Ski Report

Great Bear Recreation Park snow report

Iowa, United States Sioux Falls
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As of 2024-06-22
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Air temp
85°F
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Great Bear Recreation Park -- Iowa ski resort
Great Bear Recreation Park Iowa · Sioux Falls
About this resort

Great Bear Recreation Park

Great Bear Recreation Park ski resort in South Dakota offers 14 trails, ranging from beginner to advanced, and is best known for its night skiing. The beginner-friendly Bunny Hill trail is recommended for first-time skiers. The resort also offers snowboarding and tubing. An interesting fact is that the Great Bear Recreation Park was originally a dumpsite, which was transformed into a winter recreation area in the 1960s. The resort's lodge features a full-service bar and restaurant, with the Caribou Lounge being a popular spot for apres ski drinks and entertainment.

Terrain mix: Great Bear Recreation Park in South Dakota is located in the Big Sioux River valley, which is part of the Coteau des Prairies. The area is characterized by rolling hills and valleys, with the park itself situated within the Big Sioux River Recreation Corridor.

The park's ski resort features several ski runs and trails varying in difficulty, with the highest point in the park reaching an elevation of around 1,100 feet. The terrain is relatively gentle compared to other mountain ranges, making it ideal for beginner and intermediate skiers.

While not located in a specific mountain range, Great Bear Recreation Park offers beautiful views of the surrounding countryside and is a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts in South Dakota.

StateIowa
LocationSioux Falls
Detailed forecast

Plan your day down to the hour

Same weather feed Snoflo's iOS app uses -- updated continuously from NOAA / yr.no. Watch the snow column the morning of a storm to know when to call in sick.

Hourly detail

Next 5 days, hour by hour

Temperature line with weather symbols on top, snow + rain accumulation as columns, humidity as a dotted line.

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Deep dive

5-day forecast table

Every 3 hours, broken out across temperature, snow, rain, humidity, and wind. Each cell is colour-coded relative to the column min/max.

TimeConditionTemp (°F)Snow (in)Rain (in)Humidity (%)Wind (mps)Wind dir
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Long-term outlook

15-day temperature & snow

Daily temperatures, snow, and rain projected over the next two weeks -- start of next storm cycle, end of last one.

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Forecast discussion

What forecasters are seeing

Plain-English forecast narrative from the local NWS office. Issued by NWS FSD.

957 FXUS63 KFSD 130746 AFDFSD Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Sioux Falls SD 246 AM CDT Mon Jul 13 2026 .KEY MESSAGES... - An extended stretch of hot temperatures continues into the upcoming weekend. Highs in the 90s to 100 degrees expected. The cumulative nature of the heat could lead to some heat health concerns. - Patchy morning fog is possible each morning, but widespread dense fog remains unlikely. Fog will likely be confined to river valleys and nearby areas. - Minimal precipitation is expected over the next 7 days, with the LREF probability of >0.25" into next Tuesday (July 21st) at 25% or less. && .UPDATE... Issued at 245 AM CDT Mon Jul 13 2026 Hi-res guidance once again shows some patchy and locally dense river valley fog possible through the Monday morning commute. Fog development may be more tempered than previous mornings given our slightly breezier southerly winds. We`re starting the morning in the mid 60s to mid 70s. Minor changes to high temperatures the next couple days, but no significant impacts. Heat wave continue through this week and into the weekend with highs in the 90s to lower 100s. Still below Heat Advisory criteria today and into mid week given relatively dry air in place; however, will need to monitor for possible headlines mid week, especially with warmer temperatures and given the long duration of this heat wave. We`ll also be continuing to watch for potential fire concerns later this week as well given the lack of moisture and periodic breeziness. With lots of sunshine, those spending any time outdoors should take precautions to limit sun and heat exposure. Know the signs of heat illness as well. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 1250 PM CDT Sun Jul 12 2026 THIS AFTERNOON: Another hot day across the region, though gusty winds are a bit slow to develop today. This may ultimately result in slightly lower temperatures, but could keep humidity a bit higher along and east of I-29. That said, heat index readings peak in the lower to middle 90s. TONIGHT: Much like the past days, winds weaken overnight, but still stay mixy. This will hold overnight low into the upper 60s to lower 70s. It may also prevent any widespread fog development outside of very sheltered valleys. MONDAY-TUESDAY: Low-lvl temperatures really do not change all that much for Monday, and this should result in a temperature forecast very similar to Sunday. By the late morning we may begin to see some stronger southwest gusts form along a line from Lake Andes to Brookings, however through the afternoon those winds may shift a bit more to the south and southeast. What will be apparent however is the lowering of afternoon dewpoints which may mix into the middle to upper 50s west of I-29 and middle 60s east of I-29. resultant heat index numbers peak in the lower to middle 90s in most areas, warmest west of the James River. WBGT remain at the moderate levels throughout the CWA. By Tuesday, there is some evidence that 850 mb temperatures may cool slightly as southeasterly winds at the surface and aloft pull weak cold advection northward. This is partially why recent CONSshort and NBM guidance has cooled high temperatures slightly on Tuesday. With dew points at peak heating ranging from the mid 50s to the lower 60s, heat index values again only top into the middle 90s in the western CWA. WBGT values do creep up slightly, but the vast majority of the CWA remains at moderate levels. Given the current heat index values remaining a few degrees below 100, WBGT only in the moderate range, and a 25+ drop in overnight temperatures from afternoon highs, not anticipating a heat advisory at this time. However, continue to use extra precaution if spending time outdoors. WEDNESDAY-FRIDAY: We`ll certainly begin to see the hottest temperatures shift south and east through the end of the work week. 850mb temperatures remain close to Tuesday`s levels around 20-22C, but we`ll also see a bit more of a surface wind shift to the south. Compounding this with dry ground, and continued warmth of soil temperatures, temperatures will reach for the 100s along and west of the James River and into the lower 90s further east. The heat dome spreads east for Thursday and Friday, pushing 850C air between 24- 28C into the Tri-State area. This leads to increasing risks for middle 90s over MN/IA, with 100s spreading towards the I-29 corridor. The persistent mix-down of dry air each afternoon may keep HI from reaching extreme levels, but will likely begin to reach HI criteria Wednesday with these conditions spreading southeast through Friday. Advisories will most certainly be possible in this time frame as WBGT also jumps towards the high categories and "major" heat risk designations shift south as well. SATURDAY-SUNDAY: Recent model trends continue to slow the gradual pattern evolution during the upcoming weekend. The slow approach of a SW-NE oriented boundary may only serve to help focus deeper mixing in the afternoon. This will leave most of the Tri-State area well under the thermal ridge on Saturday, with increasing potential for widespread upper 90s to lower 100 highs. The latest NBM still maintains a 12 degree spread in the 25/75th forecast, with those 75th percentile values all near or over 100 in the CWA. Heat index values are again below 100 in most areas with RH values in the 20- 30% range. A trough sinking into the Northern Plains Sunday could lead to the potential for isolated to scattered thunderstorms into Sunday, though lack of deep moisture may limit this risk. Highs do appear to lower slightly Sunday afternoon. Precipitation amounts over the upcoming 7-10 days will not be significant in the area. 12Z LREF data continues to hint at very little rainfall ahead. The potential of >0.25" through Tuesday July 21st is only at 25%. && .AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z TUESDAY/... Issued at 1130 PM CDT Sun Jul 12 2026 VFR conditions will persist this TAF period. Besides some patchy valley fog tonight, no significant aviation concerns are expected through Monday. Otherwise, light southerly surface winds overnight will strengthen into Monday afternoon with gusts between 20-30 mph mainly along and west of I-29. && .FSD WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SD...None. MN...None. IA...None. NE...None. && $$ UPDATE...SG DISCUSSION...Dux AVIATION...05
Around the area

