Summit Ridge Lookout Cabin

I stayed in two different cabins in two different states during a recent roadtrip. Summit Ridge was the cleanest of both! It was very clean and well-kept. I only spent the night in Summit Ridge and left before sunrise due to time constraints, not the facilities.

They mean it when they say the site has no supplies. There aren't even chairs in the cabin (there is one small table). Bring camping chairs! There was TP, though (but bring your own, just in case). The beds are solid wood, which is harder than sleeping on the ground. Bring extra bedding.

There are two roads labeled 265 in Google Maps and they don't connect. Be sure to follow the directions provided on the site. They are accurate, at least if you're coming from Newcastle direction.

Take your time on Boles Canyon Road. It is very rippled in some places and may rattle your tooth-fillings out!

We've loved the cabins that we've stayed at so far from the Forest Service and we were happy with how developed the site was. However the cabin was very dirty when we arrived which was disappointing. Not the fault of the forest service but of other campers. We had also wished that the description was a little clearer. One part of it said there was beds, another that you needed to bring all bedding. There are no mattresses and although we brought sleeping bags we ended up having to sleep on the hard plywood.
It's a nice place but has a lot of room for improvement, especially compared to other places we've stayed.

We've loved the cabins that we've stayed at so far from the Forest Service and we were happy with how developed the site was. However the cabin was very dirty when we arrived which was disappointing. Not the fault of the forest service but of other campers. We had also wished that the description was a little clearer. One part of it said there was beds, another that you needed to bring all bedding. There are no mattresses and although we brought sleeping bags we ended up having to sleep on the hard plywood.
It's a nice place but has a lot of room for improvement, especially compared to other places we've stayed.

Cabin was wonderful! We will be back —

Cabin was wonderful! We will be back —

The 6 of us had a great time chasing turkeys in the snow.

The 6 of us had a great time chasing turkeys in the snow.

We loved our stay at this cabin. I gave it a 4-star review because I feel like there was some missing information about what we needed to bring. For example, we did bring propane, but we didn't bring the right size (bring your propane from your outdoor grill). There were also some repair issues with the cabin like flooring that needs a little TLC. However, our stay was wonderful. The wood stove kept us nice and warm, and there was plenty of space to hang out with our kids. We enjoyed walking around the woods to explore. The roads were in better condition than I expected, but I'm still glad we brought an AWD SUV as they could be a little slushy or rough in spots. The cabin was easy to find. Make your reservation expecting a very rustic cabin in one of the most peaceful places I've been in the Black Hills. It may be busier in the summer but it was a quiet place to stay in the spring. I would definitely come back for a couple's weekend or with my kids.

We loved our stay at this cabin. I gave it a 4-star review because I feel like there was some missing information about what we needed to bring. For example, we did bring propane, but we didn't bring the right size (bring your propane from your outdoor grill). There were also some repair issues with the cabin like flooring that needs a little TLC. However, our stay was wonderful. The wood stove kept us nice and warm, and there was plenty of space to hang out with our kids. We enjoyed walking around the woods to explore. The roads were in better condition than I expected, but I'm still glad we brought an AWD SUV as they could be a little slushy or rough in spots. The cabin was easy to find. Make your reservation expecting a very rustic cabin in one of the most peaceful places I've been in the Black Hills. It may be busier in the summer but it was a quiet place to stay in the spring. I would definitely come back for a couple's weekend or with my kids.

Beautiful cabin. No firewood provided. Road access was good with a 4WD in late March on a low snow year.