The Black Hills National Forest is one of America's best known national protected areas. Mount Rushmore can be found here, and the area offers easy access to several regional and state South Dakota Parks. Camping is an affordable and flexible way to visit the Black Hills and the surrounding region.
Forest Facilities
Facilities at Black Hills National Park include a visitor center open from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily from Memorial Day to Labor Day, with exhibits and park information. Ranger talks and programs often take place in or start at the visitor center. Other park amenities include restroom facilities, 11 reservoirs, 353 miles of hiking trails, 13,000 acres of wilderness, two scenic byways and 30 campgrounds. There are park rangers, as well as paid and volunteer personnel on hand to help campers with any issues or problems they may have.
Rules, Regulations and Considerations
There is no entrance fee to access Black Hills National Park, but there are fees to access some forest facilities, such as campgrounds. You will need to obtain a pass from the main office in order to be allowed to collect firewood, and go camping, swimming and boating. It is important to respect the forest flora and fauna and not remove anything from its place. Like most nationally protected areas, the Black Hills represent a delicate ecosystem that can easily be disrupted and damaged by human carelessness. Black Hills National Forest is open year-round.
Activities
The most popular activity in the Black Hills is hiking, which can be done on any of the park's 353 trails, such as Cliff Swallows Trail Head. Campers should pay a visit to the visitor's center for a brochure with information about forest hiking trails. When traveling with young children, it's important to know whether your trail of choice is appropriate. Other Black Hills activities include biking, swimming at Pactola Point Swim Beach, rock climbing, mountain climbing, horseback riding, fishing, and water sports, such as boating, kayaking, canoeing or paddleboating.
Developed Site Camping
There are 30 campgrounds in Black Hills National Forest with nearly 700 individual sites. Although technically classified as "developed" site camping, there are no electric or sewer hookups anywhere in Black Hills National Forest. However, developed campsites do have drinking water and flush or vault toilets. Cabin rentals are available at Southern Hills-Custer campgrounds, and RV camping is allowed in Central Hills-Rapid City campgrounds and Northern Hills-Spearfish campgrounds. Because of the relatively limited amount of camping sites, it's wise to book ahead of time.
Backcountry Camping
Backcountry, or dispersed, camping refers to any camping at Black Hills National Forest done outside designated campgrounds. Dispersed camping is only allowed for a maximum of 14 days in a 60-day period in Northern Hills-Spearfish area and the Southern Hills-Custer area. Absolutely no campfires are allowed when backcountry camping. This type of camping is best for couples or solo travelers with lots of camping experience. Families with young children will probably be unhappy due to a lack of amenities and services.
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