We workamped at this park, and had a wonderful time. the motto "15 spaces in the middle of all the great places" really fits. I would recommend this park for anyone there for rally. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.
This campground is rather small, but a very nice quiet place to stay. The grounds around the gravelled sites were mowed and clean. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.
I have to say we think they have the 'prime location' and beautiful setting of all the campgrounds around. The park is beautiful with the creek running thru it and lots of trees and very scenic. The negative part is I think the sites aren't wide enough for awnings and slide-outs, but the owners are willing to help you if other sites are available. Another plus for their location is midway between seeing everything and all the sights in the area, not too far to Mt.Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Hot Springs, Keystone, Custer and other sights. Hill City is kind of small but a good place to walk and do some uncrowded shopping and a few good eating places. Be sure to visit the Winery, that is Great! One other small negative note, I think they could attend the shower house (restrooms) a little more, they were cold when we showered in there and no heat available, and missing lights and bulbs, making it rather dark. The spouts in the showers weren't adjustable and we couldn't move them and in general the showers were a disappointment for the overall campground. The owners were very nice, friendly and helpful if you had any questions of where to go or what to see in the area. We would stay here again. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.
This Passport America park was closing in 10 days for the winter, so the manager told me the water (and showers) would be turned off after our first night here. They had already closed off most of the park, and crammed 4 of us elbow-to-elbow in the one (unshaded) section still open. Beautiful park, but there we were off in the corner. Also, they apparently had the shower water temperature preset to someone's idea of hot enough for them, but it wasn't for me. The wifi was in/out/slow. Cable fuzzy. I think a more discounted rate would have been in order. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.
Wow, what a great campground! It’s buried deep in the Black Hills of South Dakota, making the drive great with lots to look at. The campground staff was polite and very helpful. The bathrooms were spotless as well as the campground it’s self. It’s proximity to Mt. Rushmore as well as the numerous other attractions in the Black Hills, makes it a great place to call home. Hill City, although very small, has some great restaurants and shopping. if you’re looking for civilization, Rapid City is 45 minutes away, so get those supplies before you arrive, although most items can probably be found in Hill City. I strongly recommend the Smart Alec GPS Tour. It plugs into your cigarette lighter, sticks to the windshield and plays through your FM Radio. It allows you to take a self guided tour through the Mt. Rushmore area (doesn’t include Deadwood yet) and provides great information as well as directions with some outstanding background music. It’s well worth the price. Besides, it allows you to tour at your own pace. If you don’t want to see the Crazy Horse Memorial, just keep driving. Unlike when on a guided tour and you go where they say you go. We loved it and will most definitely rent it again next trip. It’s available from the Mt. Rushmore KOA, only a short drive from Crooked Creek and on the way to Mt. Rushmore. We camped here in a Tent Trailer.
Had to give it a 7 due to many factors. I never saw restrooms but they had to be there. Best thing about the park is the wifi and the web site, it is beautiful. It is a shame there is little comparison. I have been close before, but six feet is too close for units. W/E/cable on far side of coach and sewer on the opposite side. Staff are typical Yankees and she loves signs. Cable is only 11 channels. I doubt if I would come back, only in a pinch. Best thing is Alpine Restaurant in town, dinner meal a real value. We camped here in a Motorhome.
Very Nice Park, Shade available however I came in without a reservation. Entirely run by workcampers, the owner is on premise, but stays out of the way. Very nice folks and a beautiful location. Lot's to do in the area especially if you have children. Some pull thru's and some 50 amp. Wifi works average. Pancake breakfast on weekdays, weekends full breakfasts are served. BBQ Friday & Saturday night. We camped here in a Motorhome.
Very nice place and very friendly owners and staff. It's way nicer and a true bargain compared to the nearby "RV resort" at $47/night. Convenient to Mt Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Custer State Park and especially the Alpine Inn in Hill City! Bike trail (George S. Mickelson Trail I believe) passes thru the campground. We liked it and will stay there again. We camped here in a Motorhome.
