Things to Do Near Jewel Cave National Monument

What is now the 1881 Custer County Courthouse Museum and Bookstore was once the hub of Custer County development from 1881 to 1974. Since then, it has been preserving and displaying Custer County history through the efforts of the Custer County Historical Society with the help of many volunteers. Constructed of bricks kilned locally, the building is of Italianate design. It has been a museum since 1976. Closed during the winter months, the museum opens for the season in early May.

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.

Located one-half mile from Custer State Park’s west entrance, the campground is situated on the location where General Custer's expedition camped in 1874. Custer’s Gulch features basic and deluxe camping cabins, a family cabin, tent spots, and spacious, full-service RV sites with 20/30/50-amp back-in or pull-thru options. Resort amenities include free Wi-Fi, a clubhouse with kitchen facilities, store, shower house, flush toilets, dump station, laundry facilities, picnic tables, and fire grates.

Located 3.5 miles west of Custer in Black Hills National Forest, the 19-acre Beaver Lake Campground has great rates, family camping and spacious, level, shaded and open sites to suit any size RV or tent. All sites have picnic tables and fire rings, and all tent sites have rain shelters. We also offer nine cabins as well as shower and laundry facilities, free Wi-Fi at the office, heated pool, playground, horseshoe pits, volleyball and basketball courts, dog park, and more. We are open April 1-November 1 and offer discounts for extended stays.

Adventure Rentals is your location for off-road and on-road rentals in Custer. Spend the day taking in the breathtaking beauty of the Black Hills from the comfort of our rentals. Explore the spectacular, mountainous scenery by land on our UTVs, bicycles, or scooters, or take to the water and discover South Dakota’s picturesque lakes with our paddle boards or kayaks. You can even experience the thrill of the open road on a state-of-the-art Polaris Slingshot. Our hours are 7 a.m.-7 p.m., Monday through Sunday. (We also have second location near Hill City.)

Black Hills Aerial Adventures offers flightseeing tours over the breathtaking Black Hills and Badlands. Flights are available seven days a week, 9 a.m.-6:30 p.m., May through October. Our heliports are located near Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Crazy Horse Memorial and Badlands National Park. Reservations are not required, but are welcome. Our helicopters can accommodate 3-4 passengers. With prior arrangement, we can accommodate most requests for customization. See our rates on our website.

Enjoy horseback riding in the Black Hills. All rides are personalized and we match the horse and rider to riding skills. We can accommodate groups of up to eight riders. Your ride is only with your group, not strangers. Our unique unguided riding is an option after riding the first hour with the wrangler and depends on your skill at controlling the horse. We are located near Custer in the southern Black Hills and are open year-round. Advance reservations are required.

Named a Top 10 US Safari by MSN, 2015, our Buffalo Safari Jeep Tour will take you where only we can go: off-road. Trek through Custer State Park in an open-air jeep in search of pronghorns, elk and the noble buffalo. Along the way, our guides will share historical and educational facts about the park and wildlife, and help you spot the critters. Tours depart daily from the State Game Lodge, 8 a.m.-6 p.m., May through October. The ride takes about 1.5-2 hours.

Known as the Summer White House, the historic State Game Lodge has 101 units, including cabins (the largest sleeps 28) and modern and historical hotel rooms. We offer Buffalo Jeep Tours, Chuckwagon Cookouts, trail rides, hiking, fishing and endless possible wildlife encounters within the 71,000-acre park. Our elegant restaurant features local game and casual breakfast and lunch dining with a more formal ambiance for dinner. It is open seven days per week, end of April through the end of October.