This summer, I plan to spend as much time as possible at the lake. My friend Brandy and I have already spent our share of days enjoying Iron Creek. If you ask me, there’s nothing better than some sunshine and the sparkling lake water surrounded by the beautiful Black Hills National Forest.

I was thinking about which other lakes we should visit this summer. According to Black Hills Badlands and Lakes, there are 18 lakes in the area. Some of the lakes you may have heard of before are Legion and Sylvan. Another lake, Pactola, really caught my attention, not just because of its great scenery and water recreation, but because of its history.

Pactola, with a surface area of 800 acres, is the largest lake in the Black Hills. The lake is a great for fishing, and its clear waters (the visibility is usually 20-25 feet) attracts many boating and water skiing fans.  The lake is a great place for all kinds of water recreation, camping and picnicking.

What distincts Pactola from the other lakes in the Black Hills is the fact that there is a ghost town lying beneath its surface. From what I’ve gathered, the town of Pactola was settled in the 1870’s and became a mining community.  Once the gold rush ended, ghost towns started popping up, including that of Pactola, which eventually became submerged by water. Well, along with the kayaking and fly fishing, scuba diving and finding some relics of the city’s past is also a pretty popular activity.

Pactola is off of Hwy 385 about 20 miles west of Rapid City. It’s also only a short jaunt from Deadwood-Lead (28 miles) and Custer (30 miles). The nearby Pactola Pines Marina rents pontoons, fishing boats and canoes. I hope you get the chance to enjoy one of the lakes in the Black Hills, and don’t forget your sunblock and life jacket.  I’m sure I’ll be heading to one very soon.