Campsites near Madison, South Dakota offer outdoor recreation with varied terrain featuring prairies and lakeside settings. The region sits at approximately 1,700 feet elevation with temperatures ranging from summer highs around 85°F to winter lows well below freezing. Spring camping can bring unexpected weather changes, as one location experienced "warm weather, spring rain showers and 5 inches of snow" within a two-week period.
What to do
Hiking trails and recreation areas: Lake Vermillion Recreation Area, located about 40 miles south of Madison, offers restored prairie hiking trails. "There is a very nice sand beach, playgrounds, fishing, star gazing, and four campgrounds... There is only one trail, Otto Stream (no stream, no otters), which is about 1.5m trail thru restored prairie," notes May M. about Lake Vermillion Recreation Area.
Boating and lake activities: Access to water recreation is available at most campgrounds in the area. Walkers Point Recreation Area provides lakeside sites with easy water access. One camper reported, "Fantastic campsites right by the lake. The sites themselves seem a little small and closer together than I would prefer but was a great experience!" at Walkers Point Recreation Area.
Rock formations and quartzite climbing: Unique geological features exist near Madison. "Stunning quartzite formations make for some great climbing. It's a really small park which is both good and bad. The trails aren't very long, but it's not usually overcrowded," says Jessica B. about Palisades State Park Campground.
What campers like
Clean facilities with modern amenities: Campers consistently praise the maintenance standards at local campgrounds. "The bathrooms were great if you don't want to use your own in your camper, but they have laundry and such if you need it. We were close to the showers, pet area and laundry house," noted Angie G. about Sioux Falls KOA.
Peaceful settings with wildlife viewing: The natural environment offers opportunities for wildlife observation. "Spring was coming alive with gobbling turkeys and cackling pheasants; we even got a show from a strutting tom turkey. Overall, a quiet and scenic stay with great wildlife viewing and lake views," shares MickandKarla W. about Lake Vermillion Recreation Area.
Affordability and convenience: Several municipal campgrounds provide cost-effective options. "Small campground in Montrose. Electric hook ups, and a place to dump and fill with water. Pool is across the street which was nice for our kids," explains Benjamin G. about Pioneer/Montrose City Campground.
What you should know
Extra fees for non-residents: South Dakota charges additional fees beyond basic camping rates. "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," explains one camper about Big Sioux Recreation Area.
Seasonal considerations: Weather conditions vary dramatically throughout the year. "We stayed here for one night as we headed to the Badlands. We stayed in one of the four designated tent sites. The park has a lake with a beach area - looked to have quite a bit of algae while we were there in early July," reports Stacia R. about Lake Vermillion Recreation Area.
Water quality issues: Some campsites have reported problems with water quality. "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. Inside the filter was a bunch of black stuff in it," cautions Judy J. about Pioneer/Montrose City Campground.
Tips for camping with families
Playground and pool access: Many area campgrounds cater to families with children. "Our stay here was perfect! We don't usually stay at campgrounds because we prefer dispersed camping but this was great. We requested a specific site and they were very accommodating. We got a spot right in front of the playground which was perfect for our toddler," reports Laura C. about Sioux Falls KOA.
Activity programming: Some campgrounds offer scheduled activities for children. "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," shares Alec S. about Sioux Falls Yogi Bear.
Site selection for privacy: Choose campsites strategically for a better family experience. "Queen is nestled in a wooded area with limited visibility to the sky, offering a more secluded experience. In contrast, King, a recently built campground, sits on the prairie and provides beautiful views of Split Rock Creek. Both campgrounds offer excellent hiking opportunities for the whole family," advises Tim R. about Palisades State Park Campground.
Tips from RVers
Pull-through site availability: Several campgrounds accommodate larger rigs with convenient access. "The sites were level enough that we didn't even have to unhook our trailer for our quick overnight stay. The only issue I will say is that our site was next to the 'Stinky Waste' Water Lagoon and it did stink pretty bad when they started up the pump in the morning," mentions Karen B. about Dakota Sunsets RV Park.
Internet connectivity: Working remotely is possible with varying quality connections. "King also offers free Wi-Fi with a download speed of 22 Mbps, while Queen has no T-Mobile service. However, King provides 15 Mbps of service," notes Tim R. about Palisades State Park Campground.
Hookup quality: Electric and water connections vary by location. "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," reports MickandKarla W. about Lake Vermillion Recreation Area.
