RARE CABIN BORDERING CUSTER STATE PARK ~ ABSOLUTE SECLUSION AND SERENITY!!

Five of us visited the Black Hills July 26 - August 2, 2018. Scott (owner) was easy going and very responsive with communications, both before and during our stay. The property was clean, well kept, and well appointed, with plenty of space for all of us and just about anything we needed. It was a perfect home base for our vacation. It's close enough to all of the attractions to put just about anything you might want to do within easy reach but, at the same time, is secluded enough that you feel like you're living in your own private slice of the Black Hills, providing a peaceful retreat from the sometimes-bustling tourist areas. Isolated, but not so much that you can't easily go into town for groceries or pizza. We enjoyed a leisurely breakfast on the deck each morning, watching the deer and listening to the birds, and took some nice strolls around the place in the afternoons. We saw turkeys (including young ones) wander through the yard a couple of times, and the chipmunks provided wonderful entertainment at any hour of day. The grill was handy a couple of times, and the fire ring made for a fun family evening. A few practical things to note: (1) If you want to use the Keurig coffee maker (a nice touch), bring a supply of your own favored K-cups with you; the selection at local grocery stores is somewhat limited. (2) Despite what the property details for the listing indicate (as of this review), wifi is available (satellite). The bandwidth is pretty low, so don't expect to stream a lot (find a stream outside instead), but it's sufficient for email, messaging, checking the weather, and having Alexa do some basic tricks. (3) As advertised, there is no landline phone but the 4G cell signal is strong. (4) The owners graciously supply some firewood, and there's more to be found on the property if you feel like looking but, if it's been raining a lot recently, you may wish to buy a bundle of dry wood at a convenience store in Custer to get the fire going. All in all, we thoroughly enjoyed our stay here. It's easily one of the best VRBO rentals we've experienced and we would definitely stay here again.

Great location and cozy spacious lodge!

We absolutely loved South Dakota and The Black Hills. So much to do! The cabin was nice with lots of room for the 6 of us and 2 TV areas. The kitchen was fully stocked. Plenty of towels for the bathrooms. Loved opening the windows and enjoying the breeze in the afternoons.

Only cons-it was pretty warm and without a/c, it got extremely warm on some evenings, especially upstairs even with the ceiling fan and 2 fans on. Downstairs could for sure use ceiling fans in all rooms. We actually went and bought 2 more fans. The downstairs TV needs to be fixed or replaced-color is messed up. Bathrooms are very dark and shower heads were too low. Bathtubs and fixtures could be updated. Otherwise, we loved it and the area! Very private and quiet.

We had a marvelous time. All the wildlife we saw on the property it was hard to leave. Last night there I saw a cat like animal that my son said was a lynx by the paw prints we saw the next morning in the driveway. The last morning packing up the car we saw a white wolf running up the hill behind the garage. Even though it rained a few days it was a great vacation.

The location was great for vacationers who wish to get out and see all the local tourist attractions but who like to still have a home base. Very quite and secluded. The layout was good for two families. Thanks for sharing your second home with us.