Best Cabin Camping near Wind Cave National Park

With views of the Black Hills, open prairies, and pine forests, some of the best camping spots are in Wind Cave National Park. Near Hot Springs, SD, campers can stock up on camping supplies before pitching their tents. Campgrounds around the South Dakota park accommodate RV drivers, and also offer cabins and yurts as additional sleeping options. Backpack through the park watching birds perch calmly on the backs of bison. Elk and pronghorn antelopes also roam the prairies and forests. Campsites by the cave are a prime opportunity to discover the underground marvels that include the famous Wind Cave, and the subterranean chambers known as the Post Office and Elk’s Room.

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Best Cabin Sites Near Wind Cave National Park (74)

    1. Elk Mountain Campground — Wind Cave National Park

    43 Reviews
    Pringle, SD
    0 miles
    Website
    +1 (605) 745-4600

    $24 - $45 / night

    "This is a great campground within the wind Cave national Park. It has both tent and RV parking. The RV parking is somewhat limited and mostly the RVs park along the road."

    "This campground is located in Wind Cave National Park and hardly ever fills to capacity."

    2. Blue Bell Campground — Custer State Park

    34 Reviews
    Custer, SD
    11 miles
    Website
    +1 (605) 255-4515

    "Located in Custer State Park, just a couple miles away from the entrance to the wildlife loop. Lots of great hiking, cycling, and horseback riding in the area, as well as Wind Cave, Jewel Cave, Mt."

    "Blue Bell Campground truly captures the essence of a classic camping experience, with its beautiful surroundings and well-maintained facilities."

    3. Game Lodge Campground — Custer State Park

    27 Reviews
    Keystone, SD
    14 miles
    Website
    +1 (605) 255-4515

    $26 - $55 / night

    "We had easy access to laundry if needed (at the next lodge down the road inside the park) and firewood was available there too for $6/bundle if you wanted it."

    "This campground is open year round and is located in Custer State Park, in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Features cabin, camper, and tent sites."

    4. Sylvan Lake Campground — Custer State Park

    42 Reviews
    Custer, SD
    20 miles
    Website
    +1 (605) 255-4515

    "We snagged an awesome site that was large , wooded , secluded , and quiet ."

    "Our family stayed in a walk-in primitive tent site located on a woodsy hill at the top of Custer. Campsites have a decent amount of privacy, but you are still aware of your neighbors."

    5. Fort Welikit Family Campground and RV Park

    24 Reviews
    Custer, SD
    16 miles
    Website
    +1 (605) 673-3600

    "5 miles from Sylvan Lake, minute to Custer, 30 minutes to Wind cave National Park. Full hookups, level site, good cell phone reception. Lots of space between sites for a private campground."

    "The staff are friendly and I love the showers for they are private little rooms. They have a playground, laundry and these cute little kegs you can stay overnight in. I would recommend this place."

    6. Stockade South Campground — Custer State Park

    18 Reviews
    Custer, SD
    14 miles
    Website
    +1 (800) 710-2267

    $15 - $35 / night

    "Have stayed here in the Camping Cabins seven times in six years. This is the quietest campground in the entire Black Hills-- away from the highway, yet asphalt road leads to entrance."

    "We’ve stayed in several campgrounds in the park and Stockade South is one of our favorites."

    7. Hot Springs / Black Hills KOA

    15 Reviews
    Hot Springs, SD
    12 miles
    Website
    +1 (605) 745-6449

    "We stayed in a Camping Cabin, and it was exactly like you’d expect."

    "Between its location to the Black Hills, hikes, parks, monuments and on site fun our kids went to bed completely wore out each day. The staff was wonderful and the sites were great."

    8. Custer-Mt. Rushmore KOA

    18 Reviews
    Custer, SD
    15 miles
    Website
    +1 (605) 673-4304

    $60 - $100 / night

    "KOA doesn’t disappoint, they could widen their left clearance when first coming into the parking lot from the highway."

