Horsethief Lake
Rock with hole in it
Toilet
Lake Overview
Info Kiosk

Featured amenities

Picnic Table Picnic Table
Fire Pit Fire Pit

About Horsethief Lake Campground

Located 10 mi south of Hill City, South Dakota, Horsethief Lake Campground is a delightful setting for visitors seeking recreation and relaxation in Black Hills National Forest. This campground is 2 mi from Mount Rushmore National Memorial and adjacent to Horsethief Lake. Sites are tucked into a forest of towering ponderosa and lodgepole pine.

Available sites

22 total sites

Seasonal information

2026 (Current year)

2026 Season availability

Current season
Upcoming seasons
Past seasons
Closed periods
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Currently open - Oct 1 to Nov 1

Campground Amenities

Most popular amenities

Picnic Table Picnic Table
Fire Pit Fire Pit
Cooking and Fire

Cooking and Fire

  • Picnic Table
  • Fire Pit
Water Access

Water Access

  • Lake Access
Missing information?

Rates, Sites & Availability

Select check-in and check-out dates to see real-time availability for each site.

22 Sites Available

Site
Price
🚐 007, Loop: HORS RV
Pet Friendly · 58 × 20 ft · Gravel
🚐 008, Loop: HORS RV
Pet Friendly · 39 × 16 ft · Gravel
🚐 009, Loop: HORS RV
Pet Friendly · 38 × 24 ft · Gravel
🚐 010, Loop: HORS RV
Pet Friendly · 38 × 18 ft · Gravel
🚐 011, Loop: HORS RV
Pet Friendly · 38 × 12 ft · Gravel
🚐 012, Loop: HORS RV
Pet Friendly · 46 × 14 ft · Gravel
🚐 013, Loop: HORS RV
Pet Friendly · 48 × 15 ft · Gravel
🚐 014, Loop: HORS RV
Pet Friendly · 45 × 14 ft · Gravel
🚐 015, Loop: LKSD RV
Pet Friendly · 49 × 14 ft · Gravel
🚐 016, Loop: LKSD RV
Pet Friendly · 59 × 15 ft · Gravel
🚐 017, Loop: LKSD RV
Pet Friendly · 48 × 17 ft · Gravel
🚐 018, Loop: LKSD RV
Pet Friendly · 38 × 20 ft · Gravel
⛺ 023, Loop: LKSD Tent
Gravel · Pet Friendly · Campfire
⛺ 024, Loop: LKSD Tent
Gravel · Pet Friendly · Campfire
⛺ 025, Loop: LKSD Tent
Gravel · Pet Friendly · Campfire
⛺ 026, Loop: LKSD Tent
Gravel · Pet Friendly · Campfire
⛺ 027, Loop: LKSD Tent
Gravel · Pet Friendly · Campfire
⛺ 028, Loop: LKSD Tent
Gravel · Pet Friendly · Campfire
⛺ 029, Loop: WALK Tent
Gravel · Pet Friendly · Campfire
⛺ 030, Loop: WALK Tent
Gravel · Pet Friendly · Campfire
⛺ 031, Loop: WALK Tent
Gravel · Pet Friendly · Campfire
⛺ 032, Loop: WALK Tent
Gravel · Pet Friendly · Campfire

Reviews

516 reviews

Summary

AI generated

Horsethief Lake Campground offers a beautiful and peaceful setting, with clean facilities and friendly hosts, making it an excellent choice for camping near attractions like Mount Rushmore. Guests appreciate the proximity to nature trails, a lovely lake, and the surrounding Black Hills. Although some campers noted issues like lack of potable water and occasional noise from nearby highways or helicopter tours, the overall experience remains highly positive, with many expressing a desire to return.

Based on guest feedback

4.5

Overall rating

Based on 516 reviews

Write a review
5 stars 69.2% (357)
4 stars 18.8% (97)
3 stars 8.3% (43)
2 stars 3.3% (17)
1 star 0.4% (2)

Showing 516 reviews

Darryl P

Verified

August 27, 2025 Stayed at: 017, Loop: LKSD

The current campground host was wonderful. (Way better than the previous one).

Helpful

Darryl P

Verified

August 27, 2025 Stayed at: 017, Loop: LKSD

The current campground host was wonderful. (Way better than the previous one).

Helpful

Tiffany C

Verified

August 25, 2025 Stayed at: 012, Loop: HORS

Quiet campground in the pines. Camp host was fantastic! She gave us great suggestions for how to spend our limited time in the area.

Helpful

Tiffany C

Verified

August 25, 2025 Stayed at: 012, Loop: HORS

Quiet campground in the pines. Camp host was fantastic! She gave us great suggestions for how to spend our limited time in the area.

Helpful

Kyle H

Verified

August 21, 2025 Stayed at: 007, Loop: HORS

Site seven was the best RV site in the whole campground by far had a great four nights in the Black Hills. The campground itself is absolutely excellent clean well maintained good camp host, no problems. Heads up large turnover you’ll have different neighbors multiple times even in four nights. They sell wood on site

Helpful

Kyle H

Verified

August 21, 2025 Stayed at: 007, Loop: HORS

Site seven was the best RV site in the whole campground by far had a great four nights in the Black Hills. The campground itself is absolutely excellent clean well maintained good camp host, no problems. Heads up large turnover you’ll have different neighbors multiple times even in four nights. They sell wood on site

Helpful

Laura W

Verified

August 19, 2025 Stayed at: 013, Loop: HORS

The view from this campground! Incredible! The campground was clean. The vault toilets smelled as one might expect them to smell. No surprises here!! But my goodness! The view of the lake and of the rock formations beyond! Incredible! My kids loved walking down to the lake and scrambling around on the rocks and watching the ducks and fish. We felt completely safe here. I'd love to come again.

Helpful

Laura W

Verified

August 19, 2025 Stayed at: 013, Loop: HORS

The view from this campground! Incredible! The campground was clean. The vault toilets smelled as one might expect them to smell. No surprises here!! But my goodness! The view of the lake and of the rock formations beyond! Incredible! My kids loved walking down to the lake and scrambling around on the rocks and watching the ducks and fish. We felt completely safe here. I'd love to come again.

Helpful

Keli S

Verified

August 18, 2025 Stayed at: 011, Loop: HORS

Nice campground in a very good location.

Helpful

Keli S

Verified

August 18, 2025 Stayed at: 011, Loop: HORS

Nice campground in a very good location.

Helpful

Location & Directions for Horsethief Lake Campground

Forest Recreation Management, Inc, Hill City, SD 57745 United States

Elevation: 1,509 ft

Getting There

From Hill City, take U.S. Rt. 16/385 south 3 mi to State Rt. 244. Turn left onto Rt. 244. Travel 5.9 mi to campground sign. Turn right at sign into campground.

Nearest town

Hill City, SD - 9.5 mi

About 16 min to downtown

Highway access

Horsethief Lake Campground is accessible via U.S. Route 16/385 and State Route 244, with the closest major road being U.S. Route 16/385 located about 3 miles north in Hill City.

Nearby Campgrounds

Nearby destinations


Last updated: October 24, 2026

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Explore Hill City, SD

Population: 834

Nearby city: Rapid City, SD

Approx. 18 mi away (straight-line distance)

Elevation: 4,980 ft

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Managed by the USDA Forest Service