Home › States › South Dakota
South Dakota state parks
Managed by SD Game, Fish & Parks. These are statewide rules; individual parks may post stricter ones. Federal land inside South Dakota follows federal rules, and drones also follow FAA rules.
Metal detecting Permit / permission needed
Metal detecting requires written authorization (a metal detector permit). It is generally limited to designated swimming or boating beaches, with digging limits.
- Permit
- Metal detector permit.
- Sources
- gfp.sd.gov
- Verified
- 2026-10-21 · official text read
Confirm with the park before you go. Individual parks can post their own closures and rules.
Drones Allowed
Drones must follow FAA and state rules: no wildlife hunting or harassment, no surveillance, no reckless flight. Commercial filming needs a permit.
- Permit
- None for hobby use.
- Sources
- gfp.sd.gov
- Notes
- Policy dated 2018; verify it is current.
- Verified
- 2026-10-21 · official text read
Confirm with the park before you go. Individual parks can post their own closures and rules.
Machine-readable: /api/states/sd.json