Sylvan Lake Shore Trail Hiking Guide
The shore loop around Sylvan Lake is the easiest way to see the granite towers the Black Hills are known for, reflected in still water. Boardwalks carry you along the main side, and the far shore turns into a short, playful scramble between boulders. It is the warm-up or cool-down for most people hiking out of Sylvan Lake, and worth doing on its own.
Permit: Parking at Sylvan Lake requires a Custer State Park entrance license: $25 per vehicle or $20 per motorcycle for 1 to 7 days, from an entrance station or online. Annual licenses cost $40 (South Dakota residents) or $60 (nonresidents).
The Loop
AllTrails maps the loop at 1.1 miles with 65 feet of gain and rates it easy, at 30 minutes to an hour. Custer State Park lists it as a 1-mile loop and calls it easy to moderate. The park recently added boardwalks on the main sections, which make the start smooth. On the back side of the lake the path squeezes through narrow granite passages and over uneven rock, so it is not stroller or wheelchair friendly all the way around.
A Little History
Sylvan Lake was created in 1891 when a dam was built across Sunday Gulch Creek. The park's trail guide notes that the loop passes the site of the original Sylvan Lake Lodge, which burned in the 1930s, and that the rocks behind the lake played a starring role in the film National Treasure: Book of Secrets.
Linking to Other Trails
The shore trail connects with Sunday Gulch at the dam end of the lake, and the park asks hikers to watch the signs there so they don't wander into the gulch by mistake; Sunday Gulch is a much harder outing. Trail 9 to Black Elk Peak also starts by the swimming beach. That makes the lake a natural meeting point for groups who want to split up by ability and regroup afterward.
Dogs, Swimming and Kids
Leashed dogs are allowed on the trail, on a 10-foot leash at most, but the park bars pets from designated swim beaches, including the one here. Kids usually love the rock scrambles on the far shore; just keep a hand on little ones where the path runs close to the water. The park's general advice still applies: carry water, and there are no restrooms along the trail itself.
Parking and the License
The park flags this as a very popular trailhead with limited parking. A Custer State Park license costs $25 per vehicle and covers one to seven days. Weekday mornings are the best bet for a space.
Hiking tips for Sylvan Lake Shore Trail
- Start on the boardwalk side so the rock scramble comes when you're warmed up.
- Keep dogs off the swim beach; the park doesn't allow pets there.
- Watch the signs at the dam so you don't drop into Sunday Gulch by accident.
- Arrive early; the Sylvan Lake lot fills on summer days.
- Bring grippy shoes for the granite on the far shore, even for a short walk.
Nearby trails to explore
- Sunday Gulch Trail
- Black Elk Peak Trail 9 from Sylvan Lake
- Cathedral Spires Trail
Hike this trail with TrailMates
Sylvan Lake is the easy, beautiful loop everyone starts with in the Black Hills. Use TrailMates to find Black Hills hikers meeting at Sylvan Lake. Download the TrailMates app to connect.