While I love hiking, I am still in the process of discovering how much I enjoy camping. I’ve only done it a handful of times in my life, and so far it seems like a necessary evil to be close to some of the more remote hikes I want to do. 

That’s been a sufficient incentive to date, but as we continue to pare down our belongings, we need to come to some conclusions about our camping gear. This is our summer to make a decision!

Last week Brian booked us a campsite by Sylvan Lake in Custer State Park so we could test our camping gear in preparation for our upcoming trip to Isle Royale National Park. It was the first day the temperature was under 100 degrees in weeks, however the forecast was calling for thunderstorms overnight. Not ideal, but we figured it was an opportunity to test our gear’s waterproofing claims (long story short, we stayed dry!).

After setting up our site at Sylvan Lake Campground, we followed our host’s recommendation to take the trail by campsite two over to Sylvan Lake to hike the loop around the water.

I was tired from our 6-mile hike to Cathedral Spires and Little Devil’s Tower earlier in the day and not thrilled about adding a couple more miles before bed. However, I’m glad I went.

We arrived at the lake around dusk to find the trail relatively quiet and the wildlife out and active, spotting white-tailed deer, a great blue heron, geese, and the normal assortment of squirrels and chipmunks. We didn’t realize there is a bit of a climb once you pass by the dam – I was sweating as we climbed back down to the walking path to finish our loop.

It was all worth it as we wrapped up our loop and witnessed a gorgeous sunset over the rocks.

The water was clear and still, and the impending storm clouds made for a moody and beautiful sky.

Our loop to and from the campground around Sylvan Lake ended up being 2.1 miles / 3.4 km with 233 feet / 71 meters of gain.

Bonus: I ducked in the general store when we first arrived at the lake and noted the watercraft rentals, clean bathrooms, snacks, and branded state park gear. I’ll probably pop back in for a hiking memento on a future visit.