Absolutely beautiful campground! So many different choices of sites, all are great. We had FHU site #143 in the Ranch Camp loop. Lots of room and not close to neighbors. Nicely shaded! Campground is close to major attractions. We can't wait to come back! read more

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We stayed here first week in September for 5 nights in our RV. Our space was very nice - very level - literally just needed to touch down our jacks. Weather was great! Park is huge! If you don't have a car or bikes it's a bit of a hike to office and pool but we found that refreshing! Great for dogs!! They have nice tables and fire pits too! Only cons would be our sewer hookup was on the hill so it was hard to keep tanks flowing but we got around it. Also, the office staff isn't very warm - that was our first experience with nonchalant office staff. Price wise it is on the higher end but if you want to feel like you're away from the crowds and roads it's a great option. All the other RV parks were right on the main road with lots of traffic noise. Its location is perfect for all the places in the area too! read more

Rafter J Bar Ranch Camps - Our squirrel hunter. View out our door - Hotels Near Me - Hill City, South Dakota

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Great place to stay. Spots were spacious, so even though there are other rigs next to you, you don't feel like you're on top of each other. Our spot had a concrete pad with a fire pit that had a grill rack attached,a picnic table with attached benches, and 2 Adirondack chairs. The campground is well maintained. My kids had ample space to play near the RV as well as a playground, swimming pool, basketball court, and sand volleyball court all a short bike ride (or walk) away. The two bathhouses that we visited were nice--nothing fancy, but the water was consistently hot and I had enough room to wash my hair with my elbows out to the side instead of tucked closer to me like I would have to do in our RV shower. The shower stalls in the bathhouse closest to the office are bigger...just in case you need to help a kid bathe. Clearer signage or markings for where to park for arrival/check in would be nice, since there wasn't any. We felt we were in the way where we parked, especially since there cars parked along the grassy area that would make the most sense for check-in. (There is visible signage for parking for the pool--not far to walk, but not easy in/out for an RV.) read more

Large RV spots, very clean park with beautiful, well kept grounds. Full hookups with pool and spa. They have wood to buy if you need some. The ice cream was incredible. read more

We stayed in the largest cabin for 4 days. Campground and cabin was very clean and staff were nice. Took 1 star off for the following: the handle/lock on the cabin automatically locks when the door closes and you cannot adjust the lock so anytime you go in/out you have to have a key to unlock the door or prop the door open (which lets bugs in) also the cabins have absolutely nothing. It would be nice if they had basic pots/pans and a few utensils with the expectation that you clean them and leave them for the next person. Also, the pool and hot tub were kind of dirty (bugs, murky water). read more

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Stayed here (5) Nights just after the July 4th long weekend. We stayed near the playground and pool facing north giving us afternoon shade on the patio side in the afternoon. We were able to take advantage of the Mickelson trail outside of the CG and go bike riding. Our boys enjoyed the large pool and playground. Pro's: 1) Wide, expansive sites. Well laid out with easy access in and out. 2) Great pool and playground 3) Beautiful and clean grounds. 4) Safe with no issues. 5) Good hookups with no issues. Con's: 1) We had terrible golf ball sized hail rain down on our truck and RV two days in a row. This is a "Con" for the area, not so much the CG. 2) The sites are so expansive, you would need to drive to get to the pool/playground if you weren't close. 3) On the expensive side for camping Overall, we enjoyed our stay and would stay here again in the future. read more

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My family's absolute favorite campground we have ever stayed! The layout is casual and not cramped with tons of trees and huge open space. The pool and hot tub were well maintained, heated pool, and big enough for kids to play and swim with lots of room. The location is centralized to all of the Black Hills attractions. Pancake breakfast is convenient and affordable for the family. The staff is super friendly and knowledgeable about local activities! Rafter J is the only campsite we will be using when visiting the area! read more

Rafter J Bar Ranch Camps - View of the main office from our campsites - Hotels Near Me - Hill City, South Dakota

