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The best camping near Badlands National Park

Discover the most magical spots to pitch your tent or park your rig on your next Badlands adventure.

99% (89 reviews)
99% (89 reviews)

Camp in an otherworldly landscape with unique rock formations.  

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Community favorites near Badlands National Park

Top-rated campgrounds reviewed by the Hipcamp community.

Top-rated campgrounds near Badlands National Park

100%
(21)

Black Hills& Badlands Sunrise& Set

7 sites ¡ RVs40 acres ¡ Hermosa, SD
Hey there, we're Dan and Susi, and we're excited to welcome you to our peaceful slice of Secluded Paradise on the Dancing Phoenix Farm! Check out a video review, by Precious Kofi, a guest on the farm when we were in Colorado, Spring of 2023, to learn a bit about what your stay may feel like. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvyzVA3Tzjk&t=1157s Originally from the city, we're now fully immersed in The Farm, located on gently rolling land in Hermosa, South Dakota. Your campsite is located about 15 minutes in from SD44, and approximately 45 minutes from Rapid City. You will be driving on a dirt/gravel road to get to us. You may want to put your vehicle in 4wd to get to our place, as the dirt road that takes you to your campground is "lumpy". The location is perfect for a quick overnighter, if you're visiting South Dakota's nearby nature sights and parks... Our family lives on the property, and we're happy to help answer any questions. This is a working farm, and you may see us on the pasture, upgrading and maintaining. We're glad to share with you and happy to have you ghost us as we work, if that's an interest of yours. Be sure to flag us down if you need anything. Check in with us by text an hour before your arrival (cell phone reception is not reliable out here). ABOUT OUR CAMPGROUND Pitch your tent, park your RV/camper, bus or other ride on our pasture and enjoy the stunning wide-open view of the rolling hills of Hermosa, the Black Hills, Badlands and unobstructed sunrise and sunset views. Kids and leashed fur babies camp free. Your site has a picnic table for you to enjoy your meals outdoors. The views are stunning from this secluded spot, and there's a water spigot available nearby on the property. Your campsite is located in the wild and rustic, sometimes windy, Plains of South Dakota, and may not be for everyone. We can experience extreme weather in all seasons. If you're into photography, you will experience some amazing and intense photo-worthy views. When you stay with us, you will get the experience of camping in the middle of nowhere, South Dakota - wild, raw, sometimes windy and rugged. It's an amazing experience to be had - with stunning views and a feeling of freedom that's hard to find in more civilized and populated locations. You may see or hear coyotes, deer, pronghorn, bull snakes and rattlers, owls, creepy-crawlers and experience annoying mosquitos and flies during the hotter summer season. Our guests have mentioned they feel like they're on another planet when they're here... of course! We're traveling on the Fifth Dimension out here, so don't be surprised if you hear from the other side. We believe that stewardship of the land is everyone's responsibility, and we're excited to share it with you to enjoy! Stargazing on the site can't be beat, and you may even catch a UFO or alien... if you're aligned! This is NOT a party site. It's a quiet, secluded area where we can connect with nature and take a much needed break. We ask that you not remove anything from the property without chatting about it with us first. Please bring your own blankets and sleeping bags. It can get to below freezing at night, so be prepared for travel and camping in sometimes extreme winter cold. Please check out the local forecast before traveling. We will be happy to refund any weather-related cancellations. If you would like a complimentary cup of instant coffee or herbal tea brought to your site between 6-8 am, let us know what you'd like the night before and we'll send one over! We offer a cold brown-bag style breakfast/snack for $5, as well. Your choice of a couple farm-fresh hard-boiled eggs with trail mix or homemade sourdough bread/butter. ABOUT THE AREA There are a couple small local mini grocery stores and gas stations about 35 minutes west of the farm. There are also a handful of small country cafes in the area, as well as the city restaurants in Rapid City. Enjoy nearby hiking trails in the area, as well as bicycling, motorcycle and 4-wheel drive trails. If you have Food Forest/Permaculture, farming, gardening or Back to Eden experience and would be interested in helping, living on our farm - short or long term, let's talk. Holding Crypto? We accept cryptocurrency as payment (Btc, Eth, Tron, BUSD) for items in our lil country store, located on the property. Let us know if you would like to sample a complimentary bottle of our homemade booch (kombucha). Hipcamp messages, email, and texts are the best way to reach us. We have little or no cell phone reception. Please help keep the cost down for us by removing your trash and cleaning the campsite prior to your departure. Leave no Trace campers only, please. Firewood is available for 3$ a bundle, only when there are no local fire restrictions. Be sure to read all the rules upon booking, and ARRIVE NO LATER THAN 4PM to keep your reservation. PLEASE TAKE A SCREENSHOT of the written instructions, as you WILL LOSE PHONE SERVICE ON YOUR WAY. We look forward to connecting!
from 
$25
 / night
100%
(252)

Bear Den Cabins & Camp

8 sites ¡ Lodging, Tents2 acres ¡ Hermosa, SD
Bear Den is a small camp with 3 Glamping Tents, 2 cabins and shower house. Outdoor spaces for relaxing. We are located approximately 5 miles from Custer State Park, 11 miles from Keystone the Gateway to Mt. Rushmore in the beautiful southern Black Hills. Cabins have electricity, our tents do not have electricity. All sites including bring your own tent sites have access to the shower house and outdoor grilling areas. Pick a spot to pitch your own tent, one tent per space. If you have 2 tents please book 2 sites. We have 3 spots cleared. Hang your hammock in trees around the property. This option includes all access to the shower house and outdoor grilling areas!
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$20
 / night
100%
(1)

B gravel pit.