I made reservations at Crooked Creek ion April 2007 for Bike Week (August 4-11, 2007). At the time I made my reservations I was told that I had to pay in full up front - $750.00(ish) for two sites. I found out within two weeks of making the reservations that I would have a work conflict and that we could not attend bike week. I immediately called the campground to cancel our reservations. At that time Michele, I assume one of the owners, stated that their policy was to re-reserve the sites before they offered a refund. That sounded fair. I notified them in writing and via phone that I would be cancelling. I did receive an e-mail confirmation from Crooked Creek for my reservations. It did not state a refund policy for bike week. I allowed approximately six weeks to pass before I contacted the campground again - to remind them of the refund. When I called I asked the girl who answered if they had any availability for bike week, my dates specifically, for a 30' TT - Full HU - just as I reserved. She said the largest rig they could accommodate was a 25' TT. I left a message for Michele - no return phone call. I have e-mailed her numerous times now - and finally reached her on the phone earlier this week - June 29, 2007. She agreed to refund my $$ though the sites had NOT been rented (according to her) to make me "go away." She reprimanded me quite a bit for my 'testing' her staff. To date I have NOT received the refund - though I have made repeated attempts to follow up via e-mail. Moral of this story - if you are not 100% sure - do NOT make bike week reservations. I have not received my refund - and I am EXTREMELY displeased with the "Customer Service" we have received. Their campground may be nice - and they may be close to the bike rally - and I may attend bike week another year - but I will NOT STAY at this campground. If your plans change - DO NOT count on a refund. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
They really squeezed us in to the end site here, but the staff was so friendly and helpful, I have to give a good review. We asked where to get air in our tire, and the owner told us to pull up to his personal garage, where he supplied an air compressor. The woman at the desk gave great advice on getting into the campground, then also gave great advice on sightseeing. If not for her, we would not have known about the lighting ceremony at Rushmore, nor Wildlife Loop Road. Convenient location. Picnic table at the site. At the time we were there, the pool was under construction and the playground was in the construction area, so not too good for the little kids, but it was a nice place. The showers were clean, but I had to wait in line. The laundry facility was nice, but expensive. We camped here in a Motorhome.
Very nice campground located central to everything in the Black Hills. Very friendly and informative staff on hand to assist. We were lucky to get one of the four large spaces located near the creek at the rear of the property. Bathrooms clean but showers rather small. But overall, we were very happy with our stay there. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.
In additon to the other reviews - which were 'spot-on' . . . This campground was right on the bike trail, which made it very convienent. We camped there a few weeks after Sturgis and the campground was not very full. Some sites are very tight for rigs with slides. We didn't have to share a fire ring because of lack of campers. Be careful with your awnings, the wind can unexpectedly pick up and cause damage. We always pulled ours in before leaving to tour the area. The bathrooms were clean. The owners were very friendly and helpful. Camp hosts were great. Nice, quite campground when not full. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.
Not big rig friendly; the owners will tell you that they can get big rigs in but it is so tight you cannot open your awnings and there is no place on the site to park the tow vehicle or toad. The sites are very narrow if you have slides you will need to watch the trees. It is a very convenient location with many things to do and see in a 30 miles radius. We enjoyed our stay, however we were never at the campground except to sleep. Has great potential and the new owners are working hard to improve the place, and it is well maintained with friendly helpful people working there. Will stay again however need to be careful to select the right site for our rig. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.
This was an okay park. The W/E sites were pretty sizeable but the full hook ups were slide to awning. There are area fire rings that have to be shared with your neighbors. Bathrooms are clean. The pool was very tiny and aboveground-looked more like a bathtub. This is a clean park with friendly help. A big alert though-in order to dump your tanks you have to back into the dump station. It is a decent campground close to Custer National Park and the other area sights. We camped here in a Motorhome.