    "Tent sites were grass and cozy along the back side of the campground, with firewood delivery we had everything we needed! Bathrooms seemed newly renovated and there were many shower stalls!"

    9. Mount Rushmore KOA at Palmer Gulch

    55 Reviews
    Hill City, SD
    23 miles
    Website

    "This is a huge campground with tons of options which is nice, it also is in a great Central location for Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Custer State Park, Needles Highway, Windcave National Park and Mammouth"

    "We desperately needed showers and a place to park for the night. We knew what KOAs had/have to offer, so we had the right mindset."

    10. Legion Lake Campground — Custer State Park

    14 Reviews
    Custer, SD
    14 miles
    Website
    +1 (605) 255-4515

    "We stayed at a Legion Lake cabin in Custer State Park. The cabin was fantastic - comfey beds, kitchenette and private bathroom."

    "They came down and chatted with us about our Teardrop and then also shared their story of their campers. They suggested a couple places to visit."

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Cabin Reviews near Wind Cave National Park

691 Reviews of 74 Wind Cave National Park Campgrounds


  • Kari T.
    May. 4, 2019

    Plenty Star Ranch - CLOSED

    Ranger Review: Warm, Welcoming Hosts, Countryside Camping at Plenty Star!

    As a Ranger on The Dyrt, I sometimes receive compensation for reviews like this one. We received a coupon code for The Dyrt's online product store in exchange for trying out the new online camping reservation system to make a reservation for Plenty Star Ranch.

    We reserved a campsite for Plenty Star Ranch through The Dyrt, and it was a breeze to go through the process. We were emailed the reservation information, payment was taken via bank card, and it all made the check-in process very fast upon arrival. We needed to change our camping date and all the contact information was in the email, so we called and owner Isa was more than understanding (it was going to storm, then snow, then get really windy for the night we reserved).

    This campground is actually a small, working ranch located right next to a bison ranch, which had just had about four bison calves born in the previous week. They were fun to watch run and play in the field next door. Plenty Star Ranch itself allows you to bring your own horses (for a small fee) and there is plenty of room for them to enjoy. There are cabins, campsites, and RV hook-ups, all conveniently located along the rural Highway 385 north of Pringle, SD.

    We planned to pitch a tent for the night, but the weather has been pretty harsh in the Black Hills this spring, and temperatures were going to be well below freezing overnight. We are hearty campers and planned to tough it out, but owner Isa insisted that we take one of their two cabins instead and upgraded our stay for no additional cost. My boys (8 and 12) and I stayed in their 3-person cabin which has a queen bed and a pull-out twin. They provided all the linens (though we used our own pillows by choice) and the cabin was nicely heated with electric heat. We definitely stayed much warmer that night than we would have been in a tent! It was super cozy and quiet in the cabin!

    The cabin is located about 50 yards from the public bathroom, which is also heated, well-lit, and attached to their garage. Parking is right next to the cabin, making it a breeze to unpack. There is a picnic table on the porch in front of the cabin, where we could cook and eat, as well as a table inside. In the morning I set up my Primus stove and made coffee, which I sat on the porch and enjoyed while watching whitetail deer and Canada geese stroll past. There is a goose nest right on the island in their pond, and I am sure it is neat to watch the goslings grow all summer!

    Tent camping sites are located in one of their former pastures, and we saw plenty of level, gravel RV sites with hook-ups around the main living area. There are two shower stalls next to the cabins that are ready for your solar shower bag to be attached (we thought that would be really fun), and in the off-season they allow guests to use their shower inside the main house. We didn't need to take them up on that since we were only staying one night, but they also invited us up in the morning for coffee and cocoa (usually out on the porch, but it was about 35 degrees that next morning- brr!).

    Isa and Jack (the owners) are very friendly, and were a lot of fun to chat with, I would definitely return to Plenty Star Ranch for another getaway evening or weekend in the future. They currently have plans to move their smaller 2-person cabin up into the canyon behind the main house and put it completely off-grid. It would be a perfect getaway for a couple, and what a gorgeous setting back in the hills!

