Hartford Beach State Park

Hartford Beach State Park encompasses 331 acres of mostly native wooded forest land in Roberts County, South Dakota. The park also lies next to the Big Stone Lake, which is a lake that was formed by runoff from melting glaciers 10,000 years ago. The park is situated 15 miles north of Milbank city, off SD Highway 15.

The Hartford Beach State Park area gained popularity several centuries go and more specifically in 1678 when French explorers from Quebec and Montreal came searching for fur-bearing animals. They later went on to establish further trade with Native Americans in the area.

The remnants of past activity have made this park popular as a site of historic interest to many people. Some of the popular historical interests in the park include the foundations left from an old traders cabin, an actual log cabin trading post, several graves of pioneers who came to explore the land, and Native American burial mounds.

Besides the historic interest that the Hartford Beach State Park draws, the park is also quite popular among campers and picnickers. Furthermore, there are several trails that loop around the park and these provide plenty of opportunities for hikers to enjoy themselves. Other popular activities at the park include camping, boating, canoeing, fishing, swimming, and interpretive programs.

All these activities are facilitated by several useful amenities at the park including historic sites, 49 modern campsites (36 with electrical hookups), playground, game courts, picnic shelter, picnic areas, cabin, warming house, hiking trails, showers, boat ramp, fish cleaning station, fishing dock, amphitheater, and a 9-hole disc golf course.

If you choose to bring your dog to the park, your dog will be allowed in at no extra cost. There are some rules that you will be expected to observe when you bring your dog to the park. First, you should always make sure that your dog is attended to and that they are on a leash no longer than 10-feet long. Additionally, it is expected that you always maintain immediate control of your doggie and that you never let your pooch get less than 200 feet from other visitors to the park. Furthermore, you are expected to prevent your dog from getting into buildings and wandering into designated swimming areas. That said, you can bring your dog to tent and camping areas. Finally, you are also expected to clean after your dog.