Overview
Custer is a city in the southern Black Hills of South Dakota, the first city founded in the region. The city lines were laid out by the notorious Al Swearengen who was portrayed in the popular HBO series, Deadwood.
3 sights · 1 places to eat · 3 bars & cafés · 1 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Custer
1881 Courthouse Museum
Crazy Horse Memorial
The incomplete, and controversial, memorial's mission is to honor the culture, tradition and living heritage of North American Indians. Sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski (an assistant to Mount Rushmore's Borglum) and Lakota Ch…
Four Mile Old West Town
Four Mile is situated in the heart of the Black Hills and was named Four Mile by the earliest stagecoach line that came through this area.
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Jun–Sep. Summer highs reach about 79°F; winter lows dip to about 18°F. Cold months (Jan, Feb, Dec) can bring snow and ice; check road conditions. Wettest: May and Jun. (climate data from nearby Mount Rushmore National Memorial)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- RAP Rapid City Regional Airport, Rapid City — 33 mi away. Directions
- CDR Chadron Municipal Airport, Chadron — 69 mi away. Directions
- DEN Denver International Airport, Denver — 276 mi away (major hub). Directions
Custer is at the junction of US Highway 385 and US Highway 16.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Sample 1-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning 1881 Courthouse Museum, Crazy Horse Memorial
- Lunch Purple Pie Place
- Afternoon Four Mile Old West Town
- Evening Gold Pan Saloon
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Understand
The town is named for General George Armstrong Custer, whose military explorations of the Black Hills discovered gold in 1875, sparking the gold rush that lead to the town's founding. He is better remembered for the way he was defeated and killed the following year at the Battle of the Little Bighorn in Montana, sometimes called "Custer's Last Stand".
Tourist information
Visit Custer website
Get in
Custer is at the junction of US Highway 385 and US Highway 16.
See
See Four Mile Old West Town
Four Mile is situated in the heart of the Black Hills and was named Four Mile by the earliest stagecoach line that came through this area.
See Crazy Horse Memorial
The incomplete, and controversial, memorial's mission is to honor the culture, tradition and living heritage of North American Indians. Sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski (an assistant to Mount Rushmore's Borglum) and Lakota Chief Henry Standing Bear officially started Crazy Horse Memorial June 3, 1948. It dwarfs Rushmore in size, and is intended to be the world's largest sculpture, but only the head, face, and basic outline of the outstretched arm have been completed. The project relies exclusively on private donations and admission to the visitors center, which features a theater and a massive collection of Indian art and history.
Do
Take a wander through all of the unique stores and businesses.
Buy
Eat
Eat Purple Pie Place
It would be worth stopping in Custer even if Mount Rushmore were elsewhere, if only for its rhubarb pie. Also, soups, sandwiches, and ice cream.
Drink
Sleep
Go next
- Mount Rushmore - 20 miles away from Custer. Go north on US-16 and east on SR-244 to get to the famous monument.
- Jewel Cave National Monument - The main Visitor Center and cave entrance is thirteen miles west of Custer on RT 16. This 136 mile long cave is one of the longest caves in the world. It is filled with calcite crystals and other wonders that make up the "jewels" of Jewel Cave National Monument.
- Wind Cave National Park - Wind Cave National Park is located 6 miles north of Hot Springs, SD. One of the world's longest and most complex caves and 28,295 acres of mixed-grass prairie, ponderosa pine forest, and associated wildlife are the main features of the park. The cave has an outstanding display of boxwork, an unusual cave formation composed of thin calcite fins resembling honeycombs. The park's mixed-grass prairie is one of the few remaining and is home to native wildlife such as bison, elk, pronghorn, mule deer, coyotes, and prairie dogs.
Nearby
Custer State Park
Park · 6 listings · 9 mi away
Mount Rushmore National Memorial
Park · 6 listings · 10 mi away
Hill City
City / town · 7 listings · 12 mi away
Jewel Cave National Monument
Park · 7 listings · 12 mi away
Keystone
City / town · 6 listings · 13 mi away
Black Hills National Forest
Park · 9 listings · 13 mi away
Wind Cave National Park
Park · 7 listings · 15 mi away
Hot Springs
City / town · 5 listings · 24 mi away
My experience
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