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It's just a BEAUTIFUL campground. Huge , long , well maintained sites. Some are in the trees and some are in beautiful grassy fields. Doesn't matter what you camp in they will have a space perfect for you. Great staff, nice gift shop and ICE CREAM If you are in the area just stay here!! read more

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Beautiful and spacious with large green spaces. It was so clean and well kept. Courteous staff and incredible views. Quiet and nice neighbor campers. This was one of the best campgrounds I've experienced. read more

We stayed here for nearly two weeks (I work during the week). We used the intervening weekend to explore Mt Rushmore, Needles Hwy, Iron Mountain Rd, Sylvan Lake, Crazy Horse, and Custer Park. The location of this campground is perfect for all of the above adventures. Over our time in camp we encountered hot weather, cool/rainy weather, mild to medium thunderstorms, perfect weather, and a lot of breezes. Groceries are easy to find in Hill City and even easier in Custer, both of which are quick drives. Found a fantastic pizza place (Mangiamo) in Hill City that we had to go to twice it was so good. We stayed out in The Island because we have no problem using our trailer's bathroom/shower facilities and we didn't need to be close to the pool or playground. Our campsite (#238) was beautiful, spacious and relatively private. The setting in the ponderosa pines provided a wonderful variety of sun and shade throughout the day. I would expect that the site next to ours (#237) is probably in the sun all day long if that's what you're looking for. When we come back (and we will!), I'll probably request a site on the same side of the loop as #238. I use an AT&T mobile hotspot and was able to haul in two bars of LTE on it. My iPhone 12 independently saw two bars of service that flip-flopped between LTE and 5G. Consequently, I had exactly zero trouble with internet connectivity for work and for fun. Note that the Rafter J wifi does not reach out here. I was unable to bring in any OTA channels on either television. On site staff was always very cordial. I had no problem receiving several packages delivered to me from UPS and Fedex via the front desk. read more

I stayed at the Rafter J Bar Ranch near Hill City SD. This camp ground is amazing. I stayed at campsite 158. It was so level I didn't have to level my RV side to side just front to back. I was set up in 10 minutes. The campgrounds are very clean and the aroma of pine is amazing. The humidity is non existent. I live in Iowa and it was humid when o left and when I was setting up I noticed that there was a soft breeze and it was 75 .... glorious. There was one day where it was 90 but it wasn't humid, a dry heat and when the sun went down it was cool again around 68. The shower house was very clean,. The bathroom stalls were nice but a little small, but the showers are amazing, nice water pressure and it was hot enough for me. The fire pit was a nice set up, I could easily use it to cooks food and also make a bonfire, but the wood bundles on site were small for what you pay for them. When I go back I will see if I can buy firewood in the region at a better price. I want to protect their campground. The pool is amazing, it is heated and has the best view of the Black Hills. The campsites are also not packed close together. I saw other campgrounds I was considering and they looked like RV parking lots or even an rv dealership. I didn't use the camp store very much. My site had water, electric and sewer. The water had a smell to it.... but the water in the shower house did not. I only used the water for the in my rv for the bathroom and washing dishes other than that I used bottled water. Thinking back on it, I should have probably mentioned the smell of the water to the main office. That was my bad, but with everything that was excellent I felt that it was no big deal. In my estimation if you are going to the Black Hills and you want to be close to everything and you want a nice site in the tall pines, plan on booking early. read more

Rafter J Bar Ranch Camps - This is the heated pool - Hotels Near Me - Hill City, South Dakota

Great place to stop and stay with a camper or rent a cabin. My family had about 7 campers and we were all placed by each other. They are pet friendly and have a nice playground for kids and the pool is nice as well. Their bathrooms are large and very clean if you don't want to use your campers bathroom like me. Their store sells about all you could need if you forget anything and the staff is very friendly and helps with any questions or to let you know what to do in the area. Hill City is 15 minutes away max with a cute downtown and then you are about an hour away from places like Deadwood, Custer Park, etc. but Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse are not even a quarter of a mile away. Overall great place and we would stay here again! read more

Rafter J Bar Ranch Camps - Black Hills surround the campsite. - Hotels Near Me - Hill City, South Dakota

