Surrounded by windswept plains and badlands full of steep-sided canyons and rugged spires, Custer, South Dakota, is the ideal base for a Black Hills vacation. To find your perfect rental property, start searching here on FlipKey where you’ll discover accommodation to fit all budgets and taste.

About Custer

Home to indigenous peoples for thousands of years, the Black Hills belonged to the Oglala Sioux before European settlers arrived following the discovery of gold in 1874.

After confrontations between the Sioux and the settlers, the US government forced the Native Americans to give up land to create the town of Stonewall, named after the Confederate General Stonewall Jackson. Later, the town changed its name to Custer after the 7th Cavalry General.

Today, Custer has a population of just over 2,000 and while the local economy is still based on mining and lumber, tourism is beginning to play a bigger part in the town’s future.

Located near the Badlands’ biggest attractions, such as the Crazy Horse Memorial and Mount Rushmore, staying in Custer means less time driving and more time enjoying South Dakota.

What to do in Custer

Just two minutes from town and you are in Custer State Park, a 71,000-acre natural wonderland of towering peaks and cool mountain lakes where 1,300 buffalo roam free.

Besides being able to get up close with the animals, Custer State Park offers world-class rock climbing and hiking trails that include one to the summit of Black Elk Peak—the highest mountain east of the Rockies at 7,242 feet. Visitors to the Park also enjoy swimming, fishing, horseback riding, and dinners served out of the back of a chuckwagon.

Just 25 minutes north of Custer is Mount Rushmore, an American monument that hosts over 3 million visitors a year. Originally designed as an attraction to bring more visitors to the Black Hills, sculptor Gutzon Borglum was commissioned to carve the faces of Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln into the rock face of a mountain.

Top travel tips for Custer

Picking the perfect time of year to visit Custer and the Black Hills can be difficult given the fact snow can fall any time of year at the higher elevations. 

In the summer the temperature rarely gets above 90°F and in the winter above 10°F. June until September is the optimal time of year to visit and take advantage of all the outdoor activities on offer.

You definitely need a car if you want to make the most of your time in South Dakota. With so much natural beauty and the chance to learn about the history of the area, the town of Custer is ideally positioned for any Badlands vacation. 

For a wide choice of rental properties in Custer, start your search on FlipKey where you will find accommodation to suit all budgets.