Cliff Diving in South Dakota
Cliff Diving in South Dakota
Locations to Jump, Quarries, Safety Precautions
Cliff diving in South Dakota is a very popular sport. The locations listed on Thirst for Adrenaline are just a few of the locations for cliff diving in South Dakota. The cliff diving locations listed are to help guide you to a suitable place to jump. This means the areas listed throughout Thirst for Adrenaline currently or at one time have contained one or more locations which match the requirements (being deep enough, etc.) for cliff diving / cliff jumping. This may not hold true year round as water levels can recede. We cannot stress this point enough, always prepare and survey the area before cliff diving. Serious injuries can occur; even when you are prepared.
Due to changing local laws regarding cliff diving locations, we ask that jumpers research the cliff diving areas independently to determine if jumping is legal before going. Never dive or jump at an illegal location. That area is illegal for a reason. The reason is generally due to the area being dangerous (a large occurrence of underwater rocks, high accident rate, inadequate water depth, water depth that changes frequently, etc.) or that it is private property. Many locations are now illegal due to their dangerous conditions.
Cliff diving (cliff jumping) is a dangerous sport and all precautions must be taken. Many people have died cliff diving; even from a low height. Others have altered the rest of their lives due to injuries obtained from cliff diving. Use common sense. Just because your friends dare you to jump is no reason to do so. That’s normally how serious injuries occur as one tries to out-do the other. You may think jumping from a higher cliff is cool but know that the higher you go you are increasing the risk of injury. It is never recommended to jump from a height of over 40 feet. Thirst for Adrenaline is not responsible for any injuries, legal issues, or anything else associated with your cliff diving experience. Thirst for Adrenaline only provides locations we learn about from various sources. We post necessary precautions throughout the cliff diving section and it’s up to the cliff diver to follow those rules.
Follow Safety Rules, Verify Legality, Be Careful & Have Fun Cliff Diving in South Dakota!
| Cliff Diving Location: | City/County: | Is it Legal?: |
|---|---|---|
Dakota Point |
Pennington County |
Not Verified |
Hippie Hole |
Rockerville, South Dakota |
Not Verified |
Horse Thief Lake |
Pennington County |
Not Verified |
Pactola Reservoir |
Pennington County |
Not Verified |
Sheridan Lake |
Pennington County |
Not Verified |
Garretson, South Dakota |
No |
The locations above are just a few of the locations for cliff diving in South Dakota. There are most likely hundreds of locations for cliff diving in South Dakota and multiple locations within a specific area. Thirst for Adrenaline only lists cliff diving locations that are popular. If we were to list every water hole, it would be extensive. Instead, we’d rather focus on areas that are worth your time as opposed to a small body of water which doesn’t offer the best landscape for cliff diving. Are you familiar with an unlisted location which is suitable for cliff diving in South Dakota? Please recommend a location for cliff diving.
Dakota Point is located on the northeastern side of Sheridan Lake. The Black Hills National Forest banned alcohol at the cliff jumping spot after a fatal fall in 2011 and after numerous littering issues in the area. It is never a good idea to consume alcohol while cliff diving even if it were legal. If you visit Dakota Point, please be respectful and take all your trash with you when you leave.
Hippie Hole, as it’s known locally, is located near Rapid City, South Dakota. It lies beneath Big Falls along Battle Creek. The cliffs range in height with some higher than 90 feet. Watch the YouTube video of this location below.
Horse Thief Lake is located about 2 miles northwest of Mount Rushmore.
Pactola Reservoir is the largest reservoir in the Black Hills. At the bottom of the lake lies the submerged town of Pactola. This is also be a great location for scuba diving.
Sheridan Lake has over 7.5 miles of shoreline and is located southwest of Rapid City, SD. It is one of the many recreational areas of the Black Hills National Forest.
Palisades State Park is located in Garretson, South Dakota and it is illegal to cliff jump. Please respect their rules and do not attempt cliff jumping. We are only listing this location to make you aware of the legal status.
Cliff Diving in South Dakota at Sheridan Lake
Cliff Diving in South Dakota at Hippie Hole near Rapid City
Cliff Diving in South Dakota at Sheridan Lake
Equipment for Cliff Diving
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