Custer State Park [SD]
Custer State Park commemorates the 1874 military expedition of Lt. Colonel George A. Custer (1839-1876). He entered the Black Hills seeking a location for a Dakota Territory frontier post, to map the area, and to catalog its natural resources. These resources included gold, triggering a rush to the area and substantial environmental damage. The park also include The Badger Hole, home of Charles Badger Clark (1883-1957), first South Dakota poet laureate, and the Gordon Stockade built between 1874 and 1875. Clark is best known for his cowboy poetry.
The park offers gold panning demonstrations, hands-on gold panning, tours of The Badger Hole, and interpretive signage near the stockade. The website offers a printable geocaching activity.