Waterfall camping in South Dakota with campfires

Black Hills, Badlands, and presidential icons await intrepid campers.

78% (9 reviews)

United States
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South Dakota

78% (9 reviews)

Popular camping styles for South Dakota

2 top waterfall campgrounds in South Dakota with campfires

83%

(15)

Day's End Campground

279 sites · Lodging, RVs27 acres · Sturgis, SD

Days End Campground & RV Park is a Sturgis, South Dakota camping destination conveniently located just off Interstate I-90’s exit 30. Fulfill that "Bucket List" today by booking your inexpensive vacation getaway right here in Sturgis, South Dakota. The Black Hills area attractions are close by such as Mount Rushmore Park, Crazy Horse Monument, Spearfish Canyon, Terry Peak, Deadwood, Devils Tower, and The Badlands. You can experience some of the Best Motorcycle riding in the country, or just relax next to a beautiful Mountain stream and take in all the wonderful scenery of the Blackhills. Planning a family vacation? Bear Country, Custer State Park, Dinosaur Park, Storybook Island and Reptile Garden are all just a short drive away. The Blackhills of South Dakota offer lots of local events and festivals like "Kool Deadwood Nites", The Days of 76, The Annual Sturgis Mustang Rally, the Sturgis Camaro Rally, the Off-Road Rally races, indoor Bull-Riding at the Knuckle and Sturgis downtown Moto-Cross. For those of you that enjoy an endurance sport come and partake in the Tatanka Mountain Bike Race or the Black Hills 100. Spend your evening visiting downtown Sturgis with Music on Main. Every Year the City of Sturgis and Days End Campground gear up for the Legendary Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in August. Come and experience a Motorcycle Rally like none other. People from all over the world come here to ride Iron Mountain Road, Needles Highway, Spearfish Canyon, Boulder Canyon, Vanoker Canyon and so much more. Stop in at Aladdin, Stonehouse, and Bear Butte, or enjoy a short walk to Downtown Sturgis to see Main Street lined up with the most amazing motorcycles. Book now to experience the Ride of a Lifetime! Days End Campground is ready to accommodate your needs with Big Rig RV sites, Cabins, Glamping, or Tent Camping! Book your Next Blackhills Visit Today.

Booked 2 times

Wickiup Village Cabins

20 sites · Lodging5 acres · Lead, SD

Welcome to Wickiup Cabins where adventure or relaxation can go hand in hand. We have what you are looking for. Our rustic yet modernized cabins were built in 1937 and provided all the comforts of home. Perhaps, a wedding destination, family reunion, small company retreat or a destination for relaxing while enjoying our mountain streams and quiet peaceful settings under our 80 foot spruce trees. It is here you can also come for hunting, ATV riding, rock climbing above and below us, mountain biking, fishing, riding the Mickelson Trail, Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse or historic Lead Deadwood to name some of our Black Hills offerings. We are located central to the Northern Black Hills at the top of Spearfish Canyon 10 minutes west of Lead Deadwood on Highway 85. Wickiup has the monopoly on Spearfish Creek. Long gone are the cabin camps that once provided memories for children to older folks never to be forgotten. Warm summer days of tubing, fishing, panning for those gold flakes or just skipping rocks.

Nearby parks

Explore the area’s public lands.

98%

(49)

Black Hills National Forest

South Dakota

81%

(50)

Custer Gallatin National Forest

Lodge Grass, Montana

Waterfall camping in South Dakota with campfires guide

Overview

South Dakota's headline acts need little introduction. This sparsely populated state is home to the most visited national park in the Midwest—Badlands National Park—and one of the most iconic landmarks in the United States—Mount Rushmore. From the craggy peaks of the Black Hills to the vast backcountry of the Great Plains and the banks of the mighty Missouri River, outdoor adventures are easy to find in South Dakota. The main camping season runs from May through October, with midsummer temperatures peaking in the mid-80s, while winters are snowy, especially in the north.

Where to go

Badlands and the Black Hills

Swathes of forested mountains blanket the southwestern corner of South Dakota, where a road trip to Mount Rushmore and the Crazy Horse Memorial is likely top of your to-do list. Just west of the four presidents, the Black Hills National Forest has 450 miles of hiking, biking, OHV, and horseback riding trails, plus 30 campgrounds, some with full hookups. To the east, hike beneath layer-cake cliffs and towering canyons in Badlands National Park, then camp out beneath the stars—backcountry camping is permitted throughout the park.

Great Lakes

The Missouri River flows through the heart of South Dakota, where you'll find the four man-made "great lakes"—Lake Oahe, Lake Sharpe, Lake Francis Case, and Lewis and Clark Lake. Campgrounds and RV parks pepper the shores, and all four lakes are popular spots for walleye and smallmouth bass fishing. Bring your own boat, paddle the lakes on a kayak, or rent a jet ski.

Glacial Lakes

The sweeping prairies and glacial lakes of northeastern South Dakota are little-explored, but you’re never far from a lakeside campground. With its chain of eight glacial lakes, Oakwood Lakes State Park affords plenty of opportunities for swimming, paddling, and ice fishing, depending on the time of year. Further south, Lake Poinsett has a sandy beach, two camping areas, and lakefront cabins.

Southeast South Dakota

The state's southeast corner is a patchwork of lakes, rivers, and vineyards, interspersed with country towns. Set up camp at Lake Vermillion and hit the water to swim, canoe, or paddleboard; enjoy hiking or rock climbing around the unique pink quartzite cliffs of Palisades State Park; or go wine tasting in South Dakota wine country. A photo stop at Sioux Falls is a must for visitors to the namesake city, but for camping, head to the nearby Big Sioux Recreation Area, a scenic stopover along the Jay Heath Canoe & Kayak Trail.