State parks

A view from Lovers Leap Trail in Custer State Park, within South Dakota's Black Hills. (Seth Tupper/SD Searchlight)

Lawmakers vote to ditch free fishing, state park entry for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day

BY: - November 7, 2023

People will no longer get free entrance at South Dakota’s state parks or free fishing on Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. The Legislature’s Interim Rules Review Committee signed off on a rule change from the state Game, Fish and Parks Department on Tuesday in Pierre, making final a proposal approved by the GF&P Commission early […]

Riders herd bison during the 2022 Buffalo Roundup at Custer State Park. (Photo by Travel South Dakota)

State says 2023 Buffalo Roundup set attendance record

BY: - October 3, 2023

A record 22,590 visitors attended the 58th annual Buffalo Roundup at Custer State Park on Friday morning, according to the state Department of Game, Fish and Parks. The previous record was 22,078 visitors set in 2015 during the 50th anniversary event. This year, 60 horseback riders wrangled the herd of 1,500 bison into the corrals […]