We used this campground as a base camp for checking the area, such as Needles Highway, Mt Rushmore, and Crazy Horse. It is centrally located for easy access. It’s basically located on the side of a hill in the woods. Loved the views, wildlife, and atmosphere. Also, my daughter loved the playground and play area. Their water has a lot of minerals in it. Clogged my water filter after two days. WiFi is a no go. Staff did their best but kept saying my computer was not compatible, but neither was anyone else’s because everyone was having the same problem. Staff was friendly and helpful with directions and area information but they did seem defensive with the WiFi. Seems they get quite a few complaints. Verizon air card and cell phone were both no go’s. Ended up traveling to Hill City and sitting in the lobby of the Comfort Inn to get internet and cell service. Not sure if we would stay here again. Glad we camped here in the off season, I would not want to stay here in peak season. The price was good for the area. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
We stayed here in '93 and again just recently in aug. '05. We loved this campground! The views were excellent, and you felt as though you were camping in the Hills and not just a field. The sites at the back of the campground (behind the bathhouse), which BTW is clean, are all gravel. The sites at the front have grass and were very nice. It is centrally located in the hills. Overall a nice campground I would recommend to anyone! We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
Horsethief Campground in Hill City, SD has tremendous scenery around the place. The campground itself is okay and it is centrally located. Our site (126) was a secluded site but was on a hill. The trailer leveled okay but everything else (chairs, tables, etc) would not level. The driveway for the trailer and the surrounding area was all dirt (very little gravel) and we had a storm come thru which ended up giving us about 5 inches of mud all over every item we had outside. The campground web site boasts of having WI-FI available. While this is true it is extremely slow and would not connect most of the time. I asked the staff about this and they did not seem to care that I was having an issue (which I later found out that other campers were experiencing the same thing). The staff was very distant and not polite at all. Overall the campground was okay but the staff was not. I would not recommend the site to others at this time. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
This campground has a great central location north of the Needles Highway in the Black Hills. Many of the sites have shade, and others have a view of the nearby mountains. Our kids loved the playground, and my wife loved the washer and dryer, saying they were the best she has seen. The bathrooms are clean and nice, though they can get crowded and there is offensive graffiti in several of the stalls. We found the staff very friendly. We definitely would stay here again. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
Rude staff. Sites not level, asked to relocate and was told that there were no other sites available even though several remained open throughout stay. Would never stay at this park again. We camped here in a Motorhome.
Stayed with my son and family 1st week of 10/05. Found staff easy to deal with. On day of departure, 4 inches of snow made us unsure as to leave or stay. Owners assured us we could stay beyond the 11am checkout to make up our mind based on weather and road conditions. Spaces are close and back-ins at some sites might pose challenge. We would stay again. We camped here in a Motorhome.
Very tight turns. Very rude staff. One of our group was washing off his rear stabilizer and berated for washing it by owner. Cruddy laundry. Owner screamed at customer. One of our group put a broken pine branch thru the wall of his 5th wheel on a turn -if it had been sawed off this would not have happened. We shall not use this park again We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
This park had tons of stuff for the kids to do like miniature golf, swimming, water slide, horseback riding, giant air pillow, splash pad. It is perfect for exploring all that the black hills has to offer. The campground is very busy. The restrooms and showers could use more than one cleaning a day, that being the only bad thing. We would stay here again. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.
Definitely a place you can go and stay a week and keep the whole family entertained. Kids loved the huge playground, pool, gameroom and other kids activities. Trail ride was great. Lots of staff, very attentive. The christian student group interacted well with the kids. Some people said they could even see some of the fireworks from their campsites. We will be back. We camped here in a Motorhome.
This campground is the best KOA in the system. I do not mind paying a premium if the campground is worth the money; this one is. They had a staff of about 100 with 10 of them a Christian ministry team. The staff was polite, professional and great with the kids. We had a full agenda of sightseeing and activities in the area which was a shame because the kids would have been happy just playing at the campground. They lead their horses off to their night-time coral every night, which made the entire campground stop and watch; it was a spectacular site. If you come here please learn from my mistake and plan a “down” day where the kids have a day to just play at the CG. We camped here in a Motorhome.
Best campground we have ever visited. We have three kids, and they were kept busy with activities throughout our visit. only 5 miles from Mount Rushmore, and the drive to the park was very scenic. Gift shop and store were stocked well, which prevented trips to the small towns nearby. One tip.....camp in the valley, as the hillside sites are a bit unlevel, which makes set-up a little challenging. Overall, we loved it! We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
Very nice campground. Kids area was great. New restrooms were very clean. Very nice and reasonably priced laundry facilities. Horseback riding on site was very convenient and good value. Friendly staff. Great camp store. We would definitely stay there again. We camped here in a Motorhome.
A super or mega KOA with nearly every feature imaginable. Friendly workers greet you from the moment you arrive. Site size are average to above. Two nice size pools and a water slide for the kids. WiFi was weak but I was at the far end of grounds. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.
This is the closest campground to Mt. Rushmore, and the best park we have ever stayed in. There were more than enough activities to keep the kids busy and happy. The pancake breakfast is great, too. Be sure, however, to request a deluxe site with patios and patio furniture that substitute for the common picnic table usually found in campgrounds. The sites toward the back appear a little more crowded and less maintained. We camped here in a Motorhome.
