The best camping spots in South Dakota.

If you’re looking to connect with nature’s wild beauty at its truest, camping in South Dakota is a must. One of the nation’s most spectacular National Parks is right here, and you should definitely make a point of visiting. Known for its striking sedimentary rock landscape defined by pinnacles, buttes, and spires, camping at Badlands National Park is like being transported to another world. For a far different experience, visit the verdant landscape of Black Hills National Forest, popular for its broad diversity of wildlife spread among 1.2 million acres of hills, mountains, grassland, lakes, and ponderosa pine forest. Within 20 minutes of Sioux Falls you can camp on the banks of the Big Sioux river at Big Sioux Recreation Area for a leisurely getaway of hiking, fishing, and snowmobiling. Visit Lake Francis Case for boating, fishing, and the opportunity to spot a few bald eagles. In most parts of South Dakota you can immerse yourself in the art, culture and history of the Lakota, Dakota, and Nakota tribes, who were the state’s earliest inhabitants. And for an added dose of history, visit the ever-iconic Mount Rushmore!