Cook Lake Rec Area

Black Hills National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hiking

Location: Hill City, WY, WY

Price: From $28 per night

Rating: 4.3 out of 5 (33 reviews)

Season: May through October

Situated in a heavily forested area adjacent to Cook Lake, this campground is a peaceful setting for guests seeking recreation and relaxation in the Black Hills National Forest in Wyoming. Some sites in the campground are widely spaced and open up to views overlooking the lake, and others sit snugly along a hillside. Separation, rather than vegetation, provide visitors with a sense of privacy.

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): none signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Vault Toilets, Drinking Water, Electric Hookups, Fishing

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/cook-lake-rec-area to be notified when sites open up.

Peaceful, heavily forested setting adjacent to Cook Lake in Black Hills National Forest with widely spaced sites offering lake views. Campers report it's clean, quiet, well-managed, and great for escaping crowds.

Wildlife alert: Spotted Sandpiper, Ovenbird, Brown Creeper, Black-headed Grosbeak observed in area

Insider tips for Cook Lake Rec Area: Book early — this is a federal campground with only 15 sites Plan for 10 miles of dirt road access; allow extra travel time Visit spring or fall to minimize fly activity No cell service — bring offline maps and supplies

Skip Cook Lake Rec Area if: You need RV hookups — only electric hookups available, suitable for self-contained RVs only. You visit outside May-October — seasonal operations only. You require cell phone service. You want quick/easy road access — long bumpy dirt road required.

Best time to visit Cook Lake Rec Area: May-June — Spring season avoids peak flies mentioned by campers. September-October — Fall season avoids peak flies and provides cooler temperatures.

Nearby campgrounds: Bearlodge Campground (Aladdin, WY), Sundance (Hill City, WY), Reuter Campground (Sundance, WY), Timon Campground (Spearfish, SD).

Cell Phone Coverage at Cook Lake Rec Area

Cell signal at Cook Lake Rec Area (Hill City, WY): none overall signal based on FCC broadband data.

Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.

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CamperWatch›WY›Cook Lake Rec Area
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Black Hills National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Cook Lake Rec Area

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Hill City, WY, WY★ 4.3 (33 reviews)From $28/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Situated in a heavily forested area adjacent to Cook Lake, this campground is a peaceful setting for guests seeking recreation and relaxation in the Black Hills National Forest in Wyoming. Some sites in the campground are widely spaced and open up to views overlooking the lake, and others sit snugly along a hillside. Separation, rather than vegetation, provide visitors with a sense of privacy.

Best for:AnglersHikersBoatersWildlife watchersFamiliesSites:TentRV
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonMay through October
Stay limit14 days
Max RV99 ft
HookupsNo hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsDrinking Water
Recreation
Picnic TablesElectric Hookups
Family & Pets
Vault ToiletsFishing

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ You need RV hookups — only electric hookups available, suitable for self-contained RVs only✕ You visit outside May-October — seasonal operations only✕ You require cell phone service✕ You want quick/easy road access — long bumpy dirt road required

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a federal campground with only 15 sites

Plan for 10 miles of dirt road access; allow extra travel time

Visit spring or fall to minimize fly activity

No cell service

bring offline maps and supplies

Best: May-June

Spring season avoids peak flies mentioned by campers

Best: September-October

Fall season avoids peak flies and provides cooler temperatures

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 0%
Verizon
4G · 0%
AT&T
4G · 0%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: Spotted Sandpiper, Ovenbird, Brown Creeper, Black-headed Grosbeak observed in area

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
(307)283-1361· Black Hills National Forest
Getting there →

Interstate I-90 to exit 199 (Aladdin). North on Rt 111 for 4 miles, left on Farrall Road (Rt 843) for 10 miles to Cook Lake. OR From Sundance, WY, take US 14 west or exit 185 off Interstate 90 to US 14 west, for 1.4 miles to Cook Lake Recreation Area sign at Forest Route 838. Turn right onto FR 838 and go 12.9 miles to FR 843. Turn right and go 5.4 miles to another Cook Lake Recreation Area sign on FR 842. Turn left and go 1.1 miles to campground.

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Black Hills National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Black Hills National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Cook Lake Rec Area cost per night?+
Cook Lake Rec Area costs $28 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What season is Cook Lake Rec Area open?+
Cook Lake Rec Area is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Cook Lake Rec Area have hookups?+
No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What is the maximum RV length at Cook Lake Rec Area?+
Cook Lake Rec Area can accommodate RVs up to 60 feet.
How do I make reservations at Cook Lake Rec Area?+
Cook Lake Rec Area is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Cook Lake Rec Area?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Cook Lake Rec Area is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Cook Lake Rec Area open, and what are check-in times?+
Cook Lake Rec Area is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Compare campgroundsPlan a multi-stop trip
●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$28 /night★ 4.3 (33)
SeasonMay through October
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Cook Lake Rec Area cost per night?+
What season is Cook Lake Rec Area open?+
Does Cook Lake Rec Area have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Bearlodge Campground

Aladdin, WY

From $18/night

Sundance

Hill City, WY

From $18/night

Reuter Campground

Sundance, WY

From $22/night

Timon Campground

Spearfish, SD

From $24/night

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Cook Lake Rec Area — Black Hills National Forest | CamperWatch