We stayed here for 8 nights, and found it to be a great place. The price was a bit higher because we had a patio site, but we felt it was worth it. Jane, who works in the main check in-office, was wonderful. She went out of her way to put us in a site that would give us enough room for our rig and tow car. A very big atta girl to her. The roads in the campground are a bit busy but that is to be expected in a place this large at this time of the year. The amenities make this a wonderful place for families camping with children. We would definitely stay here again. We camped here in a Motorhome.
We stayed here 3 nights. Well maintained park with friendly staff. Busy park with lots of kids since it is close to Black Hills attractions. WiFi early morning and evening was quite slow. Some driveways were quite narrow, primarily because the sites they served were very short for the rigs parked on them which necessitated parking the toad partially in the street. Very few shaded sites which helps satellite TV if you need it. We would stay here again. We camped here in a Motorhome.
We camped here on Memorial Day in site #570 shortly after the resort opened for the year. This is a very good campground with a variety of sites. We arrived late at night and they left us a map and welcome pack for us. Our initial site was close to the entrance and very easy to set up in the dark (And the rain!) The next am, when we were ready, they moved us to our reserved site on the hill away from the main area. We were the first RV in that part of the campground and they forgot to turn on the water! A short time later, the water was on. This is the only reason the cg didn't get a 10. Water pressure was low near the top of the hill, but better at the bottom. I highly advise a filter, the water comes from tanks situated around the area. This is the second time we have stayed here and would recommend it to anyone! Pick your sites carefully, big variety. The main area is essentially a parking lot, but where we stayed was on the mountain and very wooded. When the rain came, it got muddy fast! We even had snow! Several specialty shops on site with two small stores at opposite ends of the resort. LOTS of cabins scattered around. Two pools, although only one was open at that time. Staff was very friendly and helpfully! Rental cars available on site. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
This is one of the nicest parks we stayed at. It was close to the end of the season and we got a really nice site. The park was very well maintained and the owners were very cordial. We do plan to go back again. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.
A beautifully maintained park, very knowledgeable staff, lots of creature comforts. It is mostly geared to adults after Labor Day, as we have stayed here twice. A resort feel...not your typical KOA. Convenient to Mt. Rushmore, Custer State Park and all the other sites of the area. Easy access for big rigs with no surprises. Much nicer than the other area campgrounds we checked out. We camped here in a Motorhome.
Very nice park. Deluxe sites are wide and fairly grassy. Good television and WiFi reception, lousy cell service. Park has a nice hotel, cabins, car rentals, pool, nice gift shop. Mount Rushmore about five miles away, Crazy Horse monument about seven miles. Very pleasant experience. We camped here in a Motorhome.
This is the only campground we have ever pulled into a site, began setup and then decided we just couldn't stay. We have never left a campground in over three years of camping, we never expected to have to leave a KOA, usually very nice places. Only camp here if you are only planning a quick overnight stay and make sure you stay in the "deluxe" sites or forget it. We unfortunately had made a reservation for one of the nice perimeter sites with a view. Important note: there is NO cable except in tightly packed deluxe sites and the all the "kid" amenities, aside from the pool, cost a small fortune ($60) per family for a fun pass. Our spot was in the middle of a 'parking lot' field, with no trees and a muddy camping site. We were staying 5 nights and were so depressed over the unattractive surroundings, not to mention exorbitant fees, $4 per child a night (we have 2) and $3 pet fee a night, we went to the office and asked if we could move to another site, we would have been willing to pay more. They would have moved us but had no deluxe sites left. So we called Rafter J Bar Ranch Campground up the road and asked if they had room and moved our motor home to their place. (VERY NICE, read my review of their campground). This KOA has a nice front area, and a restaurant on site, and the deluxe sites seem nice enough, though very close together. This is a VERY BIG campground, a lot of people moving around, very busy place. Some people may enjoy the bustling energy of crowds, but we kind of like to kick back, relax and enjoy the peace of nature. We were so relieved to drive out of there, we feel fortunate they were booked out. We camped here in a Motorhome.
