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516 reviews
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
Based on 516 reviews
Showing 516 reviews
June 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.
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June 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.
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June 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
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June 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
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June 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.
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June 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.
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June 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.
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June 17, 2023 Stayed at: 018, Loop: LKSD
The campground setting is beautiful, the campsites were clean, and the host was absolutely wonderful.
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June 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.
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June 17, 2023 Stayed at: 018, Loop: LKSD
The campground setting is beautiful, the campsites were clean, and the host was absolutely wonderful.
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Forest Recreation Management, Inc, Hill City, SD 57745 United States
Elevation: 1,509 ft
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.
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.
Last updated: October 24, 2026
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Population: 834
Nearby city: Rapid City, SD
Approx. 18 mi away (straight-line distance)
Elevation: 4,980 ft
Hill City, SD
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