We woke up this morning at nine a.m. to a gorgeous day in Custer State Park. The campground was bustling as fellow campers prepared their breakfast. Since it's a Sunday, many of the campers are leaving today and were packing up their supplies and taking down their tents. After going to the nearby Vault toilet to change into a fresh set of clothes we prepared a breakfast of raisins, cereal and diet coke. Not the most nutritious meal in the world, but it filled the palette.
After breakfast, we relaxed around the campsite for the next hour, discussing our trip and reviewing the Tatanka, Custer State Park's well-written visitor's guide. Tatanka is Lakota for Bison, the symbol of Custer State Park. In its 71,000 acres, Custer offers a variety of outdoor and family activities including hikes, boating, swimming and wildlife viewing. During our stay we hope to experience as much of the park as possible.
At ten-thirty we decided to drive over to Legion Lake, which is approximately a five minute drive around twisty curvy roads, rock walls and thick pine forests. Legion Lake Lodge dates back to 1913 when Custer State Park was a game preserve in the Custer State Forest. This location was leased at the time by the local American Legion post, giving the lodge it's time. The lodge is comprised of stone walls and Ponderosa Pine.
Legion Lake is a tranquil man-made lake, from the nearby Galena Creek. In my opinion, Legion offers the best economy lodging for families at Custer. Families can choose between cabin rentals at affordable rates or a convenient campground. A playground, beach area and area hikes makes this the perfect spot for kids and adults alike.
After checking my email and grabbing a cup of coffee in the Legion Lake Dining room, my mom and I headed west on Highway 16 into the town of Custer.
Downtown Custer is charming, with streets lined with restaurants, shops and coffeehouses. Many of the buildings are original to the town and date back to the 1880s. I suggest checking out the architecture of the 1881 Courthouse, which is open for tours on Custer's history and The Bank: one of the oldest buildings in Custer, it was built as a bank in 1881, eight years before SD became a state. Today it is a Steak and Ribs joint by night and coffeehouse by day.
As we strolled down Main Street Custer, my mom and I started to get hungry. I guess a breakfast of trail mix and diet coke doesn't hold well :) We decided to stop for a bite to eat at The Elk Lodge, one of the many delicious dining options downtown.
The decor was laid back western with Old-West photos and park ambiance. It is a family friendly establishment with an Americana menu. For lunch I opted for a burger and their famous homemade BBQ chips and my mom settled on a chicken sandwich. The food was delicious and the server was friendly. I would definitely recommend this restaurant to any visitors to Custer.
After lunch we stopped by Pamida, a Wal-Mart like discount chain geared toward smaller towns. We purchased a cooler, batteries, an extra storage bin and cough drops (yes I'm battling a nagging cold and cough drops are my salvation). We also loaded up on some more non perishable items at the Dakota Mart, and Custer Market. The latter offers fresh produce and Gluten Free items ( My mom and I both have Celiac Disease, which mean we can't eat gluten, which is found in wheat products).
Since the weather was so perfect at eighty degrees and little humidity, we decided to stop by Stockade Lake on the way back to CL for 1.5 mile loop. Stockade Lake is the largest lake in Custer State Park. It is a perfect spot for boaters, swimmers, hikers, and picnickers. After turning into the southeast entrance for Stockade Lake we drove several hundred feet before pulling into the turnout beside the trail head. We then grabbed our Nalgene water bottles and hit the trail.
The Stockade Lake Trail is a 1.5 loop, which ascends one of the mountain hills surrounding the lake before looping back down. The path offers a variety of striking views of the lake below, and immersion into the natural forestry of the park. From the ridge top you can also catch views of Harney Peak in the distance, which is the tallest peak east of the North American Rockies and west of Europe!
While on the hike we met a friendly retiree from Colorado who was vacationing in the area with her husband. We spoke for about ten minutes before she headed back down the ridge and we continued our ascension. The altitude is stifling at first, leaving one gasping for air. The air is thin here and even for the most athletic takes some getting used to. Still we pressed on, taking our time as the trail weaved through the Ponderosa Pine Forest.
It took us an hour and a half to complete this hike. Despite the short distance, this is a Moderate to Strenuous hike as you do have to climb some and deal with a lot of rock on the trail, and you do have to deal with a decent altitude change. I recommend this hike, however if you have trouble breathing you might want to choose one of many other Custer hikes, which I will no doubt be journaling on later.
We returned to our car just before four o'clock, and headed back to our campsite. We made a quick stop at Legion on the way "home" to pick up a bag of ice for the cooler. Shortly after retuning to our campsite the Park Personnel came by to collect the $16.00 camp fee.
As dusk settled into night we munched on chips and salsa and wine. Clouds began to roll in around nine-thirty, and just after bed it began to rain. We had to rush outside to cover up all of our food and put my guitar into the car. The wind was ferocious as it howled in and lightning struck through the trees. After thirty minutes the tempest faded back to clear skies and I fell into sleep, ready for another full day tomorrow.