Stay away from this park! From reading the description you would think that this park is great family destination. Being in the Black Hills of South Dakota and near great attractions such as Mt. Rushmore and Crazy Horse Monument it has the potential for being a really nice place, but unfortunately it is not! The sites are muddy and uneven. The bathrooms are absolutely outdated and filthy! They advertise a wate rpark on site, but when you check in they tell you that you have to pay an extra $60 to use it. They do have a pool that you can use without an extra fee. We did not go in it, but our neighbors did and they said that it was very dirty. They have horseback riding onsite which is nice and pretty reasonable. The women inside taking care of check-ins are very nice, but the older man working outside near the check in parking is very grumpy and he will yell at you and bang his radio on your car if you do not pull up far enough! We have been to many KOA's, some nicer than others, but never have we been to one as dirty as this one. KOA should be embarrassed to have their name attached to this park. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
Well maintained with a lot of activities for kids. We were here around the 4th of July and the pool was a little crowded for so many people. Nice stores, restaurants, and ice cream on site. The WiFi is there but I could never get an IP address and was not usable, they said there were too many people, which I did not find to be an acceptable answer. We stayed in site 189 or 289 and the trees had to be trimmed and it was fairly tight, not nearly as nice as most of the other spaces. I think they only rented out these sites on really busy weekends. We camped here in a Tent Trailer.
Pricy, but worth it. One of the best parks we have stayed in. Closest park to Mt Rushmore and Crazy Horse monuments. Very well maintained park, well stocked store, and on-site pizza and ice cream shops. Water sports, climbing, hiking and horse rides. Friendly, knowledgeable staff. Not much shade available in main area, although tent, and pop-up sites were well shaded. Rental cars available so you can visit all the local sites without a toad. Busses available for Mt Rushmore tours at very reasonable rate. Will stay here again. We camped here in a Motorhome.
Very nice KOA. We went horseback riding, as well as utilized the laundry facilities, ice cream shop and the store. Our boys enjoyed the scavenger hunt and for a prize they received a free round of miniature golf. This place is so large that I was able to do a 5 mile run just inside the KOA campground! We were gone most of the time visiting the attractions, but we would recommend this campground to anyone especially after seeing the other campgrounds available. The grounds could use some work, that is why I'm giving an 8 out of 10. This campground has everything else you could need for an enjoyable stay. We camped here three nights. We camped here in a Motorhome.
This is one of the better KOA's and one of a few I would return to. Great site, fun things to do, close to everything. Pancake breakfast is great. Wifi did not work the entire time I was there, but heck I was out most of the time anyway. I'd come back here. We camped here in a Motorhome.
Has Car rentals available. It was late at night and a shepherd vehicle guided us to the site. I chose it for the location nearby Mount Rushmore. It was a bit pricey compared to other campgrounds in the area. We camped here in a Motorhome.
Great Park (never given 10/10 before). But you pay for it of course. Wonderful value if you've got kids as they would never be bored unless it rained. Cable channels limited and WiFi just a little iffy at times. The place is enormous (2nd biggest in USA we're told. Reasonable food outlets and shops on site, which is lucky because it is miles away from anything else. Queue for "all you can eat pancakes" every morning. Careful where you are allocated a site. You could be literally a mile away from the office. We camped here in a Motorhome.
This is a beautiful campground. The staff is very friendly. We camped here in early May 2007 so it wasn't crowded. The campground is also close to all major attractions. We would definitely stay here again. We camped here in a Truck Camper.
Wonderful family park with lots of activities... great store for groceries, not over-priced. We loved the on-site horse trail rides. We realize this was bike week, but even though we had reservations months ahead, we were placed in a "tent-sized" site, and our toy hauler was barely squeezed in! Thank goodness there was not a camper behind us to the back left, because we had a "catty-corner" back out up a hill - very poor parking area for our rig and very nerve-wracking. Customer service was excellent, however - we will definitely come back here, but will request specific sites next time around. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
Campers were squeezed like sardines. No privacy. Some sites had little or no shade. Very noisy with campers coming and going all the time. Barking dogs inside campers during the day. KOA charged extra for use of water slide. Pool broken and out of use for 3 (maybe more) days. Camp stores frequently out of ice. Evening movies cancelled due to more broken equipment. KOA field staff rude, bossy & crabby. Restaurant wait staff was terrible. Bath house was nice (closed 1 1/2 hrs. for cleaning.) Turned us OFF to camping. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
Review Rating
[ 10 / 10 ]
July 2006
$70
Go to the site to check rates according to how you are staying- it all depends on what kind of site you want. Also you HAVE TO book in advance- we did a year in advance since it was prime travel season. We've been here twice and would go back again. Very clean, well maintained. Nice activities for the kids, 2 pools, great stores, nice restraunt and awesome outside pancake breakfasts for $2.00. It's very close to Mt. Rushmore- with shuttles running there and to Crazy Horse. They also have horseback riding here which is always a must. The kids playgrounds are very nice too. Would highly recommend. We camped here in a Motorhome.
