57 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
RV campgrounds around Aurora, South Dakota include multiple options for travelers seeking full hookups. Oakwood Lakes State Park Campground 2 offers electric sites with level pads and accommodates larger rigs, with sites situated on grassy areas that provide both shaded and open spaces. "Large grassy sites with fire pit and picnic table. Clean bathrooms with hot showers," notes one visitor about the park. Lake Herman State Park, open year-round, provides electric, water, and sewer hookups with spacious RV sites near the water. Pipestone RV Campground in nearby Minnesota features full hookup sites with 50-amp service about 45 minutes from Aurora, while Sioux Falls KOA offers pull-through RV pads that allow travelers to stay hitched for overnight stops.
Reservations are strongly recommended during summer months, particularly for weekend stays at state parks where sites fill quickly. Most campgrounds in the region maintain operational status from April through October, though several state parks offer limited winter camping with reduced amenities. RV travelers should note that dump stations at some locations like Lake Herman may be positioned on slopes, making complete tank emptying challenging. Big rig access varies considerably across facilities - Sioux Falls area parks typically accommodate larger vehicles with easier approach roads, while some of the smaller parks have tighter turning radiuses and more compact sites. Cell service remains reliable throughout most established campgrounds in the region, with strongest coverage at sites closer to Interstate 90.
"Booked a spot online under the impression they had water year round. Was a little disappointed to find out that wasn’t the case."
"the owners are attentive, the facility is clean, neighbors are friendly, and it’s located close to restaurants, shopping, and anything else you could need or want! We’ll definitely be back!"
from $18 - $42 / night
Check Availability"Campground was nearly full of local campers but the kids played great together. Decent pool & showers, fun activities like bags tournaments and a potluck."
"15 units with full hookups on a dirt road. There is a kiosk at the entrance where you pay. $35/night, with a discount rate if you pay beforehand for a week or a month."
"The place is very well kept, the staff are friendly and helpful, all the amenities like propane, dump station, ice, firewood, good little camp store, off leash dog run, heated pool, and lots to do for"
"Family friendly and nice restrooms. Can’t go wrong here and right off Interstate."
from $40 - $200 / 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 - $55 / night
Check Availability"They sell campfire wood for 6$ a bundle on site so we had some great campfires going. They have nice long paved trails for walking and biking."
"The RV sites are spacious, level and well-arranged. The Verizon cell service is not perfect but manageable. The entire park is very clean and well-maintained."
"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. "
"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."
"After we came, found a pull- through spot open that night, filled and posted our form, we we left - and returned to a filled spot- THAT camper reserved by phone just hours earlier (perhaps while we"
"Has 30 amp service. Clean shower house. Perfect spot to visit Brookings without paying for hotel."
ScoutVery quiet even on holidays, sites are in the woods so all sites have shade. All types of camping is available, tent, RVs trailers, 5th wheels, Class A, etc. We have 46 foot toy hauler, Clean bathrooms and plenty of dumpsters. Park features natural prairie and a buffalo herd. Bison tours are available. Plenty of hiking trails and some cliff climbing. LuVerne MN is 6 miles and has all supplies wanted available.
LegendWe stayed here for one night on the way to the Black Hills in South Dakota. The campground is in the far south western corner of Minnesota about 30 minutes for Sioux Falls South Dakota. The site is in the middle of grasslands and cornfields. They have very organized park staff that have an efficient check in process. The campground has some nice ponds and bike routes. It’s located next to a bison range and tours are available. Unfortunately the camp sites are packed in on top of each other with no privacy. You have a lot of local large RV users using loud generators and playing music until after midnight. They have good facilities with showers and dump stations. During our stay, the water in the camp tested positive for bacteria and the camp was giving out free drinking water. Since you don’t have many options in the area, this may be a good choice. The overcrowding was our main issue.
