Brown: Lakes, Recreation and Family Attractions

Brown offers a variety of reasons to visit: recreation at lakes and on trails, seasonal family attractions, and culture and events. If you’re looking for a hotel for a stay in Brown, it helps to first decide what you’d like to focus on during your trip.

Lakes and Trails

From Aberdeen, Richmond Lake Recreation Area is 11 miles northwest on US Highway 281. Mina Lake Recreation Area is 12 miles west of Aberdeen on US Highway 12. These different locations help distinguish the two areas as separate destinations.

Richmond Lake Recreation Area offers access to a lake covering more than 1,000 acres. Its Forest Drive Unit has an extensive trail network for hiking, biking, cross-country skiing and horseback riding. It also has an 18-hole disc golf course and nine practice holes. Mina Lake Recreation Area offers fishing, boating and swimming at a sandy beach. It also has accessible trails and opportunities for wildlife viewing.

Fair and Events

The Brown County Fair features seven evenings of entertainment on the Grandstand stage. Free live music is also offered during the day and at night. The fair also includes carousel and other carnival rides, competitions and a rabbit barn. The Grandstand program also features a rodeo, a free antique tractor pull and music on four evenings.

Pari-mutuel horse racing takes place on three weekends in May. If you’re including these dates in your travel plans, check the specific event days. Brown County Speedway is located at the Brown County Fairgrounds north of Aberdeen. The Aberdeen Aqua Addicts offer a different kind of event: their annual water ski show features barefoot skiing, jumps, pyramids and ballet.

Family Attractions and Recreation in Aberdeen

Storybook Land and The Land of Oz offer train, carousel, roller coaster and balloon rides. Storybook Land features life-size figures and interactive scenes inspired by nursery rhymes and The Wizard of Oz; admission is free. Storybook Land and The Land of Oz are home to two seasonal petting zoos. The animals on offer vary from year to year. Since the rides operate seasonally, check current operating schedules before your trip.

Wylie Lake, also known as Lake Minne-eho, is a designated fishing area for families and youth. The lake also has a beach with an unsupervised swimming area. Canoes and pedal boats are available for seasonal rental.

Aberdeen also offers recreation trails: they span more than 30 miles and are intended for cyclists, walkers and joggers. This distinguishes these trails from the offerings at the lakes, which include hiking, cross-country skiing, horseback riding and wildlife viewing.

Culture and Group Accommodations

The Dacotah Prairie Museum in Brown County showcases Indigenous culture and artifacts. Centennial Village evokes the atmosphere of a pioneer town. The two offer distinct cultural experiences.

For family reunions, church groups and other groups, Richmond Lake Youth Camp offers private cabin accommodations. The camp also has three dormitories, each of which can accommodate 36 people.

Discover more destinations: Aberdeen, Roberts County, Perkins County, Spink County, Dewey County, Aurora County, Minnehaha, Tripp County

For the broader travel overview: South Dakota.