# Taking Trip To The Black Hills



## caseyclan (Mar 14, 2007)

Greetings!

This site is great. Excellent community and great suggestions. We have decided to go to the Black Hills to see the sites, and will traveling through Iowa/Nebraska and South Dakota. We have mapped out places to stop along the way (to rest). It is our first trip with the new rig in our Truck (4 kids, the wife and I ), so I am planning a"light" driving schedule, basically allowing for 6 - 6.5 hours for driving , 1 hour for lunch (and running the kids) and fuel stops.

The first night, we want to stop around Council Bluffs, IA, Omaha NE, Bellevue, IA area. Has anyone stayed over in a RV park nearby that they would recommend?

The second night, we want to stop around Oacoma, Presho, and Camp-Murdo SD area. Any suggestions for a decent place to stay.

We only plan on staying 1 night at each stop, and are looking for a place that is clean and safe to rest up.

Thanks for any suggestions.


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## Camping Fan (Dec 18, 2005)

Sounds like a nice trip, good chance to make memories with the kids!









I can't give you any first hand information on campgrounds in those areas, but you can get some campground reviews at this site. Hope that helps.


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## Pee Wee (May 31, 2005)

When are you going to the black hills ? Were going in June!

John


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## snowtakampers (Apr 29, 2006)

We just made reservations here.
http://www.blackhillsbadlands.com/external...tersgulch%2Ecom

My wife said they were very friendly over the phone. We liked how close it was to the National forest.


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## outbackgeorgia (Jan 28, 2004)

Check out the City owned campground in Spearfish SD.
Spearfish Creek runs through it.
Near Sturgis, day trip to Devils Tower, Spearfish Canyon, etc.
Went for a few days, stayed 2 Weeks!

Dave


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## caseyclan (Mar 14, 2007)

snowtakampers said:


> We just made reservations here.
> http://www.blackhillsbadlands.com/external...tersgulch%2Ecom
> 
> My wife said they were very friendly over the phone. We liked how close it was to the National forest.


we made reservations at Rafter J after reading the recommendations online here and at other sources on the Net. We are looking forward to a week there.

Pee Wee:

we will be there around the 11th of June and will be staying several days. We plan on doing as much as possible.

Since we are breaking the travel into 2.5 days, we were looking to see if anyone had stayed in sites near the areas we plan on stopping around.


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## jwell43 (Apr 5, 2007)

caseyclan said:


> Greetings!
> 
> This site is great. Excellent community and great suggestions. We have decided to go to the Black Hills to see the sites, and will traveling through Iowa/Nebraska and South Dakota. We have mapped out places to stop along the way (to rest). It is our first trip with the new rig in our Truck (4 kids, the wife and I ), so I am planning a"light" driving schedule, basically allowing for 6 - 6.5 hours for driving , 1 hour for lunch (and running the kids) and fuel stops.
> 
> ...


hello,

i live in pierre SD, (2007 31FWK) we camp the hills alot. i would recommend turning north on hwy 83 (32 MILES FROM I-90 NORHT) and camping at campground 1, 2 or 3 at the Oahe Dam. At one time it was the largest earth rolled dam in the world. the campgrounds are right next to the missouri river. when you leave i would take highway 14 to midland(60 miles west) than turn south 12 miles to I-90. If you like KOA campgrounds, the Palmer Gulch has lots of things for kids to do. We've stayed there alot, the kids really like it. There are several very, very, very nice campgrounds in Custer State Park. the cost for Palmer Gulch is about $50 per night. there are two national park caves down by Custer Park. Wind Cave and Jewel Cave I would recommend them both. The state of South Dakota has a web site showing alot of pictures for the Custer State Park.


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## renegade21rs (Oct 8, 2006)

outbackgeorgia said:


> Check out the City owned campground in Spearfish SD.
> Spearfish Creek runs through it.
> Near Sturgis, day trip to Devils Tower, Spearfish Canyon, etc.
> Went for a few days, stayed 2 Weeks!
> ...

















Didn't know about that one. Stayed at the Deadwood KOA when I was in the area in 2002.


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## caseyclan (Mar 14, 2007)

[/quote]















Didn't know about that one. Stayed at the Deadwood KOA when I was in the area in 2002.















[/quote]
Well, we are excited about staying at Rafter J, especially after reading such good responses. we will be busy there, but hopefully good memories will be made. If anyone has anything to add about the areas we are stopping at on the way, please let us know. Thanks again for all the suggestions.


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## Scoutr2 (Aug 21, 2006)

I don't know about Council Bluffs, but about 100 miles further north on I-29 is Sioux City, IA. We've stayed at Stone State Park a couple times on our trips westward (from central Illinois). It's an easy on and off from the Interstate.

They have a few grassy electric-only sites, but the place is clean and quiet. (We were there during the week - so I can't speak about weekends.)

Here's a link: Stone State Park

I don't know how far you want to drive during the day, but we always like to get as much of the midwest behind us as we can on that first day.

About 50 miles past Murdo, SD is Badlands NP. If you enter the the park, you can drive through to the little town of Interior, SD. We've stayed at the Badlands/White River KOA there twice, as well. Also a decent place, plus you get to see the Badlands - which you won't regret spending a bit of time at. (Bring your mosquito repellant - the KOA is right alongside the White River.)

Here's their website: Badlands/White River KOA

Hope this helps.

Mike


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## Pee Wee (May 31, 2005)

caseyclan,

Great! We will be staying at Rafter J also from June 11-22. See ya there!









John


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## caseyclan (Mar 14, 2007)

Pee Wee said:


> caseyclan,
> 
> Great! We will be staying at Rafter J also from June 11-22. See ya there!
> 
> ...


Sounds good. We were in the area once several years ago to see Mt Rushmore, but only got to stay a day. This time, we plan on seeing everything! See you there.

Joe


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## Scoutr2 (Aug 21, 2006)

Be sure to visit Rushmore for the evening show. There's a parking deck and brand new facilities, including outdoor ampitheater. The evening show will give you goose bumps, if you're patriotic at all.

If you're going to be there around July 4th, they have a couple of evening shows that week with fireworks over the monument. Quite a show!

Enjoy!

Mike


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## caseyclan (Mar 14, 2007)

Scoutr2 said:


> Be sure to visit Rushmore for the evening show. There's a parking deck and brand new facilities, including outdoor ampitheater. The evening show will give you goose bumps, if you're patriotic at all.
> 
> If you're going to be there around July 4th, they have a couple of evening shows that week with fireworks over the monument. Quite a show!
> 
> ...


Looked up the KOA in Interior, SD and it looks very interesting. We researched a couple of others in the area, one being Badlands Motel and Campground and Circle 10 campground. Has anyone stayed at any of these? Recommendations?

Thanks!


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