Custer State Park
 

We're driving out west this summer to take in Mt. Rushmore and area, thru to Yellowstone and then to the Grand Tetons. I've gotten information on staying in Custer State Park and am wondering if anyone else has stayed there - specifically the State Game and Lodge resort.

No, but after spending the better part of a day there with planned stays on each side while heading west, I'd return in a minute. I loved Custer State Park.
Be sure to have buffalo burgers at the Blue Bell (?)

We stayed at the Game Lodge when we were on a tour. http://www.custerresorts.com/ There is a very old building there (where Coolidge and Eisenhower stayed, I think) with a couple of exclusively priced rooms and a restaurant. The REAL lodging is in non-descript motel type buildings that adjoin this 'lodge.' That said, the park is wonderful. Be sure to go on the buffalo safari. Up close (maybe too up close) and personal experiences with these behomoths!

Minnie
Is there a MinnieNo2? :-)
We stayed at the State Game Lodge and while the rooms are decorated in period design, there are only two-three that have air conditioning. We were there in the middle of the hot summer and our room at the very front on the lodge on the third floor was unbearable. Thank heavens they had an opening at one of the motel type rooms that looked like Motel 6. But it was clean and air conditioned! The dining room at the Lodge served good food in a historic setting.
If we were to go back (and we loved the Park) we would stay at the Sylvan Lake Resort. It sits on a lake where you can swim, fish, paddle boat, etc. We had breakfast there one morning on the outside treed patio. Don't know what the rooms look like.
While there, be sure and drive Needles Hwy and Iron Mountain Hwy. One on one side of the park and one on the other side. There are beautiful views from Iron Mountain Hwy (I think that's the name), of lighted Mt Rushmore at night.

We stayed in one of the cabins at Sylvan Lake. Very rustic. But we were traveling with our kids and we loved it. We pretty much loved everything about Custer State Park! I'd definitely recommend the safari jeep tour. And I'd second Patrick's recommendation to eat at Blue Bell. Actually, the food was good everywhere we ate in the park.

I loved CSP - we stayed in Rapid City and wished we had stayed in the park. I second the recommendation for the jeep tour but watch for the burros-one bit me! A little overanxious for the hamburger bun and took a chunk out of my thumb! Made for a great story when I asked my boss if I could get workers comp for being bitten by a burro! (I was there presenting at a seminar.) Have fun!

Thanks for all for the info on the Park.

Message to CD - I don't think there's a MinnieNo2. I tried using Minnie but it was taken. It's my normal nickname, my husband is Mouse and my dog is Mickey. Really, no kidding. We don't have a Daffy or Pluto, but many people have said we are a little Goofy.

We stayed at the Sylvan Lake Lodge. The cabins were a disappointment, as they don't take in the view of the lake. The new part of the lodge was nice. We had a balcony that overlooked the woods. The lodge also doesn't take in the view of the lake. Hiking was nice - especially around the lake.
The food at the lodge was okay. A drive to "town' is a long way. The drive through the park, and there are a few different routes, is wonderful. Lots of not-so-wild animals - perfect for picture taking.

We stayed at the park in September, 3 nights in one of the Game Lodge cottages and the last night in the Eisenhower room in the Lodge. Whatever you do, don't stay in the Eisenhower room or the Coolidge room--the Eisenhower room was expensive and very, very small. We heard the tv from the Coolidge room next door late at night until we finally called the front desk and asked them to get it turned down. Unfortunately, they're the only ones in the Game Lodge with a/c.

We loved the cottage, except for the fact that it sat on the main road through the park and we started hearing traffic very early in the morning.

I'd recommend staying in one of Game Lodge cottages if you can get what you want in a cabin off the road (the cottages have different configurations)or at the Legion Lake area. The reason I recommend these two is because they are the easiest to get to driving in and out of the park. Both Sylvan Lake and Blue Bell were a longer drive to reach (and getting to Sylvan involved a more adventurous road), but that might not matter to you.

We ate at the Game Lodge 2 nights and the food was very good, although not inexpensive.

We loved staying in the park and highly recommend it.

We decided on the Game Lodge but we limited to the room choice because there is a big family reunion the day we're going. We opted for the 2 room Lodge room. I asked about the a/c and she said the plan was to have all rooms with a/c this spring. Hopefully that's the case. We're going to try as much local food as possible, so we'll probably eat at the lodge too. I'm planning on wearing out my credit card on this trip - between food and gas - ouch! I think I'll get one of those bumper stickers that says I'm spending my Grandkids inheritance.