Palisades State Park Campground

This was a wonderful spot.  Lots of really nice short hikes down by the water which was really beautiful with the cliffs on the water.  Sites were very nice and clean.  We were able to get a site on a Friday night last minute by calling ahead.

Totally new entrance with easy access to new section that will handle larger RVs with toads. Open area with no shade but easy placement for satellite reception on RV or ground. New hard surface roads with gravel sites.

We stopped here for one night, site 29E. Really nice area except there was a bunch of wasps invading our space as there is some sort of fruit tree above. Nice space, so clean, lots of amenities. Park rangers stopped by to say hi. There is a train you can hear during the night. Almost all the sites were full, mostly RVs.

We enjoyed our stay in site 10. It was a large site, though on a busy weekend the proximity of 7, 8 and 9 would be bothersome. They have RV/Camper sites, tent only and adorable camper cabins. We were very happy to stay somewhere without a fire ban. The park is also close to Split Rock Park and Devils Gulch. There is plenty of hiking and it is only about 30 min from Sioux Falls. Overall, after looking around, I think 20 would have been the best tent site.

We happened upon this park during the 50th anniversary of the park so there were lots of park events happening. This is a very clean and well maintained park. We tent camp so much of my observations are geared for the tent camper. We stayed at site 34E, a long but narrow and slanted site. We were lucky to find some awkward somewhat flat place for our two tents. This site would be just fine for RV camping but I’d steer clear for tent camping. I’d estimate that 50% of the sites are flat and suitable for tents.
Here are some key take aways from our 3 night stay in late July 2022. -clean and well maintained park

• fair wireless service for Verizon
• well placed and clean shower / restroom houses
• nice playgrounds
• great options on the park for paddle boarding, kayaking, water play as well as additional options at near by Devil’s Gultch and Split Rock parks.
• Very well shaded park
• Grocery store less than 10 min away.
• Mosquitos weren’t a problem during out stay with a little bug spray prevention.
• Nice aluminum picnic tables at all sites. Standard fire pits with grilling attachments.
• employees will enforce local approved fire wood use

Negatives:

• lots of biting flies
• if you like private sites this isn’t for you

The interesting:

• this is easily the most heavily staffed state park I’ve ever stayed at. If you like a constant park employee presence you’ll like it. I found it to be excessive however. During a 30 min time period we counted 8 employee vehicles to two park visitors driving by. It seemed to create unnecessary road traffic and noise at times. Park employees walk the park on foot in the dark at the 11pm to enforce quite time. There aren’t going to be any site reservation mix ups there either. Park employees constantly check sites and make sure reservations are correct. The camp host was very nice and makes the round frequently.

We stayed there for only 1 night in a tent. It was very nice, a lot of people. We stayed there towards the end of October so they had heaters in the bathrooms. Nice, clean and big showers. The staff was very helpful and friendly. You can hear the train yes, but its not too bed. Would stay there again. For tent site 10 is really nice and big.

The campsite was easy to find and close to the town of Garretson. There was a small grocery store there. We only stayed one night on our way West, the sites were nice and grassy with mixed sun and shade. It’s been a dry year so the mosquitos were minimal. We explored split rock creek which is a5 minute walk from the campsite- very beautiful rock formations and an old walking bridge built in 1908. Pictures don’t do the rocks justice, they are beautiful! However, the water was very brown and murky, smelled suspiciously like manure. We saw some people swimming but opted not to because of the color and smell of the water. We did see many large fish in the creek. There were also nice picnic areas on the creek with tables and fire pits. Last issue with the campsite was the noise. The night started out quiet with lots of insect sounds, which are loud but so great when you are camping! The unexpected noises were trains passing by (sounded super close in the middle of the night), planes flying overhead, and cars driving by. This is of course not the fault of the park but the surrounding area…still wouldn’t recommend a long quiet camping trip here if you want to escape the everyday sounds of humans. Overall a very sweet campground, good bathrooms and showers. Staff was very friendly and helpful.

Stayed here for an overnight on a cross country trip. It's a beautiful park that was only about half full. We had a big campsite and the entire tent area mostly to ourselves. They was one other party six sites up from us.

Our site wasn't the most level but it worked. I would probably pick a slightly higher number or one with electric even if we didn't need it because they're more level.

