South Dakota affords a great amount of tourism opportunities from the patriotic experience of Mount Rushmore, the celebration of indigenous people at Crazy Horse, and picturesque Custer and the festivities of Sturgis. The scenery of Needles Highway to the overlooks of the Black Hills National Forest and surrounding areas bring pleasure to all the senses. And of course, Scuba Diving Pactola Reservoir.
You Can Scuba Dive Pactola Reservoir?
We sat on the side of the road with multiple tourists asking “you can scuba dive, here?”. Yes, yes we can. Pactola was our lake of choice to dive, with reviews of the “sunken town”, “sunken cars by the dam” and a variety of other tall tales that seem to circle every reservoir across the nation. Truth always trumps folklore, so “fins up” to the late Jimmy Buffet, let’s go diving and see what is actually there.
Everyone Dives by the Swim Beach, The Dam and The Visitor Center
The visitor center gave plenty of information on where they had ‘seen scuba divers’ as well as the boat ramp attendant. The swim beach, the dam, down the trail by the visitor center is what they concluded, so of course we chose to dive elsewhere! The hike down the steep dam was more than we were willing to endure, combined with the risk of fishermen and tubers zipping by. There was also a ramp next to the visitor center, but it was a long walk with still a steep entrance. For us, boating wasn’t on the agenda, with the Zebra Mussel infestation and the prolonged inspection and quarantines that would bring.
Did we miss the sunken city? Did we miss the sunken cars? You’ll have to dive to know for sure what is there – but get a boat, a buoy and a few friends to watch the dog while you dive. And, get a Pactola Paddle for the ride (if you go, you know!).
The Dives
Our dives brought a multitude of opportunities for joy. We started the dive among the pines with incredible mountain scenery. Rocks lined the shore, making for somewhat easy entrance without too much silting. We swam past the underwater plants, algae and into the sandy bottom. 40′ brought a noticeable thermocline (from 68F to 63F in September), with schools of Rock Bass hanging just above. The schools were reminiscent of French Grunt schools in the Caribbean. We followed several very shy Northern Pike along the bottom, trying to get a better shot, but sadly, failed. Crawdads, Bluegill, Rock Bass were available to see on the dive, and on the swim back to shore, a school of about 30 rainbow trout sped past us in the shallows.
Final Thoughts
Overall, an excellent place to dive – if you can find parking, and are willing to hoof your gear down to the water (and back up). The water is clear, with 20-25 foot of vis (less near the beach) and so much life to see.
Please note that the lake does have Zebra Mussels – so please drain, dry and rinse your gear before entering another body of water.
Underwater Snapshots of Pactola Reservoir
Enjoy the photographs of scuba diving Pactola Reservoir in South Dakota!
