Camper submitted image from Black Hills National Forest Bear Gulch Campground - 1

View Photos

Camper submitted image from Black Hills National Forest Bear Gulch Campground - 2
Official
Unlock Planning Tools in App

Established Camping

Black Hills National Forest Bear Gulch Campground

CAMPER SUMMARY PRESENTED BYFord

Black Hills National Forest Bear Gulch Campground is located near Hill City, SD, within the Black Hills National Forest. The terrain consists of forested areas with a mix of pine trees and open spaces. Campers can explore nearby attractions such as Mount Rushmore and Custer State Park, with temperatures ranging from 20°F in winter to 80°F in summer.

Fee Info

Beginning Monday May 19, 2025, all Bear Gulch reservations require a non-refundable deposit equal to one half of the total fee. All cancelations made within 60 days of arrival will forfeit this deposit. All cancelations made 61+ days prior to arrival will be issued a refund for the deposit by requesting the refund through recreation.gov.

Suggest an Edit

Location

Black Hills National Forest Bear Gulch Campground is located in South Dakota

Detail location of campground

Directions

From Highway 385 take Custer Gulch Road to Forest Service Road 251. Travel six miles to Forest Service Road 253 (Bear Gulch Road). Go three miles to the end of the road and campground.

Coordinates

44.0744444 N
103.5255556 W

Open in Google Maps

Is Black Hills National Forest Bear Gulch Campground sold out?

Quickly grab cancellations!

Learn More
Presented byT Mobile

Drive Time

Presented byToyota Trucks

Access

Have you camped here? Help us improve this campground page.

Add Access Type

Connectivity

Presented byT-Mobile SatelliteT-Mobile is introducing T-Satellite to extend coverage in the outdoorsLearn More
  • signal strength bars
    T-Mobile5G
    Good Coverage
  • signal strength bars
    VerizonLTE
    Some Coverage
  • signal strength bars
    AT&TLTE
    Some Coverage

Site Types

  • Tent Sites
  • RV Sites
  • Group

Features

For Campers

  • Reservable
  • Pets
  • Fires

Contact

General Info

Reservations


2025 Detourist Giveaway

Presented byToyota Trucks

Review Campgrounds. Win Prizes.

Enter to Win

Reviews

Add Review

5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

0%
0%
100%
0%
0%

3.0

out of 5

1 Review

Reviewed Apr. 30, 2021

Primitive but comfortable group camping

A former individual campground now turned group campsite. Eight individual tent sites (each has a picnic table and fire ring) around a central camping area. Vault toilets and a hand pump for drinking water. There is no electrical hookup.

Vehicles must travel down nine miles of dirt roads to reach the facility. Hill City is the nearest town for additional amenities, and Rapid City is 20 miles away. Nice fishing and kayaking. 3 stars because it's groups only!

  • Review photo of Black Hills National Forest Bear Gulch Campground by GoWhereYouAreDraw N., April 30, 2021

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the elevation of Black Hills National Forest Bear Gulch Campground?

Black Hills National Forest Bear Gulch Campground is located at 4587 feet.

What is the max vehicle length at Black Hills National Forest Bear Gulch Campground?

Black Hills National Forest Bear Gulch Campground allows vehicles up to 40 feet.

Are fires allowed at Black Hills National Forest Bear Gulch Campground?

Yes, according to campers on TheDyrt.com, fires are allowed at Black Hills National Forest Bear Gulch Campground, although make sure to check current fire restrictions in the area.

Is there cell phone reception at Black Hills National Forest Bear Gulch Campground?

According to campers on TheDyrt.com, there is some coverage for AT&T, good coverage for T-Mobile, and some coverage for Verizon.

How hard is it to get a campsite at Black Hills National Forest Bear Gulch Campground?

Some campers book as far as 6 months in advance, so on high-demand weekends it can be very difficult to get a campsite at Black Hills National Forest Bear Gulch Campground. If you want to get a last-minute campsite at Black Hills National Forest Bear Gulch Campground, try setting up a text message Alert atTheDyrt.com/alerts

Why is it so hard to get a campsite at Black Hills National Forest Bear Gulch Campground?

There are 1 campsites at Black Hills National Forest Bear Gulch Campground and over 80 million Americans who camp! Try snagging a cancellation by setting up a text message Alert atTheDyrt.com/alerts