RV driving on Iron Mountain Road

Great 8 RV Stops in the Black Hills

Enjoy these and other Black Hills spots as you travel in the comfort of your RV

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RV driving past Mount Rushmore

Mount Rushmore National Memorial

It should be no surprise that the iconic faces of Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, and Lincoln made this list. These 60-foot-faces of Mount Rushmore are recognized internationally and should definitely be a stop as you cruise the Black Hills in your RV.

Entry fee: Entrance is free, but parking for RVs is $10 per vehicle, $5 for seniors 62 and older, or free for active duty military. For more info, click here.

Best nearby RV sites: Top sites include Mount Rushmore Resort at Palmer Gulch KOA and Rafter J Bar Ranch.

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Crazy Horse Memorial outside of Custer, during a beautiful South Dakota sunset.

Crazy Horse Memorial

Less than 20 miles away from Mount Rushmore is Crazy Horse Memorial, the largest in-progress mountain carving. See the completed 87-foot face of this legendary Lakota warrior, and explore the many cultural offerings on the memorial’s campus, including the Indian Museum of North American, the Laughing Water Restaurant, and the Native American Educational & Cultural Center.

Entry fee: Admission to Crazy Horse Memorial varies by time of visit and is $30 or $35 per car (with more than 2 people), $12 or $15 per person, and $7 or $10 per person on motorcycle, bicycle, or foot. Group rates are available. Click here for more info.

Best nearby RV sites: Top sites include Mount Rushmore Resort at Palmer Gulch KOA and Rafter J Bar Ranch.

Deadwood Trolley

HISTORIC Deadwood

Maybe you’ve seen the hit HBO show and movie, or maybe you’ve heard about the rowdy origins. Either way, there’s so much to enjoy in Historic Deadwood. Check out area museums, Mount Roosevelt (The Friendship Tower), loads of gaming & entertainment spots, and the final resting place of legends like Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane at Mount Moriah Cemetery. Being surrounded by the Black Hills National Forest means you can drive in any direction and take in the natural beauty.

Best nearby RV sites: Go luxurious at Elkhorn Ridge, enjoy free trolley service to Deadwood at Deadwood/Black Hills KOA, or embrace the “you catch ‘em, we cook ‘em” fishing option at Fish ‘N Fry Campground. For a complete list of Deadwood campground options, click here

Custer State Park in fall

Custer State Park

Also located in the Black Hills National Forest, this 71,000-acre park is the crown jewel of South Dakota. Enjoy a number of hikes, including one to Black Elk Peak (the highest point between the Colorado’s Rocky Mountains and the Pyrenees Mountains in France) and stroll around one of the park’s five lakes. 

Entry fee: An annual park license is $36. This covers entrance into all state parks, recreation areas, and lakeside use areas. You can purchase one online here.

Best nearby RV sites: Custer State Park contains 10 campgrounds that offer something for everyone. Click here for more info.

Spearfish canyon road

Spearfish

Cruising on the Spearfish Canyon State and National Forest Service Byway, it won’t take long before you realize that you’ve made a wonderful decision. The area’s limestone cliffs, thriving foliage, rushing mountain stream, and three waterfalls all offer natural beauty and plenty of reasons to pull over and explore. Bonus: There might not be a better spot in the state to see the eruption of color that comes with autumn’s arrival.

Best nearby RV sites: Every Spearfish RV camping option on this list is highly rated.

RV driving through the Badlands

Wall Drug/Badlands

Can you explore western South Dakota without “digging” Wall Drug? It’s possible, but why would you want to? This legendary stop covers a city block. Inside, you can explore numerous shops or dine on the restaurant’s legendary donuts and hot beef sandwiches amidst a multi-million dollar collection of western art work. Don’t miss the Wall Drug Backyard, where millions come every year to take their picture on top of a mythical jackalope.

Only a few miles from Wall, SD, is the entrance to Badlands National Park. Home to otherworldly spires, peaks, and colorful walls, this park’s 244,000 acres offer a seemingly unlimited number of places to pull over and wander. If enjoying the comfort of your RV is top priority, you can spend a leisurely hour cruising the Badlands Loop State Scenic Byway’s 39 miles for memorable views and the chance to spot some of the park’s wildlife, including pronghorn antelope, buffalo, and prairie dogs.

Entry fee: It’s $30 for any private vehicle, and the pass is good for one week. An annual pass is $50. Click here for more info.

Best nearby RV sites: You can bask in the Badlands’ spires and buttes from Cedar Pass Campground. Click here for other Badlands camping spots. Inside the city of Wall, you can also find plenty of options.

City of Presidents statue trail in Rapid City

Rapid City

The second-largest city in South Dakota is an ideal headquarters for exploration in western South Dakota. Inside the city, you can find a downtown populated with a variety of shops as well as a collection of full-sized presidential statues. From there, you can hit Mount Rushmore (25 miles), Crazy Horse Memorial (38 miles), Custer State Park (43 miles), Reptile Gardens (7 miles), Bear Country (10 miles) and so much more.

Best nearby RV sites: The Rapid City RV Park and American Buffalo Resort are both popular options. For a complete list of Rapid City options, click here.

Visitor taking a picture at Porter Sculpture park

Hidden Gems

Driving your home around means you can go wherever you want! So, what’s your pleasure? The crazy sculptures of Porter Sculpture Park? The site of Jesse James’ legendary jump at Devil’s Gulch? The home of South Dakota’s only thatched roof? These and more are all ready to be explored. Fire up the RV and find your kind of magic in South Dakota.

Great places are waiting, so hop in your RV!