A very beautiful, relaxing place to stop. A real picture postcard view. There is a beach, but water is very cold.

The trail around the lake was one of my favorites that we did in Custer State Park! Lots of great spots for photos. Beautiful!

Many of the brochures for Custer State Park show Sylvan Lake. While it is a beautiful place, more importantly it is the trailhead for the intense and lengthy hike to Harney's Peak.

How does something this beautiful even happen? It is so neat how this lake has the boulders/spires coming up through the water. And the hiking trails around it are great too. Some are pretty rugged, so be prepared. If you get to the Black Hills, this is a must!

It's a small lake, but beautiful. Has a 1 mile hike around the lake that takes you behind the dam. The backdrop to this lake with the upright granite spires are amazing, just inviting you to take it's picture. The sunsets are not to be missed! The colors juxtapose against the granite walls and reflect nicely off the water. We... More

After driving through Custer State Park, we took the Needles Highway and stopped at the lake. There are hiking trails, fishing, a gorgeous lodge all on-site. Would absolutely recommend a stop here!

It took two tries, but we finally got a good look at this natural and man made marvel. We were doing the usual touristy things in the Black Hills, but Sylvan Lake is a breathtaking site not to be missed if you are in the area. A huge rock formation and a little help from man has provided one of... More

Stopped here on my bike ride to hill city. This is one beautiful lake. Took some great photos and walked some steep trails. Will return here to do some fishing .

This is a small lake that you can walk around. The walk is very easy and very pretty. This is on the Needles scenic byway. A great place for a break and stretch your legs.