You have flirted with the idea of scuba diving in the Bahamas, Hawaii, and/or the coast of Mexico, but have you ever considered doing so right here in South Dakota? No way, right? Where would you go? Believe it or not, one of our very own reservoirs is the perfect place to go for an underwater adventure and you are going to want to try it for yourself:

Welcome to the Pactola Reservoir Complex, the largest reservoir in the Black Hills!
Wikimedia Commons
Located 15 miles west of Rapid City, Pactola is South Dakota's go-to for all things outdoors, thanks to its ample camping, fishing, and hiking.
Google/Lawrence Escobin
While you may have already done all of the above more times than you can count, you may be surprised to learn that you can actually scuba dive this 1.158-square-mile lake.
YouTube/patriots2431

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Why dive Pactola? While the lake housing a ghost town is up for debate, it is still a great place to spot fish and other treasures that may have been lost through the years.
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While swimming at Pactola Lake (which was dubbed "South Dakota's Version of Atlantis" by Travel South Dakota) is permitted at the Pactola Point Sandy Beach, you are asked to call (605) 342-5422 before breaking our your scuba equipment.
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Please note: If you need to rent equipment or want to learn before you go, please contact Black Hills Aquatic Adventures in Rapid City (pictured) for all things scuba diving.
Black Hills Aquatic Adventures Facebook
The Pactola Reservoir Complex is open year-round and costs $6 per vehicle per day.
TripAdvisor/PNRao
For more information on Pactola, please visit the U.S. Forest Service's website.

Address: West Pennington, SD 57702

To get a better glimpse of scuba diving in Pactola Lake, check out this video from patriots2431:

Have you had a chance to scuba dive Pactola? Do you know of any other places to scuba dive in South Dakota? Let us know in the comments! Discover even more things to do around the reservoir by clicking This Water Adventure In South Dakota Will Bring Out The Explorer In You.

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