Lyman County: Lake Sharpe, Scenic Byway and History

Lyman County focuses on water landscapes, routes, and history. At Lake Sharpe, the Left Tailrace Recreation Area offers facilities for a variety of travel days: campsites with electrical hookups, restrooms with showers, a dump station, a boat ramp, a fish-cleaning station, and a dock. There are also picnic shelters, tables, grills, drinking water, and a playground. Those traveling with children can combine time outdoors with a break by the water here.

Lake Sharpe and Excursions into the Landscape

The Left Tailrace Recreation Area is a specific point of reference for anyone planning a trip around Lake Sharpe. The facilities available here provide more of a framework for an outdoor stay than a set itinerary: You can include a picnic, time on the water, and a family-friendly break in your daily plans. The Roland L Dolly Memorial Trail in the county also offers another way to explore Lyman County. Since no trail length or further route details are provided, the name itself remains the reliable starting point for individual planning.

A defining landscape feature is the Big Bend. It is the largest natural river bend of its kind in a river system in the United States. Those wishing to combine this part of the trip with a drive can reach Big Bend Dam from Chamberlain via Highway 50, Highway 34, and North Shore Road. The Native American Scenic Byway also crosses the Lower Brule Reservation. Along this byway, the Lower Brule Tribe has reclaimed several ranches. This creates an approach to travel in which the route itself becomes an important part of the experience.

History and Cultural Points of Reference

Presho is home to the Edgar Vernon House, an example of Victorian architecture. The building features corresponding architectural elements and is one of the few buildings there constructed in the Victorian style. For travelers wishing to combine landscape and history, this point of reference complements excursions around Lake Sharpe. The history of the Lower Brule also takes on a concrete form: Iron Nation was a chief of the Lower Brule and signed numerous treaties on behalf of the tribe. The marker “Civilian Conservation Corps Camp – Presho” in South Dakota also fits into this historical perspective.

Choosing the Right Vacation Rental for Your Travel Plans

When searching for a vacation rental or vacation home in Lyman County, it is worth deciding on the focus of your trip first. If water, picnics, and time outdoors are the main priorities, you should include destinations around the Left Tailrace Recreation Area in your plans. For a drive combining scenic and historical interest, Big Bend Dam, the Native American Scenic Byway, and the Lower Brule offer important points of reference instead.

Additional Destinations for Orientation

If you would like to focus your accommodation search on a single place, you can also include Oacoma in your further planning. For additional comparisons, you can also visit Hutchinson County, Jones County, Butte, Perkins County, Lake County, Walworth County, and Spink County.

For the higher-level travel overview: South Dakota.