I spent two weeks here at three different sites, and while I was ready to get back to civilization (the park is fairly remote), I genuinely had a relaxing time.

The bathrooms/comfort station are clean and fairly new—the only downsides are they’re only open from 7am-5pm to conserve water and it’s a bit of a trek by foot if you’re at one of the far campsites. I also had strong enough reception with T-Mobile to work remotely, and good service through Verizon as well.

Site 25 (Crab): a truly iconic site within a park where nearly every site is a gem. Downside: very little privacy and no shade from the afternoon sun. Upside: Site is level, great sunset views and a quick walk to the pit toilets.

Site 24 (Hercules): Connects to site 25 via a the rock formations, but more private as it’s not directly on the main loop. Again, close to the pit bathroom. There’s a fun and semi private climb up into the rocks to the left of the picnic table that will give you a stellar sunset view. Site is level and protected from the worst of the south/SW winds. I also saw the most wildlife from this site (marmot, roadrunner, jack rabbit, and more). Downside: the site curves rather drastically and is best suited for vans, tent camping, or very small RVs; little shade as the tree that used to offer shade was removed.

Site 30 (Triangulum): hands down, the best site in the park IMO. Lots of shade and privacy as it’s set far back from the main road; it almost feels like you have the park to yourself. Pit toilets are conveniently at the end of the drive. Downside: people climbing through the rocks occasionally end up near your site, but no one ever wandered too far; the windmill does makes some noise but it’s really not too bad; this site has FULL shade, which is ideal unless you run on solar panels. For a few hours a day I had to back my van into the sun, which put it at a fairly severe angle as the drive slopes once you back out of the sweet spot by the picnic table; very little protection from the wind, but there is some.

While some of the sites are a little close together, the campground itself is very spacious (15 acres!) with a large dog park and a new building for activities. The bathhouse is a set of single bathrooms (one women’s, one men’s) with one toilet and one shower each, so I’d recommend using the bathroom in your rv if possible to avoid a line, but the bathrooms are very clean and feel like a bathroom you’d find inside someone’s home. Sites are placed far enough back from the road that there is very very minimal noise. The entire property was very quiet and peaceful, and Gail was a dream to work with.

My only complaint was the WiFi signal was very poor, and virtually unusable during the evenings—cell service is also minimal due to the location, but I was able to work remotely using my T-Mobile hotspot.

The proximity to both Guadalupe Mountains NP and Carlsbad Caverns NP are unbeatable and the sunsets over the mountains are truly phenomenal. I even got a kick out of the cows.

Spacious with fire rings, and a thousand times better than Sunset Reef (they were packed in like sardines with zero privacy) but beware of the winds! I was caught in a two day dust storm with 70mph winds and it was admittedly miserable, as was the amount of dirt inside my van.

Overall I would recommend staying here, but don’t rely too heavily on the weather forecast—it drastically changed every hour I was there over 4 days. Cell service was also phenomenal for working remotely.

I stayed one night and found the park to be well maintained and clean. Great for families given the proximity to the water and trail systems—there were lots of big family groups, so if you want a quieter retreat it may not be the best. Bathrooms are older, but the hot water was great. Large parking lots for those with primitive sites.

I spent a quick night at Newton Hills and found the park to be lovely, but it was very busy with lots of families out and about which made for a bit of a loud evening. If you have a family it’ll be a great spot—if you’re looking for quiet and calm, maybe something else. Spots are fairly spacious, but not a lot of privacy.

Regardless, the location is a hidden gem among a lot of farmland kind of in the middle of nowhere. It’s actually really stunning. When you leave, be sure to take the little one lane road out back (from 1E toward the tower)—it’s a magical little drive through the hills the park is named after.

No comments on the bathrooms/facilities as I didn’t use them, but the rest of the park was very cleaned and well maintained.

I stayed at 7 paid campgrounds during 3 weeks in SD and this free dispersed site remains my favorite. I got there shortly before sundown on a Wednesday and it was PACKED. Luckily there was still a good spot by the entrance, but over the three days I was there it was always pretty full. Early afternoons seemed the best time to arrive and grab a location.

The sunrises were beautiful, but it does get VERY windy! Also nothing else level and the potholes in the road will rock the daylights out of you if you accidentally hit one (guilty), but it’s all worth the view.

Cell service is also phenomenal (the best I’ve had in months) as a cell tower is literally right in front of the sites. A great spot for anyone who also works remotely.

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!

I enjoyed this campground, but ultimately preferred Stockade Lake North and South is a bit less secluded and has less privacy/space with other campers. My site seemed to offer a higher level of privacy than some due to the angle, and had a lot of space overall while other sites toward the back felt more cramped. The bathrooms were moderately dated, but always clean and the shower was HOT. There was no camp host while I was there, but there was almost always park staff and rangers there to assist campers, which was really nice.

My only complaint was the digging/trenching through one side of the campground to bury some kind of line. That work lasted for the 3 days I was there, but should be all wrapped up by now.

I stayed two nights here in June, in addition to nights at 2 other campsites in Custer State Park and Stockade Lake North was by far my favorite. There is SO much space between sites (I was at 14 and 9–I’m convinced 14 is the best site in the entire campground) and the entire campground is very quiet and peaceful, plus easy to access. The bathrooms look fairly recently renovated, but unfortunately were less clean (but not filthy!) than other campgrounds I stayed at, but I would have been there right before they were cleaned.

