The best private sites RV campgrounds near Rapid City, South Dakota

For a taste of the Old West, look no further than Rapid City—the gateway to the Black Hills. The city is nestled at the crux of world-famous South Dakota attractions, including Mount Rushmore and Deadwood. A weekend here means having six national parks and monuments within a one-hour drive of your campsite.

The Black Hills National Forest is a haven for outdoor fun. Here, granite spires and Ponderosa pines create the perfect backdrop for hiking, climbing, and horseback riding. Whether you're RV camping or tenting it, there are tons of campgrounds to choose from. Some even have horse corrals. (Be sure to BYOH—bring your own horse.)

You can't visit South Dakota without seeing Mt. Rushmore. After viewing the busts carved into the hill, you can even hike around the base of the rocks. Keep an eye out for mountain goats hanging out by the presidents. When you're done, be sure to check out nearby Crazy Horse Memorial. The in-the-works Native American mountain carving is even bigger than old Rushmore.

Bring your binoculars along when you visit Custer State Park—the southern Black Hills area is excellent for wildlife spotting. Keep an eye out for free-roaming herds of buffalo on the open prairies. You might even run into the famous begging burros. (Keep a close eye on your sandwich!)

Need a break? Head to the historic town of Deadwood to grab a beer at a saloon. If you have an extra day, drive over to Badlands National Park for prehistoric landscapes. Across the Wyoming border, Devil's Tower National Monument is a must-see, featuring a 1,000-foot-tall rocky outcrop.

You have plenty of camping options around Rapid City, including private RV parks and state park campgrounds. For a one-of-a-kind experience, consider staying at a horse ranch, log cabin, tipi or cottage.

Many parks and attractions around Rapid City are open year round. That said, the best time to camp is spring through fall. Avoid camping at the peak of summer when the monuments draw the biggest crowds.

99% (170)

Top-rated campgrounds

For a taste of the Old West, look no further than Rapid City—the gateway to the Black Hills. The city is nestled at the crux of world-famous South Dakota attractions, including Mount Rushmore and Deadwood. A weekend here means having six national parks and monuments within a one-hour drive of your campsite.

The Black Hills National Forest is a haven for outdoor fun. Here, granite spires and Ponderosa pines create the perfect backdrop for hiking, climbing, and horseback riding. Whether you're RV camping or tenting it, there are tons of campgrounds to choose from. Some even have horse corrals. (Be sure to BYOH—bring your own horse.)

You can't visit South Dakota without seeing Mt. Rushmore. After viewing the busts carved into the hill, you can even hike around the base of the rocks. Keep an eye out for mountain goats hanging out by the presidents. When you're done, be sure to check out nearby Crazy Horse Memorial. The in-the-works Native American mountain carving is even bigger than old Rushmore.

Bring your binoculars along when you visit Custer State Park—the southern Black Hills area is excellent for wildlife spotting. Keep an eye out for free-roaming herds of buffalo on the open prairies. You might even run into the famous begging burros. (Keep a close eye on your sandwich!)

Need a break? Head to the historic town of Deadwood to grab a beer at a saloon. If you have an extra day, drive over to Badlands National Park for prehistoric landscapes. Across the Wyoming border, Devil's Tower National Monument is a must-see, featuring a 1,000-foot-tall rocky outcrop.

You have plenty of camping options around Rapid City, including private RV parks and state park campgrounds. For a one-of-a-kind experience, consider staying at a horse ranch, log cabin, tipi or cottage.

Many parks and attractions around Rapid City are open year round. That said, the best time to camp is spring through fall. Avoid camping at the peak of summer when the monuments draw the biggest crowds.

99% (170)

Top-rated campgrounds

1. Cheyenne River Bottom

94%

(49)

41mi from Rapid City · 4 sites · Tents, RVs · Wall, SD

This ranch is the home of children's book author Cowgirl Annie. This property is a working Ranch. Some of the campsites are in an abandoned gravel pit so you will be parking on a sandy gravel base. I like to let my guests decide where they want to park. I may have to move guests to a different site than the one they booked depending on what is happening on the ranch or the weather. 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 may 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. I do not groom hiking trails. You will be at one with nature. You may want to bring bug spray, sometimes the mosquitos and horseflies are bad. Wall Drug and the Badlands National Park are about a twenty-minute drive. Mount Rushmore is about an hour and 15 minutes.

