Sightseeing & food
| Location | Fort Thompson, South Dakota |
|---|---|
| Nightly rate (listed) | $16–$22/night |
| Guest rating | 5.0 / 5 (396 reviews) |
| Maximum RV length | 89 ft (longest listed site) |
| Hookups | electric |
| Electrical service | 50A |
| Pull-through sites | Yes |
| RV sites | 76 |
| Pets allowed | Yes |
| Dump station | Yes |
| Showers | Yes |
| Playground | Yes |
| Book on | Recreation.gov |
From the park's listing on Recreation.gov. Confirm details with the park before you book.
More South Dakota RV parks with: Pull-Through Sites · Big Rig Sites · 50-Amp Service
This weekend · Not yet releasedRecreation.gov hasn't opened these dates yet
Left Tailrace is a Recreation.gov campground in Chamberlain. It lists 76 RV or RV/tent sites and 12 tent sites for rigs up to 75 ft. 76 sites have electric. Listed amenities include showers, a dump station and a playground, and pets are allowed.
Checking 2 nights (your saved dates or this weekend). Tell us what you're staying in to see matching sites and prices.
Availability checked Sep 30 on Recreation.gov. Rates are the provider's nightly rates; totals are estimates before taxes & fees.
You book with the provider. Each row shows that provider's lowest open option for your dates, and which provider our main button uses.
No recent availability data on Recreation.gov: this grid may be out of date, so check availability with the provider. Showing 40 of 88 sites.
| Site | Fr 30 | Sa 31 | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| T06 tent only nonelectric | – | – | $16 |
| T05 tent only nonelectric | – | – | $16 |
| T08 tent only nonelectric | – | – | $16 |
| T03 tent only nonelectric | – | – | $16 |
| T12 tent only nonelectric | – | – | $16 |
| T04 tent only nonelectric | – | – | $16 |
| T02 tent only nonelectric | – | – | $16 |
| T07 tent only nonelectric | – | – | $16 |
| T01 tent only nonelectric | – | – | $16 |
| T10 |
Verbatim from guest reviews on Recreation.gov ↗ (396 reviews, ★ 5.0). Not written or edited by us.
“I loved that all the sites are waterfront. Beautiful sunsets, the campground itself has very few amenities, but I enjoyed my stay. The shower house was the cleanest I've ever seen. It's a very short drive to town with everything you could need.”
“Our favorite place to camp!! The spots are so nice with the little patio’s & shelters All the campground hosts and gate attendants & maintenance people are so nice & accommodating!! Love the beautiful view of the river!! Can’t wait until next Spring when we will be back!!”
“It is a beautiful park. We wish we could have stayed longer.”
This weekend (Fri, Oct 30 – Sun, Nov 1): Book online. Reservations online on Recreation.gov — open dates and rates come from the booking site.
Longest RV site listed: 75 ft. Unsure if your rig fits? Check it in the Rig Fit tool
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Left Tailrace Campground sits on the shore of Lake Francis Case, immediately below Big Bend Dam on the Missouri River in central South Dakota, about three miles from Fort Thompson, 20 miles from Chamberlain and roughly 65 miles from Pierre. The lake here is part of Lake Sharpe, the 80-mile serpentine reservoir formed when Big Bend Dam was completed in 1966, and the surrounding 80,000 acres of public land support a wide variety of wildlife. Visitors often spot tribal bison herds grazing north of Fort Thompson and Lower Brule, and the shoreline and adjacent grasslands are prime habitat for waterfowl, upland game birds and big game such as whitetail and mule deer, elk, bison, coyotes and wild turkeys. Boating and fishing are central to the experience walleye are the primary sport fish, with sauger, smallmouth and white bass, channel catfish and northern pike also available and the lake's facilities (boat ramp, courtesy dock and fish-cleaning station) make putting a boat in the water and handling a catch straightforward. Other on-site and nearby activities include wildlife viewing, picnicking, playgrounds, a nine-hole disc golf course, water sports, environmental education opportunities and historic/cultural interpretation centered on the dam; guided Big Bend Dam tours run Memorial Day through Labor Day on weekend afternoons (call ahead for details). The campground itself provides a mix of paved, serviceable sites and a dedicated tent area to suit different styles of camping. There are 88 sites in all: 76 sites configured to serve both RVs and tents (with 30- and 50-amp pedestals and a mix of paved pull-through and back-in spaces) and 12 tent-only sites. The layout is split into a lower loop with single sites 1 12 (12 sites) and double sites 14 22 (18 sites), an upper loop comprising sites 23 72 (46 sites), plus the 12-site tent area. Most sites include a picnic table, fire ring and nearby shade, and many have shelter coverings; tent sites similarly have picnic tables and fire rings. Campground facilities include men's and women's comfort stations with showers and toilet stalls, a dump station, potable water, large day-use areas with shelters and grills, playgrounds and the disc golf range. Reservations and fee payments are handled through Recreation.gov (or by calling 1-877-444-6777), reservation changes and cancellations are processed on Recreation.gov per its policies, and facility-specific questions or tour info can be obtained by calling (605) 245-2255.
| Agency / operator | Not listed |
|---|---|
| Booking | Recreation.gov [Recreation.gov] |
| Max RV / trailer length | Not listed |
| Bear storage | Not listed |
| – |
| – |
| $16 |
| T09 tent only nonelectric | – | – | $16 |
| T11 tent only nonelectric | – | – | $16 |
| 16A standard electric | – | – | $22 |
| 21A standard electric | – | – | $22 |
| 56 standard electric | – | – | $22 |
| 17A standard electric | – | – | $22 |
| 33 standard electric | – | – | $22 |
| 06 standard electric | – | – | $22 |
| 52 standard electric | – | – | $22 |
| 10 standard electric | – | – | $22 |
| 22B standard electric | – | – | $22 |
| 08 standard electric | – | – | $22 |
| 54 standard electric | – | – | $22 |
| 20B standard electric | – | – | $22 |
| 55 standard electric | – | – | $22 |
| 11 standard electric | – | – | $22 |
| 18B standard electric | – | – | $22 |
| 41 standard electric | – | – | $22 |
| 35 standard electric | – | – | $22 |
| 19B standard electric | – | – | $22 |
| 36 standard electric | – | – | $22 |
| 15A standard electric | – | – | $22 |
| 21B standard electric | – | – | $22 |
| 17B standard electric | – | – | $22 |
| 53 standard electric | – | – | $22 |
| 37 standard electric | – | – | $22 |
| 15B standard electric | – | – | $22 |
| 09 standard electric | – | – | $22 |
| 16B standard electric | – | – | $22 |
| 34 standard electric | – | – | $22 |
✓ available · R reserved · X not available · C closed · W first come, first served · N not yet released
| Season | Not listed |
|---|
| Hookups | Not listed |
|---|
| Max stay | 14 nights max |
|---|
Sources: Recreation.gov — Left Tailrace. "Not listed" means no source we use states it.
Official facts link to their source; “Listing” facts come from the Recreation.gov listing. Anything we can't source says so.
Closest stays by type. Distances are straight-line from Left Tailrace, not driving.
Available Oct 30 – Nov 1 · 2 nights11 sites open for every night
Available Oct 30 – Nov 1 · 2 nights5 sites open for every night
Available Oct 30 – Nov 1 · 2 nights135 sites open for every night