    If you are looking for a quieter place to camp in the Black Hills, you should definitely consider Plenty Star Ranch, as it is only about 8 minutes south of Custer, but greatly removes you from the hustle and bustle of the tourist towns. It is just minutes from Wind Cave National Park as well, which is a must-do when you are in the area!

    One more thing to note: the only cell service in the immediate area of the ranch is AT&T. We knew that going into the weekend, so planned on not having service (we have Verizon), which for us is no big deal - after all, we were camping! :)

  • Kari T.
    Jun. 13, 2019

    Buffalo Ridge Camp Resort

    Ranger Review: Central Location with Little Highway Noise

    As a Ranger on The Dyrt, I sometimes receive compensation for reviews like this one. We received a coupon code for The Dyrt's online product store in exchange for trying out the new online camping reservation system to make a reservation for Buffalo Ridge Camping Resort. 

    We reserved a campsite for Buffalo Ridge Camping Resort through The Dyrt, and it was a breeze to go through the process. We were emailed the reservation information, payment was taken via bank card, and it all made the check-in process very fast upon arrival. We decided to change from a tent site to a log cabin and all the contact information was in the email, so we called and they made the change for us at the office. When we arrived they handed over the key and off we went. 

    Buffalo Ridge is conveniently located in Custer, South Dakota. It is at the location of the previous Flintstones Resort(my kids miss that place), and some of the playground equipment from the Flintstones Theme Park were located at the campground. My boys loved playing on the teeter-totters and in the old Flintstones car that were there. Good memories. The resort is sectioned into areas- a tent area, the glamping tipi area, two RV areas, and the cabins. There is a main building where you check in and they have a nice little gift shop with trendy, outdoorsy items and camping needs available. The heated pool is coming… they have broken ground behind the main building! However, since the pool is promised on their website, they partnered with another of the Custer Hospitality’s properties, Comfort Inn, which is across the road, and provide passes to the indoor swimming pool there until their pool is done. My sons were thrilled as the night we stayed at Buffalo Ridge it got down in the 30’s- that would have been a very chilly outdoor swim for June! 

    The RV sites are pretty typically spaced, and there are small trees throughout. The tent sites are large, have a fire ring, and some have picnic shelters as well as tables. There are two types of cabins, log (think KOA-style) and rustic. They sleep 4-5 comfortably. Cabins also have fire rings and picnic tables, and there are trash cans right outside the cabin! What a nice touch(you can tell we aren’t in bear country here!). There is a really nice, new laundry and shower facility and a bathroom building with two toilets and a very large outdoor sink for washing dishes. 

    The price for this campground is more than reasonable compared with others in the area! We were happy to see both their tent sites and their cabin prices were about$10 below the local competition. All of the staff we encountered were friendly and helpful, and did their best to insure a positive stay. 

    The log cabin we stayed in did not have A/C, but they do provide a space heater(which we needed in June, believe it or not), but they are situated near the top of the ridge so get a nice breeze. There were two sets of beds inside, one twin bunk and one full-twin bunk. Five could easily sleep there. There is a nice porch with chairs and a swinging bench as well. Our sons asked if we could stay a second night, they enjoyed it so much! 

    Right now (as of June 2019) they are working on installing the outdoor pools, expanding the second RV area(looks almost done), they just paved the east entrance this week, and are putting in more gravel and possibly paving more of the main roads. It is going to be a very nice campground when it is finished, as it already has a great start! There were a ton of RV’s the night we stayed, and they have an employee that leads you to your site using a golf cart, which is always a nice touch. Class A’s fit easily into their sites, as well as RV’s with slides. Plenty of safe room for kids to run around and play as well. All around, we are very pleased to have Buffalo Ridge in our home town and will stay there again just for the fun of it!

    For the techies - excellent Wi-Fi service is included all over the campground, and there is a  very good 4G Verizon signal at the campground.

