Sheridan Lake (South Dakota) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sheridan Lake |
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Sheridan Lake Marina
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 Sheridan Lake
Location in South Dakota
Sheridan Lake
Location in the United States
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| Location | Pennington County, South Dakota |
| Coordinates | 43°58′30″N 103°27′04″W / 43.97500°N 103.45111°W |
| Type | reservoir |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface area | 375 acres (152 ha) |
Sheridan Lake is a beautiful reservoir located in Pennington County, South Dakota. It was created on Spring Creek. This lake is special because it sits where the old town of Sheridan used to be. Sheridan was once the first county seat for the area. The United States Forest Service owns and manages Sheridan Lake. It is a popular spot for fun activities in the Black Hills National Forest.
About Sheridan Lake
Sheridan Lake is a man-made lake, also known as a reservoir. It was formed by building a dam across Spring Creek. The dam, called Sheridan Dam, was built in 1939. It is made of earth and stands 134 feet (about 41 meters) tall. The dam is 850 feet (about 259 meters) long at its top.
The lake can hold a lot of water. Its maximum capacity is 22,043 acre-feet. An acre-foot is the amount of water needed to cover one acre of land with water one foot deep. Normally, the lake holds about 13,395 acre-feet of water. The water level in Sheridan Lake stays the same all year. This is because the lake is not used to control floods or for watering crops.
Fun Things to Do
Sheridan Lake is a great place for outdoor fun! You can find a marina there, which is a place for boats. There are also nice swimming beaches on both the North and South Shores.
If you like camping, there are campgrounds available. You can even find a group campground on the North Shore. The lake also has many picnic areas and spots where you can enjoy the view. The dam itself is quite small and you can only reach it by walking.
Getting to the Lake
It's easy to get to Sheridan Lake from different directions. You can take U.S. Route 385. If you are coming from Hill City, South Dakota or Three Forks, head north. If you are coming from Lead or Deadwood, head south.
Another way to get there is by taking Sheridan Lake Drive. This is a paved county highway that offers a scenic route from Rapid City.
