About Horsethief Lake Campground
Number of accommodations: 22
Seasonal information
2026 Season availability
Sites & Availability
22 Sites Available
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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
Ali M
VerifiedJuly 12, 2021 • Stayed at: 024, Loop: LKSD
Best Camp Ground
Mike H
VerifiedJuly 12, 2021 • Stayed at: 009, Loop: HORS
Great campground. Only negative is the generator hours need to be enforced.
Kathy S
VerifiedJuly 11, 2021 • Stayed at: 014, Loop: HORS
Beautiful small camping area. Always well managed. Beware of the abundance of Poison Ivy, this year it was right at the campsites and the entire family has been dealing with the after affects.
don d
VerifiedJuly 1, 2021 • Stayed at: 024, Loop: LKSD
the campground is wonderful as usual. we have been coming here for 20 years now. the camp hosts were the only sore spot. we were treated quite poorly while there. Camp host walked into the bathroom without even a knock, when told that the light didn't work, they just replied that it wasn't a light but a heater, and they already knew about it (but did nothing I guess) and were told that the lock didn't work to which they also replied that they knew about it. Very poor care of us as we never saw them. they even paused to fight with each other while we were buying ice. I guess we have been spoiled by the wonderful and friendly hosts we have had in the past. Sorry.
Brandon P
VerifiedJune 30, 2021 • Stayed at: 009, Loop: HORS
Such a beautiful place to camp. We loved it. Quiet, friendly campground hosts, clean toilets, close to Mt. Rushmore, Keystone, Custer. Hope to return!
Linda W
VerifiedJune 29, 2021 • Stayed at: 014, Loop: HORS
Campground hostess : friendly, helpful. Clearly loves her work and it shows!!
Karen B
VerifiedJune 27, 2021 • Stayed at: 029, Loop: WALK
I return to Horse Thief Lake every year with a school group going to the Pine Ridge Reservation for a mission trip. We stay at Horse Thief Lake from 5 to 8 days depending on the year and scheduled reservation service work. The campground hosts are amazing, are very attentive to campers needs, quiet time is strictly enforced, and the sites are all beautiful and well-maintained. We tend to choose the sites at the top, as the view of the lake is spectacular. I have been coming to Horse Thief Lake many years prior to beginning to take students on mission trips. When I’m in the Black Hills, I will camp nowhere else!
Michael A
VerifiedJune 24, 2021 • Stayed at: 007, Loop: HORS
Campground was clean and camp host was friendly and knowledgeable about the area. This is the second time I've stayed here and will stay again. Great base camp for the black hills!
Kimball L
VerifiedJune 23, 2021 • Stayed at: 011, Loop: HORS
Beautiful location, 5 minutes from Mt Rushmore. Lake was good for fishing and swimming, very refreshing to take a swim after a day of exploring. Nice trail around lake, and can walk from sites to main trailhead. Nice that tent camping and campers were separate areas. Hosts were very pleasant and available, checked on sites throughout the day.
Nick B
VerifiedJune 22, 2021 • Stayed at: 016, Loop: LKSD
These are great secluded sites in the woods, and only a couple miles from Mt Rushmore. We loved our time there.
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
