Map showing campground location near Nemo, South Dakota

Camper submitted image from West Nemo - Dispersed Camping

West Nemo - Dispersed Camping

SUMMARY PRESENTED BY

Free dispersed camping along a forest road west of Nemo, South Dakota, this spot sits at the end of a route that passes several other campsites on the way in. High clearance is strongly recommended. The main trails are manageable, but as one reviewer put it, "offshoot trails definitely require high clearance." Boxelder Creek runs below the cliff face that borders the site, and views open southward toward the Black Hills. No amenities are provided here, including no restrooms, no fire rings, and no potable water, though a nearby pond and the creek itself serve as filterable water sources.

Noise is worth factoring into expectations. OHV traffic on surrounding trails generates regular sound, and a highway is audible from camp. Crowd patterns shift significantly with the season. Locals reportedly use the large grass area to park trailers for extended stretches, and during the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, the dispersed area fills considerably as overflow from nearby resorts. Weekday visits in shoulder season tend to yield more open space, and the 14-day stay limit exists on paper, though enforcement appears inconsistent based on camper accounts. Those interested in dispersed camping near Black Hills National Forest will find this area representative of what the region offers.

Cell service is listed as available, and the site is noted as big-rig friendly, though the road conditions and high-clearance recommendations suggest larger rigs should assess conditions carefully before committing to the furthest spots. Pets are allowed, and there is no fee. Campers wanting developed facilities nearby can consider Boxelder Forks Campground as an alternative with more structure.

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Map & DirectionsWest Nemo is located in South Dakota near Nemo

Dispersed Camping

Coordinates

44.20340556715575 N
103.5169319903574 W

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Connectivity

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Some Coverage
Verified by 4 users
Last on 8/4/26
AT&T5G
Excellent Coverage
Verified by 2 users
Last on 5/13/26

Connectivity

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T-Mobile
No Coverage
VerizonLTE
Some Coverage
Verified by 4 users
Last on 8/4/26
AT&T5G
Excellent Coverage
Verified by 2 users
Last on 5/13/26

Access

Drive-In
Park next to your site
Walk-In
Park in a lot, walk to your site.

Site Types

Dispersed

Features

For Campers

Phone Service
Alcohol
Pets

For Vehicles

Pull-Through Sites
Big Rig Friendly

Enjoy dispersed camping on government land and leave no trace. Pack in and pack out. No (or limited) services at this camping area. Permit may be required.

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Drive Time

36 min from Rapid City, SD
3 hrs 47 min from Casper, WY
4 hrs 40 min from Cheyenne, WY
5 hrs from Bismarck, ND

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Reviews7 Camper Reviews - West Nemo

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5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

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1 Star

4.0

out of 5

7 Reviews

Many campers appreciated the scenic Black Hills location with water access, though challenging road conditions require high clearance vehicles. Visitors often highlighted the secluded feel, but noise from roads and ATVs can impact the experience.

SUMMARY PRESENTED BY

tucker H.

Scout

Reviewed Jul. 12, 2022

Peaceful

Just what I needed. Crickets, coyotes, and mosquitos. Can hear a nearby highway, but was empty on a Monday night. Can't ask for much more.

Month of VisitJuly

Patrick N.

Guide

Reviewed Jun. 21, 2022

Lots of room

I spent my 14 days here. It is a bit noisy because of the trails used by off-road vehicles. The biggest grass field is sometimes used by multiple RVs and locals said don't even think of coming here during Sturgis' motorcycle rally. Right over the hill is the little town of Nemo which has a camping resort. All that folks spill out into this dispersed space with their ATVs and such. Mostly didn't bother me and I was here with two locals who leave their trailers here for lengthy amounts of time. Rangers apparently don't enforce the 14 days unless you cause a problem.

Month of VisitJune

Abraham

Guide

Reviewed Sep. 19, 2021

Fine for a night

Arrived in the general area, but the few decent spots were taken by RVs. There was open space but exposed, found a more private location off a side trail. Trails leading to location were very tame, but offshoot trails definitely require high clearance.

Month of VisitSeptember

David D.

Scout

Reviewed Sep. 2, 2021

Great spot in the hills

Beautiful spot in the middle of the black hills, not too many people but you can occasionally hear noise from the roads. Good water source nearby for filtering or boiling.

Month of VisitSeptember

Parker D.

Scout

Reviewed May. 15, 2021

Lots of open space

There is even a little pond that you can filter water from.

Sitethe first one off the road

Month of VisitMay

Peter S.

Traveler

Reviewed Nov. 2, 2020

Nice secluded spot

It was a nice secluded spot that definitely requires a 4x4 or at least some decent clearance There were also a ton of hornets there, must have been a nest nearby

Jim H.

Ranger

Reviewed Sep. 22, 2020

Nice place to camp for the night

This spot is at the end of a forest road that runs west of Nemo, SD. There are other dispersed camping sites along the way as well. This spot butts up right next to a cliff with the Boxelder Creek running below and gives good views of the Black Hills to the south. No amenities at all here. A high clearance vehicle will most likely be needed to get back to this spot.

Month of VisitJuly