Whether you're an RVer or tent camper, Custer National Forest, SD is a great place to post up for the weekend—or longer. Camping, hiking, biking: however you want to spend your days near Custer National Forest, you'll find great campgrounds with The Dyrt. You're sure to find the perfect campground for your Custer National Forest camping trip.
A campground on the Ashland Ranger District.__Camp sites: 14 Trash Pickup: NoFirewood: NoNo Reservations: This campground does not use a reservation system, it is managed on a first-come, first-served basis. Be aware the campground may fill up on weekends & holidays during the summer months and you should arrive in the early afternoon to ensure there is a space available for the night. There is a 10 day stay limit.Information:Ashland District OfficeBox 168, Hwy 212Ashland, MT 59003(406) 784-2344
A campground on the Ashland Ranger District.__Camp sites: 3 Trash Pickup: NoFirewood: NoNo Reservations: This campground does not use a reservation system, it is managed on a first-come, first-served basis. Be aware the campground may fill up on weekends & holidays during the summer months and you should arrive in the early afternoon to ensure there is a space available for the night. There is a 10 day stay limit.Information:Ashland District OfficeBox 168, Hwy 212Ashland, MT 59003(406) 784-2344
Diamond Butte Lookout is perched atop a 30-foot masonry tower on Diamond Butte at an altitude of 4,245 feet in the Custer National Forest approximately 40 miles from Ashland, Montana. The lookout was moved from its original location of Yeager Butte in 1958 and was an active fire lookout until 2001. Guests can enjoy panoramic views of the surrounding mountains. This vantage point offers the chance to enjoy sunrises, sunsets and star gazing on clear nights. The lookout is accessible by car, but it is a 200-foot walk up a steep hill to the lookout from the parking area. Guests should be prepared to bring most of their own supplies and gear.
You can enjoy hiking, horseback riding and mountain biking near the lookout. Opportunities are available to enjoy off-road vehicle riding and hunting.
The lookout offers expansive views of the nearby hills and the distant Bighorn Mountains, which are about 100 miles away. Vegetation is sparse, but sagebrush and lupin thrive on the surrounding landscape. Wildlife in the area includes fox, black bear, antelope and a variety of bird species ( bear safety ).
$45 / night
Located next to the Powder River, this site contains a semi-developed, yet primitive, campground popular for fall hunting camps, but beautiful to camp in year round. BLM managed lands are nearby providing hunting and many other recreational activities. Moorhead Campground is also a Special Recreation Management Area (SRMA) that has become a very popular area for many recreationists seeking to get away from it all!
Campground with 7 sites and two day use picnic sites near Ekalaka on the Ekalaka Hills Unit, Sioux Ranger District.Accessible Facilities:ToiletTrash Pickup: NoFirewood: NoNo Reservations: This campground does not use a reservation system, it is managed on a first-come, first-served basis. There is a 16 day stay limit.Information:Sioux District OfficeBox 37, Main & FirstCamp Crook, SD 57724(605) 797-4432
A campground on the Ashland Ranger District.__Camp sites: 4Picnic Site: 1Accessible Facilities:Toilet__Trash Pickup: NoFirewood: NoNo Reservations: This campground does not use a reservation system, it is managed on a first-come, first-served basis. Be aware the campground may fill up on weekends & holidays during the summer months and you should arrive in the early afternoon to ensure there is a space available for the night. There is a 10 day stay limit.Information:Ashland District OfficeBox 168, Hwy 212Ashland, MT 59003(406) 784-2344
Whitetail Cabin sits at an altitude of 4,048 feet in the north end of the Custer National Forest approximately 20 miles from Ashland, Montana. The cabin was built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps. Formerly a ranger station, it is now a registered historic site. The cabin is available year-round and is accessible by car, but guests should be prepared to hike about 100 yards to the cabin in winter, depending on road conditions. Some creature comforts are provided, but guests will need to bring several of their own amenities.
Hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding are popular options in the area. Horse facilities are provided at the cabin. In winter, the landscape is ideal for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. The cabin is popular with hunters during elk, deer and turkey hunting seasons.
The cabin sits in an open area backed by a stand of ponderosa pine. It is located in the Ashland Ranger District, which features a landscape of ponderosa pines and steep rocky outcroppings. Custer National Forest supports populations of bear, mule and whitetail deer, antelope, elk, cougar and bobcat ( bear precautions ). A variety of birds also inhabit the area.
$65 / night
A campground on the Ashland Ranger District.__Camp sites: 2Accessible Facilities:Toilet__Trash Pickup: NoFirewood: NoNo Reservations: This campground does not use a reservation system, it is managed on a first-come, first-served basis.Information:Ashland District OfficeBox 168, Hwy 212Ashland, MT 59003(406) 784-2344
Diamond Butte Lookout is perched atop a 30-foot masonry tower on Diamond Butte at an altitude of 4,245 feet in the Custer National Forest approximately 40 miles from Ashland, Montana. The lookout was moved from its original location of Yeager Butte in 1958 and was an active fire lookout until 2001. Guests can enjoy panoramic views of the surrounding mountains. This vantage point offers the chance to enjoy sunrises, sunsets and star gazing on clear nights. The lookout is accessible by car, but it is a 200-foot walk up a steep hill to the lookout from the parking area. Guests should be prepared to bring most of their own supplies and gear.
