Whether you’re visiting the Black Hills for pleasure or business, your accommodations are an important component of a pleasant visit. In this chapter you’ll find a selection of accommodations that includes hotels, cottages, vacation homes, cabins, ranches, and bed-and-breakfasts. Although the Hills have literally hundreds of lodging possibilities—including inexpensive chain or mom-and-pop motels and single rooms in private homes—we’ve selected only the most interesting, comfortable, and enjoyable.
You may assume the accommodations in this chapter do not allow indoor smoking or accept pets and are not wheelchair accessible. If these features are important to you, read the write-ups closely, because we’ll indicate all exceptions. You may also assume that each accepts credit cards, requires an advance deposit, and expects advance notice of cancellation.
The Black Hills tourist season runs from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend. Some accommodations are open before and after those holidays, and some close as soon as the season ends. Many remain open all year, catering to fall travelers and winter recreation enthusiasts. We’ll give you the approximate dates of operation, but these dates are not set in stone, as they sometimes change with the weather.
Many lodging operators raise their rates during tourist season and lower them in the off-season, and almost all of them raise their rates during the Sturgis Rally & Races (more about that in the Annual Events & Festivals chapter).
During rally time, the first two weeks of August or so, the Hills are filled to the brim with visitors, and available accommodations are scarce, even if the rates are higher than usual.
Thousands of people come to the Black Hills each summer to camp among the pines, and both public and private campground operators are happy to oblige them. Whether you want to pack all your amenities on your back and hike to a primitive tent site, settle down with cable TV in your RV, or bring your horse with you, you’ll find plenty of choices that meet your needs. We’ve listed a number of fine places we would recommend to our camping friends, but understand that these entries merely scratch the surface. There’s an abundance of well-run camping spots from one end of the Hills to the other.
Many of the campgrounds in this chapter offer a wide range of creature comforts, but you’ll find the owners have also done a commendable job of preserving the natural surroundings that beckon people to the Hills in the first place. And even those with the most campsites have a spacious feel—the great outdoors is all around you. Listen closely and you’ll probably catch the strains of a coyote serenade at dusk. Of course, you’re more apt to see wildlife if you hike deep into the forest, find a flat spot of ground, and pitch your tent. As long as you don’t want a campfire and pack all of your supplies in and out, this is a pleasant (and free) option almost anywhere in the Black Hills National Forest.
Overview
Privately owned campgrounds often have swimming pools and other recreational opportunities on-site, and many are located near major attractions. But if you’d like to go touring and let someone else do the driving, be sure to ask whether any bus tours stop for passengers where you intend to stay. If you’re looking for a public campground with fewer amenities, refer to the listings for state and national parks and recreation areas. You’ll find 26 public campgrounds operated by the USDA Forest Service (see the Black Hills National Forest heading later in the chapter). Lastly, we have a separate section for horse camps.
For information about camping in or near the Badlands, consult the Badlands chapter. If you’re looking for a cabin to rent, the Accommodations chapter is your best source.
Unless we state otherwise, the campgrounds listed here have showers, flush toilets, and RV dump stations. Full RV hookups mean water, sewer, and electricity; partial means electricity and water or electricity only. Each listing includes a breakdown of RV and tent sites to help you gauge which campgrounds suit your camping style. And unless a listing states otherwise, assume your major credit card will be accepted and your pet is welcome on a leash.
You’ll notice that many campgrounds give opening and closing dates “depending on the weather.” Well, that’s just the way we operate here, where winters can be long and blustery—or comparatively brief and mild. Be aware that campgrounds and other accommodations are apt to be packed in early August during the Sturgis Rally & Races (see Annual Events & Festivals). Although it’s a good idea to make advance reservations any time you’re coming to the Hills, it’s especially wise to do so for stays during Rally week.
Whenever you arrive, and wherever you stay, don’t be surprised if you find a family reunion or two in progress. Black Hills campgrounds are a popular choice for such activities, and when you think about it, what better way to spend time with those you love?