Great Bear Park

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Last Updated: December 5, 2025

Great Bear Park is a popular outdoor recreation area located in South Dakota, offering visitors a wide range of attractions and activities all year round.


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Summary

The park covers 220 acres and is home to over 4 miles of hiking trails, a ski lodge, and a campground.

One of the main draws of Great Bear Park is its winter sports facilities. The park has a ski hill with 14 runs, including a terrain park and a tubing park. The ski hill is open from December to March and offers skiing, snowboarding, and tubing for all skill levels.

In the summer months, visitors can enjoy hiking, mountain biking, and disc golf. The park has several trails ranging from easy to difficult, with scenic views of the surrounding Black Hills. The 18-hole disc golf course is a popular attraction for both locals and tourists.

For those looking for a more leisurely experience, the park has a campground with both RV and tent sites. The campground is open from May to October and offers amenities such as showers, laundry facilities, and a playground.

Interesting facts about the park include its origin as a ski hill built by the Sioux Falls Ski Club in the 1960s. The park was later purchased by the city of Sioux Falls and expanded into the year-round recreation area it is today.

The best time of year to visit Great Bear Park depends on the activities you’re interested in. Winter sports enthusiasts should plan their trip during the ski season, while summer visitors can enjoy hiking, biking, and disc golf. The fall months offer colorful foliage and cooler temperatures, while spring brings wildflowers and the beginning of camping season.

       

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Park & Land Designation Reference

National Park
Large protected natural areas managed by the federal government to preserve significant landscapes, ecosystems, and cultural resources; recreation is allowed but conservation is the priority.
State Park
Public natural or recreational areas managed by a state government, typically smaller than national parks and focused on regional natural features, recreation, and education.
Local Park
Community-level parks managed by cities or counties, emphasizing recreation, playgrounds, sports, and green space close to populated areas.
Wilderness Area
The highest level of land protection in the U.S.; designated areas where nature is left essentially untouched, with no roads, structures, or motorized access permitted.
National Recreation Area
Areas set aside primarily for outdoor recreation (boating, hiking, fishing), often around reservoirs, rivers, or scenic landscapes; may allow more development.
National Conservation Area (BLM)
BLM-managed areas with special ecological, cultural, or scientific value; more protection than typical BLM land but less strict than Wilderness Areas.
State Forest
State-managed forests focused on habitat, watershed, recreation, and sustainable timber harvest.
National Forest
Federally managed lands focused on multiple use—recreation, wildlife habitat, watershed protection, and resource extraction (like timber)—unlike the stricter protections of national parks.
Wilderness
A protected area set aside to conserve specific resources—such as wildlife, habitats, or scientific features—with regulations varying widely depending on the managing agency and purpose.
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Land
Vast federal lands managed for mixed use—recreation, grazing, mining, conservation—with fewer restrictions than national parks or forests.
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