State Nature Areas & State Parks

A small, get-away park, Llewellyn Johns' ten campsites, all with electricity, offer a quiet camping experience. Nearby Shadehill Recreation Area offers recreational opportunities as well as points of historical interest to keep you busy all day. Or, if you prefer peace and quiet, this is a great campground to just sit back and relax. Many historic figures have crossed through the area, including Hugh Glass and George A. Custer's 1874 expedition.

Game, Fish and Parks' Outdoor Campus in Sioux Falls is a 100-acre nature park with two miles of hiking trails, an indoor imaginative play area for children, and a 3,000-gallon freshwater fish aquarium. We offer many events and activities throughout the year including fishing, kayaking, shooting, camping classes and much more. Our hours are 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Friday; 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Saturday; and 1-4 p.m., Sunday.

Nestled on the shores of Shadehill Reservoir, Shadehill Recreation Area offers opportunities to enjoy land- and water-based activities. The reservoir is one of western South Dakota's few large lakes. The dam, built in 1951 by the Bureau of Reclamation, creates more than 5,000 surface acres of water to enjoy. It is also home to a monument dedicated to legendary fur trapper and frontiersman Hugh Glass, who survived a grizzly bear attack in the area in 1823.

Spanning 1,500 acres along the Missouri River in the very southeastern part of the state, this area was donated to the people of South Dakota by Mary and Maud Adams, granddaughters of original homesteader Stephen Searls Adams. They saw the area as a place where people, particularly youth, could enjoy the land and learn more about the natural world surrounding them. There is a visitor center, restored historical buildings, interpretive exhibits, cross country ski rentals and 10 miles of trails.

Nestled along Sheps Canyon Bay, Sheps Canyon Campground is the newest campground at Angostura Recreation Area. It offers great access to the boat ramp and excellent shore fishing opportunities. We also offer a group lodge suited for 12 and a new equestrian campground and trails. Sheps Canyon Recreation Area is located in the southern Black Hills of western South Dakota.

The premier trail within the South Dakota State Park system, this 109-mile jewel stretches the length of the Black Hills. It follows an abandoned railroad bed, and climbs gently into jagged cliffs and pine forests. The Mickelson Trail has a crushed limestone surface and wide path. It tops out at 6,100 feet but rarely exceeds a 4-percent grade (making it perfect for leisure riders). Trestle bridges and railroad tunnels add to the charm of the trail. Start your adventure at any of 15 trailheads.

Runoff from melting glaciers 10,000 years ago created the river Warren. A section of the river is known today as Big Stone Lake. Rugged rock-strewn bluffs and scenic timbered shorelines surround Hartford Beach. This popular camping and picnic area is nestled along Big Stone Lake in the shade of a native wooded forest. Visitors enjoying camping, fishing, swimming, volleyball, horseshoes and more outdoor activities.

Originally called Dry Woods Lake by American Indians, the lake was renamed for Jacob Thompson, Secretary of the Interior under President James Buchanan. In the 1930s, the lake was completely dry and used for pasture. In the 1980s, the area was a 9,000-acre marsh. Heavy rains and snowmelt in the mid-80s filled the lake to over 20 feet deep. The lake is so distinct it was designated as a National Natural Landmark. Located southwest of the community of Lake Preston, Lake Thompson State Recreation Area is open year-round. Between October 1 and April 30, showers, flush toilets and other water systems may be closed. The campground offers electrical and non-electrical campsites as well as camping cabins and a group lodge. Reservations may be made online.

Few truly wild places remain in this country. Custer State Park is one of them. Located in the Black Hills of South Dakota, the park is home to a variety of wildlife and magnificent scenery spanning 71,000 acres. Nearly 1,300 bison roam the prairies and hills of the park, which they share with pronghorn, big horn sheep, elk and curious burros. Visitors often enjoy close encounters with these permanent residents along the 18-mile Wildlife Loop Road that winds around the southern edge of the park.