Sheridan Lake, a reservoir

Reservoir

A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...

, is located on Spring Creek in Pennington County, South Dakota

Pennington County, South Dakota

As of the census of 2000, there were 88,565 people, 34,641 households, and 23,278 families residing in the county. The population density was 32 people per square mile . There were 37,249 housing units at an average density of 13 per square mile...

. Built over the site of Sheridan, the first county seat, it is owned and operated by the U S Forest Service, and is one of the recreational areas of Black Hills

Black Hills

The Black Hills are a small, isolated mountain range rising from the Great Plains of North America in western South Dakota and extending into Wyoming, USA. Set off from the main body of the Rocky Mountains, the region is something of a geological anomaly—accurately described as an "island of...

 National Forest.

Facilities include a marina, improved swimming beach, campground and group campground on the North Shore, campgrounds and swimming beach on the South Shore, and various picnic and overlook areas. The dam across Spring Creek is very small and assessable only on foot; lake water levels remain constant, as the lake is not used for flood control or irrigation.

Sheridan Lake is accessible via U.S. Route 385 north from Hill City, South Dakota

Hill City, South Dakota

Hill City is the oldest existing city in Pennington County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 948 at the 2010 census. Hill City is located southwest of Rapid City on State Highway 16 and on U.S. Route 385 that connects Deadwood to Hot Springs...

 and Three Forks

Three Forks, South Dakota

Three Forks is a small unincorporated community in Pennington County, South Dakota, United States. It lies at the intersection of U.S. Routes 16 and 385, just north of Hill City along Spring Creek. A small general store featuring fuel is open year-round and other businesses are open seasonally,...

 or south from Lead

Lead, South Dakota

Lead is a city in Lawrence County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 3,124 at the 2010 census. Lead is located in western South Dakota, in the Black Hills near the Wyoming state line.-History:...

 and Deadwood

Deadwood, South Dakota

Deadwood is a city in South Dakota, United States, and the county seat of Lawrence County. It is named for the dead trees found in its gulch. The population was 1,270 according to a 2010 census...

, or a scenic route via Sheridan Lake Drive (a paved county highway) from Rapid City

Rapid City, South Dakota

Rapid City is the second-largest city in the U.S. state of South Dakota, and the county seat of Pennington County. Named after Rapid Creek on which the city is established, it is set against the eastern slope of the Black Hills mountain range. The population was 67,956 as of the 2010 Census. Rapid...

.