Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Wind Cave National Park

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.

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.

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!

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! :)

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!

Kept our camper there while we did a night of backcountry camping in Wind Cave National Park and we really liked how private and quiet it was. We felt safe leaving the camper there overnight. Definitely recommend!

In the off season, you get bare bones ie a pit toilet. Lots of space for tents and rvs. The RV sites do have water. You check in by filling out a slip and using the envelope provided. There is a beautiful open expanse to hike a buffalo literally right outside the camp ground. Take a tour of Wind Cave National Park while you’re there too.

This is a dispersed site that is near the entrance to Wind Cave National Park. The road in is wide and smoothly graveled. This spot has room for a small camper - our bus backed in fine. The trees hug you keeping you shaded. We didn’t have much Verizon signal. It fluctuates between sos and just text. This was a great discovery. The Dyrt entry says cold springs road but the road sign said rifle pit road.

Love love love! Stunningly beautiful, breathtaking, rush to this place if you haven’t been. It’s AMAZING! Yes I am shouting but I am in awe of this place. Maybe it’s because I am from Louisiana and this is so very different from bayous and alligators but this is the sort of place that you leave wanting more! I highly recommend you visit. We barely scratched the surface of the wonders in this place during our visit. Also convenient to Wind Cave national park.

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.

Simple campgrounds in Wind Cave National Park. The campground was well maintained and in great condition. The location can't be best as you're only 1 mile from the visitor's center and central to the park.

There is a hiking path nearby that gets you up so you can view the amazing area surrounding you. We heard lots of animals through the night and loved it.

Our only complaint was that the lights from the very simple bathrooms were so bright at night they ruined our night vision. Do not choose a site near the bathrooms.

First, the hosts were great. 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. This is a campground that is made for 5th wheels and big RVs so they made us feel comfortable with our TD. The location can't be beat. We did Rushmore, CrazyHorse, Custer Park, Black Elk Peak, Wind Cave National park and some just piddling. It is right across the street from the lake. There may be better places, but this was perfectly located.

Definitely bringing the daughter and granddaughter next year! Beautiful area, awesome drive with scenery and WILDLIFE! I thought more about Teddy Roosevelt then Custer while here. Roosevelt was all about wildlife , etc. the park has the animals you relate to “the West”. The park had the feel of cowboys/covered wagon era. I enjoyed my visit so much, a surprise around every curve. Wind Cave National Park and the Badlands are an easy drive from here so you can continue the experience. Nice campground , well maintained and nice staff.

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

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.

This is very nice privately owned campground. The staff was simply incredible! We were originally setting up on the sunny side of the creek in our tent. When they saw that we were going through great lengths to maximize our shade, they offered to switch our site to the shady side, and even helped us move. Note: The creek sites closest to the road get the afternoon shade. The campsites have have adequate space but are not particularly private. The campground is situated in an open, grassy field with a creek running through it. The only shade and trees are directly on the creek. Looking across the creek from my tent up front in the photo provides a good idea of creek-side campsite spacing. There is a shower house (Although very clean, 3 out of 5 for overall feel--I've seen better and I've seen worse). There is a small pool, playground, store, diner, and a dishwashing sink. There is laundry in both the men's and women's restrooms.

The campground is directly on the Iron Mountain Road and finding the time to drive through the tunnels and pig-tails is a must, but leave any trailers at the campground first. Driving the pigtail section of 16A toward the campground is recommended for that amazing view of a tunnel framing Mt. Rushmore. Nearby there is a treasure trove of outdoor activities including: Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Jewel Cave National Monument, Wind Cave National Park, and Custer State Park. Privately owned parks boast daring alpine slides, and zip lines (so much fun). Wind Cave National Park boasts a thriving buffalo population--expect a buffalo jam if you drive that way (which is not required to access Keystone or Rushmore, etc.)

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

Nice camp ground, well maintained, clean, quite, nice showers and bathrooms. Staff were wonderful and helpful, very nice and family oriented. We stayed in a tent site. Water was close by and we did not need electric. They run a little coffee shop too and it was amazing, the kids loved the smoothies that they made. Pool was cold, but clean and looked inviting, but it was the end of may so that is normal. Laundry room was clean and easy access. They have everything you might need in the main office. Close location to get to anything. Loved Custer state park, visited spearfish canyon, bear mountain look out, wind cave national park, so many things to see. We would definitely stay again. And 25$ a night was a good price.

I had some time to kill while my wife took my two oldest kids through the caves and I had the three little ones with me. We took a drive through Wind Cave National Park. Our drive was quicker than expected so we stopped at the Elk Mountain Campground.