  • Chad M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 29, 2020

    Buffalo Ridge Camp Resort

    It all depends on what you’re looking for

    The pros:

    • 100+ spaces for campers/motorhomes accommodating all sizes, even the real big diesel pushers.
    • They have small cabins to rent, tree houses, and glamping tent/cabins.
    • The bathrooms are clean and have private showers.
    • There are laundry facilities on site.
    • Full hookup sites.
    • Two swimming pools.
    • Close proximity to Keystone, Custer, Rapid City
    • Each gravel pad may require minor leveling but they are pretty good.
    • A nice picnic table is located at each site.

    The cons: We ended up here because I called 17 other places between Custer and Rapid City and all were full. Many of the sites offered by the competition are nicely spaced out with mature trees surrounding the pads, that’s not the case here.

    • The RV area is tight with a sea of RV’s. For us it’s less like camping and more like a townhouse development. It’s not as bad as the parking lot variety, there is grass between the sites and some trees.
  • C
    Sep. 26, 2021

    Mystic Hills Hideaway

    In the trees

    This was a quite campground for us. All ATVs were shut down by 10:00 pm. They have ATV rentals there and plenty of them. The main log cabin had a small bar area and kitchen, food was good. Tables, booths and center room fireplace. A small room with souvenirs. Sell trail permits there. Maps for trails that leave from camp. They have permanent camp sites as well. Spacious sites but lots of trees to pull around. Pleasant people work there. Pet friendly.

  • Rod
    Sep. 30, 2020

    Elk Mountain Campground — Wind Cave National Park

    In the Prairie and ponderosas

    This is a great campground within the wind Cave national Park. It has both tent and RV parking. The RV parking is somewhat limited and mostly the RVs park along the road. Each campsite has a picnic table and fire ring and the bathrooms have running water and flushing toilets during the warm seasons. There are no showers available. The campground is in the middle of the national park and just outside of the campground there are hiking trails everywhere. You will see herds of Buffalo and herds of deer everywhere. The cave was not accessible due to a mechanical problem with the elevator. It has been an ongoing issue and I would check the website before you go. Not a big loss to see the cave as the hiking was fantastic

  • Angie G.
    May. 15, 2021

    Elk Mountain Campground — Wind Cave National Park

    More than a National Park

    This campground is located in Wind Cave National Park and hardly ever fills to capacity. It is first-come, first-serve and $9 a night until they turn the water on and it increases to $18, but it’s a nice serene area with bison just outside the gates! You are surrounded by wildlife, and they have wonderful trails, 2 of which are pet-friendly. I stayed overnight to camp and got in line early to get tickets to the Entrance Cave tour. The tour was wonderful!

  • Isa K.
    Nov. 5, 2018

    Plenty Star Ranch - CLOSED

    Easy access from Hwy 385 & the Mickelson Trail, friendly, peaceful & clean.

    Privately owned ranch setting with dispersed tent sites, 4 full RV hook-ups under huge old Willow Trees, 1 one-room camping log cabin for 2-3 people and 1 guestroom for 2 in the owners home.Toilet room with flush toilet and cold water sink, outdoor shower building for camping solar shower bags, hydrants with drinking water and electric outlets.Cabin and house guests may use one of the bathrooms/shower in our home.

    Coffee and tea in the mornings is served on our large porch. There you find WiFi and electric outlets for charging your devices.

    Free Parking in designated areas close to all the camp sites. Direct access to National Forest all around us.

    There is an approved large fire pit for campfires, otherwise no other fires on the ground allowed. We normally have fire wood for sale here.

  • Crystal C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 5, 2019

    Elk Mountain Campground — Wind Cave National Park

    Beauty Abounds At This Park

    Passing through South Dakota rests a very unique park unlike any other you will find.    The Wind Cave National Park in its own right is emoting of great majesty, a unique preserved ecosystem in the midst of a world which has moved in and managed to destroy so much of the grassy prairie lands through development.    Passing into the park is passing into a piece of history.   

    While the cave itself is something of a wonder, the park itself is a ground which should also be noted.     It is a place where wild bison roam free, elk pass through and can be found thriving, prairie dogs bark adamantly and so many more unique native animals and plants can be observed and appreciated.

