We all love roasting marshmallows over a campfire—and you can often still do that while cabin camping in Watertown. The Dyrt can help you find the best cabin camping destinations for your next trip. Each cabin offers quick access to one or more of Watertown's most popular destinations.
Open: Year-round. Between Oct. 1 and April 30, showers, flush toilets and other water systems may be closed. Please contact the park directly for current status. Vault toilets usually remain open.
Park Size: 17 campsites and 2 camping cabins
Directions: 5 miles west of Watertown off US Highway 212
Nearest Town: Watertown
Fishing, boating, swimming, & water skiing keep everyone entertained. Visitors enjoy hiking, the archery range, multipurpose trail, & hunting. Camping pads & Electricity are available year-round. Camping cabins are available. For thrill-seekers, there’s snowmobiling, cross country skiing, and ice fishing in the winter.
Shaded campgrounds and picnic areas complement the park's excellent swimming and boating facilities. The park was once used as a summer camp and an annual gathering spot for American Indians. Later, Samuel Mortimer arrived in 1869 and built the log cabin that still stands at the park.
$26 / night
Shaded campgrounds and picnic areas complement the park's excellent swimming and boating facilities. The park was once used as a summer camp and an annual gathering spot for American Indians. Later, Samuel Mortimer arrived in 1869 and built the log cabin that still stands at the park.
$26 - $55 / night
We are located in the glacial lakes region of northeast South Dakota. We are in the town of Summit with easy access on and off of I-29. Seasonal and nightly sites available.
$10 - $50 / night
Camp on the Open Prairie Camping at Ingalls Homestead is a unique way to experience the prairie. All sights are located on the land Charles Ingalls homesteaded. With just a handful of sites - 4 covered wagons, 1 bunkhouse, 4 RV sites, and tent camping - the prairie doesn't feel crowded.
This state park is a little hidden gem on the Minnesota border. Nestled between Lake Cochrane and Lake Oliver, ample fishing, boating, swimming, and hiking opportunities await your family camping weekend! Reservations may be made online for our spacious electric campsites or log camping cabin. Bring family or friends to enjoy the scenery of Lake Cochrane Recreation Area while settling into the cabin. Four can sleep comfortably in the set of bunk beds and double bed. Inside is a table and benches; outside, a porch, picnic table and fire grate.
New owners! We are a quiet, 40-site, full hook-up RV campground in Big Stone City, South Dakota, located on scenic Big Stone Lake, a 26-mile-long South Dakota / Minnesota border lake. Public lake access just next door. Boating, fishing, hunting, golfing, hiking, biking, swimming, birding, wildlife photography, shopping and great restaurants are available in the area. Like us on Facebook! RVCamping109.
Guide
Super cool hiking trail around Scout Island! Great history at Ol Mortimers Cabin and the old military fort. Kayaking, boating, fishing, and swimming are excellent!
Ranger
We stayed here in Aug 2019 - although it was a short visit, we had a nice time. Wasn’t busy, kids liked playground, walking path, and checking out Mortimer’s cabin. Electric hook-ups.
RangerGreat place for horseback riding and canoeing, plush boating and fishing. In addition to natural beauty there are games to rent, playground, etc.
Yay: Choice of traditional campsites or cabins.
Nay: campsites are very open and unshaded. Only a few are by the water.
Surprise: the park seems small but there is sooo much to do here.
Scout
Very friendly staff, very well kept. The showers & other facilities we're cleaned every morning. Maybe more. It is clean At 21.00 it is a bargain. The sites all have electricity, picnic tables & fire ring. Lots of firewood available for donations. Nice place on South Dakota side of Big Stone lake.
Scout
Camp host greeted us upon arrival and helped put water on. We stayed 2 nights, in town for a wedding. Most of the sites were flooded with only 3 available, we were the only TT along with the camp host. Showers were clean and ADA. The beach was mere feet out the rear of the trailer. Watertown is close with plenty to do if one needs to wander.
Guide
What an amazing little gem of a place! A former resort, now home to just 12 full hook up RV sites, a couple of cabins, and an amazing supper club that opens at 5:00 daily. On the shores of Big Stone Lake. A nice beach and a boat landing. There are normally no open sites, we are told, as they are all rented for the season. We got lucky because there was a site available, said Elmer. So we showed up and we’re greeted by the super- friendly residents who helped us into our site. At five we went down for supper- enjoyed a cocktail, a fantastic steak, then another drink while we watched the sun go down. Just perfect. If you can’t camp here, check out the state park - then come over for dinner!