This was our second time staying here. The campsites are spacious and well maintained. Close enough to visit if you like to meet your neighboring campers, yet far away enough for privacy. We stayed 8 days both times and found the location perfect for day trips because it's close to so many different destinations. The store is well stocked and the pool is very well maintained. Great location to get on the Michelson trail as well, if cycling is your thing. Bathrooms and laundry facilities are clean and bright. read more

Rafter J Bar Ranch Camps - Hotels Near Me - Hill City, South Dakota

Might be the best campground I have been to. Plenty of room between spaces. Great property with everything one would need. The area is beautiful and a great location to start from to see all. Will stay again if ever in the area. read more

This is a hidden jewel! We have stayed here before and loved it! Very well kept facilities with large sites. We love the layout of the grounds. A laundry facility by or closer to the line camp would be one of my only recommendations. We love the proximity to Hill City, the Mickelson trail and all of the great attractions! One of our favorite campgrounds!! read more

My family decided to visit Mount Rushmore with less than one day notice. We knew finding accommodations would be difficult but lucked out with a cabin at Rafter J Bar. It couldn't have been a better place to stay! The cabins are clean and nice. The ground are arranged well. The location is perfectly centered between Custer, the State Park and Mount Rushmore. This is a perfect find that we'll surely visit again! read more

It was such a beautiful and well-run place, so I think it worth writing a review for it. We live the bay area in California, and it was our first time to visit South Dakota. We stayed at Rafter J Bar Ranch for 4 days/3 nights. We stayed 2 nights in a delux cabins, and one night in a traditional cabin. The major differences between delux and traditional cabins are the restroom, microwave and refrigerator. The refrigerator is a necessity If you want to bring your own food, and the a microwave becomes very handy when you want to cook something simple. I would highly recommend the delux cabins if buget is not too much a concern. The ranch is in a good location. It is very close to Mt. Rushmore and Crazy Horse. Alos, we drove 2 and half hours to see Devil's tower in Wyoming which we thought was pretty awesome. read more

Absolutely loved this campground! We camped in the base camp area and had awesome views of the surrounding black hills. The park is large and roomy, a rarity in most RV parks. There's a really nice swimming pool and convenience store, and a large playground. All of the park is neatly groomed, and most spots offer great shade and large grassy spots. The park is super close to Custer State Park, just up the road from the Crazy Horse Memorial and the town of Custer. It's also only about 20 minutes south of Rapid City. I love the central location. Staff were extremely nice and accommodating. The free wifi was slow, but if you don't use it-you do have cell service in the park. I will definitely be coming back to stay here anytime I'm visiting in the Black Hills area! read more

Rafter J Bar Ranch Camps - Lovely scenery - Hotels Near Me - Hill City, South Dakota

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Rafters was excellent. It was quiet and comfortable. The staff were great to us and I would definitely go back again.

What a beautiful campground this turned out to be! We've never stayed at a "commercial" campground before, so this was a new experience for my family. We are tent campers and ended up with a beautiful site, about 1/3 acre in all! Even the RVs and pop-ups didn't seem crowded. The campground itself is well maintained, and the amenities such as the pool and showers were definitely a bonus. Don't miss the pancake breakfast during your stay! Campground is convenient to Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Custer State Park, Windcave Monument, Rapid City, and so much more! Price seemed quite reasonable given the cleanliness and amenities offered. read more

If I could give 6 stars i would. This far exceeded out expectations. It is a gorgeous and monsterously huge campground in the Black Hills. Beautiful camp with huge grassy areas (neatly mowed), paths for walking, playground, pool, general store, and two wide entrances into the park. Our site had trees and grass and was on the end of a lane so was private and pretty. We stayed in the most expensive central section with our 35' fifth wheel. The camp is a perfect central location for touring the Black Hills. Only a few miles from Crazy Horse, Mt. Rushmore and Hill City. Deadwood is about an hour drive north and Custer State Park and Wind Cave National Park are about an hour drive south. Rapid City and the Badlands are about an hour drive East. read more

