15 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Oakwood Lakes State Park and Lake Poinsett State Recreation Area offer cabin rentals within 30 minutes of Arlington. Cabins include electricity, picnic tables, and fire pits, while most provide basic sleeping accommodations. Oakwood Lakes features multiple camping areas with cabins situated near both lake access points and shaded areas. Electric hookups are standard in most cabins, with many offering 50-amp service for heating and cooling needs. "The bathrooms are amazing for a campground. One of the few places I've ever camped where you get a full bathroom to yourself. Plus it was very clean," noted one visitor about the Oakwood Lakes facilities.
Rustic and deluxe cabins are both available, depending on the location. Lake Thompson Recreation Area provides year-round cabin rentals with toilet facilities and trash service, while the Ingalls Homestead offers unique covered wagon accommodations for $60 nightly as an alternative to traditional cabins. Most cabins are pet-friendly with proper documentation, though policies vary by location. Reservations are essential, especially during summer months when lakeside cabins book quickly. According to one camper, "We stayed at campground 1 number 36 it was the perfect pull through spot to set up for the weekend! The bathrooms were very clean which made the stay 10 times better."
Most cabins include basic furnishings but require visitors to bring their own linens, towels, and toiletries. Cooking facilities vary widely between properties - Lake Herman State Park cabins offer more amenities than the rustic options at Horse Camp. The Ingalls Homestead provides a unique historical cabin experience with nearby amenities including "a one-room school house with tours, a barn with animals, a covered wagon ride where you can lead the horse-drawn wagon." Firewood is available at several locations including Lake Poinsett and Lake Herman, but not at all cabin sites. Oakwood Lakes features a camp store for basic provisions, while more extensive supplies require a trip to nearby towns.
"One of the few places I've ever camped where you get a full bathroom to yourself. Plus it was very clean."
"In addition to natural beauty there are games to rent, playground, etc. Yay: Choice of traditional campsites or cabins.
Nay: campsites are very open and unshaded. Only a few are by the water."
from $26 / night
Check Availability"Large grassy sites with fire pit and picnic table. Clean bathrooms with hot showers. Nice path around lake for walking the dog. Lots of families having a good time! Very pleasant evening."
"Wasn’t busy, kids liked playground, walking path, and checking out Mortimer’s cabin. Electric hook-ups."
from $26 - $55 / night
Check Availability"Playground was at the other camp loop, but we spent some time playing before we left. Found some geocaches in the park, which was fun!"
"Very nice, our spot was large with electric. Quiet this weekend. 50 Amp service."
"The bathrooms and showers were very clean. Also, the campsites are very clean beach areas and boat ramps were very clean. Also a nice frisbee, golf course and great beach access."
from $22 / night
Check Availability"They also have a number of trails making the best of the smaller park. The water is very green. I don't think it is very deep but this green this early in the season is concerning."
from $22 - $55 / night
Check Availability"This is a truly magical place, and if you’ve ever read any of the Little House on the Prairie books and are anywhere near De Smet South Dakota, do yourself a favor and swing by."
"For $30, we had W&E, fire pit (firewood not sold), picnic table and free access to the homestead. Bathrooms were so clean and smelled like cedar wood. "
"Very pretty very nicely well maintained park. In true, South Dakota fashion, I think it's pretty expensive."
"Beautiful location on the north shore of Lake Thompson. Some sites face the lake, others have shade with enough open sky for your StarLink dish. Beach access at the campground."
"RV spots have electric. Many spots have shade, some are near the lake, and some with lake views. They have small cabins for rent, as well as paddle boards, kayaks, and canoes."
"Had days of warm weather, spring rain showers and 5 inches of snow. I was right next to a little lake on one side and Lake Herman about 150ft away. Nice hiking trails just outside my door."
"Called last minute to see if they had anything available, as we had been driving for 2 days without a shower. They had a primitive tent site available and in 1 hour we were taking a nice hot shower!"
"Close to beach, fishing dock and close to playground for kids!"
GuideNice, clean, secure safe, scenic waterfront state campground...reasonably priced...nice level water/elec sites...no sewage or dump stage that I could find...last minute late evening online reservation.,..good location....small campground, easy to find reserved site. Highly recommend especially for travelers.
GuideBeautiful sites and well marked, flat trails for the very civilized camper. 4.5 miles of trail, even though they have a horse camp....but the horse camp is nice. Just not a lot of trails to ride. No off road or off grid type experience here, if you are looking for that.
TravelerNeighbors had to move their table away from my septic hook up unfortunately. Very nice people but spots are close together. Each spot has a fire pit and some have tables. Mine didnt have a table but I got a shade tree! Playground is nice and pool looks nice. We were not able to use it today though. Too cold for us.
GuideNice spot for my overnight stay. The camp host was nice and polite. There was an add-on fee for phone, online, and apparently in person reservations. I didn't get it but, I payed it, Inwas there and I was tired. I was fortunate enough to score a tent spot very close to the bathrooms and showers, which weren't pristine but were also much better than using a hole in the ground or not showering. My spot was also right on the water. I feel asleep to the sound of water breaking on the rocks. Would definitely stay again in the future.
TravelerThey really do a great job of taking care of the state park. It’s very clean and well-kept and it’s very beautiful. 
LegendEverything is in great shape, well maintained and ready for spring. They also have a number of trails making the best of the smaller park. The water is very green. I don't think it is very deep but this green this early in the season is concerning.
