If you’ve been to one of Custer State Park’s campgrounds or resorts and thought they were a bit too rustic, you might want to give another look. The state of South Dakota and its concessionaire, Regency Hotel Management, are pumping more than $17 million into improvements and updates at park facilities.

Some of the improvements — a water system at Blue Bell Lodge and a sewer lagoon at the State Game Lodge — probably won’t be noticed. Others, however, will be hard to miss. The new 30-room Creekside Lodge and meeting rooms is under construction near the
State Game Lodge.

Park officials hope the Creekside Lodge isn’t too noticible, however. They designed it to fit in with the nearby historic State Game Lodge. “From the highway looking down through the trees, it just looks like it belongs there, and always has,” Park Superintendent Richard Miller told the Rapid City Journal.

Later, the State Game Lodge itself will be renovated. Part of the work is designed to make Custer State Park more of a ear-around destination.

Other improvements include new kitchen facilities, expanded dining, cabin improvements and other updates at other facilities.

In addition, campgrounds are offering electric and water hookups, and other amenities. That could be one reason why campground reservations are up 40 percent this year. Overall reservations are up 10 percent.