I did a lot of research looking for a campground in the Black Hills and after hours of research we found this Rafter J Bar Ranch and we were not disappointed when we arrived. There are a couple campsites that are out in the open, but have plenty of room between you and your neighbors. We decided to stay in the lower end at site 189, which was a nice little site tucked away in the corner. The amenities such as the pool, bathrooms and showers are all very nice and very clean. The views are spectacular! read more

I've been to quite a few RV parks over the past couple years and this place was BY FAR the nicest, most scenic, best kept place I've ever been. We drove out from California to meet family here and were amazed. This place is huge and offers really big sites, super friendly staff, neat little store, great pool for the kids, basketball court, etc. Downtown Hill City is super fun too. Highly recommend this area and this facility. Hopefully we get back soon read more

For a campground, you can't beat this place. The entire layout of the campground is spacious and well planned out with a pool, hot tub and very nice camp store. Located about 8 miles from Mt. Rushmore, it made travel to our destination quick and convenient. People here were both friendly and accommodating since we arrived around 10:30 pm and were escorted to our site since the place is so large. We stayed 2 nights in the Line loop where we had a shaded site with water and electric. Sunday morning we enjoyed their pancake & sausage breakfast for $4.25 per person. A great place to stay. read more

Rented a spot for 2 days. I explicitly asked for a spot suitable for tents. The spot I was given was equivalent to an uneven rocky driveway built on a hill. Luckily the folks next to me let me set up my tent on the grass in their space. What was worse, however, was that when I approached the front desk to voice my complaint, they couldn't have seemed less concerned. "I'm sorry, but there is nothing we can do for you", is what I was told. The guys running the desk there could really use a lesson in customer service. read more

We stayed here after Yellowstone and was amazing experience. Had two teenage grandkids with us and the had a blast. RV camping was excellent. The store, pool, ammenities, car rental, and staff were outstanding. I cannot say enough about this RV campsite. It rates 6 stars. Wish I were back there now. Long trip from California but well worth it. read more

Perfect for us- recommended in Big Rig travel book- we have 38 ft with tow Jeep- worth the drive down from Rapid City- 180 acres of beautiful trees and wide open spaces or camp amongst tree areas and feel a million miles away! Summer time huge pool and playground- rent bikes here and a car if needed- full gift shop and sundries- only had to go to store for ground coffee in town! We will return here for sure- oh and Mt Rushmore around the corner! read more

We loved this camp ground. The store had anything I needed if I ran short of things. The pool and hot tub (warm, not hot) were great. The kids loved the play ground and biking around the property. The location where our tents were 31 & 32 didn't feel as though we were right on top of other people. The were trees for shade and to make it feel outdoorsy and not parking lot-ish. The showers were hot...although bring a rag towel to wipe the sinks that always pool water and make it hard to set things down. The pond across the road provided fun fishing. We had a great time and will go back. Excellent location for biking the Mickelson Trail to Crazy Horse (6 miles each way) or into Hill City. Very close to Sylvan Lake, Mt Rushmore, Cosmos, etc. read more

We stayed on a tent site here because of the great reviews. Personally, I might rent a cabin here, but not another tent site. The positives: Well maintained campground, heated pool, hot tub, and clean hot showers with plenty of room. The staff I encountered were friendly. Location is fairly convenient. The negatives: The campground "security" drives through the campground all night long with his flashing lights on. Nothing helps a good lights sleep like the sound of traffic and the pattern of strobe lights. Seriously, I don't get why this guy (or girl) was doing this. Super annoying. Only one tent allowed per site, and the pads are well worn in. We got a little rain the second night, and the pad basically became a pool. So did our tent... Quiet hours at 10PM, which is reasonable. All fires out by 11PM, which is less reasonable as long as they are attended. I imagine that is part of why the guy in the truck drives around all night, he is probably the campfire police. The upside is that they sell wet wood, so your fire won't last long anyways... The cost is ridiculous $40 roughly per night for a single tent site. There is wifi, but we had trouble picking it up at multiple places in the park. read more

