Da Black Hills

Nomad

A Mini-Report...

Lots of Forest Service sites in the hills (a lot of hike ins though) - most are run by concessionaires and don't give the Senior Card discount. Two that do are Lakes Pactola and Sheridan. Even with the discount, they're higher than out west - I've found that true all across the midwest. Pactola is roughly 90% reserved sites but hardly anyone there during the week so you can take whatever one you want as long as you move before the reserved come in - the hosts can tell you what's available for when. I didn't stay at Sheridan as there was a boating accident death and they had it shut down. Two-bar cell with LTE data at Pactola.

Custer (State Park) - East of Custer - Stayed at Stockade North - Very nice, spacious sites in the the main loop, a little tighter in the east loop. My spot was so big (#25), the neighbors were 50 and 100 feet away. Clean bathrooms/showers. Two-bar cell with LTE data

Bismark Lake (Forest Service) - East of Custer - Didn't stay here but wish I had, it's a gem. Only about 2 miles east of the Stockade North entrance and across the road. The good sites (1-17) are all reservable. The first-come, first-served site are few and not nearly as nice (picturesque) Wish I'd written down which were the best T@B sites :-(

Wind Cave (National Park) - North of Hot Springs - Nice little park. First-come, first-served. The west loop has no shade but the ones along the road do. Zero cell coverage in the campground. Two-bar cell with LTE data up at the campground entrance though.

Angostura (State Park) - South of Hot Springs - One gigantic park, several different campgrounds, nice beach, really nice bathrooms/showers. Nice shaded sites. - Two-bar cell with LTE data.

A note on dump stations - they are far and few between. One in Custer State Park at Game Lodge and one down at Agostura. Think there's one in the city of Custer also but not sure.

jcfaber1

Thanks for the info.  My wife and I will be heading that way in two weeks.  Plan to do some hiking, wildlife viewing.
John

rkhammond

If anyone find themselves near Spearfish, SD...the Spearfish City Park campground is wonderful!  Their 'primitive' sites are basically anywhere on the grassy/lawn areas of the campground. Shady or sunny areas and a small creek rambles through.  Bathroom and shower facilities are very clean and nice. They also have several electric and full hookup sites...we have only used the primitive area. It is adjacent to the DC Booth historic fish hatchery and a beautiful city park. Our favorite campground so far!

Nomad

I've always had good luck with city and county parks (so far) - will have to try that if I'm in the northern hills.

Nomad

Was in Hot Springs but didn't do the Mammoth. Had to meet up with my brother further north - he showed up early as there was too much smoke in the Grand Tetons. Hot Springs a nifty little town.

Nomad

Sandra - Not far from Pine Ridge, Wounded Knee...18 miles of gravel to get out here...

Nomad

Love boondocking it like this, you meet the most interesting people - Was killing time waiting for the right light and a young Native American guy stops to see what I was doing, showed him some of my shots and he spent the next two hours giving me the history of the area, the various tribes here on Pine Ridge and their language variations. The Fairburn agates that are only found here. The fossils in the area, etc, etc, etc. - He's coming back later with some of his photos and wants a critique.

Turned me onto 3 more old churches in the area - don't know wether I'll be able to find them or not as they're down some obscure winding gravel roads the way it sounds. Will give it a shot though :-)

RZRBUG

OK, you talked me into it.  I usually stop by Da Black Hills on my way to other places out West, but reading this post has put me in the notion of just making it a destination before the snow flies.  I'd planned to be in Kansas the last of September anyway.  Oh, wonder if any of these parks close during the winter, and if so, when?

Nomad

RZRBUG - I think some close at the end of Sept. The big buffalo roundup is Sept 25 - 14k people show up to watch.

Besides boondocking on the reservation shooting stuff, I stayed one night at a small COE just NW of hot springs - Senior Rate = $4.00 - 13 sites, all small but just right for a T@B - Lake across the road (2-sites there). Beach just down the road. Three-bar cell and LTE data. It's really close to Hot Springs so I know you'll want to run in to one of the spas for a beauty treatment.

RZRBUG

PXLated said:

RZRBUG - I think some close at the end of Sept. The big buffalo roundup is Sept 25 - 14k people show up to watch.