GuideSuch a nice campground. Nice big shady trees and manicured lawns. They sell campfire wood for 6$ a bundle on site so we had some great campfires going. They have nice long paved trails for walking and biking. We got to walk our dogs on it to avoid tick contact from the grassy trails. There was a cool suspension bridge that was fun to walk on. The showers were very nice and hot without a lot of traffic.
There is no sewage hookup or water hook ups. They do that 50/30 amp sites available. There is a dump station right at the entrance to dump when you leave and it also has a separate fresh water station if you want to fill up right when you get there so youre not traveling with a bunch of water in your tank.
It was a great campground and the falls were close by and palisades state park was also in the area with a nice hike.
There is an extra $8 car fee per night that you have to pay on top of any camping fees. If you are staying longer than 5 days it better to just get the annual parking pass for $32, which would cover parking for all state parks and recreation areas in SD.
They have great discounts if you are a veteran and south dakota resident.
RangerOverpriced, no water hookup at electric site and do dump station. Friendly staff but probably wouldn’t stay again
RangerWe stayed on our way from IL to Black Hills SD. Super easy access as well as easy pull through. Level enough to not unhook. Nice play area and pool. Also a neat little micro brewery walking distance, across the road. Very nice staff and an RV dealer next door. Very close to I-90 and it’s noise, but that comes with the easy access.
TravelerThe place is very well kept, the staff are friendly and helpful, all the amenities like propane, dump station, ice, firewood, good little camp store, off leash dog run, heated pool, and lots to do for kids.
GuideAnother beautiful state park. The RV sites are spacious, level and well-arranged. The Verizon cell service is not perfect but manageable. The entire park is very clean and well-maintained. The dump station is very accessible and well-equipped. Overall, this is a great park. If it had full hookups, it would be perfect!
ScoutStayed at Blue Mounds on one of the hottest weekends this summer! We booked site 12 initially based off of reviews from the Dyrt suggesting riverside sites. Site 11 and 12 were NOT good. There's a dumpster in the middle of the two sites, absolutely no privacy, and no shade. Thankfully, there is good cell service (and free wifi!), and we looked up what other sites were open. 13 was open! And boy did we luck out with this. Even though it's just adjacent, 13 had a nice little secluded area for our tent, and a *private* riverside walk out to the cliffs overlooking the river! No direct river access- it's about a 15 foot drop to the river. The moonrise from this site was gorgeous. Had a spooky visit from the Starlink satellites. We drove in the morning to the bison area and saw about 12 of them roaming near the fence. Bathrooms were decent. Close by to Luverne for any last minute needs while camping.
LegendWe happened upon this park during the 50th anniversary of the park so there were lots of park events happening. This is a very clean and well maintained park. We tent camp so much of my observations are geared for the tent camper. We stayed at site 34E, a long but narrow and slanted site. We were lucky to find some awkward somewhat flat place for our two tents. This site would be just fine for RV camping but I’d steer clear for tent camping. I’d estimate that 50% of the sites are flat and suitable for tents.
Here are some key take aways from our 3 night stay in late July 2022.
-clean and well maintained park
Campers visiting Aurora, South Dakota find themselves in eastern South Dakota's glacial lakes region, where rolling prairies meet small waterways at approximately 1,700 feet elevation. The area experiences distinct seasons with hot summers reaching the 80s and cold winters dropping below freezing. Most campgrounds near Aurora operate primarily from April through October, with some state parks offering limited winter accessibility.
Hiking and trails: Palisades State Park Campground offers unique quartzite formations along Split Rock Creek. "This is a sweet little tucked away oasis near Sioux Falls featuring trails, bluffs and climbing options. Great views and clean camp sites," notes Jennifer S. The park's trails wind through distinctive geological features uncommon in this part of South Dakota.
Water recreation: At Big Sioux Recreation Area, visitors access kayaking opportunities along the Big Sioux River. "Beautiful area, very shaded by trees in the RV camping spots. Clean bathrooms. Quiet camp grounds and easy access to the river. Loading area for kayaks and canoes right next to the campgrounds," mentions Ashley E. The river access point sits adjacent to campsites, making water activities convenient.
