Whether you're a tent camper, an RVer, or just passing through, Lead, SD has a lot to offer. Enjoy the scenic camping, fun activities, and sights and sounds of Lead. Find the best campgrounds near Lead, SD. Read helpful reviews and tips to find the perfect camping option for you and your crew.
"We had a 4WD truck with rooftop tent. High clearance is not necessary for road."
"Maybe 3 spots.. one has hard slant.. no campfire signs all over.. not far to Roosevelt tower.. beautiful views.."
"There are a few dispersed camping spots along this road which also holds the trailhead for Mt. Roosevelt Friendship Tower."
"The first pull of recommended was too steep for our van. We pulled off at a treat spot about 1/4 mile down the road with awesome views. Close to town but quiet"
"Partially shaded with nice views and extremely quiet. Pit toilets down the road a bit."
"Flat, just off the road, dry, among trees, lovely view. Other campers around but still peaceful & private enough."
"There are other dispersed camping sites along the way as well. This spot butts up right next to a cliff with the Boxelder Creek running below and gives good views of the Black Hills to the south."
"I spent my 14 days here. It is a bit noisy because of the trails used by off-road vehicles."
"There is an OHV trail just outside the quarry border, but wasn't used very much. Had just a few people come and stayed the night. Would definitely stay here again. "
"Close to town, from for a couple big rigs or more smaller campers."
"My Son and I stayed here while visiting Mount Rushmore and the surrounding area's other attractions. There's a lot of dispersed spots here but most spots don't have a fire ring that I could see."
"The road to get in was very rocky and steep! We decided to go out a different way and it was even worse then the way in. Luckily our promaster van was able to get us out safely."
"There is a pit toilet at each and several places where others have made fire rings out of rocks. The sand creek has plenty of fish to try your luck at."
"Access to the local creek. Sort of difficult to find a level spot but we made it work. We fit comfortably in a truck camper but I wouldn't go too much bigger here. Good Verizon service!"
RangerThis spot is at the end of a forest road that runs west of Nemo, SD. There are other dispersed camping sites along the way as well. This spot butts up right next to a cliff with the Boxelder Creek running below and gives good views of the Black Hills to the south. No amenities at all here. A high clearance vehicle will most likely be needed to get back to this spot.
GuideMy Son and I stayed here while visiting Mount Rushmore and the surrounding area's other attractions. There's a lot of dispersed spots here but most spots don't have a fire ring that I could see. There's only a few spots that a high clearance vehicle might be required but most of the road can be explored without one.
This is a pack in and pack out site with no facilities; no running water, no bathrooms, nothing. Make sure you bring what you need with you.
Weather was great, very mild. Air was fresh and crisp.
We are planning on staying here again in the future because of it's close proximity to everything and my 6 year old loved it!
TravelerWell-kept road, several spots to park and camp. Some beautiful spots overlooking Deadwood. 5-10 minutes from town. We had a 4WD truck with rooftop tent. High clearance is not necessary for road.
ScoutWas easy to drive in. The road wasn’t too rough. Got there in the dark was able to find a spot, can be hard to see the turn off to the sites at night. Didn’t see many places I would want to pull a camper into but great for ground tents, rooftop tents and camper vans.
GuideWe were in a camper van and the road wasn’t bad, we didn’t need 4WD. There were a few other cars that went by that were camping too, but it was very quiet and peaceful other than that. There were a lot of places to pull off that were flat for a tent or camper, I’d definitely recommend!
LegendThere are a few dispersed camping spots along this road which also holds the trailhead for Mt. Roosevelt Friendship Tower. There was one pull through site that has no campfire signs and then two or three other spots. We seemed to be lucky and got the last open spot. We got here around 4 pm. The site we got was beautiful and had a lot of room for us to pitch a tent. Plenty of trees to go pee in but also an open spot where we could stargaze through the tent. There was some traffic on the road, more than you would think for such a windy gravel road. The first part of the road up until the trailhead had quite a bit of washboard which was a little scary on the sharp curves with steep drop offs. Enough Verizon cell service to text and make calls. Enough AT&T service to get WiFi on our SubaruLink. No water that we saw that we could use or filter. Had some people pull into our spot at different times not knowing it was taken. 9:30 pm was the last one.
GuideWe drove down this road and found a nice area to sleep for a night. The road to get in was very rocky and steep! We decided to go out a different way and it was even worse then the way in. Luckily our promaster van was able to get us out safely. I definitely recommend a high clearance vehicle for this road.
GuideArrived in the general area, but the few decent spots were taken by RVs. There was open space but exposed, found a more private location off a side trail. Trails leading to location were very tame, but offshoot trails definitely require high clearance.
ScoutSeveral spots along the Bob Marshall camp road to pull off and camp. We went a bit more off the path by turning right, going up past a water treatment plant and parking near the end of the road. It was secluded and pretty. Lots of coyotes in the area. No camp fires when we were there due to dry conditions. The road after the turn off was in rough shape. I wouldn’t take a trailer up it, but we were in a large SUV and it was just fine. A great place to disperse camp in the state park. We stayed two nights.
Discover the beauty of dispersed camping near Lead, South Dakota, where nature meets tranquility. With stunning landscapes and a variety of outdoor activities, this area is perfect for those looking to escape the hustle and bustle.
Frequently Asked Questions
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Lead, SD is Mount Roosevelt Road Dispersed Campsite with a 4.8-star rating from 11 reviews.
TheDyrt.com has all 33 dispersed camping locations near Lead, SD, with real photos and reviews from campers.
Keep Exploring
