Campgrounds in the Badlands

[familyman5]

My family of seven will be exploring the badlands in about a month and I would like to get recommendations on campgrounds. We plan to spend about a week in Rapid City and ust a couple of days in the Badlands. We are traveling from the east so I was wondering if it is worth camping in the Badlands or just traveling what appears to be an hour or so from Rapid City. If you recommend campaign in the Badlands please let me know which campground you recommend for a 40 foot motorhome. Also are there specific sites to see in the Badlands or is it mostly just traveling through and looking at the scenery?

[bobsallyh]

familyman5, don't know where you are from but if you have been to "South of the Border" on I-95 at the North Carolina-South Carolina state line, Wall Drug is the "South of the Border" of the West. Just a tourist trinket trap.

[zb39]

I have driven thru in a 45ft coach flat towing a car. Zero issues.

[bakerkids]

Flapper wrote:
On our last trip through, we pulled into the KOA in the late afternoon, then took the drive through the Badlands the next morning pulling our 30' fifth, stopping in Wall for lunch.

I'm glad to see this. I am passing by the Badlands in August. I'm towing a T@B, and was hoping to drive through the park. I was hoping there wouldn't be a problem. I didn't want to unhook somewhere just so I could see the national park.

[chiefneon]

Howdy!

We stayed in the park campground with electric hookups, also a dump site. You will fit we have a 44' toy hauler and MDT. They are limited on sites and we where luckily to get one of the larger sites. But it's worth staying in the park.

"Happy Trails"
Chiefneon

[Gjac]

I tried to get into the park about an hr ago and they were filled for the night. I just made reservations for the Circle 10 CG right out side the park. Will try to get a site tomorrow inside at Ceder pass CG. If not will head to Sage Creek that never fills up and is free and very remote. The terrain is very unique, my son and GS hope to do some backpacking there. It is worth several days if you have the time and can still hike.

[TenOC]

I stayed a week at Cedar Pass.

Photo of Campground

The night sky is outstanding -- if no moon. Ranger program is very good.

Yes you can see the park in a drive through which I did the first time in 1966 because I was on my way to Yellowstone.

[TexasShadow]

Unless you are avid hikers, the Badlands is an interesting bit of geology to see mostly from your a/c vehicle 🙂 but it is worth the time to drive through it. The campground at the visitor center has elec, water and dump and showers, but there is no shade and it will be hot. The cafe is good with indian tacos big enough for two people.
The town of Wall and Wall Drug is a campy attraction but it's worth the time, too.
And staying over there is not a bad idea.
There is a National park Museum of the Minuteman system of defense on the other end of the park and it is interesting, too. plus there is a missile site you can drive out and do your own walk around with a recording on a phone.. free.

[1stgenfarmboy]

We like the Custer area.

[linnemj]

In my opinion, skip Wall which is famous for it Drug Store. The store is nothing more than a tourist trap. We stayed 2 nights at the KOA in Interior. While not a fan of KOA, it was a nice place.

For Badlands, it can be a drive through visit or you can take several nice hikes early in the morning.

We highly recommend the Minuteman Missile Historic Site. Arrive early and sign up for the visit to the launch site. They only take 6 persons per visit. Very interesting!

The Custer area has so much to offer, I would spend most of your time there.

[CloudDriver]

The Badlands get very hot in the Summer and there is no shade. If you stay overnight you will want a campground with at least electric hookups. Others have suggested all of the local campgrounds already, so I won't repeat.

IMO if you camp in the Black Hills it is a waste of time to drive back and forth for a day trip visit to the Badlands, especially since you will be coming from the east in the first place. The Badlands can be done in a 1/2 day drive through with some short hikes if it isn't too hot for that. Wall Drug is unique and is good for an hour or so. After the Badlands you will appreciate the free ice water.

[Horsedoc]

I tend to agree with the statements about it being hot, VERY hot this time of year. If you try to drive from Rafter J you will spend a lot of time in transit. It does not take long to see the Badlands loop. We have stayed a few times at Arrow CG in Wall. Fifty amp FHU. That would be my choice and just do day trips into the BL. While the area itself is huge, the loop road will allow you to see the typical sites.
If you really want to get into that sort of sight seeing, you can leave Hermosa heading west and into the Pine Ridge Reservation area and see more of the same but not as dramatic as the loop. Populated areas of Pine Ridge are very depressing however

[Busskipper]

familyman5 wrote:
My family of seven will be exploring the badlands in about a month and I would like to get recommendations on campgrounds. We plan to spend about a week in Rapid City and ust a couple of days in the Badlands. We are traveling from the east so I was wondering if it is worth camping in the Badlands or just traveling what appears to be an hour or so from Rapid City. If you recommend campaign in the Badlands please let me know which campground you recommend for a 40 foot motorhome. Also are there specific sites to see in the Badlands or is it mostly just traveling through and looking at the scenery?

JMHO, Having visited this region 10-12 times over the years - The Badlands are interesting but not a place I could spend a Day, much less the Night.

We have found that the town of Custer is the place for us - close to everything but not too close - Right outside Custer State Park and just so much more to see and do in the area.

Wind and Jewel Caves - Mt Rushmore - Sylvan Lake - Needles - .......... just too much to see and enjoy.

JMHO,

[rbtglove]

You will probably want to stay in the Badlands park with A/C this time of year. If can't get in to it there is a decent RV park near downtown Wall with full service and within walking distance to tourist stuff. Think the Sturgis bike rally is the first part of Aug which you may want to avoid.

[Flapper]

While I love the Badlands, and make it a point to overnight there on my travels west, it is pretty much a drive-through and stop at scenic pull out type of place. Of course there are trails and hikes and interpretive displays - but you can do all the stops in less than a day. Roads are great, but you will find limitations on which pull outs to stop at due to the size of your rig. The park campground is pretty neat, with great ranger led evening programs, but no full hookups. But check site sizes and reserve ahead. It is desert like, so don't plan on any shade.
Just outside the south park entrance is a KOA, near the town of Interior. Well treed on the banks of a river. Very, very nice - and they would have no issue accommodating your rig and providing full hook-ups.

On our last trip through, we pulled into the KOA in the late afternoon, then took the drive through the Badlands the next morning pulling our 30' fifth, stopping in Wall for lunch. Final destination was Devils Tower for the night. But having been through the Badlands a lot, we didn't stop at many of the pull outs.