Rapids City, SD-BLACK hills, Badlands, Rushmore

[chertz]

Looking at possibly taking the family this year to camp near Rapids City, SD.

I want to see Mt Rushmore, The Badlands, Custer State Park, and the Black Hills.

Can anyone recommend anew RV Resort for our 40' fiver?

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[BFlinn181]

Great place for a vacation! We've stayed at Crooked Creek Resort and RV Park on one trip and Horse Thief CG on another trip. Both great, but not the only places in the area. Don't miss Chief Crazy Horse, the Indian Museum is really well done. If you go to Custer State Park, drive back towards Mt. Rushmore on U.S. 16A. (not with your camper in tow) A beautifully laid out road that twists and turns, making trips through 3 tunnels, each that show Mt. Rushmore at each tunnel exit. At Rushmore, be sure to walk the trail across the base of the mountain to the Artist's Studio. While at Custer SP, take the wildlife road to see bison and wild donkeys. You might also enjoy Wind Cave NP, not far and the cave tours are really nice.

You mentioned going to the Badlands NP, for that area we've stayed in Wall at Sleepy Hollow CG. We spent the days in the Badlands and in the evening you were 2 blocks from the infamous Wall Drug.

[inlineskater]

We stayed at Steel Wheels Campground 7 miles south of Deadwood. We did 4 days of ATVing and had a great time. The campground was amazing. Pull thru sites and very clean bathroom and shower rooms. They cleaned the showers twice a day and picked up trash twice a day too. Just a very well run place. We really enjoyed it. they rent ATV's there too. Gas & diesel as well as a convenience store. Restaurant on the grounds also. The management was amazing. Good place, good people and fun area.

[chertz]

Thanks BFLINN!

I really like the idea to drive US 16A... I hear the tunnels are narrow... can I fit thru in our dually tow vehicle?

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[wildcatter]

We stayed at rush-no-more, it is about 5 miles south of sturgis, little farther away from Deadwood than others have posted but nice campground and owners were great. We were there the week before Sturgis Bike rally and loved it.

[BFlinn181]

Originally Posted by chertz

Thanks BFLINN!

I really like the idea to drive US 16A... I hear the tunnels are narrow... can I fit thru in our dually tow vehicle?

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A dually pick up won't have any problems. Just no trailers or Class A or C. From Wind Cave you could also travel the Needles Highway, (SD 87) but I like US 16A because of the switchbacks and tunnel views of Mt. Rushmore.

[TonyDi]

If you're looking for a great RV park that is not near heavy traffic roads the Hart Ranch RV Park is near most places you are looking to go to.

[WhatsHisName]

Can't recommend any campgrounds, but I have a similar trip planned. Will be there over the 4th of July.

[lancslad]

We stayed at Ft Welikit on SD 89. Got a reservation ,same day, in Sturgis week. You must enter from Rt 16A in Custer, there's a tunnel at the other end of 89---ask me how I know!!! Lots of MC's in the area and all very courteous as we drove thru the middle of Sturgis on a Sunday afternoon!!

[afrohman]

We stayed at Beaver Lake a few years ago and it was a great little campground close to Custer, SD. Not sure how young your kids are but mine were 7 and 9 at the time and they still talk about the little rabbits that were everywhere around the campground, many of which were tame enough to feed and pet. They still ask to go back. From an adults perspective it was nice, clean, and had a waterslide and pool onsite as well as being close to most attractions. I would definitely go back.

Thanks
Adam

[WhatsHisName]

Originally Posted by afrohman

We stayed at Beaver Lake a few years ago and it was a great little campground close to Custer, SD. ...

Good to know, that is actually the CG I chose to stay at.

[Big Dude]

We enjoyed Rafter J Bar just south of Hill City. Nice campground and centrally located.

[Betr2Trvl]

We split up our campgrounds for this part of our western / Rocky Mtns. trip this past summer.

Badlands KOA for 3 nights if I remember correctly, then Rafter Bar J in Hill City for the Rushmore / Custer area for 4 or 5 nights. One nice thing we learned about Rafter BarJ is that you take the less congested route into Rushmore from there.

We spent the better part of 2 days touring Badlands, including going down into the south west section and taking a neat drive on an unimproved road a bit deeper into the park. Also got up early to see the missile silo, but need to get there very early to get a ticket to go down. Wall Drug, which we happened to drive by at the end of the 2nd, and unfortunately stopped to see "just because" was a wasted 20 minutes of my life I'll never get back (sorry, I just don't get the appeal).

Of course, more to see and do in the Rushmore area as already noted.

We would stay at both again if we ever headed that way again. The campground in Badlands looked pretty bare bones. Some of the others we saw south of Rapid City / Rushmore did not look overly appealing.

We also spent 2 nights at the Devils Tower KOA (DT is one of those places I "had" to see, it's always intrigued me, even more so after Close Encounters!).

[JMonroe]

Firstly, while you can do the Badlands in a long day trip from the Black Hills area, I suggest you find someplace in the Badlands or Wall to stay for a day or two visit.

Virtually all the other sights you list are within minutes of our usual choice, the afore mentioned Rafter-J-Bar.