Legend
I spoke with a man who remembered when he used to come here to fish with his Dad. That was enough to encourage a stop here. We followed the signs and ended up at the west campground. There is another one on the eastern shore. It seemed like there are only a few campers here but a group of kids and their chaperones showed up later at night. They were loud enough to be heard but kept together politely- good to see programs bringing people out into nature. It also looks like they had a full weekend due to the reservation slips still on the posts. Well tended grass abounds and the openness leaves room for the breeze. It might be different in a heat wave but the sun and breeze combo is quite relaxing and is keeping the bugs away.
We walked around camp and found cabins sprinkled throughout. A vault toilet is right next to the shower house leaving me wondering why they’re so close. A book exchange, playground, volleyball and horseshoe pit give entertainment options. A groomed trail leads right out of camp- bug spray needed for the trail. A boat launch and day use area is around the bend. This State Recreation Area has plenty to do and is beautifully maintained.
This is a great option for tonight!
Legend
This is a truly magical place, and if you’ve ever read any of the Little House on the Prairie books and are anywhere near De Smet South Dakota, do yourself a favor and swing by.
The Campground
The Ingalls Homestead consists of two main parts. First is the "campground," which is a basically a large grassy slope where you can set up your tent for just $10. It includes hot showers, flush toilets, and a few picnic tables and fire-pits throughout the field. There's also fairly basic RV parking for $30 with electric and water hookups and a dump site as well as some basic but cool covered wagons for $60. We arrived just as the sun was setting, found a lovely spot for our tent, and then paid in the shop the next morning. The bathrooms were clean, the showers were a little strange but also clean and hot (basically a large room cordoned off by several shower curtains).
The Homestead
De Smet is where the Ingalls family lived during the "Long Winter" of 1880-1881, and the Ingalls Homestead is a "family run business" that brings to life many activities from the 1880s such as visiting a one-room schoolhouse, making a corn on the cob doll, going on a covered wagon ride, etc. It's truly hands-on and some of our favorite time was spent hanging out in "Pa's" lean-to barn with the barn kitties and riding horses and ponies. My oldest son also learned how to drive the covered wagon to the schoolhouse down the road (another treat). Each station on the self-guided tour has an activity with incredibly nice and informed hosts. Most of the buildings are based on the original plans and descriptions from the Ingalls family, though no original buildings remain on the site. Visiting the homestead is an additional $15 per person over the age of five, and while you could camp without visiting the homestead, it was definitely worth a half or full-day visit.
GuideNice pebble beach, playgrounds, and walking areas. Flat camper parking. Power was great and showers were clean. Electric only. There is an area to dump waste on the exit. Stopped on Sunday on the way westward and the place was empty, stopped Friday on the way home and it was packed. Lots of kids and families, and almost every spot was full. Happy to see folks having fun. It was just a little busy for us. On the second time through one of the three bathrooms was very dirty, sad before the weekend- the showers remained clean. On the Friday stop there were a lot of people, some spots had 3-4 cars parked in the grass- it was too bad they allowed that. If one was to go here to find some quiet do so during the week or late weekend. It worked just fine as a quick overnight stop on our route. Lots of families having fun. Slept well. Well groomed area. Pretty views of lake. A little windy.
Guide
We stayed at campground 1 number 36 it was the perfect pull through spot to set up for the weekend! The bathrooms were very clean which made the stay 10 times better:) we celebrated my birthday there for the weekend and it was just PERFECT!
ScoutVery nice, our spot was large with electric. Quiet this weekend. 50 Amp service.
RangerNice place to stay! We visited on our family vacation in Aug. 2019. Lots of frogs here! Playground was at the other camp loop, but we spent some time playing before we left. Found some geocaches in the park, which was fun! The swim area was nice, no sand, but a nice place to swim where the water was clean! Camp site was a nice spot with privacy. Electric hook ups.