It was beautiful. There were campsites on the bottom of the hill and on the top of the hill. The campground was clean and had space for RVs and spaces for tents. It was a good mix with a fire ring in every campsite. The campground was only half full in June. It is also conveniently located only about a mile from the Visitor's Center where the cave tours begin.

If you have time for a hike, checkout Rankin Ridge Trail.

If you are going to visit the Wind Caves it's worth spending a night at Elk Mountain Trail.

We stayed at the campgrounds for two nights while visiting the Black Hills in early August. We stayed for a Friday and Saturday night. The campgrounds are tucked back in the woods which makes for a beautiful morning, though because it's located off a pretty busy road it's probable that it may not be as quiet during more busy seasons of the year. The camp hosts are very kind and helpful and can gladly recommend local sites depending on the visitors interests.

The campgrounds is located about 5 minutes from Mount Rushmore and is a great central point for other popular sites, such as the Black Elk Wilderness, Custer Park or either Wind Cave National Park or Jewel Cave National Monument.

Despite being out in the woods, the campsites are located very close to each other meaning that if you're stuck next to three noisy men, as we were, you're going to hear their entire conversation about car engines and their friend Mike's relationship with his wife.

We stayed at the Elk Mountain Campground in Wind Cave National Park in January 2016. It was definitely the LOW season, as roads were a bit icy and we were the only campers all weekend. During the off-season, part of this campground is closed off, but there still remains an ample amount of campsites available, including pull-throughs. There is a pit toilet building in the center of the campground. Flush toilets and water are available during the busy season. The campsites are situated in a small valley, placing it away from noise and traffic, aside from bison and other animals that might wander through. Each site has a picnic table and fire ring, and firewood is available for purchase at the campground entrance. Best of all, this campground is located very close to the Visitor Center, even up for a hike on a nice day (not in January!). Speaking of hiking, one of Wind Cave's Nature Trails is located off the back loop here, the Elk Mountain Nature Trail. There is also a small, semi-dry creek that wanders along the northern edge of the campground. Please note via NPS.gov: the Elk Mountain Campground will be closed from noon, August 5, 2016 until the morning of August 7, 2016.

On a 3+ week road trip, we stayed at Beaver Lake Campground for 4 nights and used this location as our ‘home base’ for the entire extended area in South Dakota: Badlands NP, Rapid City, Black Hills national forest, Mt. Rushmore, the very large Custer State Park, Wind Cave National Park, and the variety of scenic byways that connect them. It’s about 90 minutes away from the Badlands, but it was worth it to drive back out that direction rather than a.) having to camp at a separate site for only 1 night and b.) having to camp in that environment, which is generally much hotter and more arid than the Custer area within the Black Hills.

The campground is located about 3 miles outside the main drag of Custer, which is a great location for exploring the area. It is large and predominantly an ‘RV’ style campground, though they also have some small cabins that you can rent. They have laundry on site (which is nice when you’re on a road trip), a small camp store with everything that you would need, and the campground hosts are very nice and accommodating. The bathhouses weren’t the greatest (a little dirty and the woman’s shower stall in the bath room near the pool had a broken shower hose which sprayed me in the face when I was showering - quite annoying!), but they were conveniently placed. The pools looked nice, but with so much to do in the area we honestly did not spend any time in the campground during swimming hours so I can’t comment much on them. In general, everyone that we met at the campground seemed extremely nice, our particular camp site was beautiful, large, and well-situated, and the campground had everything that we needed (and more) in a fantastic location. Pretty close to perfect!

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.

This is a great place to stay. Not far from Rapid City but close to all the attractions in South Dakota. The heated pool was NOT heated and the hot tub was NOT hot. That is why I gave the CG four stars. I was really looking forward to using them. Also, both seemed overloaded with chemicals. I have owned lots of pools with blue colored bottoms, but these looked like there was “Ty-d-bowl” added. Brilliant, stark blue. I just don’t believe it can be just the basic treatment. See what you think. ???The laundry areas (3 of them) were clean and tidy, too. $2.00 for each, but 45 minutes on the dryer, so that’s fair. 😀 Our spot was a bit difficult for us to level our rig on because the rocks kept slipping. We had to go purchase extra Xchocks. There is a nice store for basic needs, and alcohol, and an event schedule for evening entertainment. The event center serves wings (no celery or carrot sticks), pizza, etc. There is a playground for kids and they said a dog park. —-I did find a big area there, but no fence around it. ???