Roy Lake State Park
Overview
Roy Lake State Park is known for its excellent fishing, including walleye, bass, panfish, and pike fishing. But visitors don't have to be anglers to enjoy all that this park has to offer. Visitors will find sandy beaches, campgrounds, picnic areas, boat ramps, and a variety of trails to keep them busy. A resort offers conveniences like groceries and bait, as well as boat rentals and cabins to enhance any stay.
The earliest known inhabitants of Roy Lake were members of the Woodland Culture, who built large burial mounds. The Roy (or Roi) family is credited with building the area's first white settlement. Local American Indians called the crops planted along the lake shore the "Roy Planting" and the name persisted.
The park has two campgrounds, a picnic shelter, and boat ramps. There is a beach for swimmers and a separate one for water skiers. The Roy Island Trail, a short and accessible trail to the island, provides opportunities to experience the plants and animals of the park.
Activities
Boating
Boat ramps provide access to the lake. Visitors can rent boats from Roy Lake Resort, a private company in the park.
Camping
Two campgrounds with a total of 102 sites offer a variety of camping opportunities near the lake. There are 88 electrical sites and one accessible site. West Roy campground is the larger of the two, while the campground at East Roy is smaller and more secluded. There are also two camping cabins, which each sleep four people.
Fishing
With a license, visitors can catch walleye, northern pike, bass, crappie, perch, and bullheads. The park has an accessible fishing dock and a fish cleaning station.
Hiking
The Roy Island Trail is accessible and appropriate for all ages. It is one-third of a mile in length. Along the bridge to the island, hikers can see minnows and other tiny fish swimming under the bridge and among the water plants. Also watch for painted turtles, which are plentiful in this back bay of Roy Lake. Anglers, especially young anglers, find the bridge to be an excellent fishing spot. During low water years, the entire back bay will become a sea of rushes and cattails. Leave the bridge on the island, bear right and note the large excavation to the right of the trail. This excavation is all that remains of a fish cannery operation that processed fish in the late 1800's and early 1900s. Continuing along the trail notice the large variety of trees, shrubs, and other plants. At the west end of the island notice the large number of small trees that have been cut off close to the ground. Looking across the water to the west and just slightly to the right, visitors will notice a large mound of earth and sticks on the west shoreline. This is an extremely large beaver lodge that has been in use for many years. Visitors that hike the trail early in the morning or late in the evening might see a beaver swimming. Each fall the beaver harvest the small trees and store them underwater for a winter food supply.
Picnicking
There is an accessible picnic shelter.
RVing
RVs are welcome in the campground.
Water Sports
There is a swimming beach with no lifeguard, and there is a beach for water skiers as well.
Winter Sports
There are winter sports opportunities in the park.
Seasonality/Weather
The park is open year-round. It is in an arid region; the wettest month is June. Summertime high temperatures reach the 80s, and in the winter the overnight lows drop below 0 F.
Park Partners
Roy Lake Resort
Roy Lake Resort provides modern cabins and lodge-style accommodations, a cafe, bait, a convenience store, and boat rentals.
(605) 448-5498Directions
Driving
Located 3 miles SW of Lake City off SD Hwy 10.
Phone Numbers
Primary
(605) 448-5701Campground reservations
(800) 710-2267Links
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