A Tonsager Tribute: Custer State Park Cabin Campout

For my birthday weekend this year, my parents came up for their summer visit. We decided on camping in the hills. After looking around, we decided on Custer State Park.

This is a vacation in itself. You need never leave the park to have a fullfilling experience. There's a lodge resort with hotel rooms, house cabins, duplex cabins, camper cabins and campsites for whatever stay is your fancy.

There are tons of things to do in Custer State Park. You'd have to be there all summer to get them all done. I would do just that if I could too.

Some of the things we chose to do this stay were....

While we were still on our way, Dad and Braden did a horseback trail ride which went right next to our cabin, almost close enough to touch.

When we got there and we all got set up, we headed out again to Roy's Black Hills Twin Drive Inn by Hermosa, SD. We try to go once a year and what better time to go than when the 'Rents are up. We got there at open time and hung out until movie start time, setting out our chairs, moving them, setting them out again, ect, ect. until go time.

Even Jakers loved it.

If the movie is not 3 hours long, there are 2 movies per screen (2 screens) per night. You pay to get in to either the East screen or the West screen. Usually the first show is more geared toward kids and the second toward adults.

Our choices this weekend were West Screen: Monsters University & The Lone Ranger or East Screen: Dispicable Me 2 & Now You See Me, Now You Don't. All of the ones we have been to have actually been on the west screen. the sun sets behind it and I wonder if it would make a difference on the East screen having the sun set behind you instead of the screen?

After the first show, we put the seats down in the back of the van and lay out sleeping bags for the kids. They then fall asleep and we stay out and watch the late show, just us....ahhhhhh.

I recommend coats, pants and blankets, lots of blankets. It gets cold in the Hills at night.

I barely made it through the second movie without dozing off. My mom who normally dozes off quite a bit, stayed awake easily. Pshaw!

Then it was an interesting drive back through the park to our campsite in the pitch black with the wildlife out. We made it and didn't hit anything, but it took FOREVER. I think we got back between 2 and 3am.

When we finally woke up the next day we headed for the visitors center, checked out the museum...

Did a Junior Ranger Program on Tracks...

These programs are great and can be done at all the state and national parks. If you do enough of them you earn a badge. I've seen kids with vests nearly full of the patches. Like scouting. Its a great program.

Then we took a hike on a paved trail, not very far either. I wanted to do the CSP Volksmarch but half our crew wasn't up for it. The trail we took was picturesk......

After the trail we loaded back up and drove the wildlife loop, didn't see much wildlife...

Then we went back to the cabins for food, naps and water fights....

Luke's went up in the air and back on him drenching him and grandpa and grandma.

We also practiced our whittling skills...

Then we went on a high trail and did some exploring...

More hanging out at the cabin...

In the evening there was a historical show on a projector at the campground common area. It was a neat little skit, but Jake barfed in the middle so I had to go clean him up :(