Best Dog-Friendly 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 Dog-Friendly Sites Near Wind Cave National Park (144)

    1. Elk Mountain Campground — Wind Cave National Park

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

    $24 - $45 / night

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

    "Simple campgrounds in Wind Cave National Park. The campground was well maintained and in great condition."

    2. Blue Bell Campground — Custer State Park

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

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

    "This is closest to the southern entrance. We had bison herds South of us and North. We never managed to make it East where the long trail is, which seems to be known for wildlife."

    3. Stockade North Campground — Custer State Park

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

    $30 / night

    "Beautiful area, awesome drive with scenery and WILDLIFE! I thought more about Teddy Roosevelt then Custer while here."

    "Also convenient to Wind Cave national park."

    4. Game Lodge Campground — Custer State Park

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

    $26 - $55 / night

    "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."

    "Our dog grumbled at a few animals that might have gotten too close to the tent for her liking (we are pretty sure just deer)."

    5. Sylvan Lake Campground — Custer State Park

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

    "The area was beautiful with the Needles and the wildlife drives that were spectacular with buffalo , pronghorn ,and deer in your face."

    "This lake is beautiful, its one of my favorite places inside Custer state park. There are a ton of trails, all within easy walking distance. Make sure you pack plenty of water."

    6. Center Lake Campground — Custer State Park

    30 Reviews
    Keystone, SD
    17 miles
    Website
    +1 (605) 255-4515

    $20 / night

    "The lake is cool and quiet, tucked away in the center of Custer park. Several trails and tons of fishing spots. There are vaulted toilets and a shower house."

    "I planned my trip too late to stay at Sylvan Lake campground, but wanted to be near the Needles Highway since that was the reason this park was on my itinerary."

    7. North Pole Rd Dispersed Camping

    33 Reviews
    Custer, SD
    18 miles
    Website

    "This was a great spot despite the thunderstorm I got caught in and nearly destroyed my tent."

    "They’re scattered all along the drive of the mountain. The roads are all dirt going back to the sites."

    8. 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."

    "Turkey and deer walk thru. Has small clean dogpark. Town of Custer has large clean dog park within 2 mile drive. Stayed in 53 FHU 3 nights then moved to 45 W/E as we made reservations late."

    9. Stockade South Campground — Custer State Park

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

    $15 - $35 / night

    "It was probably my favorite campground on our whole South Dakota trip. The bathroom was really nice and clean, the sites were spacious and the campground had lots of mature trees."

    "This is the quietest campground in the entire Black Hills-- away from the highway, yet asphalt road leads to entrance. Near Stockade Lake- beach, fishing pier, boat launch."

    10. Bismarck Lake Campground

    19 Reviews
    Custer, SD
    15 miles
    Website
    +1 (605) 673-9300

    $30 / night

    "August 23-25, 2019 Beautiful park and most of all it is located within Custer State Park."

    "**Campground Review: **

    I chose this campground when I was looking up a quieter campground near Custer State Park. And it turned out to be the perfect spot for what we needed."

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Dog-Friendly Camping Reviews near Wind Cave National Park

1246 Reviews of 144 Wind Cave National Park Campgrounds


  • Art S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 13, 2023

    Cold Springs School Road - Forest Road Pull Out

    Dispersed site for larger rigs

    This is a large open dispersed site. We were able to turn our skoolie around in it. The open overlooks a bit of the area. We didn’t like the open sun here. The other spot closer to the main road had more shade. However this one accommodates larger rigs. SOS cell signal with sometimes text only. It’s just down the road from Wind Cave National Park.

  • Jackie F.
    Aug. 21, 2022

    Kemo Sabay Campground & Storage

    Sunrise Campground

    This camp is under new management and is now called Sunrise. It’s a GREAT spot for going to Hot Springs and Wind Cave National Park.

    There’s a great dog park on this campground with a doggie clean up station. Plenty of sites and shade. We stayed just one night but would be back for sure.

  • 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!

