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  1. #21
    Fireside Member Sauced Hog's Avatar
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    Only because no one has mentioned it, I've been to the Sturgis rally a half a dozen times over the past 15 years and every time I've gone I've seen folks from perplexed to downright angry when they get there only to find a half million motorcycles sharing the road. All of Western South Dakota is full of friendly bikers from the last week of July to the middle of August.

  2. #22
    Setting Up Camp north channel novels's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by TFB176602 View Post
    Hello Fellow GDRV'ers,

    The wife and I are planning a weeklong trip to the Black Hills with our 310 and neither of us have ever been there before. I did some thread searching and came across three campground names and want to know what the consensus is these days as some of these threads dated back about 5 years. We do want to make this not only a sightseeing trip but incorporate some hiking as well

    1. Black Hills Trailside RV Resort
    2. Horse Thief Campground and Resort
    3. Rafter J Bar Ranch

    Now my own take after doing a lot of reading and reviewing on all three was Rafter J seems to be the place to go.

    Please drop in and offer your thoughts and what you would recommend for first timers to do. I know the obvious is Mt. Rushmore and Crazy Horse but beyond that it is wide open. In reading, I see there is so much to do, it takes many trips to begin to see even a decent amount of it.

    Please let these first timers in their mid-50's know your insights.
    We stayed at Horse Thief for three nights back in 2014. Really nicely treed campground. Like the others, it is close to all the must see attractions ... and you can hear, in the distance, the steam locomotive out of Hill City.
    BUT if you like peace and quiet, don't go within 200 miles of Sturgis during the big Harley gathering. I like motorcycles, but listening to them thundering by from morning 'til bed time can be a little tedious ... unless that's why you are going.
    2000 Jayco Eagle 243RKS 1992 Dodge 250 5.9 Cummins (retired)
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  3. #23
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    We stayed at Rafter J Bar for a week a couple of years ago. We liked it a lot and it's a nice central location for Custer, Rushmore, Hill City, Keystone, etc. It's a bit of a trek to Deadwood from there though, so if you plan to spend more time in that area, you might want to look elsewhere.
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  4. #24
    Setting Up Camp hduncan's Avatar
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    Family absolutely loves this area. We have been back twice over the past few years. We have stayed at the Elkhorn Ridge Resort. Spacious campground that is clean and well organized. Located right on Route 85 east of Spearfish.

  5. #25
    Setting Up Camp Howell4's Avatar
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    Rafter J Bar Ranch is a great choice and is the center of everything. Not far from Hill City and the 1880 train ride throw the Hills to Keystone and back. Be sure and come to Deadwood and Spearfish Canyon . Spearfish Canyon is Beautiful and great hiking.
    https://visitspearfish.com/things-to-do/spearfish-falls

    Lots of things to see and do in Deadwood, https://www.deadwood.com
    My wife and I honeymooned in the Black Hills in the early 70’s and moved from the Wichita KS area 6 years ago to Deadwood and never looked back.

  6. #26
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    Spent an entire summer working as a volunteer at the DC Booth Historic Fish Hatchery in Spearfish. Not enough time to see everything we wanted to. We stayed at the Spearfish City Campground in Spearfish across the street from the hatchery. An excellent campground with large sites. Highly recommend it although it's not ideally located, more on the northwest side of the Black Hills. The fish hatchery is no longer active but is the museum and repository for the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

    In addition to Mt Rushmore and the Crazy Horse monument, would recommend the Black Hills Institute in Hill City. These are the people that discovered Sue, the largest female tRex currently at the Field Museum in Chicago. They have on display in their museum in Hill City, Stan, the most complete male tRex ever found. While in Hill City, eat at the Alpine Inn right next door.

    Bear Country (reopens on May 1) is not the tourist trap it might seem. Particularly in the spring when the young ones are emerging. Wonderful experience. (https://www.bearcountryusa.com)

    Deadwood if casinos are your thing. (https://www.deadwood.com)

    Tour of the Homestead mine in Lead. All above ground; the mine is now a physics lab. (https://www.sanfordlabhomestake.com)

    Devils Tower in Wyoming is not that far away. Do the walk all the way around but you will be disappointed because there is no landing zone on the back side.

    The motorcycle museum in Sturgis is worth a trip if you're interested in motorcycles. We weren't but it was still interesting. But then we had the whole summer. (https://www.sturgismuseum.com)

    At the southern end of the Black Hills is Custer State Park with the buffalo. There is also the Black Hills Mammoth Site at Hot Springs. (https://www.mammothsite.org)
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  7. #27
    Left The Driveway
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    Quote Originally Posted by MountainFolk View Post
    Stayed at Beaver Lake RV in Custer. Very nice park, centrally located for lots of the sights in the area.
    We also saw Wind Caverns, nice little side trip.
    Ditto, we stayed at Beaver Lake the year before our world came down. A little crowded, but tell me of a RV camp that isn't. Great location to explore most anything you'd like. Custer state park was our favorite as the Cinnamon's were newly born and we saw them on all three visits. If you can, I suggest that you go before or after school lets out.

  8. #28
    Setting Up Camp
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    Black Hills/Mt Rushmore

    We are also heading in this direction this summer. We are staying in Spearfish, but getting the heck out before Sturgis starts lol. We are there 2 weeks and I’m not sure that’s enough time. I’ve camped at Lazy J previously but it is just a HUGE parking lot. Going to a rv resort this time around. Drop off your trailer, cause it’s kinda crazy around those parts. Enjoy...

  9. #29
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    My only recommendation is to avoid the first ten days of August since there is a big biker event going on and everything is crowded and prices go through the roof. Bike event is very loud and there is traffic everywhere. You will have problems getting into Custer State Park, Mount Rushmore, and others because there will be lots of people on bikes. Other than that, you will love it there. Make sure to go to Badlands NP, Custer State Park, Devils Tower and drive around the various cities like Deadwood and King City, etc. The only camping I've done in the area was tent camping during bike week and it was crazy. Went last year in July and it was great. Weather was nice and not too many people and the campsites I saw were not crowded. Not sure how Summer 2021 will be like though.

  10. #30
    Site Sponsor orbiker's Avatar
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    We are hoping to stay at Rushmore Shadows RV Resort 10 miles south of Rapid City on 16 next year when we go fulltime next year. Rushmore Shadows Resort is one our member parks and we can stay there for free with our ROD membership. Has anyone stayed here?

    I have been to the Black Hills area many time on the motorcycle ( not during Sturgis ). The roads and scenery in that area are wonderful on a motorcycle. Sometimes the buffalo can get in the way and stop traffic for some time. DO NOT mess with the buffalo ( or any of the wild animals ).

    This is my favorite view of Mt Rushmore.
    Backpacker and tent camper all my life, including BSA as a kid and adult.
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    02-10-2005 - 2002 F350 SWD PSD and 2003 Citation 10'8S mostly for Crater Lake Ski Patrol.
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