Beware the entrance fee and tent-only sites

When I reserved the site it was at least stated that there was an additional entrance fee on top of the out-of-state fee for the campsite. I did not dream it would be $20/week. It is a smallish campground of about 30 sites, but for some reason there are only 2 water spigots, and one is out of order. The working water is on the right as you drive in near the trail to the lake, hidden by a pedestrian crossing sign.

I had reserved a tent only site, but it should be labeled a walk- in site, and as such is over priced. Tents -only are consigned to park on a hill by the pit toilets and most sites are a good walk up a steep hill. I was lucky to have a short walk to my car but it was mostly too steep to use the kitchen I have set up in back and dealing with the bike rack was extra problematic.

There are nice bathrooms with flush toilets, running water and an electric outlet in the middle of the back-in site loop, down hill from the tent sites. There are 2 shower rooms with free unlimited lukewarm water.

The camground is guarded by a man who lurks slouching in a state owned pickup truck. Twice I asked him a question, which caused him to start the truck and speed away after talking to me. He may also be the campground host, as the truck was parked in an empty site across from the host RV.

Overall I felt this area of SD is set up to soak as much money out of tourists as possible.

No water and biting flies

This campground is still charging $17 for a camp site, $7 transaction fee and $7/day entrance fee despite the fact they have no running water. The toilets still flush. In the morning our car filled up with flies that bit us for hours before we were able to eliminate all of them. It is a 5 mile drive back to Luverne if you need supplies, and I was unable to locate a grocery store.

Two good things; they have a Free Little Library and at night the lawn was covered with fireflies

The campground was so miserable that the campground host had abandoned their trailer and was never present. We did have several locals drive through the campground to spy on us, presumably to see who was stupid enough to camp there. You are entirely responsible for knowing what site you reserved because there was no attempt to label reserves sites.

There is no privacy between sites. This is just a big lawn with driveways, picnic tables and fire pits. The landscaping is nicely done with blackberries popping out of some hedges and providing eye-level interest at the base of trees.

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