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Advice needed! Best RV Park/ Campground near Mount Rushmore

Not applicable
Hi,
Please suggest what you believe is the best RV Park or Campground in relations to Mount Rushmore? Looking for resort style with many amenities. We like large or spacious wooded type sites. Doesn't have to be on a pad. We would like to avoid open field type sites. We have a short 34'ft +hitch TT so we can hopefully fit in alot site choices. We don't care about pull thru's, backing in is fine. We are 2 families, so 2 sites needed.

If you have experience in any RV Park or Campground that you feel was fantastic, we want to hear from you!

Mount Rushmore is our main destination but we are going to try and visit as may things close to it as well as Devil's Tower. We are open to a bit of travel to Rushmore just because the camping facility is that good, (please, nothing rundown or "party wild". We will avoid bike week).

We been googling RV Parks and campgrounds in the area, and using the GoodSams site, but rather hear from you real folks that have real experience in the area!

We are driving out on the Northern route from Massachusetts (I90) direction. We never camped away from the East coast. This will be exciting for us.

So we would appreciate your thoughts and experience you are willing to share about where to stay.

Thanks in advance!

Normy
Me
DW
DS
DS
Oscar
Buddyboy
27 REPLIES 27

Not applicable
Keep'em coming folks, we are open to all opinions!

As a side question, what is the best time to camp in the area to avoid the bike rally over crowding? So many days or weeks before or after. Reservations to things and long lines will be bad enough I'm betting never mind adding this extra "surge of the Sturge(is)".

Any thoughts would also be great.

Thanks
Normy
Me
DW
DS
DS
Oscar
Buddyboy

Not applicable
suprz wrote:
3 years ago, we did the same trip, around 2 weeks after the bike week, took 90 west and went to SD and MT Rushmore. First thing that comes to mind is that our EZ Pass was a good thing to have when it worked! It was a hit or miss situation sometimes. On our way west we stopped for lunch at The Field of Dreams movie set in Iowa. The house and baseball field and corn field is all there. The house is privately owned as is the rest of the property but open to the public ( except the house, the owners still reside there) and is free! At SD We stayed at Rafter J Bar Ranch campground, which i would highly recommend, Very nice place and close to Mt Rushmore, Crazy Horse,, etc... We also took a day trip via rental car to Devils Tower. Another day we took a guided jeep tour through Custer State Park that goes off road and can get you within a few feet of the herds of buffalo in the park as well as going places you cant get to in your own vehicle. We also took the old steam locomotive ride ( i think its called the 1880's train or something) you also want to take a drive on the Needles Highway (not in your RV, cars are the only way due to tunnels etc) On our way back home we went thru Badlands National Park, and stayed the night at a great little place "The Laura Ingalls Wilder Homestead" in Desmet SD. They are like a living history place, and have 4 rv sites with water and electric hookups and a dump station. It was about 3 miles off the interstate and down a dirt road ( completely doable in our Class C so no worries) and is surrounded by corn fields. Unbelievably quiet, and spectacular sunsets... you will have a great time, have a good trip! (feel free to semd me a Message if you want any more info)



Wow, that sounded like a great time! Rafters J was really nice?

Did you go back home on I90 East or did you do a lower loop say to see other things?

Thanks
Normy
Me
DW
DS
DS
Oscar
Buddyboy

Not applicable
2oldman wrote:
Rushmore post


Thanks for this link, I was searching last night for a post like this.

The author didn't reply on a choice, (maybe they are there right now LoL).

On this post, Rafters J is also getting a lot of likes.

Thanks
Normy
Me
DW
DS
DS
Oscar
Buddyboy

Not applicable
rr2254545 wrote:
Rafter J is this best in the area, sites are very spacious - Just the opposite is the KOA
We have stayed at both



KOA wasn't as good as Rafters J in your humble opinion?

