Blue Bell Campground — Custer State Park

I am a solo, female, camping alone. The site-hosts came banging on my car & yelling, and kicked me out in the middle of the night, stating that I canceled my reservation. I did NOT cancel my reservation. I have a credit card receipt for payment of my reservation. The host refused to look at any of my proving evidence that I paid for a site. 15E. They just kept yelling for me to “Get out!” And kicked me out at 9:30 PM, and leaving me stranded/homeless in South Dakota. I do not live in the state and had no idea what to do. They have endangered my safety. Do not stay here! They can kick you out whenever they want.

I had high hopes for this campground, but out of the 3 I stayed at in Custer State Park, Blue Bell was my least favorite. Bathrooms were conveniently located and clean, but there is very little privacy or space between sites and everyone feels very packed in. There was also a lot of construction happening due to the new dump site being added—which will ultimately be a great addition as the only other site in Custer SP is pretty far away, but it was a bit of a bummer to listen to it while it was ongoing. I imagine it should be wrapped up by the end of July if it’s not already.

My other big complaint was the location of the electrical box at my site. While it’s listed as a tent site, it fits small RVs, but the electrical box was SO far away (on the very far site of the tent pad) that I would have needed at least a 50ft cord to reach it. So I ultimately paid for an electric site but got a site without anything. Just a heads up!

What redeemed this site for me was the hike to the river—a bad storm rolled through late in the afternoon, but created an absolutely magical setting for an early evening hike to the river afterward. Go out the back past the cabins toward the horse trails and there’s something of a dirt road that leads to a river—you won’t regret it!

Great campground , clean bath house and level sites. Water near bath house to fill up tanks. Dump station coming to this campground in fall per campground host.

Extremely large sites in pine forest. Easy drives and parking with fairly level gravel pads on grass sites. Tent sites have large level tent pads. Central outdoor movie/program area with benches. Clean and cared for restroom & shower facilities. Campstore, restaurants and horse riding stable in/near campground. Kind, friendly and knowledgeable camp hosts make this my all time favorite campground!

Easy to get to everything but no privacy

Located near Blue Bell Lodge. 29 total cabins to rent for various prices and sizes. Located conveniently next to the lodge (which has a restaurant) and a small gas station.

https://custerresorts.com/lodges-and-cabins/blue-bell-lodge/

What a beautiful campground. We were at 5E. It was a great site. And the pine smell in the air when we set up camp was heavenly. Great shade. Just close/far enough from the bathrooms which were clean and well maintained, if a little dated. Next time we make this trip I hope we can get this campground and stay longer!

We were out exploring and stopped at the cafe to eat while driving around. It was good food with friendly staff.

We were able to enjoy a beer from the bar.

I used the cafe bathroom which was very clean although the decor was a bit outdated and several lightbulbs were out.

The sites are electric only sites with 30a, 50a, and 20a. Plenty big to accept most rigs. I traveled with a 35 ft travel trailer and had room for my truck in my site. They have nice restrooms with showers, trash service is close by throughout the campground, and the camp hosts were phenomenal. You can purchase firewood from the general store right before the entrance if they are closed you can go to the restaurant across the street and pay for it and pick up a couple bundles of wood. The picnic tables are in great shape and the fire rings are also in great shape.

July 2019  Blue Bell. Beautiful. Nice restaurant and store. They offer a hay ride and cook out which sounds like lots of fun.

Picturesque, lots of tree cover. Close to most of what Custer St Park has to offer.

Stopped at Custer State Park enroute to the Badlands- what a GREAT place! I was not expecting such beautiful, forest scenery. I stayed in a tent at the Bluebell campground and it was a great experience. Nicely spaced sites, clean restrooms, and a beautiful setting makes this a campground I hope to spend time at again! I could dedicate a whole trip to Custer Park I now realize! I was there when the buffalo had just been rounded up so I could see them all. The short hike around Sylvan Lake was relaxing and lovely. Driving the wildlife loop was also a highlight. Lots to do in and near this nice state park! This is a park and campground I would recommend :)

We really enjoyed Custer State Park, and this was a nice campground.

Our stay at Blue Bell Campground was one of the highlights of our recent cross-country road trip. With only 30 campsites suitable for tents or RVs, this was a nice spot to unwind after busy days within the park. 

Unlike many of the other campgrounds in Custer, this one is not waterfront, so it is a bit quieter and more relaxed. Campsites are $21 (plus the entrance fee) for a standard tent site without hookups. Sites with electricity are $25, and camping cabins are $50 per night. 

We stayed in one of the tent sites at the edge of the campground, so it was super quiet, but close to the amphitheater for ranger programs, as well as the bathhouse, and the Blue Bell Stables for trail rides.  

There is so much to do in Custer State Park. We stayed for three days, but could easily have stayed longer. We hiked the Sunday Gulch Trail near Sylvan Lake, which was fantastic, drove all of the scenic drives, including the Needles Highway, The Iron Mountain Road, and the Wildlife Loop. We also swam in Legion Lake, which is the closest lake to Blue Bell, and canoed on Center Lake. 

