Sylvan Lake Shore Trail
The Sylvan Lake Shore Trail is one of the most popular and scenic trails in the Black Hills. Located close to the junction of the Needles Highway (Highway 87) and Highway 89, Sylvan Lake is the jumping-off point for most expeditions up Black Elk Peak, Little Devils Tower, Sylvan Peak and Cathedral Spires. People come here to hike, fish, camp, bicycle, kayak, canoe, ride paddleboats and much more. There is also a store and small restaurant at the lake, plus the nearby Sylvan Lake Resort lodge.
The trail along the western shore is very level and wide, with a fine gravel surface, making for easy hiking and even good for strollers. People with wheelchairs and walkers sometimes choose this section of the trail for an outing. Wheelchairs and strollers will not work on the next section where the trail drops down a stone stairway between two giant granite formations and follows a trail below the dam over to some boulders, which requires some easy scrambling before finally getting back to a smoother, but narrower single-track pathway. The trail from there remains single-track all the way past the picnic area and restrooms and past the dock to the Sylvan Lake store. The photo ops along the lake, plus all the other activity options make this a great place for a day’s outing.
For those who want more hiking, but do not want to try one of the peaks nearby, the trailhead for the Sunday Gulch Trail is at the back corner of the lake, just before the stone stairway between the granite formations. While the Sunday Gulch Trail has an overall rating of difficult, it is primarily because of the steep descent (or ascent depending on which way one hikes the loop) and boulder-hopping required on the eastern half of the loop. The western part of the loop is smoother trail and could be rated as moderate, offering an “out-and-back” option for up to 3 miles of additional hiking. From Sylvan Lake, that trail steadily descends along Sunday Gulch Creek, so the return portion would definitely give hikers a “burn” going back.
To download a PDF trail guide, click here: Custer State Park Trails Map & Guide
The trail along the western shore is very level and wide, with a fine gravel surface, making for easy hiking and even good for strollers. People with wheelchairs and walkers sometimes choose this section of the trail for an outing. Wheelchairs and strollers will not work on the next section where the trail drops down a stone stairway between two giant granite formations and follows a trail below the dam over to some boulders, which requires some easy scrambling before finally getting back to a smoother, but narrower single-track pathway. The trail from there remains single-track all the way past the picnic area and restrooms and past the dock to the Sylvan Lake store. The photo ops along the lake, plus all the other activity options make this a great place for a day’s outing.
For those who want more hiking, but do not want to try one of the peaks nearby, the trailhead for the Sunday Gulch Trail is at the back corner of the lake, just before the stone stairway between the granite formations. While the Sunday Gulch Trail has an overall rating of difficult, it is primarily because of the steep descent (or ascent depending on which way one hikes the loop) and boulder-hopping required on the eastern half of the loop. The western part of the loop is smoother trail and could be rated as moderate, offering an “out-and-back” option for up to 3 miles of additional hiking. From Sylvan Lake, that trail steadily descends along Sunday Gulch Creek, so the return portion would definitely give hikers a “burn” going back.
To download a PDF trail guide, click here: Custer State Park Trails Map & Guide
The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his
steps. Proverbs 16:9