So far the reply's are favoring Rafters J

Thanks
Normy
Me
DW
DS
DS
Oscar
Buddyboy

2oldman
Explorer II
Explorer II
Rushmore post
"If I'm wearing long pants, I'm too far north" - 2oldman

Executive45
Explorer III
Explorer III
One more Rafter Bar J vote. Great people and great campground....Dennis
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WantoWander
Explorer
Explorer
Another shout out for the Rafter J. They have a nice pool and hot tub. They have both open and wooded sites. Our site was in the corner under some trees. They also had a pancake and sausage breakfast in the pavilion near the camp store that was very affordable and delicious!
2012 Tioga Montara

Roadpilot
Explorer
Explorer
I would stay at the Rafter J Bar also. Great campground and close to Mt Rushmore. If you want a true resort try Elkhorn Ridge up in Spearfish.
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rr2254545
Explorer
Explorer
Rafter J is this best in the area, sites are very spacious - Just the opposite is the KOA
We have stayed at both
2012 Winnebago Journey 36M Cummins 360
2014 Jeep Cherokee
492 Campgrounds,107K miles driven in our Winnebago motor homes and 2360 nights camping since we retired in July 2009, 41 National Parks

2chiefsRus
Explorer
Explorer
try this site This is the site we use for finding rv parks.
Dave & Kathy
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DutchmenSport
Explorer
Explorer
I don't think you are going to find a "Resort" type RV park like you are describing. When we were there last year over the 4th of July, we traveled around the area and didn't see any RV parks that were more than a parking lot with with hook-ups. Inside Custer State Park, there are some really nice and woodsy campgrounds, but getting one of those is like harvesting gold from Fort Knox. You'll need to reserve a site way, way in advance.

We stayed at Buffalo Ridge Camp Resort which is a Good Sam campground: Click here..

The sites are fairly close to each other, but you do have enough space to get slides out and awnings out. They do have some really nice amenities at the park, swimming pool, cabins, laundry facilities, TeePee camping, camp store, playground for kids, the train ride, tent camping, RV camping, and the theater. It's a large park and if you have kids, they will have fun, especially with the playground and pool.

If you are staying anywhere near the Mt. Rushmore area, you won't be spending much time at your campsite. There's just so much to see and do and explore, every minute you spend at your campsite and not exploring the Black Hills, Deadwood, Sturges (yea... Full Throttle Saloon), Custer State Park, Mt. Rushmore itself, thousands of local attractions, restaurants, shops, events, and the miles and miles of fantastic scenic routes through the mountains and hills, you'll be too exhausted to actually "enjoy" your campsite. So, simply pick a spot to "park it" and use your camper as a bedroom from the night. You won't be there very much.

If you don't like this one, here's a link to a list of campgrounds that you might find helpful: Click here.

craig7h
Nomad II
Nomad II
A few years back I visited the Rushmore area and stayed at a great (to me) RV park in the city of Custer. It was not a "resort" style but had FHU etc. Check out Fort Welikit I do not think you will be disapointed.
Itasca Meridian SE 36g
Road Master Tow Dolly

suprz
Explorer
Explorer
3 years ago, we did the same trip, around 2 weeks after the bike week, took 90 west and went to SD and MT Rushmore. First thing that comes to mind is that our EZ Pass was a good thing to have when it worked! It was a hit or miss situation sometimes. On our way west we stopped for lunch at The Field of Dreams movie set in Iowa. The house and baseball field and corn field is all there. The house is privately owned as is the rest of the property but open to the public ( except the house, the owners still reside there) and is free! At SD We stayed at Rafter J Bar Ranch campground, which i would highly recommend, Very nice place and close to Mt Rushmore, Crazy Horse,, etc... We also took a day trip via rental car to Devils Tower. Another day we took a guided jeep tour through Custer State Park that goes off road and can get you within a few feet of the herds of buffalo in the park as well as going places you cant get to in your own vehicle. We also took the old steam locomotive ride ( i think its called the 1880's train or something) you also want to take a drive on the Needles Highway (not in your RV, cars are the only way due to tunnels etc) On our way back home we went thru Badlands National Park, and stayed the night at a great little place "The Laura Ingalls Wilder Homestead" in Desmet SD. They are like a living history place, and have 4 rv sites with water and electric hookups and a dump station. It was about 3 miles off the interstate and down a dirt road ( completely doable in our Class C so no worries) and is surrounded by corn fields. Unbelievably quiet, and spectacular sunsets... you will have a great time, have a good trip! (feel free to semd me a Message if you want any more info)
Proud father of a US Marine