While we were there, we made friends with our camping neighbors, who all agreed that Blue Bell Campground was one of the nicest in the park. The campground hosts are incredibly nice and cell service was pretty good compared to other spots in the park.

Exceptionally large park. 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. We had easy access to the West exit and had a great dining experience as well as quick access to all the local monuments. The campground was very peaceful. The showers and bathrooms were very clean. There is a centrally located atrium for events that we didn't see used. We ended up next to a group of young college age people who were spread out and noisier than most, but that was just our luck. We had a break in the tree line to see stars from our tent. There is a gas station and store right at the campground. We didn't plan enough time to give the hiking trails a chance. This campground does have horse trails.

Loved this campground. Very clean and easy to get to. The wildlife was amazing here. Kids enjoyed the movie night and the trails.

Clean facilities with quiet neighbors. Many come for one night and head out the next day. Firewood was a bit wet/moldy which made for smoky fires, but the campground hosts and all the park staff were super helpful! No privacy between sites as its wide open beneath amazing ponderosa pines.

Tent, RV sites as well as camping cabins . Horse stables and trail rides onsite.Walking distance to store and excellent restaurant. Wildlife includes bison, deer, birds...

Great cabin with lots of comforts and a fireplace. Gorgeous area in the Black Hills with abundant wildlife, hiking trails, sights to see etc. Had the 1st snow flurries of the season!

This campground was great! Good fire pits and picnic tables with a great view. Showers workes well and were warm. Campstore had the basics. The location was great in Custer State Park, near great hikes and bouldering areas. Best campsite I've stayed at in a while.

This is a beautiful campground with great hiking trails. There is a wildlife loop in Custer State Park which is a must do. The campground is close to a restaurant with great food. This is one of the most beautiful campgrounds we have ever been to...make sure you check it out.

We LOVED Blue Bell and Custer State Park! The campgrounds were very clean and quiet. Camp hosts were very knowledgeable and available if needed. Evening programs offered every night were educational and entertaining for the most part. We stayed in a tent site which had a wonderful tent box that accommodated our 17'x8' tent rather well. Metal picnic table and fire pit were well maintained with ample room on this large site. Showers, flush toilets, potable water, and garbage area are centrally located on the grounds (a bit of a walk from the tent sites but made for a much quieter stay). Loved the location close to the wild life loop! Wild turkey, rabbit, and deer roam the grounds regularly. No mosquitos, wolves, or bear in this area (we did hear coyote regularly) which was a very pleasant surprise. We loved it here and can't wait to visit again!

Located in Custer State Park, just a couple miles away from the entrance to the wildlife loop. Lots of great hiking, cycling, and horseback riding in the area, as well as Wind Cave, Jewel Cave, Mt. Rushmore, and Crazy Horse Monuments all within 30-45 minutes. There is a horseback riding stable located at the entrance to the campground. Campground has large RV sites with electric hookups, tent sites, and small cabins. Showers (cost included in campground fee) and bathrooms are sparkling clean and warm. We camped here the day it opened for the season (May 1) and were able to find a site upon arrival, but the high season books out a year in advance, so reserve early. All reservations must be done through their online system (which was not working properly on our phone) or over the phone because there is no office onsite. (http://travel.campsd.com/Reserve-A-Campsite) Firewood is sold onsite.

Nice wooded camping spots. The ponderosa pines are beautiful . It was a busy campground when we were here, definitely not a campground for those that like quiet. Convenient location for exploring Mount Rushmore. Everything was very well maintained.

We fell in love with Custer State Park on a trip to see Mount Rushmore. . We opted for a camping cabin upon arrival and were pleased with the cleanliness of the cabin and facilities. The view from our cabins poach was outstanding. The wildlife was well worth the expense compared to tent camping.

We had a great week at our campsite. We hiked with the kids and saw a ton of wildlife. We plan on going back soon and just continue to Custer State Park. The jr. Ranger programs were great for our girls and we enjoyed the learning.

Watch out for bison! Lots of wildlife in the park and the campground too. This is a nice spot to use as basecamp for a few days while exploring all the attractions in the area. There are a LOT of ranger programs in and around the park all summer, worth a look. Camp sites are decent size and privacy. Lovely views from every spot we drove by. Everything was nice and clean, showers warmer than I usually expect. There's a separate horse camp area and I think you can hire horses to explore the site (which would be really neat). There are also cabins that, from what I heard, are pretty modern.

We fell in love with Custer State Park on a trip to see Mount Rushmore. The vast expanse of the park is great as well as all of the great attractions and other natural areas so near. We opted for a camping cabin upon arrival and were pleased with the cleanliness of the cabin and facilities. The view from our cabins poach stellar overlooking a valley with some wildlife spotting :)