The Hartford area offers campers convenient access to lakes and recreational areas with elevation ranges from 1,400 to 1,600 feet above sea level. Situated in southeastern South Dakota, this region experiences hot summers with temperatures often exceeding 85°F and cold winters that drop well below freezing. Most campgrounds remain open from April through October, though several offer year-round access.
What to do
Water activities at Lake Vermillion: The lake provides opportunities for boating, fishing, and swimming during summer months. "We stayed in site 43 which offered a beautiful lake view, which we enjoyed during our peaceful four-night stay in early May. Verizon had 3 bars, T-Mobile had 2, and our T-Mobile house internet clocked 207 Mbps down/3.49 Mbps up," notes a visitor to Lake Vermillion Recreation Area.
Hiking trails: Big Sioux Recreation Area features multiple walking paths along the river. A camper mentions, "The showers are great, the walking trail is great, and the spots are nice and spread out. Overall a great park!" The park maintains trails year-round, making it suitable for both summer hiking and winter snowshoeing.
Wildlife viewing: Farm settings provide unique animal viewing opportunities. At JRs Camping Oasis, visitors can interact with farm animals. "Come play with the animals! Situated on farm style land, this is a great place to get away from it all. There are farm animals on the property, including baby cows!!"
Rock climbing at Palisades: The quartzite formations at Palisades State Park offer climbing opportunities. "This is a sweet little tucked away oasis near Sioux Falls featuring trails, bluffs and climbing options. Great views and clean camp sites," shares one visitor.
What campers like
Clean facilities: Campground cleanliness ranks high among visitor priorities. At Dakota Sunsets RV Park, "The super nice and informative couple who own the campground checked us in and then we were escorted to pull through site 41 with FHUs. The CG was well taken care of and very clean."
Spacious campsites: Many campers appreciate the extra room at certain locations. "The sites were extremely well maintained. Restrooms were aging but were well cleaned and taken care of," writes a visitor to Sioux Falls Yogi Bear.
Internet connectivity: Working campers value reliable connections. At Lake Vermillion Recreation Area, "Verizon had 3 bars, T-Mobile had 2, and our T-Mobile house internet clocked 207 Mbps down/3.49 Mbps up. Satellite reception should be fine in most sites except site 45, which is heavily shaded."
Pet-friendly policies: Almost all campgrounds in the Hartford area welcome pets. One camper at Sioux Falls KOA noted, "Awesome pet-friendly stopover. The pet areas were awesome! In fact, Sioux Falls is a very dog-friendly city and was able to take my dog everywhere!"
What you should know
Additional fees: Non-residents face extra charges at state parks. A Lake Vermillion visitor reports, "We had already paid the $30 a night plus $10 nonresident reservation fees, to find out starting this year we needed to pay a non-resident $15 a night state park fee or $60 for a year pass."
Highway noise: Some campgrounds experience significant traffic noise. At Tower Campground, "Coming off the exit, GPS wants you to make a u-turn to get to the property on the other side of the road. Not easy with toad! My site backed up to the highway and was very loud."
Limited tent sites: While RV options abound, tent camping has fewer designated areas. At Pioneer Campground, you'll find primarily electric hookup sites with limited tent-only areas.
Seasonal differences: Spring and fall offer quieter experiences with fewer crowds. "We stayed here the end of March so it was very quiet. We stayed on the lake at site 13. It's a small lake. Very quiet and dark," notes one camper about Lake Vermillion.
Tips for camping with families
Playground access: Palisades State Park Campground offers kid-friendly amenities. "Spacious campsites right by the lake if desired. Plenty of things to do for kids with nice playground areas and hiking trails," notes one visitor.
Swimming options: Several campgrounds provide swimming access. At Pioneer/Montrose City Campground, "Pool is across the street which was nice for our kids."
Family-focused activities: Sioux Falls Yogi Bear offers structured entertainment. "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. Saturday night was the yogi bear parade and it was the highlight of our entire stay."
Wildlife education: Spring and early summer provide wildlife viewing opportunities. At Lake Vermillion, "Spring was coming alive with gobbling turkeys and cackling pheasants; we even got a show from a strutting tom turkey."
Tips from RVers
Electric hookups: Most pet-friendly camping near Hartford, South Dakota offers electric-only sites. "All sites here are electric only and nicely spaced apart," notes a Lake Vermillion visitor about the east campground area.
Dumping stations: Plan for separate dump station locations. Big Sioux Recreation Area provides sanitary dump stations, but they may be located away from your campsite.
Leveling needs: Site conditions vary across campgrounds. At Tower Campground, "My gravel site needed more gravel to be level."
Water quality considerations: Some locations have water issues. At Pioneer/Montrose, "It was an easy drive-thru. Well kept up. But the water is bad there. We use a filter on our water hose. It still messed up our faucets and toilet."
