Pactola Reservoir Is A Beautiful Lake In The South Dakota Mountains

In the summertime, when the temperature is high, you cannot beat a day at the lake! While we agree that lakes are a great way to cool off, we happen to think that these bodies of water are great to visit year-round, including the beautiful Pactola Reservoir, which looks even more amazing in the winter:

Nestled away in the Black Hills, Pactola Reservoir has been dubbed “South Dakota’s version of Atlantis,” and for a good reason.

Flickr/Sid Sowder

Spanning 14 miles of shoreline, a depth of 150 feet, and a sprawling 785 acres, Pactola is truly one of a kind, as it also houses an old ghost town.

Google/Samuel Wagner

That’s right, folks; according to legend, at the bottom of Pactola is the old Camp Crook, which was initially established in 1875 by fugitive miners, and then dug out and filled in with water during the late 1950s.

Google/Julian Battye

While we highly recommend visiting Pactola in the spring, summer, and fall for its epic fishing, boating, and scuba diving, we also suggest visiting in the winter, as it looks gorgeous when topped with sparkling ice and snow.

Google/kelly barker

Whenever you visit, be sure also to take a hike around the Reservoir, as it is home to the 2.2-mile Osprey Trail and overlook, and the half-mile Veteran’s Point.

TripAdvisor/Deanne A

Admission to the Pactola Reservoir Complex is $6 per vehicle per day.

Google/Brady Sauer

For more information on Pactola Reservoir and current weather conditions, please visit the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service’s website.

DXR/Wikimedia Commons

Have you visited Pactola during the winter? Share your experience with us in the comments! Do you have another favorite wintertime spot that you would like us to feature? Tell us about it here. For even more of our favorite places to visit in the winter, click on The Winter Coaster In South Dakota That Will Take You Through A Snowy Mountain Wonderland.