Best Tent Camping near Lemmon, SD

Tent camping options near Lemmon, South Dakota are limited but include Isabel Lake, a small established campground with basic amenities. This public recreation area offers tent camping with picnic tables, fire pits, and vault toilets. Located in rural Dewey County, Isabel Lake provides a quiet camping experience with minimal development and an emphasis on outdoor recreation.

Isabel Lake campground features drive-in tent sites with dirt and gravel surfaces. Campers have access to picnic tables, fire rings, and basic toilet facilities, though no drinking water is available at the site. The campground is free to use and does not require reservations. Alcohol is permitted, and pets are allowed, making it suitable for families looking to camp with their animals. During peak summer months, insects can be abundant, so appropriate repellent is recommended. Trash collection is available, but campers should pack out what they pack in.

The tent camping area provides access to both land and water recreation. A review mentioned that Isabel Lake has "a dock, boat ramp and small beach area for wading in," making it suitable for various water activities. The lakeside location offers fishing opportunities and swimming during warmer months. As described in feedback on The Dyrt, "it's a great, wide open lake with a couple back water spots. You can speed around tubing or troll over to one of the shores for some fishing." The campground sits just off Highway 65, providing relatively easy access while maintaining a rural feel. Tent campers should note that the area has minimal tree cover, offering limited shade during hot summer days. The open terrain allows for expansive views but provides little protection from wind and weather.

Map showing campgrounds near Lemmon, South Dakota

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Best Tent Sites Near Lemmon, South Dakota (1)

1. Isabel Lake
2 Reviews
Mobridge, SD
50 miles
"A nice, small, lightly sheltered campground just north of Isabel, South Dakota. Campground on north side of lake has a dock, boat ramp and small beach area for wading in."

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Tent Camping Reviews near Lemmon, SD

19 Reviews of 1 Lemmon Campgrounds

D
Debra P.
Guide
May. 25, 2025
Hugh Glass Campground
It’s not free but it is beautiful !
Memorial Day weekend and there is only one other camper. The campground is run by the South Dakota Fish and Game and the current rate is $16.91 per night with a 14 day max stay. Easy 4 mile drive of highway on well maintained dirt/gravel road.
c
c G.
Guide
Jul. 19, 2024
Raleigh Reservoir
Free campground with electricity
This is actually a campground with vault toilets, picnic tables, and trash receptacles. There is a beautiful lake. ( no swimming).
L
Leslie B.
Ranger
Jun. 2, 2024
Shadehill Recreation Area
Pleasant escape
Very nice campground. What appear to be lakeside sites are actually elevated above the water. Clean vault toilets and also shower house with running water. Lots of big rigs; I felt tiny in my truck tent. Some of the rigs left outdoor lights on all night, so was not a very dark sky location.
GoWhereYouAreDraw N.
Legend
Apr. 30, 2021
Heart Butte Reservoir (Lake Tschida)
Busy boat launch but friendly and respectful campers
Five primitive campgrounds with wells and vault toilets. The two stars are for how this place is taken care of. Not well kept.

Decent fishing for North Dakota. Try your hand at catching crappie, walleye, catfish, perch, white bass, pike, bluegill, large and smallmouth bass. Bait store nearby!
Erica S.
Guide
Jul. 15, 2019
Heart Butte Reservoir (Lake Tschida)
North Dakota gem
We stayed at the less traveled downstream campground. The downstream is a great thing place away from the noise. Stay during week and there is chance you have the place to yourself. Most spots are shaded but a few are out in the open. There is playground and it’s a great place to bike for kids. Fishing is very popular at the stream with locals visiting all day. Noise is minimal even though next to the highway due the dam. Nice cabins are available to rent besides campsites.

Staff is friendly. We had lightbulbs out at the bathrooms and they changed them right away. Spigot is currently locked due to the water quality not testing at potable. Potable water is found at the main site but I would advise not to drink it as it well water

The main lake has a beach, playground and FREE showers. There is a bait shop down the road on Tschida too.
T
Teresa M.
Scout
Aug. 10, 2017
Heart Butte Reservoir (Lake Tschida)
Very nice area
I was there from July 22nd 2017 till July 30th 2017 There care many different camping sites that are off the reservoir. We were at the Hidden Shelter this site is about 6 miles off the main road. There are 4 sites there but we were the only ones there all week. There is a vault toilet and picnic area at this picticular site. Very quiet during the week. Busier on the weekends. Water was nice but did have blue algae during our stay since it was so very dry out there. Sites are large, had a 20ft RV, two room tent, two person tent and a screened in tent in our spot. There is not alot of shelter does gets pretty hot from about noon till 4pm. Off the main road there is the office with a dumping and filling station, showers that were very clean, flushable toilets and sites with electricity. I perterva site that is off the beaten path and the stars every night were just amazing.
West River J.
Guide
Apr. 27, 2018
Isabel Lake
A Good Boating, Tubing, Fishing, Swimming Lake
A nice, small, lightly sheltered campground just north of Isabel, South Dakota. Campground on north side of lake has a dock, boat ramp and small beach area for wading in. Also has picnic benches, small shelter and fire pit. There is also a second dock on the south side of the lake and a shooting range to the north of the campground. Just off of Highway 65, its a great, wide open lake with a couple back water spots. You can speed around tubing or troll over to one of the shores for some fishing.

Isabel has 2 gas stations, a great restaurant in Sparky's Bar and Grill and an RV park. Can catch their summer rodeo the first weekend of August.
L
Leslie B.
Ranger
Jun. 2, 2024
Hugh Glass Campground
Didn't stay
I planned to stay but severe storm was on the way. Drove through to at least check out. Free camping. Vault toilets. Water taps. Campground is on a bluff over Shadehill reservoir in national grassland. Most sites are pretty close together. I would have selected #11 if I had stayed.
It looks almost abandoned since you have to know it is here. Hard to impossible to find info on USDA web. I only knew about it from The Dyrt.
Frank M.
Ranger
May. 1, 2020
Hugh Glass Campground
Perfectly Secluded
Working my way south from Bismark, North Dakota I was on the hunt for the Hugh Glass Monument. I had recently watched the movie the Revenant and wanted to see the area. It was raining and the roads were slippery and empty. I only saw one other person. After finding the monument, I headed on to the empty campground. I had my choice of sites and chose one that was wind shielded by some evergreens. Very peaceful! You do have to be careful driving in though, lots of cows sharing the roads.