Camping at Elk Mountain Campground in Wind Cave National Park
Camping at Elk Mountain Campground in Wind Cave National Park, South Dakota, offers a truly unique experience, characterized by magnificent landscapes and rich biodiversity. This campground is strategically located within the Black Hills, making it an excellent base for exploring the park's natural wonders. The unique geological formations and the famed Wind Cave make this site important to both recreational campers and history enthusiasts.
Adventure Guide To Camping at Elk Mountain Campground in Wind Cave National Park
Campground Location: Elk Mountain Campground is situated conveniently off Highway 87. The campground provides a tranquil forested setting surrounded by ponderosa pines. Visitors can enjoy panoramic views of the surrounding hills and the opportunity to observe wildlife, including deer and an array of bird species.
Unique Features: The campground features individual and group sites, along with picnic tables and fire pits for gatherings. It also has access to potable water and restrooms, ensuring the comfort of campers. The proximity to hiking trails like the Castle Trail enhances outdoor exploration, leading to breathtaking overlooks and access to the beautiful Wind Cave itself.
Cultural Significance: The Black Hills are sacred to several Native American tribes, particularly the Lakota Sioux. Understanding local history enriches visits, as you recognize the area's significance in both Native culture and American history. Wind Cave is notable for its unique boxwork formations, which are among the rarest cave features globally.
Visitor Tips
Best Times to Visit: Late spring to early fall is optimal for camping, with pleasant weather and abundant wildlife activity. Summer months tend to attract more visitors, so early reservations are advisable.
What to Bring: Essential gear includes a tent, sleeping bags, cooking supplies, food, and water. Don't forget insect repellent and sunscreen. A sturdy pair of hiking boots is recommended for trails.
Driving Directions: From Rapid City, head south on Highway 16, then take Highway 87 into Wind Cave National Park. The drive will take approximately 1 hour, offering stunning views along the way.
Adventure Map
Reviews
Kim Faller2 months ago
Loved our Camphost couple!!!! Would love to touch base with Sue on social! Her and her husband were fantastic đ
Hunter Cutchina year ago
We booked a weekend stay camping trip at this location (Elk Mountain Campground) and were originally in D Loop. However by random luck after booking we saw that D loop had no working facilities due to maintenance. Something we would have never seen if I hadn't had checked the website one more time before leaving. We moved our location instead to B loop. We stayed at site 28B. This shouldn't even be considered a campsite due to the extreme hill you are on. There is absolutely NO flat ground to set up a tent on 28B. The incline is so extreme, our sleeping bags kept sliding to the door of the tent. Even the picnic table leans so far it's difficult to set anything on it without sliding off. We planned to stay all weekend but left after only one night. The headaches we got from such an extreme slope was horrendous for sleeping. And obviously we put our heads uphill, anything else would be completely out of the question. Lights from the toilet facilities shine all night long straight into your tent. Was told from the camp attendee he'd come see us and tell us bit about the site and its offerings, besides the occasional wave as they drove by we never saw them again. I was given three different stories about firewood, One said it was free, another said it was NOT free and cost roughly $7 a bundle, and a posted notice of campsite rules on the toilets said it was available but donations were accepted. Still never found out where to actually get firewood so I brought my own.
Will never get a campsite at this campground again. Stay away from Site 28B if you're tent camping.
Wendy Tveit6 months ago
We really like this area. We were here last fall as well. Unfortunately, both stays our 35â 5th wheel just doesnât fit anywhere. The sites are very narrow and they are a leveling nightmare. The ranger allowed us to park our truck in the group site nearby since their wasnât a reservation for that area. See photo. This is an old campground and has not updated to fit newer RVâs with slide outs. The website doesnât have width listed only length. The camphost was super nice and the maintenance Ranger helped us with traffic cones since our slides were in the roadway. See pic. Last fall we were near the entrance and the cattle guard was so loud when a vehicle drove over it. It needs some work to get it level and less noisy. We had a difficult time leveling in that spot too, on the hillside. The bathroom in our loop needs some updating as well. Birds are nesting right at the entry and the poop is everywhere. The sink also has some broken parts. They really try to maintain the campground and keep the grass manicured. The bison, prairie dogs, coyotes and so many birds were really cool.
Marquis Smith5 months ago
Great campground in a good area. The grade were slightly sloped but otherwise great. There was good ranger presence and few campers. Bathrooms are cleaned often and have everything but a shower. 5stars if they had showers(maybe somewhere else in campground). There is a community water hookup, trans, picnic, etc. we had a small grill and picnic table.
Early in the AM there were lots of animals out. Prairie dogs, Bison, and we could hear elk in the woods.
We will camp here again in the future. Bad cell service in the further back campgrounds. Better towards front of park.
They have small cabin they may rent to campers too.
Jade Hessee5 months ago
Be careful on which ground you choose because many are heavily slanted. The bathrooms are clean and nice but there are no showers. It was a safe and quiet area.