Stayed here for a couple nights in our rv passing through on our way to yellowstone. Very nice and manicured place with friendly staff and all the amenities one would come to expect from an rv park. Beautiful views of the mountains and close to all area attractions such as Mt Rushmore and Custer state park. I would highly recommend this park to anyone with a large rv! read more

We stayed here in June and this was one of the nicest RV spots I have ever seen!! Staff is awesome and Hill City is very close to all the monuments and sights. We will definitely be going back. read more

Great place to stay. Every area has bathroom/ shower. The spaces are huge and the pool is amazing. Hope to stay again someday

Our family stayed for our first trip to the black hills at Rafter j's. We rented a comfort cabin, this was a small one room cabin with bunks & a double bed. The cabin was clean & exactly what we needed for the time we were there. The kids loved the pool & we loved the hot tub. The staff at Rafter j's are all very helpful & friendly - the grounds are well maintained. The location is perfect for a drive to Custer, Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse & other sites. Hill city is a quick drive for shopping & bite to eat. I would definitely recommend staying at Rafter j's and we hope to return again. read more

Loved this place! SO SCENIC! We tent camped there a couple of weeks ago, and had the BEST experience of any campground on our three week camping adventure out west. And the all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast is so cute! Every campground should be this amazing!!!!!!! read more

A great camp ground. Cloae to parks and Hill city. Will definitely be back. Sites super nice staff helpful

After reading several reviews on the Rafter J Campground I picked this for a weekend stay in the hills. It is true that the campground is spread out and close to many attractions but I felt it was important for me to write this review and worn others on my friends and I's experience at this "not so friendly campground". We were a party of 8. Most of us are in our late 40's and 60's. There were two sites booked for two campers at $107.00+ each (expensive) for two nights. I myself pulled in late (10:30 p.m.) due to a strong storm that followed us the whole way. A man greeted us in front of the office and took us to meet the rest of our party. Because it was dark and wet, it did take a little time to set up and settle down. The 8 of us were in my camper with windows and doors shut talking about what we would do the following day when someone was pounding at the door. It was a young "rent a cop security". He told us "go to bed"...funny I had read this in other reviews. We apologized but didn't wrap it up quick enough for him and his buddy who sat outside our camper spying on us in their vehicle. He again was pounding on the door. He now said there was a complaint about someone in a red shirt breaking glass and slamming doors. At this point we felt harassed. Nobody was wearing a red shirt. There was no glass and as for slamming doors, we were still all in the camper. He was very rude. He said that he was going to deal with us in the morning and as the conversation got heated he called for backup. In no way was this little guy threatened. My friend`s son walked out of the camper to retire for the evening when he was grabbed by the camp cop. His mother saw this and stepped out of my camper to talk to her son who was a minor. She was tackled by a Pennington County sheriff`s deputy. Her leg was bleeding and pretty messed up. They both were handcuffed and put on the wet ground. The men in the group were surprised to see this happen and tried to get an explanation on what was going on. They were then threatened with stun guns, handcuffed and put on the ground. I had been listening to all this inside the camper and stepped out to get my two small dogs which were now running around outside and was also grabbed, handcuffed and put on the ground. At this point we were told we had to leave or go to jail. It was now 2:00 a.m. The older couple in the second site had been awakened and they too were asked to leave. As the Sheriff arrived, things calmed down. He was helpful (released us from the handcuffs) and listened to what we had to say unlike the three "Barney Fife Characters" that clearly misused their power and were out of control. Needless to say, it was hard to find a place for two rigs at 2:00 a.m. but a grocery store parking lot served that purpose well. We found a wonderful camp ground across the highway from Rafter J called Horse Thief Campground to finish off our weekend. It was a clean and the staff was friendly. As I returned home from this exciting weekend I reread some of the reviews of this Rafter J campground and realized it would do no good to complain to the owner about his hired "rent a cops" as others had complained about the rudeness of the owner and management. Just be aware that it is a private campground and they can treat you as they like. read more