Lake Carthage Lakeside Use Area
Managed by SD GF&P
71 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
–Not graded
Outdoors in Carthage
Few parks or trails are on the map in Carthage
24% of Carthage’s land is conserved, about 221 acres. 72 acres are parks and preserves, 921 per 1,000 residents. 94% of residents live within a half mile of a park.
Conserved land
24%
221 acres · of 1.5 sq mi of land
Trails
0.0 mi
0.0 per sq mi of land
Park land
72 ac
921 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
94%
of residents within ½ mile
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Who protects it
221 conserved acres
24% of Carthage’s land. Who manages Carthage’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service158 ac
State fish & wildlife65 ac
Conservation Easement · 158 acState Conservation Area · 65 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 156 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Carthage Game Production Area State Conservation Area | State fish & wildlife | 65 | Restricted |
History along the way
History →1 place on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service).
Coughlin HouseBuilding · listed 2006
About itWhen to get out
September is the best month for walking in Carthage
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.2 | 10.4 | 11.8 | 13.4 | 14.7 | 15.5 | 15.2 | 14.0 | 12.4 | 10.9 | 9.5 | 8.9 |
| High (°F) | 25 | 31 | 43 | 58 | 70 | 79 | 85 | 82 | 75 | 60 | 44 | 30 |
| Rain (in) | 0.5 | 0.7 | 1.2 | 2.5 | 3.4 | 3.9 | 3.2 | 3.1 | 2.6 | 2.1 | 0.9 | 0.6 |
January is the driest month (0.5 in) and July the warmest (highs of 85 °F). 3.9 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in Carthage →
Next door
Carthage and its neighbors
Carthage has the second most mapped trails of the 2 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carthage | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Carthage Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Carthage
Are dogs allowed on Carthage’s trails?
Lake Carthage Lakeside Use Area doesn’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Carthage?
588 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Carthage or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 72 of them inside the city line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Carthage neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →