Mt Rushmore in an Airstream... Advice!

[LittleRadio]

Looking for a campground within 20 minutes of the Mountain. Must be clean, safe, have a pool and full hookups. Anybody got suggestions?

I'll have 3 young children, 6, 5 and .75 years of age. And one tentative wife!! (she's never camped before!)

Thanks!

Tony

[dmac]

Horsethief Lake campground is two miles from Mt. Rushmore. It is a National Forest Service campground, so it does not have a pool. But it is beautiful!

[hookedonclassic]

KOA-Mount Rushmore/Hill City is nice. Link is: http://www.koa.com/where/sd/41125/ Nice place to base out of when seeing the sights. So hills to climb going out of Rapid City to get there.

[hookedonclassic]

Should be: SOME hills to climb out of Rapid City.

[grizzy]

We stayed at the KOA-- its VERY nice. There are nice walking trails, things for kids to do, and restaurants, and a bus to the monument throughout the day. I believe it won an award for the nicest campground in the Rushmore area. It is about 10 minutes from the monument.

[maxandgeorgia]

We too stayed at the Rushmore KOA-all the ammenities that are mentioned above, but be aware: it is CROWDED in summer. I mean groups (crowds) of people and kids and bikes, and . . .. I am sure kids love it, but it is not a peaceful camping experience. We were lucky. Got there late. Only a few places left. They apologized when they assigned us a site way out on the edge of the whole campground, looking over a meadow. Probably one of the nicest possible sites, and one that was disregarded in that cummunal beehive! We were appreciative to find a place for the night and grateful not to be pulling in to the mayhem of the main camping areas.

[crispyboy]

If you decide to stay in the badlands some friends of the family own the campground in tiny town of Interior, SD. (not the KOA) Very nice people. We met them when I was a kid on my first trailer vacation when I was 9 yrs old in 1977. We have been visiting every year or two ever since.

[john hd]

i like to stay a little farther away then drive into the black hills.

the koa in spearfish is very nice. nothing special, it is out in the grassland right next to the spearfish creek. it is close to a wally world and a pick and save.

they have a pool, gift shop and a small resturant there. most of the interior sites are pull throughs with full hook ups.

if you are planning a vacation there do not go during the bike rally, the prices double! and the crowds are unbelievable. you would have to make reservations at least 3 years in advance if you choose to go then!

the forest service HQ is in spearfish, stop in and get a detailed map of the area, some of the best places are off the beaten path. a good map of the area is essential if you want to see the sights and avoid the crowds.

john

[Davydd]

Don't even think about going to Mt. Rushmore when they have to bike rally at Sturgis. You will be lucky to find anthing closer than Mitchell, SD. And that is a long ways away.

Make sure you visit Mt. Rushmore when they have the evening lighting ceremony. It is very impressive. For that reason you might want to be close by.

[Turtle]

Bike Rally? I was thinking bicycles. But a net search turns up a website telling about a massive Motorcycle Rally. A photo on the first page of the site has a classic collage of bikers right down to the big bearded guy with his shirt off! If you have a teenage daughter, there is another reason to avoid Mt. Rushmore from August 8-14 (I'm thinking here of the '60s movie starring Dana Andrews, Hotrods to Hell). We'd been councled to go to Rushmore only in the summer because the weather is so bad the rest of the time. The official website indicates otherwise. Anybody visited during October? Any input or advice other than carry chains?

Jamie

[grizzy]

We stayed in the KOA at Rushmore last year in the last week of Sept (they close Oct 1). The weather was great and there were no crowds. In addition the fall scenery was great! Definitely no snow at that time.

[jfowler218]

We stayed in Keystone just 3 miles from Mt Rushmore two weeks ago. There are several campgrounds in the area. The weather was great and no crowds. Be sure to go into Rapdid City for some frozen custard. Don't miss the evening ceremony at Rushmore if you are an American.

[potatoes]

We stay at least yearly at the Rafter J Bar Ranch along highway 385 straight west of Mt. Rushmore about 7-10 miles which is a beautiful drive with slight curves & scenery. You can also see the profile view of the faces from this road. The campground is five star, has a pool, large trees for shade if you camp on the island area and is just the right distance from the crowds of the small towns and Mt. Rushmore. It is also about 2 miles south of Hill City. I like it because you are in the heart of the hills and still close to most areas that you would like to visit. Sorry for rambling, but you can tell I really like this area! I also go for the motorcycle rally and stay at this same spot because it is plenty far from Sturgis so we can enjoy the rally but not be right in the middle of all of the crowds.

[Tikihut]

I stayed in Custer KOA it was very nice and clean

[Silvertwinkie]

Many, many years ago, we stayed at a National Forest campground called Rifle Pit. No hookups, but as quite as they come. Not far from the mountain, etc....not sure if it's still around anymore though....

[JaceBeck]

Big Pines Campground in Custer, SD was great...big sites, but no pool. Rafter J was great with/for kids. I think there is a Jellystone Park in Custer as well.