Custer State Park
- Details
- City: Custer
- State: South Dakota
- Camp: Game Lodge
- View: Needles Highway, Iron Mountain Road, Wildlife Loop Road & Sylvan Lake
As a full-time traveler, we have made South Dakota our legal residency. And just about every year since 2016, we have made an annual visit to both Black Hills National Forest and Custer State Park. No matter how many times we return, we never get bored with this beautiful landscape, and it's rich western history and diverse wildlife.
The weather during our two-week stay at the Game Lodge campground was very pleasant. We did have 50 amp electric to keep our motorhome cozy at night time. Only a couple days did we get rain, and snow flurries. Outside of that, it was very comfortable in jeans and a long sleeve shirt. Perfect spring weather for all outdoor recreation.
We did see lots of wildlife throughout the park. Especially bighorn sheep by the campground, and bisons along the Wildlife Loop road. On occasions, we did see herds of antelope and elks, and flocks of wild turkeys. There are several prairie dog towns on scenic drives within the park. Typically we see some free-range burros in the park, but not on this visit.
Besides the splendid scenic drive along the Wildlife Loop road, we often take the Iron Mountain Road and the Needles Highway. These are some of the best scenic drives in the country. With its numerous twists, turns, tunnels, and pinnacles, it's hard not to stop after every overlook. And the highway was carefully constructed with Mt. Rushmore in mind. If you take the Iron Mountain road from Custer State Park (south to north), you will drive through several tunnels facing Mt. Rushmore monument. If you have never been to this area, you are in for a real treat.
Another great spot to visit is the Sylvan Lake. This is often a popular and crowded destination for many hikers, kayakers and nature enthusiasts. Be sure to allow time to hike around the entire Sylvan Lake. It's picturesque view is unmatched, and its beauty is calming. The rock outcrops creates a spectacular backdrop with its shimmering water reflection from the sun. This is a great place to spend the afternoon, or take the Trail #9 and hike up Black Elk Peak.
Be sure to add this park to your bucket list. We highly recommend staying for a week or two. And if the campgrounds at Custer State Park are crowded, try one of the nearby campgrounds near Pactola Lake or Sheridan Lake near Hill City.
Picacho Peak State Park
- Details
- City: Picacho
- State: Arizona
- Camp: Loop B
- Trail: Sunset, Hunter & Mormon Battalion
- View: Picacho Pass & Mt. Lemmon
We arrived at Picacho Peak State Park after an easy, short drive from our friend’s house in Maricopa, AZ. The first thing we noticed was how green the desert floor looks; almost like a forest but with all the Saguaro cacti on the mountainside. There was an enormous moon bow hovering over us that evening. This park is currently seeking status as an International Dark Sky Park.
The campground has three loops (A, B and C) with some spacious sites. It has 85 electric sites and is suitable for both tents and RVs. The campsites are nestled around the natural desert vegetation and Saguaro cacti. There are shower houses and bathrooms at each loop.
On our first full day, we hiked/climbed a 9.30-mile loop around Picacho Peak. We connected from our campground to Sunset to Hunter trails and back in 5-1/2 hours. The back side of Picacho Peak was covered with golden California poppies, saguaro cacti and red barrel cacti. And of course, we were challenged by the cable wires needed to navigate the rocks and steep ascent. We even met a round-tailed squirrel on the trail. However, we declined to do the peak route as it is even more challenging and literally hanging on the side of the rock wall. Once we reached the Saddle Viewpoint, we took a short break on a wooden bench overlooking eastward across I-10.
On our second day, we did a short hike on the Calloway Trail towards a butte. At the end of this trail, we saw the snow-capped peaks at Mt. Lemmon near Tucson. Afterwards, we learned about a little American Civil War history that can be found here at Picacho Peak SP. On April 15, 1862, the union calvary from California fought against confederate from Tucson, marking it the westernmost battle in the American Civil War. The confederate won the battle but was forced to flee to New Mexico by the Apache Indians. The battle occurred at the Picacho Pass, directly east of the park. Every March, there is a battle reenactment called Civil War in the Southwest. Unfortunately, we arrived a few weeks too early for this event.
And we saw our first snake this year on the park road, and it was a three-foot, young bull snake.
Our final sunset provided us with a stunning orange glow of the desert. The sky turned red and purple as the sun dropped below the horizon. This was a great way to end our stay here. We recommend stopping here for a day or two if you’re passing by on I-10.
Next, we are headed to Chiricahua National Monument.
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