Custer County, South Dakota

Waterfalls Near Custer, SD

Custer has 2 named waterfalls within 30 miles, 1 of them inside 10 miles. The nearest is Grizzly Bear Falls, 9.5 miles northeast of town. Spearfish Falls earns the best visitor rating nearby (4.8 stars from 174 Google reviews).

Distances are straight-line from the town center. Driving routes are longer.

Photo of Thunderhead Falls in Pennington County, South Dakota
Pictured: Thunderhead Falls, SD

Best Waterfalls Near Custer at a Glance

Photo of Cascade Falls near Hot Springs, SD
Swimming holes

Cascade Falls

Visitors mention swimming hole and natural pool.

6 Waterfalls Near Custer, Ranked by Distance

  1. Grizzly Bear Falls

    Custer, SD · Pennington County · 9.5 mi northeast of Custer
    2.7 (3 reviews)

    Grizzly Bear Falls is the closest named waterfall to Custer, 9.5 miles to the northeast in Pennington County. It ranks 6th for review count among waterfalls near Custer.

    Rating
    2.7 (3 Google reviews)
    Address
    Mount Rushmore, SD 57751
    View details Directions

  2. Thunderhead Falls

    Colonial Pine Hills, SD · Pennington County · 22 mi northeast of Custer
    2.8 (5 reviews)

    Thunderhead Falls lies 22 miles northeast of Custer in Pennington County, number 2 of 6 by distance. It ranks 5th for review count among waterfalls near Custer. USGS notes: Falls located 600 ft inside Thunderhead Falls tunnel and drop over a 32 ft precipice.

    Rating
    2.8 (5 Google reviews)
    Address
    Mount Rushmore, SD 57702
    View details Directions

  3. Cascade Falls

    Hot Springs, SD · Fall River County · 31 mi south of Custer
    4.7 (145 reviews)

    Cascade Falls lies 31 miles south of Custer in Fall River County, number 3 of 6 by distance. It ranks 2nd for review count among waterfalls near Custer. Its own nearest town is Hot Springs.

    Rating
    4.7 (145 Google reviews)
    Address
    Northeast Fall River, SD 57747
    Known for
    Cascade Falls, swimming hole, rattlesnakes, picnic spot, natural pool
    View details Directions

  4. Spearfish Falls

    Lead, SD · Lawrence County · 44 mi north of Custer
    4.8 (174 reviews)

    Spearfish Falls lies 44 miles north of Custer in Lawrence County, number 4 of 6 by distance. It draws more Google reviews than any other waterfall near Custer. Its own nearest town is Lead.

    Rating
    4.8 (174 Google reviews)
    Address
    North Lawrence, SD 57754
    Known for
    walk to falls, trail to bottom, pretty waterfall, view from bottom, easy walk
    View details Directions

  5. Roughlock Falls

    Lead, SD · Lawrence County · 44 mi northwest of Custer
    4.8 (127 reviews)

    Roughlock Falls lies 44 miles northwest of Custer in Lawrence County, number 5 of 6 by distance. It ranks 3rd for review count among waterfalls near Custer. Its own nearest town is Lead.

    Rating
    4.8 (127 Google reviews)
    Address
    South Lawrence, SD 57754
    Known for
    low cascading falls, walk to falls, streams, not too crowded, pretty area
    View details Directions

  6. Bridal Veil Falls

    Spearfish, SD · Lawrence County · 47 mi north of Custer
    4.6 (18 reviews)

    Bridal Veil Falls lies 47 miles north of Custer in Lawrence County, number 6 of 6 by distance. It ranks 4th for review count among waterfalls near Custer. Its own nearest town is Spearfish.

    Rating
    4.6 (18 Google reviews)
    Address
    North Lawrence, SD 57783
    View details Directions

Where the Waterfalls Are

Custer sits in or near the Black Hills area of South Dakota. Spearfish Canyon in the northern Black Hills is the state's waterfall showcase, a deep limestone canyon followed by a scenic byway. Bridal Veil Falls is visible from a roadside pullout, while Spearfish Falls and Roughlock Falls are reached by short trails near the community of Savoy; Roughlock Falls lies in a state-managed nature area on Little Spearfish Creek. Near Rapid City, Pennington County's falls include Thunderhead Falls, which drops inside an old mining tunnel as a private attraction. In the far southern Hills, Cascade Falls near Hot Springs is fed by warm springs, giving it a mild temperature and a popular swimming hole. Read the South Dakota waterfall guide.

By direction from Custer: 2 to the north, 2 to the northeast, 1 to the south, and 1 to the northwest. They are spread across Lawrence County (3), Pennington County (2), and Fall River County (1). The average distance is 32.9 miles.

By Distance

Within 10 miles of Custer

Grizzly Bear Falls (9.5 mi)

20 to 30 miles of Custer

Thunderhead Falls (22 mi)

Nearby Towns With Waterfalls

Waterfalls Near Custer: FAQs

How many waterfalls are near Custer, SD?

2 named waterfalls lie within 30 miles of Custer: 1 within 10 miles, 0 10 to 20 miles, 1 20 to 30 miles. Distances are straight-line from the town center.

What is the closest waterfall to Custer?

Grizzly Bear Falls in Pennington County is the closest, about 9.5 miles northeast of Custer.

What is the best-rated waterfall near Custer?

Spearfish Falls has the highest Google rating among nearby falls with at least 10 reviews: 4.8 stars from 174 Google reviews.

Which counties are the waterfalls near Custer in?

Lawrence County (3), Pennington County (2), and Fall River County (1).

How does Custer compare with other South Dakota towns?

Custer ranks 4th of the 6 South Dakota towns in our directory for the number of waterfalls within 30 miles.