2. Buffalo Tipi Glamping

100%

(8)

45mi from Rapid City · 11 sites · Tents, RVs, Lodging · Hot Springs, SD

Highland Meadows Resort sits on 12.5 acres atop a private mesa in Hot Springs, South Dakota. The resort features four private cabins, two glamping tipis, and an earth home on the upper mesa — and a campground on the lower mesa. Tipis are equipped with a king-size bed, sleeper sofa, and basic kitchenette. There's a shared wood fire pit, laundry facilities, horseshoe pit, and a private bath w/ shower for each tipi. Tipis also come with a pack and play for one extra infant/toddler. Kitchenettes come with a microwave, mini-fridge, coffee maker, and some basic place settings. The campground has several tent and RV sites, each with their own fire pit, picnic table, and power. The campground has a common area for larger gatherings and flush toilets with sinks. There are several water spigots in the campground as well: two near the restrooms and one at each RV site. Highland Meadows Resort is located near The Mammoth Site, Wind Cave, Cold Brook Reservoir, and local hot springs. It's a short drive from Custer State Park and Mount Rushmore.

3. Black Hills Meadow

100%

(7)

11mi from Rapid City · 194 sites · Tents, RVs, Lodging · Piedmont, SD

Welcome to Black Hills Meadow The Meadow is located in the heart of the Black Hills. Surrounded by recreational activities, historical landmarks and beautiful scenery. Locally owned and operated, we are here to make your special occasion or trip perfect and special!

4. Stagecoach Stays

100%

(65)

43mi from Rapid City · 5 sites · RVs · Hot Springs, SD

We were fulltime RV'ers for 5 years; we traveled all across the United States before we settled in the beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota. We decided to build the vacation site that we always wanted, but could never find. We have 50/30/15 amp FHU's (despite what HipCamp says). We have two large, level RV spots with 50 feet between the two sites. We have created an environment for our guests to enjoy peaceful relaxation while staying with us. We offer amazing sunsets, sunrises, wild turkey, song birds, deer and amazing Black Hills landscapes to help you enjoy your stay in this beautiful area. We have 4 beautiful horses that adorn our landscape. We hope you enjoy watching them, but please don't feed them. We also have hiking trails and a community bonfire available for our guests to use. Well-behaved pets are welcome! We offer weekly and monthly rates.

Stories from the community

G

Gregory

October 2025

25 ft Class C

With pets

1 night at Stagecoach Stays

This was a well equipped site. We were the only ones there and it was very peaceful. Lots of wildlife there.

N

Nathan

October 2025

16 ft car

With kids

2 nights at Cheyenne River Bottom

Loved the views of the night sky and the open ability to hike around the camp area. Hospitality was awesome, and was helpful with knowledge of the surrounding areas and wildlife. Would absolutely stay again

D

David

October 2025

27 ft travel trailer

With pets

Weekend Trip to Stagecoach Stays

Fantastic stay! New, modern services and site in a unique setting. Quiet, with a beautiful wildlife and vista. Great hosts and amazing area. We'll be back for a longer stay to explore more of the area!

Debra

September 2025

23 ft travel trailer

With pets

3 nights at Stagecoach Stays

We love staying at stagecoach, beautiful spot, gorgeous sunsets horses all around along with deer and other critters centrally located, but we still felt off the beaten track. The host were really awesome and so helpful. It’s a beautiful place.

Oliver

September 2025

16 ft travel trailer

Weekend Trip to Cheyenne River Bottom

Nice private and quiet spot. Close to Wall and Badlands NP.

C

Chris

September 2025

Tent

With pets

1 night at Cheyenne River Bottom

Peaceful. Plenty of space to find the perfect spot. Host was super helpful with navigating construction detour. This will be my recommendation to any one visiting the Badlands area. No crowds.

C

Cindy

September 2025

35 ft fifth wheel

With pets

Weekend Trip to Cheyenne River Bottom

We absolutely loved it!! Very peaceful and beautiful. We had our 5th wheel camper so self contained. Angela was super and very helpful!!! Wasta Bar was cool as can be! Go Bill! Was a great break from crowded campgrounds to be able to enjoy the land

Mark

September 2025

Tent

Weekend Trip to Cheyenne River Bottom

I would definitely recommend Cheyenne River bottom it’s easy access plenty of room. Nice views and room to walk around and explore.

Gwen

September 2025

48 ft Class C

13 nights at Stagecoach Stays

Location was close to many points of interest. And the hosts were happy to give advice on things to see and the best ways to get there. We had a nice quiet stay.