Beyond the slopes

Other ski areas, basecamp options, alpine fishing, and scenic stops near Great Bear Recreation Park -- worth knowing whether you're in for a day, a long weekend, or a season pass.

Mountain & avalanche safety

Know before you go
Check today's avalanche bulletin from the regional avalanche center before any off-piste / side-country / backcountry travel. Conditions can shift dramatically between morning and afternoon on storm days.
Carry the gear, know how to use it
Beacon, shovel, probe. Practice companion rescue on a calm day, not during a real burial.
Mind the weather window
Heavy snow + wind builds wind slabs at ridgelines. The day after a storm is often the riskiest in the backcountry, even if the resort itself is open.
Respect closed terrain
Ropes are there for a reason. Even in-bounds, ducking a closure can trigger a slide that catches you and others below.

Track Great Bear Recreation Park in the Snoflo app

Save this resort as a favorite, set push alerts when snowfall crosses a threshold (e.g. "alert me when Great Bear Recreation Park reports 6″ new"), and Snoflo's iOS app will push the moment the SNOTEL station crosses.

FAQ

About Great Bear Recreation Park

Where does the snow data for Great Bear Recreation Park come from?

Snowpack, SWE, 24-hour snowfall, and air temperature come from the nearest USDA NRCS SNOTEL station. Forecast comes from the National Weather Service / yr.no feed that Snoflo's iOS app uses.

How often is the snow report updated?

Snowpack and SNOTEL data are updated continuously by NRCS (typically hourly). The 15-day weather forecast is refreshed throughout the day. Snoflo caches and renders the most recent observation -- look for the "as of" timestamp on the snowpack hero.

What's the elevation at Great Bear Recreation Park?

See the Resort Metrics panel above for base / summit / vertical drop. The summit elevation drives snowpack accumulation -- higher summits hold snow longer through spring.

How is "% of normal" calculated?

Today's snowpack is compared to the average snowpack on this calendar day across every recorded year at the nearest SNOTEL. 100% means right on average; 130% is a big year; 60% is thin.

What ski resorts are near Great Bear Recreation Park?

See the Other Ski Areas pill grid at the bottom of the page for resorts within driving distance. The sister Other Ski Areas card in the Plan-a-longer-trip grid above shows the closest few.

Can I get alerts when fresh snow hits?

Yes -- snow alerts are managed in the Snoflo iOS app. Favorite this resort, set a snowfall threshold (e.g. "alert me when 6+ inches"), and you'll get a push the moment the SNOTEL crosses.

More ski areas

Other resorts near here

Snoflo-tracked ski areas within driving distance of Great Bear Recreation Park.