This was a wonderful park for our visit to SD. Close to everything we wanted to visit. The stable and trail ride was wonderful. The park was clean, well taken care of and had a friendly helpful staff. The view of the Black Hills at sunset from our coach was beautiful. Never in the 5 days we were there was did we have a "noise" problem with the campground, even though there were many families with children. We would highly recommend it to visitors to Hill City, SD. We camped here in a Motorhome.
This CG was WAAAAY too large for our taste. I'm sure it's great for families with children, but the noise factor from SO many kids was not pleasant for us. Yes, this was close to Mt. Rushmore and Crazy Horse, but there are others in the area. We saw one or two we'd try next time. We camped here in a Motorhome.
This was a great campground. We stayed here for two nights. This campground is very close to the Crazy Horse Memorial and Mt. Rushmore. Although we didn't use many of the facilities, there were tons. Swimming pools, activities for children, several clean laundry rooms, a dining room, a fast food place, a candy store, and a big general store. This KOA had good security and was clean. We camped here in a Motorhome.
This place is huge and has a lot of amenities, and a lot of people. Before reserving here we read the reviews describing the packed-in conditions but were able to secure a "more private" site at the edge of the woods. Upon arriving we found these sites to be just terraced sites, just as crowded as the sea of trailers in the meadow. The toilets were clogged in the women's restroom and showers were not clean. We camped here in a Motorhome.
We stopped for an overnight on the way back from Wyoming and got the last site with full hook-ups. The sites were typical KOA, close quarters, but the park was well laid out and the WiFi worked well. Use virus and internet security, because I was attacked by a trojan within moments of logging on. The nightly shuttle to the Mt. Rushmore lighting apparently books up very early, but there are rental cars on property and it was quick and easy to rent. The pools were clean and busy and people sat quietly by their fires after quiet hours with no loud noises after quiet time at 10 p.m.. We would stop here again for an overnight but it is too big and crowded for a long stay. We camped here in a Motorhome.
CG is convenient to Rapid City/Hill City attractions. The sites are level. Problems exist with the management of this cg. When making reservations we were not told that only the premium sites had cable tv. The premium sites are nice but not worth the increased rate of $11. Some of the staff were rude and possessed no people skill. I'm 65 years old and didn't know I was a "dude" until told so by one of the staff members. The road in the park was horrible. Deep ruts were everywhere which made traveling around difficult. If one can find another cg in the area then I suggest you go there. The company that owns this cg also owns the Capitol City KOA and the KOA in Harpers Ferry WV. We've stayed at those cgs and they are not much better than this one. We camped here in a Motorhome.
Very nice campground located right off needles highway. You feel as if you are really camping in the hills. Beautiful views all around you. Very nice staff and some of the cleanest bathrooms I've seen. We will stay here again. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
Tourist trap, packed in like sardines, sites are not level, dump station right in the middle of the entrance to park, charged for shuttle ride to lighting ceremony. way to big for our tastes, but close to Mt. Rushmore. We camped here in a Motorhome.
Note that the rate is higher than normal as we were there during bike week. We got a site off behind the lodge which was totally treed and shady. If you get in the main part of the park there is no shade. We've been here before and didn't realize that the section we were in existed. It was really nice- a little on the hilly side and the turns getting in and out were a little tight but we made it without any problems. The park offers a little of everything, you can eat here, go riding or hiking and some shopping too. It's a nice place even though it's so big. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
This is the best KOA we have ever stayed at! It had everything close and so much to do for the kids! We really appreciated the pancake breakfast, the nightly movies in their little theater and the water slide was a huge hit with the kids! It's very close to Mt. Rushmore and Crazy Horse Memorial. There is so much to do in this area...we wish we had stayed a week rather than 4 nights. We camped here in a Tent Trailer.