LegendDesigned more for month to month camping. There are spots open as you can see in the pictures and it is very well maintained and orderly. We were staying at the state recreation area.
LegendWe stayed in spot number 2 back hidden under the trees. Because the wind was so bad. Early season, bathrooms are closed, so pit toilets were open. Very pretty very nicely well maintained park. In true, South Dakota fashion, I think it's pretty expensive. It's forty dollars for a spot with electric only if you're from out of state and you still need to pay your park entrance fee on top of that if you don't have a state parks pass.
LegendThe sites is very well maintained with what look to be a number of new investments like trails, docks, shooting range for bows. It was early in the season so bathrooms weren't open but the spigots were on and the pit toilets were clean. Nice lake views and a few short trails for hiking or horses. Boat dock for big boats, fishermen and canoeing. Might be super busy in summer but early season was beautiful.
Cabin camping near Arlington, South Dakota offers unique opportunities to experience the prairie lakes region of eastern South Dakota. The area sits at approximately 1,800 feet elevation in the Coteau des Prairies, with summer temperatures typically ranging from 60-85°F. Seasonal camping options vary, with greater availability during weekdays when most facilities report less crowding.
Hiking and wildlife viewing: Lake Poinsett Recreation Area features walking trails along the shoreline where visitors can observe waterfowl and prairie wildlife. "Despite being close to Brookings this park is quiet and I didn't find it very full. Nice place to go camping, especially if you are looking to go birding for waterfowl or fishing one of the nearby lakes," notes one visitor to Oakwood Lakes State Park.
Water activities: Fishing, boating, and swimming are common at most cabin locations, with Lake Thompson Recreation Area providing excellent water access. "Beautiful location on the north shore of Lake Thompson. Some sites face the lake, others have shade with enough open sky for your StarLink dish. Beach access at the campground. Great fishing spots with cleaning stations available," according to a camper at Lake Thompson Recreation Area.
Historical experiences: Visitors can combine cabin stays with historical sites, particularly in De Smet. "The Ingalls Homestead is a 'family run business' that brings to life many activities from the 1880s such as visiting a one-room schoolhouse, making a corn on the cob doll, going on a covered wagon ride, etc," reports a visitor to Ingalls Homestead.
Private bathroom facilities: Many cabin areas provide clean, well-maintained bathroom facilities. "The bathrooms and showers were very clean. Also, the campsites are very clean beach areas and boat ramps were very clean. Also a nice frisbee, golf course and great beach access," notes a camper at Horse Campground.
Playgrounds and family amenities: Multiple cabin locations include family-friendly features. "We visited during the week so we pretty much had the campsite to ourselves!! They have a playground which my 4 year old son loved! He can't wait to go again! Bathrooms were clean and nice!" shares a visitor at Oakwood Lakes State Park.
Quiet mid-week atmosphere: Many cabins offer more solitude during weekdays. "This campground has both electric standard sites for campers and tent sites. Two shower houses and multiple vault toilets throughout the campground for accessibility. Walking trails in grass or gravel," reports a visitor about Lake Thompson Recreation Area.
Seasonal mosquito conditions: Bug spray is essential, particularly after wet weather. "This is a natural lake formed by farmland that flooded in the 1980s. Be sure to use bug spray as mosquitoes were all over- maybe due to wet weather," warns a camper at Lake Thompson.
Reservation considerations: Booking cabins requires advance planning, especially for lake-facing options. "We stayed in the more open area (72E in campground 2). Large grassy sites with fire pit and picnic table. Clean bathrooms with hot showers. Nice path around lake for walking the dog," reports a visitor to Campground 2 at Oakwood Lakes.
Varying shade conditions: Some cabins and sites offer limited shade protection. "Campsites are very open and unshaded. Only a few are by the water," notes one camper about Oakwood Lakes, while others mention that some sites at Lake Herman provide more tree cover.
Playground access: Several cabin locations include playground equipment for children. "They have a playground which my 4 year old son loved! He can't wait to go again!" shares a camper at Oakwood Lakes State Park.
Educational opportunities: History-focused sites provide learning experiences for children. "A very cool and unique campsite on the grounds of the Laura Ingalls Homestead near De Smet, SD. There's a one-room school house with tours, a barn with animals, a covered wagon ride where you can lead the horse-drawn wagon," notes a visitor at Ingalls Homestead.
Swimming areas: Designated swimming beaches are available at most cabin locations. "This campground has...three walkways down to the water's edge with one being a large swimming area. Boating is permitted as well," reports a visitor to Lake Thompson Recreation Area.
Dump station locations: Most cabin areas provide dump stations, though accessibility varies. "There is an area to dump waste on the exit. Stopped on Sunday on the way westward and the place was empty, stopped Friday on the way home and it was packed," notes a visitor to Pelican Lake Recreation Area.
Site parking considerations: Some areas limit vehicle numbers during busy periods. "On the Friday stop there were a lot of people, some spots had 3-4 cars parked in the grass- it was too bad they allowed that. If one was to go here to find some quiet do so during the week or late weekend," advises a Pelican Lake visitor.
Weather variability: Seasonal changes can affect camping conditions significantly. "Very nice place to stay. Spent 2 weeks here in the spring. Had days of warm weather, spring rain showers and 5 inches of snow," shares a visitor at Lake Herman State Park.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular cabin campsite near Arlington, SD?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular cabin campground near Arlington, SD is Campground 1 — Oakwood Lakes State Park with a 4.4-star rating from 7 reviews.
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