I spent 7 nights here and truly had a great time. I will admit it looks a little sketchy pulling in, but the sites further back are surrounded by the woods and very peaceful. The staff was extraordinarily kind (probably the friendliest I’ve ever met after 2 years on the road). Spots are spaced reasonably far apart and the bathrooms were very clean, if slightly outdated. The proximity to Custer SP and other attractions is great. I was in spot 48 which had a small discount due to the smaller size, but it was the perfect fit for my 17’ camper van. My only complaint is that campers regularly parked their rigs right in the middle of the entrance/exit when checking in/out, which blocks everyone else from entering or leaving—having a sign asking not to park there would be the only improvement I’d suggest.

One of my favorite state parks I’ve been to in any state. Sites are spacious and the showers/bathrooms are clean and well kept. It offers the most lovely paved path for walking/running/cycling that meanders by the river and through the woods, in addition to more dirt hiking/cycling paths. The disc golf course really took this park to the next level, though be warned—the narrow fairways and dense OB make it challenging (I lost one of my discs on 10). Site 35E was ideal as it’s angle par to the tree line for additional privacy and it’s just a 3 minute stroll to the showers. Tip: the best spots are those that back up to the river as you can cut through the tree line to pop out on the walking path. Con: there is a race track nearby that was very loud Sunday night when I arrived until nearly 11PM, but that was the only real downside.

I spent 5 nights here and the camp hosts were LOVELY, some of the friendliest I’ve met. The area was clean and the bathrooms well maintained, if not a bit older perhaps (the showers work, but one was only hooooot hot water and one was basically a pressure washer). The sites have a decent amount of space and you can likely get one with nice shade. Very central to Lee’s Summit and Independence, but secluded near the lake and peaceful. My only complain were the ticks, but it was a rough tick season this spring due to a mild winter—no fault of the campground, but something to be aware of.

I stayed at two different sites here over a few days and had a quiet, lovely time. The overlook and trails were a great way to spend my spare time outside of work (remote). My AT&T cell service was poor (perhaps the high number sites at the top of the hill had better reception?) but Verizon was strong enough for me to work. The bathroom/laundry facilities were in the cutest red building, but I didn’t use them as the water had been shut off as it dropped below freezing at night while I was there, so that’s something to keep in mind when planning your trip.

I stayed one night and I was glad to leave the next day. It wasn’t a bad park, just not overly enjoyable. My site had a great view of the lake, which was by far the best part; the sunset was stunning! There is little privacy between most sites, but luckily my spot only had a neighbor on one side and trees/shrubs on the other. I also wonder how well they regulate how many people/vehicles are allowed per site, as I saw at least 6 different people next to me with two trucks, a motorcycle, a camper, and a tent; they’re smaller sites so they were usually within a few feet of my camper. I had decent AT&T service and the bathrooms (by the guest center, if you miss them on the way in like I did) were older but acceptably clean. You can fish and kayak/boat on the lake and the dinosaur tracks looked interesting, but I didn’t have time to visit them and it was beastly hot. My biggest callouts are that the 10 mile road the to the park is in horrible condition and has a lot of 90 degree turns and the park itself is not very handicap friendly as it’s poorly paved/rocky/uneven. It was good for a night but I would not return.

A pretty basic state park, kind of in the middle of nowhere. I arrived at 9PM and google maps took me down a bunch of country back roads, which was a little unnerving. I camped in wagon wheel, which was doable, but definitely nothing to write home about. It had zero privacy and most campers seemed confused about which direction to park their vehicles. There was a yurt-like permanent structure in the middle that I was under the impression housed bathrooms, but certainly didn’t appear so. The pool area/buildings were very pretty, but the pool was bone dry. I never saw a single park ranger. I only stayed for one night and likely won’t be back.

I love this park—it’s well maintained, lots of trails, functional clean bathrooms, and the staff are all very kind and helpful.

I’ve spent a lot of time in Belton, but never at this campsite. I was delayed by a day due to tornadoes in the area, so I was already frustrated when I arrived to find that no one mans the entry gate…ever. I also did not receive my confirmation email upon booking, which contains your code to enter the gate, but luckily enough they have a number posted you can call and camp hosts within sight of the gate who can help you get in. I was on loop 4, which has the best shade, but some of the sites can be a little crammed in (and it can become loud on the weekends which is to mostly be expected). No sewer hookups, but they do have a dump station on site. Another perk is the private boat ramp for campers along with covered picnic tables at the less shaded sites and a playground for kids. My favorite part was honestly the showers though—they were so fantastic! The bathroom is heated in the cooler months and the water pressure and hot water can’t be beat; it’s the best camp shower I’ve experienced! I also had good enough service with AT&T to work with my phone’s hotspot, but Verizon was pretty poor and even streaming videos was choppy, though you can call and text as usual.

I stayed here for February and March while visiting my aunt, who snow birds at Fig Tree. While it’s marketed as a 55+ community, they do allow a small portion of spots to be booked by younger singles or couples (I don’t think they would allow families with children, however). They have a wide array of events weekly that can be fun to attend, and the residents and staff are kind and enjoyable. The park is clean but could use some upgrades/fixing up (a fence needs to be replaced, 1-2 washer/dryers are usually out of order, the gate was broken during my stay, etc), but they are actively working on improvements. Pets are welcome, it’s about 45 minutes from South Padre, and great for day trips into Mexico.

Don’t count on their WiFi working (it is also not secured), but I did have great service with Verizon and good service with AT&T.

Overall, I would definitely consider coming back next winter.