Pactola Reservoir Campground, near Rapid City, South Dakota, is a fantastic spot for those looking to immerse themselves in nature while enjoying a range of outdoor activities. With spacious sites surrounded by tall pine trees, it’s perfect for setting up tents or RVs and soaking in the stunning views of the reservoir.

The campground offers clean vault toilets and drinking water, making it convenient for campers. Visitors rave about the marina store, especially the broasted chicken, and many have enjoyed renting boats to explore the expansive waters. As one happy camper noted, “The reservoir is huge, and many consider it to be one of the best fishing 'holes' in the state.”

For those eager to hike, there are several trails nearby, including the Osprey Trail, which leads to beautiful views of the lake. The location is also ideal for cooling off on hot days, with easy access to the water for swimming and other water activities. Whether you're here for a quick overnight stay or a longer adventure, Pactola Reservoir Campground offers a welcoming atmosphere and plenty of opportunities for fun in the great outdoors.

## Overview

 This campground is nestled in the pine trees along the south shore of Pactola Reservoir, offering guests lake views and access to a multitude of recreational opportunities both on land and water. Pactola Visitor Center is located in close proximity to the campground, providing opportunities for conservation education and information to visitors.
## Recreation

 Black Hills National Forest offers recreational opportunities for all ages. Visitors can take advantage of opportunities for hiking, fishing, horseback riding, mountain biking, and riding off-highway vehicles (OHVs) on moderate terrain. From Pactola Reservoir, hikers can access the 2.2-mile Osprey Trail which includes two loop trails and a spur trail to an overlook. The trail is named for the ospreys that are often seen in the area. Pactola Reservoir is an ideal spot for fishing and boating. The reservoir is stocked with rainbow, lake and brown trout as well as largemouth and rock bass, kokanee salmon and yellow perch. Record lake trout are caught here annually, and large brown trout find habitat in Rapid Creek above and below the reservoir. 
## Natural Features

 Located in western South Dakota and northeastern Wyoming, Black Hills National Forest encompasses nearly 1.25 million acres of rugged rock formations, canyons and gulches, open grassland parks, tumbling streams, deep blue lakes, and unique caves. Derived from the Lakota language, the words \"Paha Sapa,\" meaning \"hills that are black,\" honor the dark, pine-covered hills rising several thousand feet above the surrounding prairie. Pactola Reservoir is the largest and deepest reservoir in the Black Hills, boasting 14 miles of shoreline and 150 foot depths on 800 acres. The Bureau of Reclamation manages the dam and water. Wildlife in the area abounds. Bighorn sheep navigate mountainous terrain, while elk, deer and pronghorn gather in forests and prairies. Bald eagles, hawks, osprey, peregrine falcon, and hundreds of other bird species can be found in the forest, especially along streams, lakes and rivers. 
## Contact Info

 For facility specific information, please call (605) 574-4402. 
## Nearby Attractions

 Nearby Jewel Cave is the second longest cave in the world at 159.29 miles. It features sparkling calcite crystals and other rare formations, as well as some of the largest concentrations of passageways in the world. Other possible day trips include Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Custer State Park, Crazy Horse Monument, Devils Tower National Monument and Wind Cave National Park.
## Charges & Cancellations

 No refunds wil be given for weather or related events.

Pactola Reservoir Campground

Join the fun near Silver City. With tons of outdoor activities and scenic camping, this is an excellent vacation spot for all kinds of travelers. Silver City is a great camping destination for everyone. There are tons of nearby hikes, adventurous activities, and sights to see. Get the dirt on all the best camping near Silver City. Browse campgrounds by amenities, site types, and more.

Silver City

The Best Camping Near Silver City, South Dakota

Had a great time there. The weather was great , people were friendly. Overall I would stay there again.

Camped with friends

Visited during a trip to the Black Hills when I wanted to get off the beaten path a bit from the normal Black Hills area (ie -Custer, Hill City, etc.  This is a gorgeous lake with some beautiful sunsets and great recreational opportunities.  Not a whole lot nearby if you forget something you will have to drive into Hill City if I recall correctly, but a nice campground and great overall experience!

Great Views

Stopped here on our road trip since it was near Mt. Rushmore. Grabbed one of only a few spots left, but it was an absolutely beautiful, huge spot above the reservoir. Tons of space with our own private pathway down to the water. Gets only 3 stars though because the pit toilet was the grossest one on our whole road trip. It's also "managed," which means there's someone at the check-in taking your money and helping out, but also means the cost was more than we spent anywhere else that did not have flush toilets ($26/night). Lots of happy people with friends partying (seems like a good local place for people who want to use the lake), so I was worried about the noise, but everyone quieted down by quiet hours.