Besides boondocking on the reservation shooting stuff, I stayed one night at a small COE just NW of hot springs - Senior Rate = $4.00 - 13 sites, all small but just right for a T@B - Lake across the road (2-sites there). Beach just down the road. Three-bar cell and LTE data. It's really close to Hot Springs so I know you'll want to run in to one of the spas for a beauty treatment.

I had forgotten about the roundup.  Would love to see it, but won't fight the crowds.  Besides, if I go, it will be the following week...last week of September.

I've already had my annual maintenance treatment.  I assume you stopped by for yours.

Nomad

Didn't have time, had to meet up with my brother - next time ;-)

jcfaber1

I made reservations at Oreville FS campground as all the Ones mentioned above were booked - I wasn't thinking about labor day weekend.  Already. It should be fun though.
John

RZRBUG

I'm hoping the crowds will be gone by the end of the month.  School will be started and the roundup will be over.  Of course, the leaf-peepers may be out and about.  At any rate, I'm going without reservations...so to speak.  Safe travels, John.

jcfaber1

Many of the FS campgrounds are closing the week we are there.  Have safe travels yourself

Nomad

RZRBUG - Almost all the trees are pines so no fall leaf watching - You're safe :-)

RZRBUG

PXLated said:

RZRBUG - Almost all the trees are pines so no fall leaf watching - You're safe :-)

Yes, I realize that, but there are a few aspens scattered around.  They are beautiful against the dark green background.  Fall color watchers usually head to the hardwoods forests, but there some gorgeous colors in the Rocky Mountains...if you can beat the snow.

From what I have been able to determine, FS campgrounds have a closure schedule from Labor Day until the first of November, with a few staying open year-round.  So, if you wish to camp in one without making a reservation, or if you're not sure just which one you want to stay in, it will be a crap shoot.  Of course, there are always a few RV parks scattered around.

sabel

FYI, there are plenty of Aspen and Bur Oak in the Black Hills. Prettiest place on earth is Spearfish Canyon about last week in October.

RZRBUG

sabel said:

FYI, there are plenty of Aspen and Bur Oak in the Black Hills. Prettiest place on earth is Spearfish Canyon about last week in October.

Thanks, sabel.  I will keep that in mind.  That's about the same time as peak color here in the Ozarks.  I would have thought it would be a little earlier in the Black Hills, but then again, I suppose there is not that much of a temperature difference.

This photo was taken the last of September a couple of years ago.

Nomad

Yep, the north part is colorful - I rarely spend any time up that way so never think of it.

CanuckTabber

Shoot. We had hoped to make it out to South Dakota but 22hrs each way and we only have 8 days.  Cape Cod it is.

I shall settle for Chowder instead.

I cannot wait to make the SD pilgrimage.

sabel

Guys,
I stand corrected too. Ment to say last of September not October. However, last two years in a row, we had freak snow storms about mid September that killed everything. Went from green leaves on trees to brown leaves everywhere. Got several feet of snow too. No Fall at all. It'll be interesting to see what happens this year in the Hills.

Nomad

sabel - Sounds like you're from the hills.

jcfaber1

We'll be there a week from today!
John

sabel

We're from Sheridan Wyoming but send a lot of time in hills 

Nomad

John - You might want to take in the Badlands also. In fact, if you want to see Buffalo, the herd there is like a thousand strong and they graze right along the scenic loop. Antelope too. When I did the whole long Custer wildlife loop I saw at most 100 bison and there were 50 cars, a traffic jam.

mash2

The bison are wonderful in Buffalo.  I was impressed.  Nearly as many as along the Madison River in Yellowstone in early spring (calving season).  

Nomad

I'll have to dig out the snapshots, they went on for almost ever - from right at the road to the horizon.

mash2

Sounds great.

Nomad

By the way - South of Wall, 1/4 mile north of the entrance to the Badlands on the east side of the road there's a gravel road with a barbed wire fence gate - you can open the gate (close it when in) and drive up towards the towers. Once past the towers you can camp right on the rim looking down into the eastern edge of the Badlands. I was only 20 ft away (don't sleep walk, it's a thousand foot drop). This is BLM dispersed camping, no services at all. So, if you like boondocking this is great, only 1/4 mile to the park and another mile or two to the scenic loop. 6-7 miles south of Wall.

Nomad

The bulls were all intermixed wen I passed through. Man some of those guys are big. A number of years ago my brother saw one get mad at a tour bus, took off running and butted it head on. Dented the whole front end in.