Camping near Rapid City, South Dakota

beaver lake campground near custer

We stopped at Horse Thief Campground while in the area several years ago and found it to be pretty nice. Link

I just love it when people say you can't get into a campground. I have found as long as it's not a weekend,most campgrounds have openings. We usually like to come in on a Sunday and leave on a Wednesday or Thursday to beat the crowds. I usually can find an opening by doing that. I would agree Custer is a great place to stay. Lot's to see and do. be sure to check out the visitor centers, the Woldlife loop amd Iron Mountain Highway. Rafter J is also good and some areas that have the feel of a state park. But it's alot more expensive. I believe we stayed in the lower Ranch section. We were the second last site. It was really islolated from your neighbors.

I'm at Custer SP right now and there are TONS of open sites in every campground they have. Rapid City is quite the haul to any of the attractions in the area..... Hell even staying in Custer it takes a lot of time to get anywhere. You are literally on the middle of nowhere with about 5 roads covering a huge area.

X2 on Rafter J. Nicest campground in all of the Hills. Not so close to Rapid City. And I sure it's booked full for several weeks.

We stayed at Rafter J Bar Ranch and cannot recommend it highly enough. It has several different campground areas with different amenities and views. We stayed in the Ranch Camp, which was the most wooded. It was as scenic as a good state/national park, yet with more amenities. The park is convenient to everything in the area. We had a great stay.

I'm not sure all of the spots would be big enough for a 5th wheel in the Ranch Camp section, but they had several other sections, and we saw many motor homes and huge 5th wheels.

I would highly recommend Custer's Gulch RV Park near Custer. We spent a week there and found it convenient to all the great attractions in the area, especially Custer State Park Wildlife Loop, Iron Mountain Road and Needles Highway, and Mt. Rushmore.

You might give Hidden Valley campground just a few miles outside if Deadwood a try. We stayed there last year and thought it was quite nice.

Custer State Park is going to be full as it will be booked. And, it's a bit of a drive to Rapid City. One of the best places right on the edge of Rapid City is Hart Ranch. Don't buy but do the 89.95 trial stay.

accsys wrote:
Custer State Park IF you can get in

Absolutely! ;)

We will be there in September, again.............