Huge Nice Site. Gross Bathrooms. Too much $$

Centrally located in the Black Hills, this campground is a convenient place to stay while you visit the various attractions of the Black Hills. Our family had a great time swimming, boating and fishing on the lake. The nearby marina has a small store that makes it convenient for any last minute essentials. We would definitely visit this campground again.

Loved this campground

We loved this place. The group site had room for all and private restrooms. We had a wonderful view of the lake making watching the sun rise breathtaking.

A hidden beauty

Primitive campground tucked into the hillside overlooking Pactola Lake. Well maintained and for a fantastic price. Can’t wait to go back.

Stunning view

This is a national forest campground. Vault toilets were very clean and didn’t smell. There are pay laundry machines and showers at the marina store nearby. Also they rent boats and paddle boards. The marina and campground hosts have wood for sale. There is a drive through trash area with several big barrels for trash and recyclables. There is a specified swimming beach, however we were turned off due to all the geese poop! We waded and swam in the water near our campsite. The campground sites are adequately spaced so you don’t feel crowded. There are no tent pads. Most sites can accommodate several tents. Overall a great camping experience if you don’t need the luxury of electricity and sewer hookups!

Beautiful campsites

The tent sites are gorgeous! You may have to move some pinecones, needles, and large sticks, but the grass is quite soft. Bathrooms is clean, but there is only one.

Tent sites right off the water

Gracious camp hosts, nice level grounds for tents, plenty of firewood for sake and the most beautiful views anywhere. My husband and I spent a quiet weekend, relaxing, shore fishing and spending quality time together. Perfect! The onoy thing that would make it better are shower houses

Beautiful and serene

This was a great place!  No electricity or running water but well worth it.  We had a spot just above the lake and plenty of room to do whatever we wanted!  

No crowd

beaty

The campsites are large and rustic. Modern amenities such as boat rentals are available, but I like the more natural camping experiences. We camped in late September, the leaves were turning and the air was crisp and cool. The wildlife is abundant. Pactola lake is deep and clean; the views are amazing and the water is very cold. The proximity to Mt. Rushmore, Deadwood, and Spearfish make this a very nice camping destination.

Rustic, great views of Pactola Lake, abundant wildlife.

Great campground with a beautiful view of Pactola Lake. We only got to stay for one night but we are going back this summer. The camp hosts were very nice and accommodating! I thought the camping pads were a little close to each other but other than that it wasn’t to bad. There was a store close to the camping area that had everything you could want including boats and paddle board rentals!

Beautiful lake area

Huge campsites with views of the lake. Some of the biggest camp sites on our trip. Some had more privacy than others. Both RV and tent sites.

Picnic tables, camp fire pits. Drinking water. Close to the Jewel and Wind Caves and Mr. Rushmore. About 50 sites total, with the best being on the lake side.

Vault toilets only where we were, though other parts had flush toilets.

Nice day use area with access to the lake. Boat ramps. Very popular with locals. A bit off the freeway, so no noise at night. Sites can be booked up to six months in advance, or sometimes grabbed at the last minute if lucky.

Amazing lake views

This campground is unbelievable beautiful. The whole camp is along the lake and offers amazing views of the Pactola Reservoir. Each campsite had a fire pit and a picnic table. There's enough room on one site to put 2 or 3 tents and feel completely comfortable. If you're interested in hammock camping the trees are plentiful in perfectly spaced. The picture I took was just as the sun was going down and I don't believe I have camped in a more breathtaking spot. 

Beautiful Campground with Great Views

We just got here and set up camp.  But we are so pleased with our site. We are on the side closest to the lake and the bathroom is very close! The toilets have running water but there are no showers here. 

Site 12, Great Lake Views

While I wasn’t able to secure a spot right by the water, site 4 in the C loop has great views! It has a great pavement pad, along with a paved path all the way to the vault toilets and water spigot. You are fairly close to other campers, but I knew that coming in. 

