Trip from NC to SD - Nice Campgrounds on the way

When you hit 29 as you come off 80 heading north, look for Iowa 175 hiway. East of 29 just as you exit is a nice RV park that is great for an overnite or a couple of days called "On-Ur-Wa". I think it was named this because the town just on east of there is called Onawa.
This RV park is set in a grove of Cottonwoods and in the spring the ground looks like it is covered in snow. It is FHU with a fair wifi signal (park as close as you can to the office) If you want a satellite signal, park on the back row. We have stayed there several times when going to and from SD. Great people to talk with. You might get offered some home grown tomatos depending on the time of year, or might be offered a sample of the wine they sell. ;)
The sites are pretty level on gravel. We will stay there again when we head back that way.

Thanks TexasShadow and padredw for your suggestions. I appreciate you taking the time to give us some pointers. Be safe on the roads.

Just a few suggestions. A good stop would be in Lexington, KY at the Kentucky Horse Park which is an RV campground and allows a visit to the Bluegrass region and Lexington itself. (Just off I-75)

We have stayed at the KOA in Sioux Falls, SD, just across the river from Sioux Falls, IA. In this area you are not too far from Pipestone National Monument. Not sure about camping there.

I won't go into the campgrounds around Sturgis/Custer except to say that we stayed at Custer's Gulch in Custer and found it convenient for most of the popular sites.

The Badlands Nat'l park has a campground with elec hookups, water and dump station. It is a few miles south of 90 and you can drive through the park and out the west end. At the east junction, where you turn south to the campground, there is a private rv park on the south side if you prefer. On the north side is a very nice Nat'l Monument museum dedicated to the DEW (distant early warning)grid and missile defense...if you are interested.

Thanks DutchmenSport for the info. Good to know about the overnight requirements in SD. I will look into the KOA situation along the way. It's always good to be able to enjoy the afternoons at the overnite location not just rushing through.
Happy Trails.

We live in Indiana... about half way between Ashville, NC and Sturges, SD, and we have been to both. Actually, I lived in Morganton, NC for a few years about 35 years ago. We travel your half of the route to South Carolina and/or Florida twice a year.

Last Summer we went to Mount Rushmore from Indiana. Pretty much the same route you've selected.

Because we were traveling, we took 3 nights to get to Custer, SD and 4th night we were at our destination. Going South, we take 2 days (1 over night) to reach South Carolina or Florida (depending).

For overnights, anywhere along those routes, ANY KOA campground will accomidate you for an over night. We found the closer we got to South Dakota, the more other private campground required a 2 or 3 night stay.

Between a combination of State Parks and KOA's for an overnight, you can take any of your pick and you won't go wrong. FYI, we planned on actual travel time, only 200 miles a day for the South Dakota trip. That way, we could unhitch the trailer at the KOA and still have most of the afternoon and all evening to explore the area and do things. Then we still had over a week at Custer, Mount Rushmore, Sturges, the Bad Lands, and traveling the Black Hills, Deadwood, all those places. It was great!

So, my suggestion, pick the distance you want to travel per day, and look for a KOA in the area and do an over night. All KOA's will let you do a one night over night. In - out - there - gone! Full hookup, and affordable.

Good luck.

Thanks for your help azdryheat. I know those resources but was kinda hoping someone had first hand experience at some places on the way. I went to Maine a few years back and even though places had respectable Good Sam ratings, the reality looked much different in several cases. Safe travels azdryheat.

Haven't taken that route but I've had real good luck using the Good Sam app and rvparkreviews.com to find respectable, well rated/reviewed rv parks.