    It is in this area that you will find Elk Mountain Campground.     

    When I drove through this area I wasn't sure what to expect.   The rolling prairie plains were beautiful however did not offer much in way of shade and that somewhat concerned me as I drove closer and closer to camp, however the world began to roll as hills turned and transitioned into a forest of wonder and lush green grasses.   

    The campground looked like a different world from the world which I had been driving in coming from Hot Springs.     Tall trees shaded sites and provided a soft bed for tent campers, large pull ins offered RVs options for a variety of sizes and styles of camping.    Each site was adorned with the standard fire rings and picnic tables and depending on your desire you could stay in a location which was completely shaded or had sun exposure.

    Bathrooms here are flush toilets with running water, including a wash basin room for dishes and though there were not showers it didn't seem to be an inconvenience with all the beauty around.

    Group sites offered large grassy knolls and in some cases pavilions for use and with winding paths around camp to differentiate the loops through sites were close together they seemed to have privacy.

    Although this campground does have an honor box there is also a campground host which does keep track of campers and park rangers patrol throughout the day and evening to ensure safety.     This makes for a very secure feeling camp in such a unique location.

    TIPS:

    • If visiting call ahead to see if the cave is open.   When I visited the elevators were not operating and this limited access to the cave itself.
    • Try hiking in the park, unlike many parks which only allow trail hiking this park encourages you to explore fully.
    • Keep your distance from wildlife.    Wildlife is wild here even if it looks tame they are not!!  Bison can run up to 35 miles per hour and most incidents with the wildlife occur from people trying to encroach upon the animals for photos.
  • Aimee M.
    Aug. 17, 2021

    Creekside Mountain Resort, LLC

    Excellent all the way around

    Crooked Creek is a great option in Hill City. The camp hosts are very welcoming and accommodating and have been coming back to work as seasonal hosts for years (that in itself tells you something.) The campground is well kept with new amenities being added. There are sites with concrete back porches that offer adirondack chairs and fire pits, sites offering furnished wooden decks that overlook the creek, plenty of fish watching and soothing sounds of running water. There are cabins, a Lodge, a fitness center, store, very warm heated pool, playground, a nice concrete and covered stage with seating and propane fire pits that hosts live music thurs-sun. We were able to enjoy listening to CJ and Woody one night with a cold drink in hand, warmth from the fire pit and great company while our kids played on the playground right next to us. Good quality wifi and cell service (hard to find in Hill City), clean bathhouses and a nice walkable campground. Mickelson bike/walking trail is directly behind the campground. There are plans in the works to offer food more regularly (right now, there's a bbg food vendor that comes on some weekends) and an entire new section of camping in the 12 acres they purchased. Some people have complained that the spaces are too tight and they can't get their awnings out because of trees. After driving around Hill City and seeing some of the rv parks calling themselves Resorts, i will gladly take a smaller site that offers some natural shade from the trees. Besides, the wind picks up rather quickly in the area so the awnings have to be watched closely. I wish we had stayed longer.


Guide to Wind Cave National Park

Cabin camping near Wind Cave National Park offers a unique blend of outdoor adventure and cozy accommodations, perfect for families and nature lovers alike.

Explore the Wonders of Wind Cave National Park

Affordable Cabin Options for Every Budget

  • Prices for cabin camping can range from $25 to $50, depending on the season and amenities offered.
  • The Mount Rushmore KOA at Palmer Gulch features cabins that provide a comfortable stay with access to various recreational activities.
  • At the Custer-Mt. Rushmore KOA, you can find well-equipped cabins that cater to families looking for a fun getaway.

Amenities and Activities to Enhance Your Stay

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular cabin campsite near Wind Cave National Park?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular cabin campground near Wind Cave National Park is Elk Mountain Campground — Wind Cave National Park with a 4.3-star rating from 43 reviews.

What is the best site to find cabin camping near Wind Cave National Park?

TheDyrt.com has all 74 cabin camping locations near Wind Cave National Park, with real photos and reviews from campers.