Camping options near Hettinger, North Dakota range from basic city parks to more remote forest service campgrounds. The area sits at approximately 2,700 feet elevation in southwestern North Dakota, characterized by rolling prairie grasslands interspersed with buttes and small lakes. Summer temperatures typically range from 70-90°F during day with cooler nights, while spring and fall camping seasons often bring strong winds across the exposed terrain.
What to do
Fishing at Shadehill Reservoir: The 5,000-acre reservoir offers good fishing opportunities for walleye, northern pike, and smallmouth bass. Shadehill Recreation Area features "well maintained electric hookup sites along the shore. Cabins also available. Playground and a couple beaches around the area. A popular boating reservoir."
Wildlife viewing at Hugh Glass: Early mornings provide the best opportunity to spot deer, pronghorn antelope, and various prairie birds. Hugh Glass Campground offers "campsites on a bluff over Shadehill reservoir in national grassland. Most sites are pretty close together. I would have selected #11 if I had stayed."
Visit Bowman Historical Museum: Located about a mile from Twin Butte Campground, this museum showcases regional history. One camper noted: "About 1 mile on ebike ride to town. Town has 1 grocery store- nice! And also a neat museum. Would highly recommend."
What campers like
Clean facilities: Many campers comment specifically on bathroom cleanliness. At Twin Butte Campground, visitors appreciate the "extremely clean" bathrooms, with one reviewer noting: "Bathrooms were extremely clean. My husband and I will definitely be back."
Spacious, private sites: Several campgrounds offer sites with good separation. At Picnic Spring Campground, "the 10 sites are spacious: it's hard to see any other campers from your site. There are no amenities here except for very clean pit toilets."
Cell service availability: Coverage varies by campground, with some offering surprisingly good connectivity. One camper at Picnic Spring reported: "Good internet service phone service on Verizon and T-Mobile and AT&T." Another noted Twin Butte has "Excellent AT&T service" with "5Gs."
What you should know
Road conditions: Access to some campgrounds requires driving on unpaved roads. For Picnic Spring Campground, "It was over 6 miles down a dirt gravel road. But we were on street motorcycles and had no problem."
Limited services: Most campgrounds have minimal amenities and no nearby stores. "The nearest groceries or any store for that matter is 25 miles away in either direction on Route 85. There is no potable water but there is a spring where you can water to boil."
Pet hazards: North Shore Bowman Haley Lake warns: "Beware, if you are traveling with pets, there are small cactus throughout the grasslands and ticks." The lake itself may contain harmful blue-green algae: "Blue green algae has killed a number of pets causing them to experience convulsions and die quickly."
Tips for camping with families
Playground access: Several campgrounds offer play areas for children. North Shore has playground facilities, while Gascoyne Lake Campground features "two little shelter areas & a playground but it has not been mowed yet for the season so hard to access."
Budget-friendly options: Bowman Lions Park is "absolutely FREE with a suggested donation of $12 that we happily gave. This campground is run by the local Lions Club and each site has a picnic table that is painted the traditional Lions Club colors of purple and yellow."
Swimming considerations: Not all lakes are suitable for swimming. At North Shore, "signs posted stating the water may contain blue green algae that can be harmful to humans and pets." However, Hugh Glass Campground offers "a nice sandy bottom close to the boat launch" for swimming.
Tips from RVers
Full hookup limitations: Most campgrounds offer partial hookups only. Mirror Lake City Park provides water and electric but "sewer dump is in town." For RVs needing complete services, consider Twin Butte which has "30 and 50 amp hookups, lots of space. Call ahead and I'm sure they can accommodate your needs."
Dump station availability: Know where you can empty tanks. Twin Butte offers "You can fill water and a dump station avail on request," while Bowman Lions Park provides a "FREE dump station" that campers particularly appreciate.
Levelness concerns: Some sites require significant leveling. At North Shore, the "electric campsites are not attractive, or level" according to one reviewer, while sites at Hugh Glass Campground on the reservoir bluff may require blocks or levelers.
Guide
