South Dakota is home to some amazing historical sites such as part of the Lewis and Clark Trail, the famous Black Hills and Badlands National Park. There are over 50 different campgrounds available and most of these allow tent camping in designated areas. You can choose to tent camp near amenities or far from them, depending on the goal of your trip.
Custer State Park
One of the most popular camping destinations in South Dakota is Custer State Park. Located west of Rapid City, this park features areas where Custer's expedition found gold in the late 1800s and features multiple tent-friendly areas scattered around its 71,000 acre area. The fee to camp in June 2010 was $7.70 per "sleeping unit," which includes tents, but family tent areas only have to pay one fee. This park has numerous hiking and biking trails as well as walking trails that offer great exercise and education for the entire family.
Battle Creek Campground
The Battle Creek campgrounds are located north of Custer State Park and are right next to the city of Keystone and the famous Mount Rushmore. All of the campgrounds here are privately owned and operated as camping right beside Mount Rushmore is not allowed. Tent campers will usually have the smallest fee because they don't need any type of hookups that RV campers will need. The famous Mount Rushmore monument will get the entire family hours of exercise as they walk around and read the informational displays, and mountain biking trails are all along this campground.
Lake Vermillion Recreation Area
Close to Sioux Falls is the Lake Vermillion Recreation Area. This is a 512-acre reservoir that has camping areas on the East and West sides of the lake. Tent camping here is extremely family friendly as there are numerous swimming docks and playgrounds near each campsite that are open to the public. The lake offers healthy swimming, rowing, and kayaking opportunities for recreation as well. There is a fee of $10 for tent campers who are staying for a single night.
Snake Creek Recreation Area
Snake Creek is a popular tent camping destination for those who want to add a little fishing into their camping trip. Located along the Missouri River, Snake Creek is a lush, green area that is a little more hospitable to tent campers than the plains South Dakota is mostly known for. This is a state recreation area so the $7.70 per tent site fee will apply. There are many trails guaranteed to give you a good workout as you explore the riverbank searching for prime trout holes.
Considerations
The climate in South Dakota is great for tent camping between May and September. The late fall to late spring weather can be extremely cold and windy, and camping can be dangerous at any South Dakota location during those times. Summer can be extremely hot, so tent camping near a water source for swimming is recommended.
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