Camping in Rapid City, South Dakota
A complete guide to camping in Rapid City
Photo Credit: L Murphy
Overview
Rapid City sits at 3,202 feet on the eastern edge of the Black Hills, serving as the primary base for Mount Rushmore, Custer State Park, and the surrounding national forest. The city anchors the tourism corridor that extends south through the Hills to Wind Cave National Park and west to Deadwood and Sturgis. Every campground in the area operates within the context of Black Hills recreation.
Rushmore Shadows Resort and Rapid City RV Park and Campground provide developed camping on the city's southern edge toward the Hills. Hart Ranch Camping Resort south of town operates a large resort-style campground with pool and activities. Black Elk Resort and HTR Black Hills Resort add additional options along the Highway 16 corridor toward Mount Rushmore. Lake Park Campground and Cottages provides lakefront camping.
The real draw sits in the Hills themselves. Mount Rushmore KOA Resort at Palmer Gulch in Hill City (30 minutes south) provides the closest major campground to the memorial with full resort amenities. Rafter J Bar Ranch in Hill City serves the equestrian and family camping market. The Black Hills National Forest has developed campgrounds and dispersed camping throughout. Custer State Park campgrounds (30 to 45 minutes south) are the most competitive reservations in the state during summer.
Weather & Best Seasons
Best months: May through September
The Black Hills at 3,000 to 7,000 feet keep summer temperatures comfortable. July highs average 85 degrees in Rapid City with cool nights in the 50s. The Hills themselves run 10 degrees cooler. Afternoon thunderstorms develop over the Hills on summer days. Fall brings golden aspen and birch through September. Winter is cold (January averages 26 degrees) with occasional heavy snow. The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in early August overwhelms the entire region for a week.
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