About Horsethief Lake Campground
Number of accommodations: 22
Seasonal information
2026 Season availability
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22 Sites Available
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Reviews (217)
What Guests Are Saying
Horsethief Lake Campground is a charming and well-maintained site near Mount Rushmore, praised for its clean facilities, beautiful lake views, and helpful camp host. Campers enjoy the peaceful atmosphere, hiking trails, and the opportunity to see wildlife, making it a favorite spot in the Black Hills. While some sites may be close together and noise from other campers can be an issue, the overall experience remains positive with many expressing a desire to return.
What Guests Are Saying
Horsethief Lake Campground is a charming and well-maintained site near Mount Rushmore, praised for its clean facilities, beautiful lake views, and helpful camp host. Campers enjoy the peaceful atmosphere, hiking trails, and the opportunity to see wildlife, making it a favorite spot in the Black Hills. While some sites may be close together and noise from other campers can be an issue, the overall experience remains positive with many expressing a desire to return.
Review Summary
Justin B
VerifiedJune 17, 2023 • Stayed at: 032, Loop: WALK
This is a beautiful and clean campground. The lake is beautiful and there is access to wilderness hiking trails and great fishing.
Kathy W
VerifiedJune 15, 2023 • Stayed at: 014, Loop: HORS
This is the second time I have visited Horsethief Lake. It is a beautiful campground and I really the campground despite it not having a bathroom with a sink or shower. (I gave a lower rating this trip because the vault toilets smelled very bad.) I like that it is on the back side of Mt. Rushmore and that it is just a short drive to Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Custer SP, and other locations. (Definitely visit the Purple Pie Place while in Custer!) We even saw a Mountain Goat on the highway a couple of miles from camp. We camped on the first loop and it was just a short walk down to the lake. Unfortunately, there was a couple of severe thunderstorms while we were there and we ended up leaving 2 days early along with most of the other tent campers in our loop.
Calvin M
VerifiedJune 14, 2023 • Stayed at: 013, Loop: HORS
Great place to camp! Loved the lake and how close it is to the national monument, . We will stay here for years to come
Marcia G
VerifiedJune 8, 2023 • Stayed at: 007, Loop: HORS
Perfect location to see everything in the Black Hills. Campground was very pretty, bathrooms were clean and the camp host was very nice and helpful. All sites have cement pad which was wonderful and helped keep the camper clean. A bonus was being able to take the dog to the lake for some exercise.
Justin W
VerifiedJune 7, 2023 • Stayed at: 023, Loop: LKSD
Very peaceful and secluded site (trail nearby only busy during day). No ATT service. 5-10 min from Mt Rushmore
Douglas K
VerifiedJune 2, 2023 • Stayed at: 016, Loop: LKSD
Best time at a campground.
David H
VerifiedOctober 6, 2022 • Stayed at: 014, Loop: HORS
Mt Rushmore is just around the corner. Iron Mtn. Rd. is amazing with great views of Mt Rushmore. Custer State Park will cost you $20.00 to enter, while choose not to pay that fee, any of the roads surrounding the park will not disappoint you. These roads can be found on brochures available throughout the National Park.
Our stay was short but there are many more activities to be had in the area.
Jane C
VerifiedOctober 6, 2022 • Stayed at: 010, Loop: HORS
The hosts were great. But the so-called improvements to the campground or not appreciate it. The sites are too close together and you can’t drive down to the lake and fish any longer. I won’t be going back.
Heather M
VerifiedSeptember 30, 2022 • Stayed at: 017, Loop: LKSD
We LOVED this campsite. Our site was 017, LKSD. Our campsite had a path down to the lake where we sat and stargazed for hours. This site is at the end of the campground so there was not a lot of disruption. Vault toilet, no sink, no running water.
Lenore J
VerifiedSeptember 26, 2022 • Stayed at: 015, Loop: LKSD
No cellphone service here, so complete your calls before you leave Mt. Rushmore.
Beautiful area and great campground.
Location Horsethief Lake Campground
Address:
Forest Recreation Management, Inc
Hill City, SD, 57745
United States
From Hill City, take U.S. Rt. 16/385 south 3 miles to State Rt. 244. Turn left onto Rt. 244. Travel 5.9 miles to campground sign. Turn right at sign into campground.
Latitude & Longitude: 43.8951 / -103.484
Elevation: 1509 feet
