Community Forums

rubberduckie · 03-23-2025, 04:41 AM

Planning a trip to Deadwood SD. Any recommendations for campgrounds?

Thanks

USMCRET · 03-23-2025, 05:11 AM

I wholeheartedly recommend Elkhorn Ridge in Spearfish. Close to Deadwood and Sturgis.

sawmillman · 03-23-2025, 08:32 AM

I second Elkhorn. Was there a couple years ago.

AlanTerry · 03-23-2025, 08:37 AM

Spearfish canyon drive is awesome to do you might see the Billy Goats like we did. We stayed at the Rapid City KOA was centrally located for site seeing.

660catman · 03-23-2025, 08:46 AM

We’ve stayed a couple of times at the Rafter J Bar Ranch just south of Hill City. Pretty central too. The 1880 train goes from hill city to keystone. Last time there was 2019.

Donskiman · 03-23-2025, 08:57 AM

We stayed at Spearfish City Park. Nice campground with full hookups and fairly inexpensive. Very nice paved trails in the park. There is a fish hatchery adjacent to the park. Downtown Spearfish is within walking distance. We drove over to Deadwood to access the Mickelson Trail for a long bike ride. We didn't really find anything in Deadwood to be very interesting.

Charming · 03-23-2025, 09:49 PM

We were in the area last fall and stayed at Sturgis RV Park, nice drive to Deadwood.

I second Donskiman's comment, we were not overly impressed with the town. DH did enjoy DH enjoyed Costner's Tatanka museum and we also visited Boot Mount Moriah where Calamity Jane and Wild Bill Hickock are buried.

Triangle Drifter · 03-24-2025, 07:02 AM

We did Steel Wheel on 385 about 7 miles S of Deadwood. Convenient. Basically an ATV centric CG.

Dutch061 · 03-24-2025, 07:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Donskiman

We stayed at Spearfish City Park. Nice campground with full hookups and fairly inexpensive. Very nice paved trails in the park. There is a fish hatchery adjacent to the park. Downtown Spearfish is within walking distance. We drove over to Deadwood to access the Mickelson Trail for a long bike ride. We didn't really find anything in Deadwood to be very interesting.

We have worked as volunteers at the DC Booth National Historic Fish Hatchery, and this is where the volunteers stay. Clean, quiet, and not horrible pricing for visitors unless it is during Bike Week. Which unless that is your goal to attend, I would avoid early August. Spearfish is a beautiful community, friendly people, some good paces to eat and plenty of things. - Brad

CharlesinGA · 03-24-2025, 06:36 PM

Not sure why you are going to Deadwood. Its all casinos, hotels and tourist traps.

Spearfish City Campground. I stayed there in 2017 and it is a decent place to stay. The campground clears out within a day or two after the end of Sturgis. Follow the instructions for access that is on the web site, you have to go thru town, google will take you down a dead end single lane path. There is a excellent laundry mat about three blocks down the street, in the next block past the police station.

I can also recommend Sturgis Downtown RV Park if this is after Sturgis bike rally. It is not anything fancy, concrete pads, gravel, a few small trees and full hookups, but it has nice showers and laundry and the owners are nice. They close, winterize and clear out for the winter, sometime around the end of September. There are two upper levels that give you spectacular views of town.

Here is my trip report from 2017... My Black Hills, Badlands and Solar Eclipse trip in August 2017

I've been back once, in 2022 for a BigfootRV rally, and will go again if I get the chance. Lots to see and do in the Black Hills.

Charles

Air Conditioned Gypsy · 03-25-2025, 06:41 AM

We stayed at Elkhorn while in Spearfish 5-6 years ago. We were there in August, I think later August. Without knowing about it, we found ourselves there during Cool Deadwood Nights. It is a week long festival of music, food, and car shows. What great fun. So if your timing is flexible, look up that festival and try to be in the area during the fun. Deadwood is a neat little town with beautiful mountains all around it, but when the festival is added, then it was really great.

Regards.

Chuck

becks · 03-25-2025, 10:18 AM

WE also like Spearfish City CG or Elkhorn if you don't mind the high price.

Charming · 03-25-2025, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CharlesinGA

Not sure why you are going to Deadwood. Its all casinos, hotels and tourist traps.

I can also recommend Sturgis Downtown RV Park if this is after Sturgis bike rally. It is not anything fancy, concrete pads, gravel, a few small trees and full hookups, but it has nice showers and laundry and the owners are nice. They close, winterize and clear out for the winter, sometime around the end of September. There are two upper levels that give you spectacular views of town.

Here is my trip report from 2017... My Black Hills, Badlands and Solar Eclipse trip in August 2017

I've been back once, in 2022 for a BigfootRV rally, and will go again if I get the chance. Lots to see and do in the Black Hills.

Charles

We were there the week before they closed. We had a problem with the motorhome, what else is new, and needed a late check out. They were very accommodating. We had plenty of time to go back toward Rapid City to CW along with a quick tourist stop in Sturgis.