South Dakota campgounds near near Mt Rushmore & the badlands

[aclwbaker]

We are planning a trip next summer to South Dakota, looking for nice, quite campground with good size sites with weekly rates. Plan to stay in Rapid City, Deadwood area. Anyone have a campground they would recommend.

Thanks

 

[loafer]

Rafter J Bar Ranch we stayed there July last year for 5 days . Great spot close to Entrance to park and Rushmore area. They have a great pancake breakfast and nice camp sites some pull thrus some back ins on the loops. If you want bigger sites with more privacy ask for the loops in the top area.If being by the pool is what you want then ask for pull thrus.This camp came recomended to us (thanks Cookie.) and we would go there again.The KOA is a little closer to park about 1/2 mile but sites are closer together.
Lots to see and do in that area.Mind the dates for Sturgis bike week tons of motorcycles in the area.
Have fun Bill

 

[1231ChaseB]

Crooked Creek RV park just outside if Hill City !
Chaseb

 

[codycarver]

Palmer Gulch Resort / Mount Rushmore KOA http://koa.com/campgrounds/mount-rushmore/. we were there twice this year and will be going back next season.

 

[rjr6150]

My vote would be for the Rafter J Bar been going up there last 7 summers. If you desire large sites ask for The Island area. One thing don't wait too long before making reservations as the prime spots aare booked well in advance.

 

[DougAndJudy]

We are planning a trip next summer to South Dakota, looking for nice, quite campground with good size sites with weekly rates. Plan to stay in Rapid City, Deadwood area. Anyone have a campground they would recommend.

Thanks

We stayed in the Heartland Campround in Hermosa, just south of Rapid City last year. It wasn't the fanciest place, but they honored Passport America the full 3 weeks that we stayed there.

 

[danemayer]

We stayed at Rafter J Bar and would go there again. Very nice.

 

[TXBobcat]

Boy everyone has a favorite spot... We stayed at Custers Gulch which is just north of Custer SD. Close to the Crazy Horse Monument. This is also close to a couple of senic road ways all have lots of Bison and things to see. Check it out. I will post a photo when I get back to the trailer.

BC

 

[hoefler]

We stayed at Beaver Lake outside of Custer, very nice campground with very large sites. http://www.beaverlakecampground.net/

 

[aclwbaker]

Thanks to all for the info.

 

[Nabo]

If you are looking for something in the middle of Mt Rushmore and the Badlands, I would look around the Rapid City area. Rapid City is about 30-40 miles from either being about in the middle. Rapid City has a couple of campground on the Black Hills side. We like staying in the Black Hills so we headed to Hill City and stayed at Rafter J Bar Ranch. It was pretty deserted when we were there in early May '09 with them turning off the water at night. That was real interesting.

While you are there, don't forget to see Devil's Tower not far from Rapid City in WY. That is an awesome place and also have a cg just outside the gate (no thrills). We have been to the Black Hills several time and still haven't seen everything.

Enjoy and travel safely.

 

[AlmostRetired]

Rafter J has to be the one to beat. Very spacious and quiet. We stayed there over Labor Day and would definitely return.

 

[lorax]

Custer State Park is awesome in it's own right. http://gfp.sd.gov/state-parks/directory/custer/default.aspx
Quite the buffalo herd.

Ted

 

[LynnSchlieckau]

Mount Rushmore KOA ( Palmer's Gulch) is fabulous ! Located in Hill City however. CONVENIENTLY located to Rushmore, Crazy Horse and a short drive to Custer NP.

 

[lorax]

We enjoyed the KOA. Don't forget to check out Jewel Cave and Wind Cave NP in the area. These provide a good contrast between a wet cave and a dry cave.

 

[ziggy]

Crooked Creek RV park just outside if Hill City !
Chaseb

We have booked three nights there after the national rally. People we talked to in the office were nice and very helpful. They suggested we get a different site than the one I booked online just due to the angle of entering the site to park. It looks like there is a fair amount of shade and a little creek that runs through.

Kristy

 

[buckeyebob]

we stayed at hart ranch,very nice and it is coast to coast affiliated.a bit far from attractions though

 

[codycarver]

We enjoyed the KOA. Don't forget to check out Jewel Cave and Wind Cave NP in the area. These provide a good contrast between a wet cave and a dry cave.

It's a good idea to buy your tickets ahead of time and don't forget to take a coat.

http://www.nps.gov/jeca/planyourvisit/feesandreservations.htm
http://www.nps.gov/wica/planyourvisit/feesandreservations.htm

 

[ziggy]

Any other places it would be a good idea to get tickets for ahead of time? Our park sells packages of attractions with their sites, but I didn't think we really needed to worry about that ahead of time. There is a zip line thing we really want to do. I'm sure we will decide when we get there that we want to do a bunch of other stuff too.

Kristy

 

[TravelTiger]

Based on recommendations here, we are at Rafter J- before the Rally in Gilette. We love trains, so plan to take a ride on the 1800: www.1880train.com/