1/7/2024 0 Comments Best boondocking locations![]() Spearfish and Deadwood are a quick drive while driving to Rapid City takes under an hour. The town of Belle Fourche is just a short drive away. What I Like:įree camping right on the water! Spectacular views of the reservoir. A sign for “Belle Fourche Dam and Reservoir” will let you know you’ve arrived in the correct spot. Look for the turn off onto Susie Peak Road just before the entrance to Rocky Point State Recreation Area.įrom here, it’s just under 2 miles to the entrance to the Bureau of Reclamation run free camping area. The gravel access road is quite smooth aside from minor washboarding.Īccess this free campground by turning north off Highway 212 onto Fishermans Road. Most of the campsites are large enough to accommodate even the biggest rigs. Many of the campsites here are located right on the shores of the reservoir itself.īelle Fourche Reservoir is an excellent spot for RVs and trailers. ![]() But, I believe you’re allowed to dispersed camp almost anywhere. Established campsites have picnic tables and fire rings. It consists of several small gravel loops each with a places to camp. This very well-maintained free dispersed camping area is run in conjunction with the Belle Fourche Dam & Reservoir by the Bureau of Reclamation. It’s located just 10 minutes to the Interior Entrance to Badlands National Park.īelle Fourche Reservoir is home to some very scenic lakeside boondocking. It’s not as scenic, but is much less crowded. The Baja Motorized Use Area, also part of Buffalo Gap National Grassland, is a great alternative to Badlands Overlook. ![]() Exposed to the weather (both sun and thunderstorms). Often extremely windy (tent campers take note). Sheriff and rangers regularly patrol the area in the summer. Just 15 minutes from I-90 and 5 minutes to the national park. Some of the best sunsets and sunrises you’ll ever see. What I Like:Ībsolutely incredible views from the rim of the badlands below. * Badlands Overlook is also commonly called Nomad View, Buffalo Gap, Wall Dispersed Camping, and Badlands Boondocking among countless other names. Thanks to the wide open space, this is an excellent boondocking spot for RVs and trailers of all sizes, including big rigs. Although there’s enough room for pretty much everyone (you’ll almost certainly find a spot to set up camp), you should expect crowds and minimal privacy.Īlthough the unpaved access road can be a little bumpy, potholed, and rutted, it’s generally well-maintained. That said, this area has become extremely popular over the past few years. You literally camp on the rim of the badlands. Simply put, the dispersed campsites at Badlands Overlook boast some of the best views of any campsite (free or paid) in the state. Less than 15 minutes south of Wall (home to Wall Drug) and just 5 minutes north of the Badlands Pinnacle Entrance to Badlands National Park, it’s not only the awesome location that makes this free campsite so special – it’s also the incredible views. But, seriously, there are so many campsites in Black Hills National Forest you’ll almost certainly find an awesome spot to set up camp simply by exploring the surrounding forest service roads in person.īadlands Overlook is almost certainly South Dakota’s most famous dispersed camping destination. Other Free Campsites Nearby:īear Mountain Lookout Road ( 43.869889, -103.74444) is another notable spot nearby (albeit much farther in). The hilltop campsites with the best views can get very windy, but there are more shielded campsites tucked away nearby. Luckily, there’s a ton of room to spread out if you continue up North Pole Road and explore the various side roads. There’s not much privacy at the listed coordinates. ![]() The access road is well-maintained and the area is suitable for RVs and trailers of all sizes. ![]() The campsites at the listed coordinates are quite peaceful with a mixture of grassy meadows (great for solar) and forested spots (perfect for shade). It’s mostly clearly marked and pretty obvious what’s private property, but an app with national forest overlay maps like FreeRoam or Gaia GPS is helpful in this regard. Just make sure you’re in Black Hills National Forest before setting up camp as the area is interspersed with private property. Countless other dispersed campsites are available in the surrounding hills on connected forest service roads. The coordinates listed below are a great place to start your search, although these spots tend to fill up quickly. Many of the campsites here are suitable for boondocking in RVs and trailers, even in big rigs. Getting here is easy thanks to the well-maintained, mostly gravel, access roads. In addition to its location smackdab in the middle of the Black Hills, these dispersed campsites are less than an hour drive to Crazy Horse Memorial, Custer State Park, Mount Rushmore, Rapid City, and Wind Cave National Park. North Pole Road (Forest Road 287) makes a convenient homebase for exploring many of southwestern South Dakota’s most popular attractions. ![]()
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