Pelican Lake Recreation Area

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

Looking for a camping opportunity this weekend? Head over to Lake Cochrane where there still are campsites available for this weekend May 29-31!

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/

05/21/2026

Join us Tuesday, May 26 at 9:00 a.m. at Forsberg City Park in Watertown for a special community fishing event!

Staff from South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks (GFP) and the Blue Dog State Fish Hatchery will be on-site to stock fish into the Forsberg city pond. Governor Larry Rhoden will also be joining us to help kick off fundraising efforts for important improvements at the Blue Dog State Fish Hatchery.

Whether you're an experienced angler or brand new to fishing, you’re encouraged to come out and enjoy the morning! GFP staff will be available to help, and a select number of fishing rods will be provided for use.

Come enjoy the outdoors, support a great cause, and cast a line with us! 🎣💙

05/19/2026

We’ve got some changes to our parks entrance this year! Here are some helpful hints for your next adventure out to Pelican Lake 🕶️
First- the booth is gone! Our new park office/welcome center will be functioning the same as the booth did. We will have it open to sell entrance license and assist park visitors when staff are not busy keeping the park clean with no set “open” hours. If park staff are not there, our self-service kiosk is operating to sell you entrance licenses and firewood.
Second- firewood! Our firewood bins have moved into the campground to make it easier for campers to get firewood! They are located at our west campground host site (site 50). You can purchase firewood with a credit card at the self-service kiosk (you’ll get a receipt for it) or from staff if the welcome center is open. You can also put cash into our secure drop tube located on the firewood bins.
Third- park entrance layout. The speed limit around the welcome center and archery range area is 10mph. This is for everyone’s safety as park visitors are parking, walking around, and backing up vehicles in this area. Campers or vehicles with trailers can park across from the welcome center in the semi-circle to avoid blocking the park road.

05/11/2026

There is so much adventure to explore at our park! Come check us out!!

05/09/2026

We’re excited to launch a brand new way to explore parks across northeast South Dakota this summer through our State Parks Social Club series! Each event will highlight a different park or recreation area in the district while partnering with local businesses to create memorable outdoor experiences.

The series begins Friday, May 15 at 7 PM with Blooms + Boardwalks at Hartford Beach State Park, and registration is now open. We’d love for you to join us for the kickoff event! Link for registration in the comments! 👇

Pelican Lake Recreation Area will host Docks + Donuts on August 15 at 10 AM. A laid back morning at the lake with fishing and donuts!

Make plans to visit all four events this summer:
• 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 🍩

05/07/2026

Park staff will be conducting a prescribed burn today, Thursday May 7th, on our native prairie area of the park. This will go from the archery range all the way east to the railroad tracks.
Please be advised that thought the park may be “on fire”, this burn is to continue improving the habitat of the park for our deer, pheasants, and all the other critters that call our park home!
We ask that you avoid the multi-use trail today and keep a safe distance from those staff conducting the burn. Smoke will be in the area from mid-morning through mid-afternoon. There may also be smoke over 175th street south of the park so it’s best to use an alternate route to get to the park today!