Guide
Nice little stop on your travels up or down I29. Located in a cute little town, with a multitude of spots that can accommodate even the largest RV. Full hookups available, even when it's below freezing. The office has propain, ice, and some food supplies available. Bathrooms & laundry. The spots are mostly side by side, with grass patches between though there are bigger campsites available. A gas station with multiple fast food options is located just down the highway. Would definitely stay here again when traveling through.
TravelerThis is a welcoming experience with hosts who are happy to make your stay comfortable. It is near a very small town and close to the Interstate (less than one mile). The pull through sites are somewhat close together with no foliage to offer privacy but it is clean and well kept. We decided to stay in a back-in site further away from the office and pull through sites. Before we were even set up the host had brought us a beautiful, little picnic table and set it out front for us. They gave us leaflets about the area and we talked fishing possibilities with them. They have laundry and showers available as well as bait, ice, and I think even propane. We extended our stay here as it was a great place to just chill and take some exploratory drives. Although there isn't much shade to offer protection from the sun, they do have full hook ups so we could run air conditioning. We would definitely stay here again.
ScoutStayed here while moving across the country because there wasn’t much else available. It was a nice surprise that it was as good as it is. Well kept up and reasonable prices but man was it tight! Very crowded and the owner was one of those folks who wants to help you back in whether you need help or not. There is a big gas station just out of town near the highway so it’s a convenient place to refuel and recharge for another day.
GuideThe bathrooms are amazing for a campground. One of the few places I've ever camped where you get a full bathroom to yourself. Plus it was very clean. Seems to be a family oriented place rather than a "nature/wilderness" type of camping experience. Lots of groups gathered and up late hanging out, kids running through campsites. I got very quick responses via email from this place too which was great.
TravelerDespite being close to Brookings this park is quiet and i didnt find it very full. Nice place to go camping, especially if you are looking to go birding for waterfowl or fishing one of the nearby lakes.
TravelerWe visited during the week so we pretty much had the campsite to ourselves!! They have a playground which my 4 year old son loved! He can’t wait to go again! Bathrooms were clean and nice!
GuideOne of the best campsites I've been to! Large lots, campfires allowed, lakes, trails, friendly people and sooo incredibly quiet.
ScoutThis state park in eastern SD is a great t place to camp, there are two modern camping areas, a swimming beach several boat launches, handicap accessible fishing dock. There is a a horse trail and trail campsites.
TravelerBig mowed lots,trees or open spaces if you want.
GuideCamped in the more open area (72E in campground 2). Large grassy sites with fire pit and picnic table. Clean bathrooms with hot showers. Nice path around lake for walking the dog. Lots of families having a good time! Very pleasant evening.
ScoutReally a nice little park! We have been camp hosts here for the summer. Had never been here before, didn't know it existed. 30 back in sites with #30 being host site.
LegendVibe: Almost empty on Monday night. Quiet natural lake setting.
Cleanliness: Exceptional.
Facilities: Updated and well maintained.
General spots: Good size, good spacing, ok privacy. Lots of trees
Our site: 20. Across from our site was a little trail down to the lake. In the evening we saw tons of fish and an otter. The electric hook up is pretty far from the picnic table/fire ring area. Have a long cord.
Noise: Only 4 sites were occupied out of 30 or so. Completely quiet all evening.
Cell signal: Good (Verizon)
Other: Spectacular sunsets and sunrises. Cell phone pictures do not do it justice.
RangerThis was a nice find! Sites pretty close together, especially those in the middle. Some, however, were right on the lake or had paths that lead to a picnic table & fire ring closer to the water. As another reviewer mentioned, one of the loops has sites that are not very level. It was not a problem though. Trails seemed nice & it was a nice surprise to find the dock & bridge near our site. Beach was nice! It was a decent walk there, but at least had a trail to the beach. Nice playground too.
GuideThere are 2 separate camp areas with 2 completely different types of sites. The sites near the lake are very wooded, a bit smaller and pretty uneven. The sites themselves are even but your canopy might be overhanging a slope. That being said, we really liked the sites near the lake because we like the trees and lake views. The upper sites are HUGE and very near nice! The bathrooms where clean as well as campsites. We will be going back!
GuideVery nicely maintained campground and facilities. Mid week stay so nearly empty.
Cabin camping near Watertown, South Dakota, offers a unique blend of outdoor adventure and cozy accommodations, perfect for families and nature enthusiasts alike.
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