  • Shari  G.The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 23, 2017

    Sheridan Lake South Shore Campground

    Nicely wooded campground near Crazy Horse

    This campground offers over 90 sites along the shores of a lovely reservoir in the vacation wonderland of the Black Hills of South Dakota. Situated within an hour’s drive of many of the Black Hill’s more famous attractions, Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Custer State Park, Jewel Cave National Monument, and Wind Cave National Park, this campground provides a great basecamp for all your regional adventures. Back at camp, you can enjoy fishing, swimming, and kayaking too. After a long day visiting both Jewel Cave and Crazy Horse, it was an easy 20 mile drive north as we were headed toward Rapid City the following day.

    There are four loops of campsites, 3 of which have lake side campsites – which were the most popular sites even on our early-season visit. However, the campgrounds are along a hill so that there are lake views from many different sites. The deeply forested area also provides much shade for those warmer days. The pit toilets were clean, but on our early visit in May the water was not yet turned on – which got us a great discount and it was only $10 per night! Reservations can be made at recreation.gov. High season cost is $26 with a reservation fee of $10 per booking. Firewood is available from the friendly camp host and there is a nearby swimming beach area within walking distance from the campground.

  • Tucker B.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 12, 2021

    French Creek RV Camp

    Great Proximity to Downtown Custer!

    Loved being able to walk to shops, breweries, and restaurants in downtown Custer from here.

    Also had good WiFi and a nice bathroom facility.

    Also enjoyed a quick drive south to explore Wind Cave National Park!

  • 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! :)

  • cThe Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 22, 2025

    Fort Welikit Family Campground and RV Park

    perfect location

    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.

  • Mike C.
    Oct. 4, 2024

    Custers Last Chance RV Park and Campground

    Great Hosts

    This is a nice campground very close to Custer State Park and Wind Cave National Park. The hosts are accommodating and friendly. The sites are basic with full hookups and will fit any size rig, they have clean water and perfect power. The location is less windy than most parks in the area and even though it's next to the highway we haven't heard any vehicle noise. Just a few blocks to beautiful downtown Custer. We had a fantastic stay and know you will too.

  • G
    May. 28, 2022

    Sylvan Lake Campground — Custer State Park

    A top 10 campground

    This campground is one of the best . We snagged an awesome site that was large , wooded , secluded , and quiet . The area was beautiful with the Needles and the wildlife drives that were spectacular with buffalo , pronghorn ,and deer in your face. Very close to major attentions such as Mt Rushmore , Crazy Horse Monument , Wind Caves National Park , and the Badlands . The lake is a jewel with a great hike and granite spires bordering the end of the lake - postcard perfect . I also hooked 5 wild rainbows !! We will return


Guide to Wind Cave National Park

Discover the perfect spots for pets-allowed camping near Wind Cave National Park in South Dakota, where you and your furry friends can enjoy the great outdoors together.

Pet-friendly campgrounds include Mount Rushmore KOA at Palmer Gulch

  • The Mount Rushmore KOA at Palmer Gulch offers a variety of amenities, including electric hookups and a market, making it a convenient choice for pet owners.
  • With features like picnic tables and firewood available, this campground ensures a comfortable stay for both you and your pets.
  • Enjoy the spacious grounds where pets are welcome, allowing for plenty of room to roam and explore.

Dog-friendly activities while camping near Wind Cave National Park

  • At Elk Mountain Campground — Wind Cave National Park, you can take your dog on scenic hikes through the beautiful rolling grasslands and pine forests.
  • The nearby trails provide ample opportunities for outdoor adventures, making it easy to include your pet in your exploration of the park.
  • Enjoy the peaceful surroundings while your dog enjoys the fresh air and natural beauty of the area.

Tips for camping with dogs near Wind Cave National Park

  • When staying at Horsethief Lake Campground, ensure your dog is leashed and well-behaved to respect other campers and wildlife.
  • Bring plenty of water and snacks for your pet, as some campgrounds may not have water hookups available.
  • Always clean up after your dog to maintain the cleanliness of the campground and ensure a pleasant experience for all visitors.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Wind Cave National Park?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly 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 dog-friendly camping near Wind Cave National Park?

TheDyrt.com has all 144 dog-friendly camping locations near Wind Cave National Park, with real photos and reviews from campers.