Being from out of the region, we were surprised by the number of earwigs, but that's nature, right?

We definitely want to make our way back here for a longer stay.

Nicely shaded with lots of trees and hiking opportunities.

We stayed here the beginning of August as a place to rest on our way west. It was surprising how nice it was.

Aside from the amenities (showers, toilet, hiking trails) this place was exceeding my expectations.

The canyon was beautiful and you could swim there to cool down. I’d recommend water shoes at the water was super shallow.

That said, this is near many farms, so the water was a bit bubbly... I’m still alive.

Had a great time here with our kids! The park is beautiful, clean, and easy to navigate. And you’re close enough to Sioux Falls to explore that area too.

If you can choose, get site 14E! Felt like we had a backyard and our own private woods. Haha. Hope we get to go back!

We stayed here on our way out to Yellowstone from Chicago and again on our way back. It’s quiet and well-kept, very clean. The sites are well-spaced and very wooded. Lots of nice short hikes for the kids. Beautiful rock formations to explore. I highly recommend this place!

We were at camp spot 12E it was very nice! The bathrooms and showers were okay and the people were very nice. It was my first time ever pulling and backing up a camper and I was struggling and one of the park rangers came and helped me. It has very pretty views and I definitely recommend going there for a weekend!

Nice clean and very quiet midweek camping. There is a little creek that ran next to our camp it was very enjoyable.

Very nice campground with big sites. This area is very nice for hiking and pretty sure swimming and kayaking. We were there early spring so water was to cold to swim.

I love this park for both it's camping and hiking. Stunning quartzite formations make for some great climbing. It's a really small park which is both good and bad. The trails aren't very long, but it's not usually overcrowded.

Quiet campground. Nice hiking along the rock formations. Good stop along the way if traveling west or east.

We passed through Palisades State Park earlier this year and spent some time in the day-use area so we knew it was a good place to camp as we passed through South Dakota on another trip. One main (clean) bathhouse with two showers plus two pit toilets for those camping farther away on the loop. A mix of cabins, tent, and electric sites. Lots of trees. LONG driveways and some sites (such as 34E) are very large. The website allows you to view sites, so you know in advance what to expect. Nice walking trails and picnic areas.

We camped here over the weekend with our dogs. The campground is within 10 miles off of I90.

The park is not very big so there are not many campsites. Some have electric hook up, others are just for tent camping. All of them provide a picnic table and a fire pit. They also have little log cabins. We stayed at campsite 6 which was a very good spot. Some of the other sites seemed very close together without much privacy or shade.

The park staff (rangers, camp host and volunteers) was extremely friendly. They always made sure that we had everything we needed. The rangers also offer different programs on the weekend like learning about geocaching or how to make campfire desserts.

There is one bathhouse for the entire campground. It seemed a little old but got cleaned daily. There are also several vault toilets around the area. From the campground you have access to the water. There are also several short hiking trails from where you can see the rock formations.

It was just a very short ride to the Devils Gulch (Jesse James historical site) or Split Rock Park. There is also a Dollar General close by. We would definitely recommend the campground.

Beautiful stone pillars. Great area to camp in.

This is a sweet little tucked away oasis near Sioux Falls featuring trails, bluffs and climbing options. Great views and clean camp sites.

visited here with my sister and our families. lots of fun places to swim and beautiful rock scenery!

This local spot is an unexpected beautiful spot in the landscape. The amenities are limited but its refreshing

A nice and quiet place with reasonable prices.There was quite a few bugs though so make sure to bring your repelent.

Palisades is a great state park! Everyone there was so friendly and informative-- you can tell they really enjoy where they work. The park itself is beautiful! The only downside was how close the tent campsites were to each other. I would have liked a little more privacy and better views, but the sites were well kept!

This was a one night stop over before we continued on. We were sad to only be there for 12 or so hours. The park is very well kept. The bathroom and shower house was remarkably clean and updated. The park does seem to offer handicap accessible sites and bathroom/shower facilities. The playground was very updated and entertained my 7 year old. The hiking paths looked amazing, but sadly we didn't have time to hike much. We will be planning a trip to go back and fully experience all that they have. A local told us at the gas station the many historical things they have in town, specifically sites that are related to Jesse James.

Great hiking area. Not ideal water for kayaking through. Beautiful views!