Best Glamping near Spearfish, SD

They advertise that they have Wi-Fi but it's almost like they shut it off at 10 o'clock at night when quiet time starts which is a great time for looking up directions or places to see, we could never connect for long and streaming- which means no Netflix its against the rules(which we never saw only overheard). They allow fires but make sure you get a metal ring because it's illegal to have a fire in south Dakota if you don't have one they have them but they don't leave them at the sites or let you know they are available. Also no petting zoo we specifically came here thinking they had one because they advertised and after we arrived they informed us it was turned into a dog park i have no pictures but there's not much to see here

Very friendly staff. All the amenities needed. Clean bathrooms and showers. Ample laundry facilities! Don’t forget your roll of quarters! (They have change too) We tent camped in 106 (closest to bathhouse so you can hear air hand dryer but quickest bathroom access). All the tent sites appeared to be very nice. They are drive up! Surrounded by mountains and deer walk right through campground. Location was perfect and within miles of all attractions! We saw some of the other campgrounds in the area and are more than pleased we chose this one! RV sites in the front appeared a little more crowded than those towards the back. Also, had some small cabins and there was ample room for the tent in front of it. We would choose this campground at our next visit! Kids loved the on-site “gold mining” activity!

Stayed in one of the cabins over the weekend, while family stayed in their camper at the Ranch site. Wow, the cabin exceeded my expectations! It was one of the larger cabins with a separate bedroom. It was so clean, I thought it was newly built. Large patio overlooking streams, great views, quiet. Outdoor grill, kitchen with fridge and coffee maker. Comfy beds and tv with satellite. Clean, spacious bathroom. Must bring your own towels, linens, toiletries, etc. Plenty of space throughout the camp. Within minutes of Mr Rushmore, Crazy Horse Memorial, Sylvan Lake, Hill City, and Custer.

I have stayed at this dispersed camping area once during the Sturgis rally. This is a free camping area located Off the main highway between Sturgis and Deadwood, South Dakota. After you pull off the highway onto camp 5 Road there are a few single campsites, but if you continue down the hill, across the dry creek bed, You will find a huge field for camping. The creek bed crossing is fairly easy, especially if you have a SUV or a pick up truck. I probably wouldn’t recommend it with a low clearance car. During our stay, there were Porta potty’s located in this area. I’m not sure if the Porta potty’s remain throughout the summer or if They were placed there just for the Sturgis rally guests. This field area is located a bit further from the main highway, so it’s also a bit quieter. I am aware that this area is also considered an ATV trail head parking area, but we did not see any ATVs during our stay. This camping area does not have any access to water, electricity, or sewer hook ups. The sites closer to the highway will have some traffic noise, but the field area is fairly quiet, And the price for this camping area is awesome - FREE. I did not see any fire rings, and the forest service probably prohibits campfires. This camping area also allows for quick access into Deadwood If you want to visit casinos, historical sites, gas stations, Restaurants and bars, or just grab some groceries.

Location is everything. This was in a hot spot with great shops, restaurants, and entertainment just a short walk away. 

The camp ground was clean but very crowded and sites are tiny. our site had a camp ring and picnic table but we felt like we were in our neighbors space if we used it. The sewage hookup was way too far away so we werent able to use it. water and power worked great. The bathhouse was very nice and private. Wifi available but slow. 

We also had issues with poor camping etiquette. People would just walk through our site, check out our rig, walk their dogs on our site. The park was very tight and close together but there was a whole huge trail right behind that people could use for walking dogs. The Mickelson Trail was gorgeous. 

If your looking for a great place to explore, hike, Mt. Rushmore, and shop this is a great place. If your looking to camp out this is not the place.

I should have checked Recreation.gov to confirm this campground is open before heading there, it would have saved me some time. It closed as of September 11th 2020, and is reopening in May 2021. Looks like May- Sept. is what's planned for next year as well. Boo! Still, glad I did actually go because now I know where I might head next time I'm in the area. Noticed some other campsites in the Black Hills are closed as well, so I might have timed my camping trip to the area poorly. Live and learn. Anyway, about the campground… 

Easy to get to, good LTE reception on Verizon throughout, BIG area with what looks like four different loops, some closer to the water than others. A tent-only area, which I appreciate- those tend to be quieter than the RV spots, and the tent area was close to the reservoir. Standard campsite amenities- tables, fire pits, bathrooms. Swimming seems like an option. Plenty of trees for us hammock dwellers. Could easily see myself spending a few days here when it is open, assuming it isn't too much of a zoo, which large sites like these can devolve into.

NOTE: this is a duplicate listing of another Dyrt listing for the same campground. That listing is under the name "Pactola Reservoir Campground" which is the accurate name according to the Forest Service. That listing has more reviews and info, but has incorrect GPS coordinates. I've submitted a fix, so hopefully they'll fix the GPS for the other listing and merge them, but until then, just a heads up. Here's the other listing: https://thedyrt.com/camping/south-dakota/south-dakota-pactola-reservoir-campground