You can enjoy hiking, horseback riding and mountain biking near the lookout. Opportunities are available to enjoy off-road vehicle riding and hunting.
The lookout offers expansive views of the nearby hills and the distant Bighorn Mountains, which are about 100 miles away. Vegetation is sparse, but sagebrush and lupin thrive on the surrounding landscape. Wildlife in the area includes fox, black bear, antelope and a variety of bird species ( bear safety ).
$45 / night
Guide
Was a great visit, scored the lot spot of the night, and the pit toilet was extremely clean! Spacious sight with peaceful, great views.
TravelerWe drive 25’ truck camper with Jeep Rubicon in tow. Camp road has two loops. No pull through so we unhooked. Sites are nice size. One clean pit toilet. Road noise was minimal on second loop. Road going in you cross cattle grate and road is doable with some ruts and pot holes. Nice spot.
GuideThis is a dry campground. Each site has a picnic table and a fire ring. There are pit restrooms that were clean. We camped in the first loop in a 35’ fifth wheel. We would have been able to fit in most of the sites in the two loops. Access from the highway was easy and the dirt roads are in fairly good condition. We could hear some highway noise, but it wasn’t excessive. We were here the end of August. We were the only ones in this loop. Four rigs in the back loop.
GuideMaybe 10 sites total in a vacant lot next to a run down laundromat in a seedy looking trailer park. Chickens running all over. At least my dog had fun chasing them.
Two of the sites were flooded. The maintenance guy wandered around later in the day and I mentioned it, he said the owner didn't want to spend the money to fix the busted water pipes. That pretty much sums up this place. They got an extra star because the (filthy) shower, believe it or not, had softened water.
Stayed here one night passing through. Set up the security cameras and kept the pistol on the nightstand.
RangerNice little (and free) campground right off of the highway. Sites were mostly level. There are 2 loops, one which is right next to the road, and the other away a bit. Vault toilets. No trash pickup. No water.
TravelerMy pup and I had a good time here (aside from a sudden thunderstorm). There is no water sources and only vault toilets. The camping sites are well spread out and there is enough room to pull in a rig and park.
ScoutUnfortunately a forest fire bordering the campground has led to it being nearly unusable. Maintenance is minimal.
Scout14 spots available, decently spread out. There are bathrooms with vault toilets and no running water. Great for a quick stop!
ScoutA very quiet campground near Ashland. Beautiful view from the top of the hill. Vault toilets are clean but bring your own TP
TravelerQuiet, right off highway, little to no road noise. Vault toilet only. FREE! Nice level sites, fire pits, huge picnic tables which I estimate to be about 14 feet long.
TravelerNeeded a quick place to setup camp driving across the country. Pull straight in and up to a sight. Bathrooms, but nothing else. Simple tables and fire pits at each site. Beautiful property, mountains in the distance, wood for fires laying around. Perfect for a quick trip or passing through. And free:)
TravelerThis was a cool spot for the night. It was free and far enough away from the road not to be too loud. There were about five other spots taken when I was there, so not too crowded. Beware, you can hear herds of cattle moo-ing at night. My big con is no hiking nearby really that I could find.
RangerThis is a little gem for a FCFS free campground.
Some sites are more level than others, but it was nearly empty when we rolled in so we had no problem finding a site that worked for our class C. We were impressed with the space between sites. It offered a lot of privacy.
More campers rolled in by early evening but the campground was far from full and remained wonderfully quiet. Any road noise heard during the day was gone by nightfall.
Bonus for having a geocache near the entrance if you are into geocaching.
Guide
We stayed for a couple of days while hunting antelope. It’s a quiet campground, close to the highway, serviceable. Would definitely stay again!!
ScoutThis campsite is great! It had all we needed!
Guide
Arrived late in the evening, I made dinner with a brisk wind. Later that night I experienced a dandy of a lightning storm. Nice clean toilet but be aware campsite overlooks some fire damage.
GuideWayside RV is a little jewel! Free WiFi, friendly and personal service, and we feel really safe here because the owners live on site. They are constantly improving the campground, and it’s super fun to have a few farm animals on site!
ScoutWe stayed here for one night while driving across Montana. There are two main areas with about 12 (?) sites total. We arrived at 5pm and had no trouble getting a spot although it did get quite full before dark. Some spots were too small for big rigs and there are no drive thru sites. We did have to level out a bit. Very quiet spot even though it’s right off the Highway. Enough space to explore for kids too.
