Whitetail Campground, near Hill City, South Dakota, is a serene spot tucked away in the beautiful Black Hills National Forest. This place is perfect for those looking to escape the hustle and bustle, with spacious sites that allow for a good dose of privacy and nature.

The campground is known for its stunning views and easy access to the nearby lake, making it a great base for swimming or paddling. Visitors rave about the friendly camp host who keeps the area tidy, and many appreciate the quiet atmosphere that lets you truly unwind. As one camper put it, “The campground is quiet and beautiful.”

With no electric hookups or showers, it’s all about the basics here, which some campers find refreshing. You can enjoy campfires, and there’s drinking water available, but be sure to bring your own firewood or pick some up nearby. The trails around the lake offer great hiking opportunities, and the wildflowers in the area are a sight to behold.

If you’re traveling with pets, you’re in luck—this campground is pet-friendly. Just keep in mind that sites are first-come, first-served, so arriving early is a smart move, especially on weekends. Whether you’re pitching a tent or parking your RV, Whitetail Campground is a fantastic choice for a peaceful getaway in nature.

Whitetail Campground

Whether you're a tent camper, an RVer, or just passing through, Black Hills National Forest, SD has a lot to offer. Black Hills National Forest is a great camping destination for everyone. There are tons of nearby hikes, adventurous activities, and sights to see. You're sure to find the perfect campground for your Black Hills National Forest camping trip.

Black Hills National Forest

The Best Camping Near Black Hills National Forest, South Dakota

This is a first come first served campground with a small number of sites. When we got there at around 5 pm on a Saturday, there was only one site left. On Sunday, many people left and the the sites that were replaced with new people filled in in the mid afternoon timeframe. Some sites were left open. (This when there were zero reservable sites in the entirety of the Black Hills.) The campground host was very friendly and helpful. 

We stayed in site 16. The ground wasn’t super level, but we made it work. It was right next to a vault toilet which was very clean and smelled great in the inside, but we did get whiffs of that gross vault toilet smell whenever the door opened and then when the wind picked up, more constantly.

Firewood is sold there, but if you come from the East there is a house before the turn in that sells firewood for super cheap (it was $3 per or 2 for $5 when we drove by). You can also forage firewood there. Dogs are $2 per dog per night. 

The campground is remote, very quiet, and extremely beautiful. The sites are large and spread out. There are paths down to the lake where you can swim or stick your paddling boat in. It’s not a beach but it works well enough. You’ll want sandals or swim shoes to walk around in the water. Lots of rocks and also lots of crawfish which kept my boys endlessly entertained. 

It’s less densely forested here. Still lots of trees but also tons of wildflowers, which were absolutely beautiful. We explored a small bit of trail 40L, which encircles the lake. In some spots it’s overgrown with cow parsnip and/or thistle, so you’ll want to wear pants if you don’t want to touch them. 

This is my favorite campground I’ve stayed at so far, I think. 

Stunning

Date of Stay: 10/13/2020 
Length of Stay: 1 night
Type of Stay: SUV Camping
Price: Free

My stay was right after camping became free, though I do not know if this was because of Covid, staffing, or the norm.  The water was turned off, no trash service, vault toilet still had TP, but with a sign saying there would not be servicing.  There were only 5 other campsites in use in the whole campground and only two others in my loop.  I had almost the entire bottom half of my loop to myself.  My campsite had all that I need, a fire ring, a level place to park, a picnic table, tall trees, and a perfect view.

This was an amazing campsite.  I was doing travel through camping as a method of safe but necessary travel during quarantine, and this was my first ‘favorite’ camping spot.  I got a beautiful spot in the lower loop that had it’s own trail to the lake.  In the middle of the night a light storm rolled through, so I took down my window insulator and rolled down my window; as the lightning illuminated the lake and surrounding hills I found that beautiful feeling of being one with nature.  The next morning as I left on those beautiful back roads I saw the evidence of one of the first snows at a higher elevation.



The Spot I Had Been Searching For

Great campground with a very friendly host. Most sites seemed to have at least one relatively flat spot to pitch a tent. 

Quiet 

Campground is divided into 2 sections by the road. Lower section has easy access to the lake. Some sites are FCFS, but most are by reservation.  Camp host keeps it tidy.


Great view

We spent 5 days in August  at the campground.  We arrived after the kids had returned to school and had the entire upper loop to ourselves until the weekend. 

We hiked 15 miles around the lake and spent one day in Hill City. 

The campground is quiet and beautiful.  The spaces vary greatly in size, so if you have a larger trailer or RV, be very certain your rig will fit in the space you reserve. 

Overall,  we will definitely camp here again.

Photos of Whitetail Campground

Real photos from real campers