Elk Mountain Campground

Federal campground in Wind Cave National Park

Location: Hot Springs , SD, SD

Price: From $12 per night

Price range: $12–$45 per night

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 (388 reviews)

Season: May through October

Elk Mountain Campground, straddles the edge of a ponderosa pine forest and open prairie, offering unique opportunities to view the diverse flora and fauna of the southern Black Hills. These campsites are available in both forested and open environments. Campsites may be reserved all year through Recreation.gov.

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

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Flush Toilets, Drinking Water

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/elk-mountain-campground to be notified when sites open up.

Elk Mountain Campground straddles a ponderosa pine forest and open prairie, offering diverse flora and fauna viewing in the southern Black Hills. Google reviewers praise the beautiful setting near the visitor center with clean facilities and drinking water available at each site.

Wildlife alert: Black-footed Ferret, Pronghorn, Black-tailed Prairie Dog, American Bison, Townsend's Big-eared Bat, and Northern Yellow Warbler documented in the area

Insider tips for Elk Mountain Campground: Campground is cashless—bring credit cards only Book through Recreation.gov up to 6 months in advance; federal campground fills quickly Do not rely on GPS or Google Maps; visitor center is 11 miles north of Hot Springs off US Hwy 385, about 0.5 miles west of highway

Skip Elk Mountain Campground if: You need RV hookups—no hookups available, only suitable for self-contained RVs. You require privacy—Google reviews report cramped site spacing with tables practically touching neighboring sites. You prefer year-round camping—seasonal operations May through October only.

Best time to visit Elk Mountain Campground: May-October — Campground operates seasonally during these months. Early/late season — Google review noted reduced rates and fewer campers at cusp of season.

Nearby campgrounds: Cold Brook Campground (HOT SPRINGS, SD), Cottonwood Springs Campground (HOT SPRINGS, SD), Bismark Lake (Custer, SD), Comanche Park (Custer, SD).

Cell Phone Coverage at Elk Mountain Campground

Cell signal at Elk Mountain Campground (Hot Springs , SD): 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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Federal campground in Wind Cave National ParkLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Elk Mountain Campground

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Hot Springs , SD, SD★ 4.5 (388 reviews)From $12/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Elk Mountain Campground, straddles the edge of a ponderosa pine forest and open prairie, offering unique opportunities to view the diverse flora and fauna of the southern Black Hills. These campsites are available in both forested and open environments. Campsites may be reserved all year through Recreation.gov.

Best for:CampersNature loversFamiliesSites: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 RV36 ft
HookupsNo hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
ADA sites2 sites
Pull-throughsAvailable
ToiletsVault toilets
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsDrinking Water
Recreation
Picnic Tables
Family & Pets
Flush Toilets

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—no hookups available, only suitable for self-contained RVs✕ You require privacy—Google reviews report cramped site spacing with tables practically touching neighboring sites✕ You prefer year-round camping—seasonal operations May through October only

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Campground is cashless

bring credit cards only

Book through Recreation.gov up to 6 months in advance; federal campground fills quickly

Do not rely on GPS or Google Maps; visitor center is 11 miles north of Hot Springs off US Hwy 385, about 0.5 miles west of highway

Best: May-October

Campground operates seasonally during these months

Best: Early/late season

Google review noted reduced rates and fewer campers at cusp of season

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: Black-footed Ferret, Pronghorn, Black-tailed Prairie Dog, American Bison, Townsend's Big-eared Bat, and Northern Yellow Warbler documented in the area

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
605-745-4600· Wind Cave National Park
Getting there →

The visitor center is 11 miles (18 km) north of Hot Springs off US Hwy. 385, about 1/2 mile (.8 km) west of the highway. Do not rely exclusively on your GPS or Google Maps to find the campground. Routes can be misleading or incorrect. The coordinates for the Visitor Center are N43.55677 W103.47799 From Rapid City, South Dakota: Follow SD Hwy. 79 south approximately 50 miles (80 km) to US Hwy. 385. Turn right onto US Hwy. 385 north. Continue through Hot Springs another 6 miles (9.5 km) north into

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 — Wind Cave National Park fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Wind Cave National Park before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Elk Mountain Campground cost per night?+
Elk Mountain Campground costs $12–$45 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What season is Elk Mountain Campground open?+
Elk Mountain Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Elk Mountain Campground have hookups?+
No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What is the maximum RV length at Elk Mountain Campground?+
Elk Mountain Campground can accommodate RVs up to 36 feet.
How do I make reservations at Elk Mountain Campground?+
Elk Mountain Campground 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 Elk Mountain Campground?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Elk Mountain Campground is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Elk Mountain Campground open, and what are check-in times?+
Elk Mountain Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
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●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.

$12 /night★ 4.5 (388)
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 Elk Mountain Campground cost per night?+
What season is Elk Mountain Campground open?+
Does Elk Mountain Campground have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Cold Brook Campground

HOT SPRINGS, SD

From $18/night

Cottonwood Springs Campground

HOT SPRINGS, SD

From $18/night

Bismark Lake

Custer, SD

From $30/night

Comanche Park

Custer, SD

From $26/night

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