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davebruegge's avatar
davebruegge
Explorer
Oct 31, 2014

Rapid City/Hill City/Custer?

Wife and I are planning a trip for next Summer to South Dakota. As of this time, we have not settled on a campground. We are planning to drive out and rent either a travel trailer or motorhome when we arrive. Two questions, where would you suggest we look at renting a travel trailer/motor home? Secondly, what campground would you suggest? As far as campground goes, we would like a little distance between ourselves and our neighbors. We would like it to be wooded/shaded. Working WIFI would be preferable. And finally we would like to have decent roads within this campground since we will be bringing our Harley and don't want to go "mudding" on campground access roads. To this point, we have found HorseThief Campground, Big Pine Campground and The Rafter J Bar Ranch to be our front-runners. But, we are looking for input from people that have been there since it is easy to make a place look good for a brochure. Thank you for your replies!
  • ryanw821's avatar
    ryanw821
    Explorer
    Oct 31, 2014
    Not Wifi equipped or anything (good Verizon signal though), but DW and I stayed at Custer State Park Game Lodge campground in September and had a FANTASTIC time, it was outstanding and beautiful. Not a luxury campground, but the facilities were clean and they even had on site laundry, only like $25/day too. Game Lodge is mere moments from the Wild Life loop, and not far to Iron Mountain road and Needles highway.
  • Jim_Shoe's avatar
    Jim_Shoe
    Explorer
    Oct 31, 2014
    Here's the info you need for Custer State Park - every CG is listed. Be aware that its a state park, so the national parks pass doesn't work. But its not expensive and, in my opinion, worth a visit even if you don't overnight. Not all CGs have the same amenities, but the site above lists sizes of each camp site along with a picture. Its the most detailed information I've ever seen for a state park. I don't think they have WIFI, but you can ask them before you decide.
  • ryanw821's avatar
    ryanw821
    Explorer
    Oct 31, 2014
    davebruegge wrote:
    Does that $25 include full hook-ups?

    Includes electric, but there's no water/sewer hookups, just a dump and fill station. We did just fine for a week with our 25gal holding tanks only dumping at the end of our stay, so most big rvs with their 50-100gal tanks should have zero problem.
  • davebruegge's avatar
    davebruegge
    Explorer
    Oct 31, 2014
    Jim - You're in my back yard! Any ideas where to rent a class C possibly in our area that won't rape me with mileage charges?
  • fanrgs's avatar
    fanrgs
    Explorer
    Oct 31, 2014
    Be aware that the only campground at Custer State Park with an RV dump is Game Lodge. And that it was 25 miles from our Custer SP campground at Sylvan Lake to Game Lodge, so last month we had to pay extra to dump at Fort WeLikIt RV Park between Sylvan Lake and the town of Custer.

    We loved the Cheyenne campground at Angostura Reservoir State Rec Area near Hot Springs. Paved roads; good site separation with shade and grass; nice, modern restrooms with free showers; walking distance to lake; and full hookup sites for $27/night (including park entry fee). Much nicer and less cramped than Sylvan Lake at Custer SP and we would definitely recommend it over dry camping at the very cramped, no-privacy Wind Cave National Park campground as well.
  • Mandalay_Parr's avatar
    Mandalay_Parr
    Explorer
    Nov 01, 2014
    I suggest Beaver Lake Campground 4miles west of Custer on rt16. A great place, reasonable rates, good people. You will like it.
  • Jim_Shoe's avatar
    Jim_Shoe
    Explorer
    Nov 01, 2014
    Dave,
    You might try Holman Motors in Batavia. 800-323-8677. That's were I bought my 'C' new. They have a large lot of used RVs. MHs, 5ers and TTs, as well as new 5ers and TTs. They got muscled out of their protected MH territory by Tom Raper RV, also located (now) somewhere in southern Ohio. For that reason alone, I wouldn't buy from them. BTW, Holman continues to service my 'C' as the equipment needed is still there.

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