Lake Cochrane Recreation Area

07/10/2026

🛶🎨 Looking for a fun summer evening? Join us for Paddle Paint at Lake Cochrane Recreation Area! Enjoy a relaxing paddle on the lake, then create your own lakeside-inspired painting with guidance from a local artist—no experience necessary.

Grab your spot before it's gone! Register here: http://license.gooutdoorssouthdakota.com/Event/ViewEvent.aspx?id=247277

Tag a friend you'd love to bring along! 🌅✨

07/10/2026

🎉 Adventure 250 Week 8 Winner! 🎉

Congratulations to Holly, our Week 8 Adventure 250 winner!

Holly earned her entry by completing adventures at Lake Thompson Recreation Area and was excited to receive her Timber Ridge Utility Wagon from GFP Parks staff at Pelican Lake Recreation Area, joined by representatives from Puthoff Insurance, a member agency of our generous prize sponsor, the Independent Insurance Agents of South Dakota.

With her new utility wagon in hand, Holly is ready for even more outdoor adventures in South Dakota State Parks!

You could be our next winner! Complete adventures, submit your entries, and start making your own South Dakota State Parks history.
Learn how to participate at gfp.sd.gov/history2026.

06/30/2026

🇺🇸 Join us to celebrate America’s 250th birthday and the 4th of July weekend with us! We’ve got a great lineup of programs planned with opportunities to explore, learn, and enjoy the outdoors together. We hope to see you there! 🇺🇸

06/18/2026

Congrats to this weeks winning submission from Sandy Shore! You could be the next Adventure 250 prize winner by visiting Lake Cochrane or any other of our amazing South Dakota State Parks!

Learn more: gfp.sd.gov/history2026

🎉 Congratulations to Desaray, our Week 5 Adventure 250 prize winner from Sandy Shore Recreation Area!

Desaray’s South Dakota State Parks adventures earned her a fantastic Adventure 250 prize sponsored by the Independent Insurance Agents of South Dakota. She received her prize at Sandy Shore Recreation Area alongside Game, Fish and Parks staff and representatives from DFM Insurance Agency.

Adventure 250: Make Your History is your chance to explore South Dakota State Parks, discover new places, and earn points toward weekly prizes and exciting grand prize packages all summer long!

Sandy Shore Recreation Area is the perfect place to make your own Adventure 250 memories—whether you’re camping along the shores, fishing, swimming, boating, or simply relaxing with family and friends in the great outdoors.

Could you be our next Adventure 250 winner? Grab your camera, visit a South Dakota State Park, and start making your history today!

Learn more: gfp.sd.gov/history2026

06/09/2026

We currently have open campsites this weekend! Don't miss out on the beautiful upcoming weather, and a change to catch on of Lake Cochrane's tagged fish 🎣🏖️🌤️🌳

Reservations can be made at: GoOutdoorsSouthDakota.com

05/29/2026

Adventure 250 participants are proving there’s no better way to celebrate than by hitting the road and exploring South Dakota state parks! From island trails near Pierre to the hills of Custer State Park, Week 2 adventurers checked in across the state for a chance to win a 6-person tent!

Congratulations to our week 2 winners:

• Ashley B. | Pierre – LaFramboise Island Nature Area
• Sara W. | Watertown – Lake Thompson Recreation Area
• Brad S. | Sioux Falls – Big Sioux Recreation Area
• Jeffrey V. | Canton – Custer State Park

A big thank you to the Independent Insurance Agents of South Dakota for sponsoring our weekly Adventure 250 prizes and helping encourage families to get outdoors and explore South Dakota.

Week 3 prize: 52-qt Hard-sided Cooler

Haven’t joined Adventure 250 yet? There’s still time! Every park visit gets you closer to more adventures, more memories, and more chances to win all summer long.

Learn more: gfp.sd.gov/history2026

05/27/2026

🎣☕ Explore another park with us this summer at Lures + Lattes on June 13 at Sandy Shore Recreation Area!
Enjoy coffee from The Coffee Lab and paint your own fishing lure to take home. Registration is $10 and limited to 20 participants. Check out the post below for details and registration info!

🎣☕ Join us for Lures + Lattes at Sandy Shore Recreation Area on Saturday, June 13 at 10 AM!
We’re partnering with The Coffee Lab for a relaxing morning at the lake featuring coffee, creativity, and time outdoors with friends old and new. Participants will get to paint their very own fishing lure to take home! 🎨🐟

Whether you’re crafty, an avid angler needing to update their tackle box, love being outside, or just want to try something new, this is a fun way to explore Sandy Shore Recreation Area while supporting a local business!

Registration is $10 and spots are limited to 20 participants, so be sure to sign up early using this registration link: http://license.gooutdoorssouthdakota.com/Event/ViewEvent.aspx?id=247276

For questions, email [email protected], or call 605.882.5088.

05/26/2026

We have campsites available this weekend at Lake Cochrane! The weather looks amazing- 80's and sunny😎🌤️ mean a perfect weekend for swimming🏊‍♀️, renting a kayak 🚣‍♂️, hiking at Lake Oliver, trying to catch tagged fish in Lake Cochrane🎣, and evening campfires 🔥!

Reservations can me made at GoOutdoorsSouthDakota.com. Don't miss out on this amazing weekend!!

05/22/2026

Adventure 250 is off to an amazing start!
During Week 1 (May 11–17), adventurers explored South Dakota state parks and entered for a chance to win a Solo Stove!

Congratulations to our Week 1 winners:
Jamey T. | Lead – Farm Island & West Bend Recreation Areas
Eric R. | Vermillion – Spirit Mound
Kelly S. | Box Elder – Game, Fish & Parks Outdoor Campus-Rapid City
Holly D. | Sioux Falls – Lake Poinsett Recreation Area

A big thank you to our prize sponsor, Independent Insurance Agents of South Dakota, for helping make these weekly giveaways possible!

Up next: a 6-person tent giveaway for Week 2!

There’s still plenty of time to join the adventure. Visit parks, collect adventures, and explore more of South Dakota all summer long for your chance to win weekly prizes!
https://gfp.sd.gov/history2026/

05/09/2026

Looking for a fun reason to explore more local parks this summer? Our new State Parks Social Club series is designed to help you do exactly that! Each event takes place at a different state park or recreation area across the district and features unique outdoor experiences, community connections, and partnerships with local businesses.

We’re kicking things off Friday, May 15 at 7 PM with Blooms + Boardwalks at Hartford Beach State Park, and registration is now open! Registration link in the comments! 👇 We hope you’ll join us for the first event of the summer!

Lake Cochrane Recreation Area will host Paddle + Paint on July 19 at 2 PM for an afternoon focused on creativity, the outdoors, and enjoying time at the lake.

Full event lineup:
• May 15 — Blooms + Boardwalks at Hartford Beach State Park
• June 13 — Lures + Lattes at Sandy Shore Recreation Area
• July 19 — Paddle + Paint at Lake Cochrane Recreation Area
• August 15 — Docks + Donuts at Pelican Lake Recreation Area