Sightseeing & food
| Location | Hot Springs, South Dakota |
|---|---|
| Nightly rate (listed) | $12–$45/night |
| Guest rating | 4.0 / 5 (361 reviews) |
| Maximum RV length | 36 ft (longest listed site) |
| Hookups | None listed |
| Pull-through sites | Yes |
| RV sites | 49 |
| Pets allowed | 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
This weekend · Available Oct 30 – Nov 1 · 2 nights17 sites open for every night · from $12/night
Elk Mountain Campground is a Recreation.gov campground in Hot Springs. It lists 49 RV or RV/tent sites and 16 tent sites for rigs up to 36 ft. Pets are allowed per the listing.
Checking 2 nights (your saved dates or this weekend). Tell us what you're staying in to see matching sites and prices.
Availability checked Oct 26 on Recreation.gov. Rates are the provider's nightly rates; totals are estimates before taxes & fees.
Opens site 15 on Recreation.gov; re-enter Oct 30–Nov 1 there.
Opens site 16 on Recreation.gov; re-enter Oct 30–Nov 1 there.
Opens site 22 on Recreation.gov; re-enter Oct 30–Nov 1 there.
Opens site 31 on Recreation.gov; re-enter Oct 30–Nov 1 there.
Opens site 33 on Recreation.gov; re-enter Oct 30–Nov 1 there.
Opens site 18 on Recreation.gov; re-enter Oct 30–Nov 1 there.
Opens site 24 on Recreation.gov; re-enter Oct 30–Nov 1 there.
Opens site 28 on Recreation.gov; re-enter Oct 30–Nov 1 there.
You book with the provider. Each row shows that provider's lowest open option for your dates, and which provider our main button uses.
Availability checked Oct 26 on Recreation.gov. Showing 40 of 65 sites.
| Site | Fr 30 | Sa 31 | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 rv nonelectric | ✓ | ✓ | $12 |
| 16 rv nonelectric | ✓ | ✓ | $12 |
| 18 rv nonelectric | ✓ | ✓ | $12 |
| 20 rv nonelectric | ✓ | ✓ | $12 |
| 21 rv nonelectric | ✓ | ✓ | $12 |
| 22 rv nonelectric | ✓ | ✓ | $12 |
| 23 rv nonelectric | ✓ | ✓ | $12 |
| 24 rv nonelectric | ✓ | ✓ | $12 |
| 25 rv nonelectric | ✓ | ✓ | $12 |
| 26 rv nonelectric | ✓ |
Verbatim from guest reviews on Recreation.gov ↗ (361 reviews, ★ 4.0). Not written or edited by us.
“During the Federal lockdown the campground was still open. I camped in a small rv, and essentially you are parked on the road in your designated spot. Water was turned off, and there are no electric hookups - just a grassy area and a picnic table. This is pretty much dry camping.”
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: 36 ft. Unsure if your rig fits? Check it in the Rig Fit tool
26611 US-385
Open in Google Maps ↗
Elk Mountain Campground sits where a stand of ponderosa pines gives way to open prairie on the southern edge of the Black Hills, putting campers close to the park's rolling grasslands where bison and elk commonly graze. The campground has 64 sites spread across four loops A (14 sites), B (19 sites), C (13 sites) and D (18 sites) with a mix of site types to suit different setups: 29 sites designated for RVs, 16 tent-only sites, and 19 sites that accommodate both RVs and tents. Two group sites can be reserved up to ten months in advance, two individual sites (Numbers 17 and 49) are marked as accessible, and ranger programs are offered most summer nights in the campground amphitheater. Water and flush toilets are provided from late spring through early fall; when those services are offline fees are reduced. The fee during the serviced season (May 20 September 30) is $24 per site, dropping to $12 in the off-season (October 1 May 19); senior (Golden Age) and Access pass holders pay half price, but the Interagency Annual Park Pass does not cover campsite fees. Reservations are accepted from May 20 through September 30 (you can book in advance or on the same day), while the campground operates on a first-come, first-served basis in the off-season only Loop B is available between October 1 and May 19. This is a cashless campground: payment is handled through Recreation.gov or the Recreation.gov mobile app (scan the QR code at the campground kiosk to pay on-site), so download the app before you arrive. Elk Mountain is roughly 11 miles north of Hot Springs on US-385, about a half-mile west of the highway; don't rely solely on GPS for routing (visitor center coordinates N43.55677 W103.47799). From the campground you're well placed for the park's activities auto touring, camping, hiking (Wind Cave National Park maintains more than 30 miles of surface trails), horseback riding, picnicking and wildlife viewing and you can visit Wind Cave's Natural Entrance or take family programs such as the Junior Ranger activity to learn more about the cave and the landscape above.
| Agency / operator | Not listed |
|---|---|
| Booking | Recreation.gov [Recreation.gov] |
| Max RV / trailer length |
| ✓ |
| $12 |
| 27 rv nonelectric | ✓ | ✓ | $12 |
| 28 rv nonelectric | ✓ | ✓ | $12 |
| 29 rv nonelectric | ✓ | ✓ | $12 |
| 31 rv nonelectric | ✓ | ✓ | $12 |
| 32 rv nonelectric | ✓ | ✓ | $12 |
| 33 rv nonelectric | ✓ | ✓ | $12 |
| 34 rv nonelectric | ✓ | ✓ | $12 |
| 1 tent only nonelectric | C | C | $12 |
| 2 tent only nonelectric | C | C | $12 |
| 3 tent only nonelectric | C | C | $12 |
| 4 tent only nonelectric | C | C | $12 |
| 5 tent only nonelectric | C | C | $12 |
| 6 tent only nonelectric | C | C | $12 |
| 7 tent only nonelectric | C | C | $12 |
| 8 tent only nonelectric | C | C | $12 |
| 9 tent only nonelectric | C | C | $12 |
| 10 tent only nonelectric | C | C | $12 |
| 11 tent only nonelectric | C | C | $12 |
| 12 tent only nonelectric | C | C | $12 |
| 13 tent only nonelectric | C | C | $12 |
| 14 tent only nonelectric | C | C | $12 |
| 17 (Accessible Site) rv nonelectric | ✓ | R | $12 |
| 19 rv nonelectric | R | R | $12 |
| 35 rv nonelectric | R | ✓ | $12 |
| 36 standard nonelectric | C | C | $12 |
| 37 standard nonelectric | C | C | $12 |
| 38 standard nonelectric | C | C | $12 |
| 39 standard nonelectric | C | C | $12 |
| 40 standard nonelectric | C | C | $12 |
| 41 standard nonelectric | C | C | $12 |
✓ available · R reserved · X not available · C closed · W first come, first served · N not yet released
| Not listed |
| Bear storage | Not listed |
|---|
| Season | Not listed |
|---|
| Hookups | Not listed |
|---|
| Max stay | 14 nights max |
|---|
Sources: Recreation.gov — Elk Mountain Campground. "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 Elk Mountain Campground, not driving.
Available Oct 30 – Nov 1 · 2 nights9 sites open for every night
Available Oct 30 – Nov 1 · 2 nights5 sites open for every night
Check availability
