Roberts Prairie Dog Town or book a horseback excursion through Hurley Butte Horseback. Need to stock up or find a souvenir? Visit the Native West Trading Company or the iconic Wall Drug Store.

Explore more in the directory below.

Hotels & Motels

The South Dakota towns of Wall and Interior offer the most convenient hotels, inns and motels near the Badlands. Luckily for guests, offerings include affordable name-brand chains. New local owners of Hansen Inn & Cabins in Wall have remodeled the hotel with modern furnishings and trendy decor. If you prefer city amenities such as local brews and upscale eats, Rapid City is only 60 miles away.

Cabins & Campgrounds

Cattle farms, ranch houses, tipis, cabins, RV parks and campgrounds amp up an Old West wilderness experience. Book one of 33 authentic, custom-built log cabins at Badlands Frontier Cabins, or find a cabin, tent or RV site, or group campsite at Cedar Pass Lodge. The Circle View Guest Ranch and Badlands Heritage Guest Ranch are both Old West bed-and-breakfast/working cattle ranches on the Badlands prairies.

In addition to Badlands exploration, some of these options include fishing, boating and horseback riding. Discover more about the Badlands' official campgrounds, Cedar Pass and Sage Creek Campground.