Lake Views

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 - as of 9/28/2020 the GPS coordinates for this are wrong on Dyrt.** I submitted a correction, so that might be changed soon, but just a heads up. Dyrt currently has another listing with fewer reviews simply called "Pactola Campground" that is also this campground and has accurate GPS coordinates. You can find that listing here: [https://thedyrt.com/camping/south-dakota/pactola](https://thedyrt.com/camping/south-dakota/pactola)

To avoid potentially heading to the wrong spot, just fire up Google Maps and plug in "Pactola Reservoir Campground" and it'll take you right there.

**EDIT / UPDATE - as of 10/7/2020 the GPS coordinates for this campground are now correct.**

Large, near the water, easily accessible. Summer only though! :(

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](https://thedyrt.com/camping/south-dakota/south-dakota-pactola-reservoir-campground)

The campground is spacious and nice.  The overgrown pine trees in the Black Hills mountains are great for shade.  The water in the lake is the cleanest reservoir lake water that I can remember.  My 4 year old had a blast swimming, kayaking and enjoying the scenery.

Great quiet campground with Amazing scenery

Warning regarding sites 48 and above: these are a parking lot. They are not at all like the beautiful tree filled sites with views in the pictures.  Basically, they pack campers in to a strip of parking and your fire ring and picnic table are over in the grass. Your camp site is two parking spaces wide. and your neighbor or their truck are right next to you, parking lot style. This is an awful place to camp. It should be made tent only with the number of spaces cut in half.

Warning: Parking lot camping sites 48 and up

Reserving a site on Recreational Gov. app can be misleading. The entire upper loop is designed for “tent walk-up camping”  we reserved site 63 and discovered it’s not well suited for a trailer or camper- unless you are ok with camping in a parking spot or packing into the tent site.  The staff accommodated a site change to #6.  Great views of the water and better suited for our setup. 

Pros: scenic beauty of tress and Reservoir, lots of activities- water sports, hiking, and motor bike trails, clean restroom facilities.

Cons: no electricity, sites are close together in all loops, some areas littered with trash. 

Overall we were pleased with our two nights. 



Not Bad! 

This was the second time we camped at Pactola Reservoir and it was great. They are very dog friendly ($2/pet, per night and you have to pay in cash at check-in), which is awesome to find. We have two dogs but saw other campers with 3. The upper loop (I think sites 48+) looked like they are more for group camping in that the sites are very close together but the rest of the campground has spacious sites. We stayed at site 37 in a tent and while it was a little close to the bathrooms and trash, it didn't bother us as much as we thought because the site is huge. The camp store is also well-stocked and came in handy. Overall, we would definitely choose to come back!

So nice!

Stopped one night while going from Montana to Colorado. I've been camping 52 years and this is one of the most beautiful spots I've camped in. Good distance between neighbors--not cramped like some areas. 

Right on the lake. Breathtakingly beautiful. Swimming, many trees, visitor overlook parking. 

While the sites are large there is not a lot of shrub to add privacy between sites. Don't recall any showers here but there are pit bathrooms that were clean. Try to reserve a site on the waterfront side if possible; more privacy and a better view there.

Spacious, not a lot of privacy tho

Only got to stay here for one night on our way to Yellowstone, but had a nice stay. Stayed at site 31 and was easy to get our 38’ MH in and out. No electric, no water, no sewer, no problem. Lake was just down the path and the kids and dogs enjoyed playing in the water. Will be heading back again. There is a free dump station in Deadwood on the way up to the interstate. 

Relaxing

Excellent location for exploring the region, plus a nice lake for cooling off.
Sites are reasonably spaced. My site (12) has a great view over the lake. Several trails down to the shore, plus easy hike at far end (osprey trail). Toilet was clean.

Centrally located 

Vault toilets nearby. Tall pine trees and grassy areas to set up tent. Reservoir is stunning. 

Clean and quiet 

Lots of space and great place to caMp near the beautiful Pactola lake.

Lots of space 

There are a lot of sites spaced out nicely in a wooded area.  The vault toilets are clean and water is available from the many spigots.   Close the reservoir and you can rent boats and pick essentials from the camp store.

Nicely spaced out wooded camp sites

The surrounding woods, the well-maintained sites and facilities, and the wonderful and helpful staff make this my most favorite by far.  

  

The reservoir is huge, and many consider it to be one of the best fishing "holes" in the state. I would agree.  

  

T-Mobile's service was 4 bars. 

  

The prices and inventory at the marina store were great, and you MUST try their broasted chicken. I rented a fishing boat several times, and the marina staff was very helpful and informative.  

  

Give them a try, you won't be disappointed.

Roy

Photos of Pactola Reservoir Campground

Real photos from real campers