D

Diego

September 2025

25 ft travel trailer

With pets

2 nights at Stagecoach Stays

Great private site with full hookups. The views were great and easy to into. Location was fantastic for visiting the parks. Would highly recommend.

Jessica

September 2025

Tent

With kids

1 night at Cheyenne River Bottom

This is definitely one of the most beautiful campsites! The views were absolutely stunning! This site is very true to its name— cowboy country! It’s more rugged and very secluded (outside of the other campers)— so come prepared. We saw turkeys and deer. The camp toilet was helpful. There is a single hammock available for resting. The host was very responsive and clear on instructions. She offered directions and tips in advance of our stay and even provided a contact number in case we needed something. It was a fun touch to buy her book ahead of time to connect my kids to the land a little bit too! Quick and easy set up once we got to our spot and the ground was surprisingly not too uncomfortable in spite of being on gravel. We feel it’s best for more experienced campers if you are tent camping.

Mia

September 2025

20 ft pop-up camper

Group trip

Weekend Trip to Cheyenne River Bottom

Such beautiful and quiet land. We loved staying here!

N

Nolan

August 2025

Tent

Weekend Trip to Cheyenne River Bottom

My brother and I spent 3 nights tent camping in one of the gravel pits here and it was quite nice! The land was quite expansive so there was a lot to explore, it was really pretty, and there was a decent amount of wildlife (deer, vultures, etc.). There are also a lot of trees/cover to provide shade. The local amenities like gas, food, etc. were also nice to have despite being in such a rural spot too. Last but not least, the access to the national/state parks nearby was unbeatable. I also liked having a super chill host who was very flexible and accommodating to our needs! I'm a stargazer and the night skies were incredibly dark; I could easily spot the Andromeda galaxy with the naked eye, let alone the milky way (in late August)! Looking through any telescope of any size yielded many ooos and ahhs. This is easily a bortle 1, maybe a low 2 if you're pessimistic. Unfortunately the weather didn't cooperate as it is very unpredictable in this part of the country. We were offered another night to increase our chances of good weather though, which was much appreciated. The only real downside of the site were that as it is often used as cattle ranchland, and also being by a river, there were flies. A LOT of flies. Mosquitoes too. Of course, that's not really anyone's fault, but bring your best bug mitigation tools if you camp here. Also, a few more signs to designate where the campsites are would have been useful.

S

Sue

August 2025

29 ft travel trailer

With pets

3 nights at Cheyenne River Bottom

Cowgirl Annie went above and beyond to make my stay memorable. Very friendly and accommodating. Was available if I needed anything. Plenty of space for my 30' travel trailer. Great place to stargaze. Saw a bald eagle on the gravel road coming in. It's primitive, but peaceful. Would gladly stay there again.

D

Daniel

August 2025

45 ft Class A

7 nights at Stagecoach Stays

Great location. Quiet, great hosts with valuable local information. Access to all the tourist attractions. Highly recommended.

J

Jesse

July 2025

30 ft travel trailer

2 nights at Stagecoach Stays

We loved the peace and quiet. It has amazing views and the owners have horses that are really fun to watch. The owners were very nice and helpful. Would highly recommend this location.

K

Kevin

July 2025

Tent

7 nights at Cheyenne River Bottom

Picturesque views and beautiful sunrises from B.Gravel Pit. Quiet and somewhat private Hipcamp as there are a few sites to choose from on the same land plot but also lots of room. The toilet was a situation as it was just a bivvy with a camp toilet. Not conducive for a day of relaxing or for more than two people. We ended up driving to a rest area about a mile and a half down the highway to do our main business. People at the Wasta Bar and Grill were very friendly, food was yummy and affordable. We do intend on visiting here again despite the toilet situation.

Sabrina

July 2025

20 ft travel trailer

With kids

Weekend Trip to Cheyenne River Bottom

Great place with lots of options for set up location. Host was very kind and helpful! We were just passing through for one night but did set up prior to visiting the Black Hills which was very close by.

K

Kdee

July 2025

Tent

With pets

Weekend Trip to Cheyenne River Bottom

Great location if you’re visiting the Badlands — easy to get to from the interstate and lots of space. I’d recommend bringing bug spray, though, as there were quite a few mosquitoes.

d

donald

July 2025

25 ft Class C

1 night at Stagecoach Stays

We loved this campsite. It was very clean and thought out. There is plenty of room to relax out side and enjoy the views. We also had a deer stroll through while we was relaxing outside.