1 site ¡ RV, Tent1500 acres ¡ Wall, SD
This ranch is the home of children's book author Cowgirl Annie. This site is in an abandoned gravel pit so you will be parking on sandy gravel base. There are cottonwood stands close by that you can hike through to the river. A wide variety of wildlife live in this area, so no telling what you my see or hear. You will have a big area to yourselves. I have tried to plan areas so you won't be disturbed by other campers. Wall Drug and the Badlands National P 02ark are about a 20 minute drive.
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$39.99
 / night
69%
(8)

Home Ranch LLC

1 site ¡ RV, Tent1500 acres ¡ Wasta, SD
This ranch is the home of Cowgirl Annie. It has had two movies about the Battle of the Little Bighorn filmed on it. The Lytle's raise Red Angus cows and Alfalfa hay. The ranch has Juniper trees in the river breaks and cottonwoods in the river valley. A wide variety of wildlife and birds can be found on the ranch. Visitors will likely get to see deer and hear the coyotes howling and observe other critters. This ranch is over 1500 acres. Campsite is about a mile off of Interstate 90. Wall Drug and the Badlands National park are about 20 minutes away. Visitors are encouraged to hike and play in the river. There are plenty of good areas to play hide and seek along with logs to climb on. There isn't much light pollution so you can enjoy stargazing on a clear night. Attractions in the Black Hills are about 60 miles away.
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$39.99
 / night
100%
(6)

Rustic Rendezvous

1 site ¡ RV, Tent5 acres ¡ Hermosa, SD
Semi secluded on 3 acres camping has a large cement pad with a bathroom that has shower, toilet, and sink. Near by is Mt Rushmore, Custer State Park, Black Hills Play House, Rush Mountian Adventure Park, Keystone, Wind Cave, Jewel Cave, numerous off roading trails, and hiking trails, Iron Mountain Road, Needles Highway. A short drive away is Deadwood, Sturgis and Spearfish Canyon. Devils Tower and Badlands are within driving distance History in the Black Hills is unlimited, along with off roading adventures.
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$35
 / night
100%
(4)

Bunkhouse Campground

1 site ¡ RV1 acre ¡ Kadoka, SD
This is just a little triangle of land on the edge of a small town with three full camper hookups. It is a convenient semiprivate location on your way to your destination. We are located “where the Badlands Begin” 20 minutes from the Badlands National Park. We are a tiny spot, 3 campers max, most likely just two, with a few trees, a couple pf picnic tables and a firepit.
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$55
 / night

The best camping near Badlands National Park guide

Overview

About

On the edge of South Dakota’s Black Hills region, Badlands National Park’s unique terrain is otherworldly. While many visitors opt to drive through the park on the Badlands Loop Road, this gives you a mere taste of the park. If you opt for a camping experience instead, you’ll enjoy round-the-clock views of the badlands as the appearance of the craggy eroded buttes changes with the sunlight. Watch for roadside bighorn sheep and prairie dogs. After dark, the view changes to the dark skies above, as the park is perfect for stargazing. Combine your adventures in the region with visits to Custer State Park, Mount Rushmore, and the kitschy Wall Drug for an ultimate road trip.

Notable campgrounds

  • Best for RVs: Cedar Pass Campground offers 96 tent camping and RV sites with electric hookups. Flush toilets and covered picnic areas are available.
  • Best for off-grid adventures: Sage Creek Campground offers 22 free, first-come-first-serve campsites along Sage Creek Rim Road, an unpaved road with limited accessibility. Pit toilets are offered here.
  • Best for wilderness camping: Backcountry camping is allowed in the park with no permit required.

Tips for snagging a campsite

  • Badlands National Park camping is especially popular on weekends and holidays and during the summer peak season.
  • A concessionaire operates Cedar Pass Campground. Reservations may be made through the Cedar Pass Lodge website or by phone.
  • Sage Creek Campground only allows RV camping for pull-behind trailers shorter than 18 feet.
  • Campsites with hookups are not available in the off season, typically running from late October to early April. Dry camping is offered.

When to go

The Badlands experience changes with the seasons. Spring and fall offer pleasant conditions, though spring may get a slow start and winter snows arrive early due to the northern latitude. Summer brings warm temperatures and sunny skies, and shade is limited in the barren park. Bring sun protection, especially if you will be biking or hiking. Shaded picnic tables may be found near camping spots. During the winter, park visits slow down, giving you some solitude, but campers need to be prepared for freezing temperatures and frequent snow.

Know before you go

  • In Sage Creek Campground, generators and campfires are not allowed.
  • Sage Creek Campground does not have hookups or restrooms with running water. Potable water is available at the Ben Reifel Visitor Center. 
  • Cedar Pass Lodge also offers cabin rentals and rooms in the Badlands Inn.
  • While many hiking trails are available, open exploration is also allowed.

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