GuideWe stayed here for a weekend in April. It’s was such a quiet place. There were only a few other people in the whole campground. It’s right off the highway, but not noisy at all.
GuideFound this little place on my way cross country and it was all I needed for one night. Nothing fancy but it does have bathrooms and a picnic table and power if you need it. $25 for 1 night. Cute chickens, a turkey and a bunch of sheep to look at. Free WiFi which was nice.
TravelerI had been driving for 10 hours and when I got there the sun was setting I was pretty tired and stiff from the drive and I bet my dog was to. So I got there and I found a nice spot pretty far from the toilet so I walked my dog there and walked around the trails which are very nice and neat by the way. I was almost expecting it to be too crowded because of how nice it was and it was memorial day weekend but seemed to have lots of available space. I didn't have any firewood with me but I found plenty of sticks and kindling from the surrounding area on the ground nice and dry and had no trouble starting a fire where I brewed cacao. And gave thanks to God for finding this lovely sanctuary! That night was clear and I watched the Stars. I have never seen so many stars! even from my farm house in the middle of nowhere. It was a pretty spiritual experience I had a good night's rest because I did not have rowdy neighbors or hardly any neighbors at all! That morning I packed my garbage gear and I went on continue my journey.♥️♥️
LegendWhat a gem of a campground (in my opinion). There are two loops, each loop having 6-7 sites and it’s own vault toilet. I camped in both loops while the loop to the right is more preferred due to being further from highway noise and the views! Each site has plenty is space. A long picnic table, nice fire ring with grate and gravel drive to back in. There are no pull thru sites. No trash, electric or water so come prepared and pack out your trash. Had a sheriff drive through a couple mornings then the NFS came to clean out the trash people left in the fire pits. Arrived on a Saturday, one loop was full, the other empty. Sunday evening, a little more traffic but still at least 5 spots open. You can stay up to 10 days (free). There isn’t much to do in the area but it is peaceful and relaxing. Ashland doesn’t have much of a grocery store (small merch for smaller hauls) so come stocked with all the food you need. Definitely would stay here again! Had 2-3 bars LTE via AT&T and could work with no issues.
RangerVery cute campsites, with large wooden tables and firepits with new grill grates. Bathrooms somewhat clean. Nice sunset views.
GuideThe owner was very nice and informative. It’s a small campground with about 5 sites on a homestead. As long as you don’t mind chickens and goats, this place was a great place to stop overnight!
GuideGreat place to stop for a night of free camping. Spacious sites fire pits, vault toilets, and picnic tables.
Traveler
Beautiful, easy drive in if the weather's fair. You can drive right up to the lookout and pack your equipment up the stairs. Pretty roomy as far as lookouts go and since it's the plains you can see forever. Tons of hiking nearby and I heard critters all night. Facilities clean and well maintained. Bring everything you need to stay fed, warm, and hydrated, it's remote but worth it!
RangerThis place is great. Coming from the small town of Ashland you'll follow a well-maintained gravel road all the way to the site. If they don't plow it in winter, good luck, but I had no issues in late September. No 4WD needed.
Three sites in a wooded area with pretty solid views because the area around the campground must have burned not too long ago - dead trees everywhere, so no foliage blocking the horizon. Fire pits, a bathroom, and tables. Hammock lovers, you'll be in good shape. Plenty of wood around you can harvest. With Verizon I had a weak cell signal. You won't be streaming Netflix here but you can check email, etc. There's a cabin right down the way that also appears to be rentable so you might have neighbors there. Did hear what sounded like hunting in the distance so if you want to go exploring or have a pet, might want to wear something loud and give your pooch a bright bandana.
Yes, three sites is very small but the surrounding area looks to have dispersed camping going on, although it is in active pasture land so you might find yourself waking up to curious cows.
Wonderfully quiet. Easy to get in and out. Well spaced sites that are free and serve their purpose perfectly. What more can you ask for? Check my photos and videos and see for yourself! Highly recommended!
Camping near Custer National Forest, South Dakota, offers a mix of beautiful scenery and unique experiences. Whether you're looking for a quiet spot to unwind or a place to enjoy outdoor activities, there are several campgrounds to choose from.
Camping near Custer National Forest, South Dakota, provides a great mix of outdoor fun and relaxation. With various campgrounds to choose from, you can find the perfect spot for your next adventure!
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Custer National Forest?
According to TheDyrt.com, Custer National Forest offers a wide range of camping options, with 13 campgrounds and RV parks near Custer National Forest and 1 free dispersed camping spot.
Which is the most popular campground near Custer National Forest?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Custer National Forest is Wayside RV Park with a 4.4-star rating from 5 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Custer National Forest?
According to TheDyrt.com, there is 1 free dispersed camping spot near Custer National Forest.
What parks are near Custer National Forest?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 6 parks near Custer National Forest that allow camping, notably Devils Tower National Monument and Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area.
