South Dakota Big Rig friendly

[Ddcouple]

Looking to be close to all the action, national parks etc. Any suggestions on where to stay? Thanks for any help.

[BFlinn181]

South Dakota National Parks are Badlands NP and Wind Cave NP. In addition, there is Mt. Rushmore National Monument, and Jewel Cave National Monument. Custer State Park is also nice for the drive through the wildlife loop, including herds of bison and burros.

Keystone is close to Mt. Rushmore, Google campgrounds near that town. Custer is close to Custer SP and Wind Cave. Wall, SD is near Badlands NP.

[Randyman1]

Hart Ranch 9 miles south of Rapid City is a beautiful resort, we're here right now with ours. Elkhorn Ridge RV Resort just east of Spearfish is very nice as well. Rafter J Bar outside of Hill City is another very nice place. Plenty of others, but these are three we frequent.

[Ddcouple]

How funny i just looked up Hart Ranch. Is it close to restaurants etc also? We have been out in Wyoming for the last week or so and everything is so far, about 18 miles to the closest store. Want to make sure we dont make that mistake again. We stayed at the KOA near Mt Rushmore last time but wanted a change, was very tight. Thanks for your help.

[Ddcouple]

Originally Posted by BFlinn181

South Dakota National Parks are Badlands NP and Wind Cave NP. In addition, there is Mt. Rushmore National Monument, and Jewel Cave National Monument. Custer State Park is also nice for the drive through the wildlife loop, including herds of bison and burros.

Keystone is close to Mt. Rushmore, Google campgrounds near that town. Custer is close to Custer SP and Wind Cave. Wall, SD is near Badlands NP.

Thank you so much. I think we will go near Custer.

[Randyman1]

Check out Rafter J Bar, only 11 miles from Custer, 3 mils to Hill City, close to the faces. I shot the drone video that they use on their website. Really shows you how open and beautiful the area is. Hart Ranch is 9 miles south of Rapid, they do have a restaurant but it is closing for the season. Down the road to the west about 3 miles is another restaurant that was good the last time we ate there a year ago. Really nice resort.

[DGBPokes]

Originally Posted by Randyman1

Check out Rafter J Bar, only 11 miles from Custer, close to the faces. I shot the drone video that they use on their website. Really shows you how open and beautiful the area is.

Great looking park, we drove through it last fall. They had closed the weekend we arrived. Several in the area do. The one we stayed at said they were open all year. While there they told me that although they were open, be aware that the first cold snap, they turned all the water off.

[reubenray]

Originally Posted by DGBPokes

Great looking park, we drove through it last fall. They had closed the weekend we arrived. Several in the area do. The one we stayed at said they were open all year. While there they told me that although they were open, be aware that the first cold snap, they turned all the water off.

When was this?

[Eyephoto]

We stayed at Horse Thief near Hill City. It is located on the road to Needles Hwy. Our group had two motorhomes 38' one with toad, and two 40' fivers. Don't get scared of the height/width warning sign just before their driveway!

[Gladie]

If you prefer not an RV resort type campground, we stayed at Big Pine campground in Custer. We had site number 29 which is an end site and lots of room and full hook ups. Very close to town with stores, restaurants, near crazy horse, near Mount Rushmore, Needles Hgwy and Custer State Park

[FloraBama]

We have stayed at Rafter J in Hill City which we prefer over Custer's Gulch in Custer City which was a good park except the water is rusty.

[DGBPokes]

Originally Posted by reubenray

When was this?

The first weekend in October.
We missed the huge Buffalo roundup at Custer State Park by a few days. We had no information about it till we got there. I would love to see it now...check it out now.

[Kro1957]

SD is our home state were we were born and raised, live here now and camp in the hills frequently.

Our top picks not necessarily in order:

Elk Ridge Resort near Spearfish: Has everything you could want and more from activity to food and drink. Very nice. A+++ Large pull throughs also. Everyone should stay there at least once.

Rafter Bar J Ranch: Stayed there many times for over 30 years. Also very nice. They used to have great horse rides, think perhaps they still do.

Close to RBJ on the opposite side of the road and up a piece is Horse Thief. We also have stayed there many times. Good place also.

We have not stayed at Hart Ranch, but visited there. Nice place also. Little closer to RC than I like. We like being more into the Black Hills. We have motorcycled, jeep ride all through there many times. Besides the usual places everyone goes. Check out Cheyenne Crossing to eat in the Hills, Go east of there on Hanna Road (not in a Motorhome) and check out the remote area's. There is a nice National Park Campground along the way and I think the Work Camper there has a Motorhome but I would be wary of some of those bridge crossings weight. But great streams and you are away from all the tourists. There are several of those remote get aways that are fun to enjoy. Take a trip up to Rochford in the hills. Old mining town. There is the original town there 1800's. Bar still there and serves great food. And a country store. Artists like to go and do paintings of the scenery.

If you like biking, the Mickelson trail is a old 1800 rail line runs through the hills, very scenic.

You could spend a week there and not see it all. Have fun in our state and welcome!!! oh and if you make it east stop in Mitchell for the Corn Palace. We are in the process of doing all new murals with new corn at this time.

[Big Dude]

We're leaving Elkhorn Ridge this am after an enjoyable week. The park is very nice and everything worked - even the wifi. It was a good home base to visit Deadwood, Lead, Devils Tower, Sturgis, and Rapid City. Now moving down to Custer area for a week.