We camped here last month while visiting the Mount Rushmore area. It is a typical KOA, in that the sites are pretty much jammed together. I would recommend that you get a site as far away from the main road as possible as it is very busy during the summer and the heavy traffic seemed to ignore the 10 mph speed limit. My kids loved the water slide they have which cost an extra $10 per day to use for the whole family. They also have horseback riding available for somewhat reasonable prices. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.
I camped here for the annual Sturgis Rally. I really enjoyed this campground. It has a
wonderfully well stocked general store. The restaurants were very good. It was a great home base for touring the Black Hills. The staff and service was great. The sites were a little small but tolerable. Our only complaint was that the showers were not maintained very well at all. I would have thought that during the busiest time of the year, the owners/operators would have made sure everything was kept top notch. Also, the hot water ran out if you were not at the shower before 6am. We had a great time staying here and will certainly be back again in the future. We camped here in a Tent.
Review Rating
[ 9 / 10 ]
2004
$35
This is a large family-oriented campground with fairly spacious sites situated in the middle of the Black Hills of South Dakota. It is very close to all the local tourist sites such as Mt. Rushmore. There are several camping cabins available as well as a lodge/motel and large family type cabins available. It has a nice quiet location and we truly enjoyed our stay here. Friendly staff helped make our stay pleasant. We stayed in a tent trailer in June of 2004 and used our heater every night and most of one day. We camped here in a Tent Trailer.
This is happens to be our favorite campground in the U.S.! The Black Hills has become our favorite vacation destination for summer vacations and we have stayed at this campground twice now. Originally recommended to us by a friend we have found the campground to be a great destination for traveling with three young kids. The campground has a nice pool and hot tub and a variety of sites. I recommend the areas with the most trees, but the scenery is great everywhere. The location is excellent - only a few minutes from the main Black Hills attractions like Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Needles Highway, etc., etc. Hill City is also a nice town with some good restaurants and a convenient place to get groceries, gas, etc. The shower facilities at Rafter J Bar are the cleanest of any campground we have stayed at, completely cleaned twice a day! The best part about the Black Hills is the cool nights and virtually no bugs or mosquitoes making it great for a pop-up or tent. We have always stayed in a camper, but may try the camping cabins in the future if we didn't want to pull a trailer all the way. It is a good facility in a very scenic location. We camped here in a Tent Trailer.
Just big but that's it. The Ranch area has lots of shade. We made reservation 9 months prior requested the Ranch area. When we got there, they moved us to the Pine area which closer to the highway and was noisy. The sites are on dirt and gravel and not too even. The 100+ mile Mickelson bike trail is right next to the campground but there is a $3 fee per day to use it. $44 is not cheap plus $3 for additional person. Except for the pool, I don't recall seeing the playground for the kids. We camped here in a Motorhome.
There is a wide variety of sites, from heavily wooded to lined up in a row in several different camping areas, something for all tastes in camping. We got bad advice from store staff for Mt Rushmore celebration and almost missed the fireworks. There is a nice heated pool & hot tub, and bike rentals. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.
VERY NICE! This is the best campground we have stayed at! There were large level sites, BIG pines everywhere, and it was quiet. We even had deer walk through our campsite one night. Staff was friendly and pleasant. The location was great, close to all the attractions. We will stay here again in the future. Only reason I did not give a 10 is there were not enough pool chairs poolside. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
This is a huge facility that has earned its 5/5 diamond Woodall’s rating. The park was up to 279 sites when we were there (including some cabins), but it is spread over so much land it in no way feels crowded. Talk to management when you reserve about which of their 6 camping areas will be best for you. They are all separated by broad open meadows or trees and the sites are mostly nicely spaced and not at all cramped. It is a big family location that is in the center of the Black Hills attractions and the kids pretty well took over the pool while we were there. If you have a big-rig like we do, make sure you make it clear that you need a level site. We saw several rigs with one or more tires dangling quite a ways from ground. Your dumpster may also be a bit of a walk in some locations. If you get the site that is right for you and your unit, however, I’m sure you will be happy with this park. Good Sam discount available. We camped here in a Motorhome.
This is our favorite campground in this area. Visited 2 years ago and returned this year. We stayed in "The Island". Peaceful and quiet, close to attractions. No bathroom/shower facilities in "The Island". Closest was Ranch Camp, which was a short walk away. We camped here in a Motorhome.
Very nice place to stay when visiting the Mount Rushmore area. Extremely convenient to all the attractions. Sites are spacious and most areas have plenty of trees. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.