Where to camp at Mt. Rushmore

[Bigwoods]

Does anyone have a suggestion on where to camp will visiting Mt. Rushmore? My wife wanted to make the trip in Sept.

[GerryS]

We just got back. Sylvan lake lodge campground wasn't bad. In September it aught to be quite nice...it's only down side is that it's sites were odd shaped and the people next to us were close....we were in site 6. I'd probably close another if I went there's again.

It sits right on the head of needles highway, that makes Rushmore very easy to get to, and scenic.

Be warned, it is at elevation...so if you have breathing problems. It might be worth looking elsewhere. It's at 6000 feet...didn't bother me, and I'm your average overweight middle age guy. Also note, the first real grocery store in custer...it's a little drive...but after a while out there, 30 minutes feels like a drive to the corner store

We did look at one other state run park, I can not recall it's name. It was off the road that goes east out of Custer, past the lakes..but it's not on the map :S

The commercial places around there are pretty bad. At least the ones we previewed. As is typical, they pack you etc.

[Woodbutcher]

We stayed at Horse Thief Lake. It is about 2 miles from the Monument.

[wagondude]

Jewel Cave is near by if you are into caves. There are State and Federal campgrounds all around the monuments as well as commercial. There are a number of really cool caves in the area. I stayed at the KOA Last time up there. It is the biggest KOA I have ever seen.

[bdosborn]

Custer State Park - Stockade Lake North Campground. They have power at the camp sites and a shower facility with flush toilets.

Linky

We used the campground as our base camp and went to all the Mt Rushmore area sites. It's centrally located, quiet and clean.



Bruce

[jonw]

I recently spent a night at Sylvan Lake campground. I thought it was nice, but maybe I had a nicer campsite than Gerry. You do need a reservation here as it's not that big and nicely located. Bathrooms were clean and it's close to the general store at Sylvan Lake proper.

[S. Heisley]

Custer State Park - Stockade Lake North Campground. They have power at the camp sites and a shower facility with flush toilets.

Linky

We used the campground as our base camp and went to all the Mt Rushmore area sites. It's centrally located, quiet and clean.



Bruce

I stayed at Custer State Park, Stockade Lake South and was very happy there. Be aware that some of the spots on the side away from the lake, near the camp host, (ie. Site 23E) are on a hillside and those not very level. The rangers and hosts there were extremely friendly and helpful. ...Loved it and would go back again, level or not.

PS. Don't miss the Needles Hwy! It'll take your breath away in some spots.

Edited: Added a pic of Stockade Lake. (All the CG sites look about like Bruce's pic.)

[working on it]

This looks like a good spot

mt.rushmore.png (247.64 KiB) Viewed 1078 times

familiar faces, too.

[Aaron Coffee]

I would second any of the Custer State campgrounds. I have stayed twice at Stockade lake north. I stayed once at a non state campground just south of Crazy Horse, and just a few spindly trees, so no real shade.
Aaron

[GerryS]

Shade was good at sylvan. It wasn't bad...just had bad neighbors and a case of a small camp site.