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You want a quiet forest setting near Custer with room to spread out and trails at your doorstep.
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Price
$26/night
Booking
Reservable
Sites
34 campsites
Season
Open season begins M...
Cell
No Service
Pets
Very Pet Friendly
Select a month, then check for open campsites
Price
$26/night
Booking
Reservable
Sites
34 campsites
Season
Open season begins M...
Cell
No Service
Pets
Very Pet Friendly
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Forest Recreation Management, Inc, P.O. Box 1168, 1019 N 5TH STREET, Hill City, SD, 57745, USA
You want a quiet forest setting near Custer with room to spread out and trails at your doorstep.
You need level sites or modern restrooms instead of vault toilets.
Reference information about Comanche Park sourced from official USFS records and forestcamping.com. View official recreation.gov page →
<p>Situated in an open Ponderosa pine forest 6.5 miles west of Custer, South Dakota, Comanche Park Campground is a campground for visitors seeking recreation and relaxation in the southern Black Hills National Forest. The campsites are spacious. Towering pine trees provide shade. This is the closest campground to Jewel Cave National Monument.</p><ul class="usa-card-group"><li class="tablet:grid-col-12 usa-card--flag usa-card"><div class="usa-card__container"><header class="usa-card__header"><h2>Comanche Park Campground Reservations</h2></header><div class="usa-card__media"><div class="usa-card__img"><img alt="A placeholder image" src="https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MEDIA/fseprd1037690.jpg" /></div></div><div class="usa-card__body"><p>Visit Recreation.gov to make your campground reservation. See off-season camping information below.</p></div><div class="usa-card__footer"><a class="usa-button" href="https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/231838?tab=info">Reserve Your Campsite</a></div></div></li><li class="tablet:grid-col-12 usa-card--flag usa-card"><div class="usa-card__container"><header class="usa-card__header"><h2>Comanche Park Campground Layout</h2></header><div class="usa-card__media"><div class="usa-card__img"><img alt="A placeholder image" src="https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MEDIA/fseprd616923.jpg" /></div></div><div class="usa-card__body"><p>See the layout of the campground to find your perfect camping site.</p></div><div class="usa-card__footer"><a class="usa-button" href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MEDIA/fseprd616923.jpg">Download</a></div></div></li></ul>
The elevation is 5,600 ft. The campground has a spur (well-suited for transit bicyclists as well car campers) that leads to two overlapping loops and is situated in pleasantly open pine woods with grass understory. Although privacy is poor for the spur campsites, separation and topography for the other sites is good. The campsites are spacious but there are some problems with eroded parking aprons and interior road. Although not seen, traffic noise from Rt.16 can be heard. Deer are frequent visitors to the campground and there is a robust population of resident squirrels and chipmunks. The campground is named for the sole survivor of the Battle of the big Horn, an Indian mustang ridden by Captain Keogh. Possible day trips are the Jewel Cave National Monument, Mt. Rushmore National Memorial, Custer State Park, the scenic Needles Highway, Harney Peak and State Game Loop, Crazy Horse Monument and Wind Cave National Park. GPS Coordinates: N43 44.134, W103 42.766
Open May 18 through September 10
The parking aprons are gravel. The campground's interior road is narrow with ruts in some places making backing into some sites challenging. An RV waste station is available for a fee at Big "D" Oil Co., located in Custer, SD at intersection of U.S. Rt. 16 and U.S. Rt. 385 south.
In Custer, SD, at the intersection of Mt. Rushmore Rd (State Rt. 89/US Rt.16 and 5th St (State Rt. 89/US Rt. 385), take Rt.16 west 5.8 miles to campground sign. Turn left at sign into campground.
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Best season: summer. Summer offers the most reliable access, longest daylight, and the mildest daytime temperatures (typically mid-60s to mid-80s°F at 5,500 ft) making hiking, biking, and Jewel Cave tours most enjoyable. Trails and scenic drives are fully snow-free, wildflowers and green pine forests are at their peak, and wildlife viewing is excellent in the mornings and evenings. Expect moderate crowds—weekends in July are busiest—so midweek visits give a quieter experience. Peak months: July, June, August, May Avoid: October, November, December, January
Best season: mid-60s to mid-80s, trails snow-free, peak season May–Sept.
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Comanche Park Campground is described as a primitive, rustic campground situated in an open Ponderosa pine forest. Facilities include spacious campsites with picnic tables and campfire rings. Vault toilets and potable water are available, though hookups for electricity, water, or sewer are not provided. Firewood is available for purchase from the camp host. Visitors appreciate the natural surroundings, such as deer sightings and the quiet environment, though some note issues like uneven campsites and vault toilets that could use better ventilation or maintenance. "Wonderful campsite in a great location in the Black Hills," one reviewer noted, while another highlighted its "spacious campsites and a beautiful, quiet setting."
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