Historical experiences: Ingalls Homestead provides hands-on pioneer activities for visitors interested in Laura Ingalls Wilder history. "There's a one-room school house with tours, a barn with animals, a covered wagon ride where you (or your kids) can lead the horse-drawn wagon, opportunities to learn how to make a jump rope, twist hay, wash clothes—all things the Ingalls family had to do," explains Brian C. These activities run throughout the day with most concentrated between 10am-4pm.
Spacious sites: Campers appreciate the generous spacing at Lake Herman State Park Campground, located about 25 miles east of Aurora. "Large spots maintained very well. RV spots have electric. Many spots have shade, some are near the lake, and some with lake views," reports Carrie F. The lakeside sites fill quickest, especially on summer weekends.
Quiet atmosphere: Campground 2 at Oakwood Lakes State Park receives positive reviews for its peaceful setting. "One of the best campsites I've been to! Large lots, campfires allowed, lakes, trails, friendly people and sooo incredibly quiet," writes Lynn A.C. The campground maintains designated quiet hours starting at 10pm.
Convenience for overnight stays: Many travelers use Sioux Falls KOA as a stopover point when passing through the region. "Super easy access as well as easy pull through. Level enough to not unhook. Nice play area and pool. Also a neat little micro brewery walking distance, across the road," notes Jeff G. The campground sits just 35 miles southeast of Aurora with easy interstate access.
Reservation requirements: Most campgrounds fill quickly during summer months, especially on weekends. At Big Sioux Recreation Area, one camper advised, "Definitely will return," but noted planning ahead is essential as the park frequently reaches capacity.
Seasonal considerations: The camping season runs primarily from May through October, with reduced services outside this window. "We stayed here in Aug 2019 - although it was a short visit, we had a nice time. Wasn't busy, kids liked playground, walking path, and checking out Mortimer's cabin," mentions Ason S. about Campground 2 at Oakwood Lakes State Park.
Site selection matters: When choosing a site at River of the Double Bend Campground, consider water access. "We rented kayaks and went up river, then floated to our camp site," says Laura R. The sites closer to river access points cost the same as others but offer better convenience for water activities.
Activity-focused campgrounds: Families particularly enjoy Sioux Falls Yogi Bear campground where organized activities run throughout the day. "Our family spent a long weekend here enjoying all of the activities they had to offer. Everything from laser tag to chocolate milk chugging contests. The sites were extremely well maintained," reports Alec S.
Educational opportunities: For a unique learning experience, Ingalls Homestead provides interactive historical activities. "My oldest son also learned how to drive the covered wagon to the schoolhouse down the road (another treat). Each station on the self-guided tour has an activity with incredibly nice and informed hosts," shares Corinna B. Children under five enter free while others pay $15 per person.
Playground access: When selecting a site at Big Sioux Recreation Area, note that some tent sites border the playground. "The families had to walk right through my campsite to get to the play area," mentions Carolyn M. Request sites away from the playground if seeking quiet, or directly adjacent for convenient access with children.
Dump station considerations: RV campers should note that some facilities have challenging dump stations. At Lake Herman, "the dump station is on a slope, making complete tank emptying challenging," according to visitor reports. Empty tanks before arriving or plan to visit another facility with a more level dump station.
Site leveling requirements: At Pipestone Family Campground, RVers note particular challenges with leveling. "We had a pull thru spot, leveling was tricky," reports S.G. Bring additional leveling blocks as the terrain throughout the Aurora region tends toward slight grades rather than perfectly flat sites.
Hookup variations: RV camping near Aurora, South Dakota offers various hookup configurations across campgrounds. "Pull thu sites are just big enough for truck and camper," notes Jon C. about Sioux Falls Yogi Bear. Most campgrounds offer electric hookups, but water and sewer connections vary significantly, with full hookups most reliably found at private campgrounds rather than state parks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular RV campsite near Aurora, SD?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular RV campground near Aurora, SD is Pipestone RV Campground with a 4.3-star rating from 3 reviews.
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