About Horsethief Lake Campground
Number of accommodations: 22
Seasonal information
2026 Season availability
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Reviews (434)
What Guests Are Saying
Horsethief Lake Campground is a small, clean, and peaceful site located near Mount Rushmore with beautiful lake views and trails. Campers appreciate the friendly and helpful camp host, Tina, who enhances the overall experience. While some sites may lack leveling and vault toilets can be a bit smelly, the campground’s serene atmosphere and convenient location make it a favorite among visitors.
What Guests Are Saying
Horsethief Lake Campground is a small, clean, and peaceful site located near Mount Rushmore with beautiful lake views and trails. Campers appreciate the friendly and helpful camp host, Tina, who enhances the overall experience. While some sites may lack leveling and vault toilets can be a bit smelly, the campground’s serene atmosphere and convenient location make it a favorite among visitors.
Review Summary
Ted G
VerifiedAugust 7, 2020 • Stayed at: 028, Loop: LKSD
Great spot
Ted G
VerifiedAugust 7, 2020 • Stayed at: 028, Loop: LKSD
Great spot
Chanelle C
VerifiedJuly 27, 2020 • Stayed at: 013, Loop: HORS
There is a great hike to Mt Rushmore at the mouth to the lake. The area was lovely for tent camping, with the mountains and the trees breaking up the wind. Lots of kindling around to start fires (although it gets pretty wet in the summer, so you have to dry it out). Area was peaceful and calm with the lake being a wonderful temperature. There is a rock you can jump off for a little adrenaline rush as well.
Chanelle C
VerifiedJuly 27, 2020 • Stayed at: 013, Loop: HORS
There is a great hike to Mt Rushmore at the mouth to the lake. The area was lovely for tent camping, with the mountains and the trees breaking up the wind. Lots of kindling around to start fires (although it gets pretty wet in the summer, so you have to dry it out). Area was peaceful and calm with the lake being a wonderful temperature. There is a rock you can jump off for a little adrenaline rush as well.
Lori F
VerifiedJuly 26, 2020 • Stayed at: 017, Loop: LKSD
Lori F
VerifiedJuly 26, 2020 • Stayed at: 017, Loop: LKSD
Ana M
VerifiedJuly 24, 2020 • Stayed at: 013, Loop: HORS
Great place! Close to rushmore, lake activities good for fishing kids friendly
Ana M
VerifiedJuly 24, 2020 • Stayed at: 013, Loop: HORS
Great place! Close to rushmore, lake activities good for fishing kids friendly
Chris D
VerifiedJune 28, 2020 • Stayed at: 013, Loop: HORS
The campground itself was beautiful and the location was great. The spaces are really close together but everyone was nice and the beauty helped. You can literally hear every ones conversations at sites on each side of you, but was still nice due to location and beauty. The problem was the host's, they were not terribly friendly and every single morning they were riding a four wheeler around to the site posts between 7am and 7:30 am to change the reservation tags for the day. Woke us up both mornings and our infant (this was the big deal). They had zero consideration for others that were on vacation. We were not trying to sleep in but these posts are 4 feet from you head in your camper due to the size and close proximity of the sites. All they had to do was wait an hour and it would have been fine, not like they have a ton to do that early. They have all day to do that and check out is not till 11 or 12, but they felt it necessary to wake us up with a four wheeler engine every morning basically parked on our heads. I hope Recreation.gov sees this and does not allow them back. Other than that it was great. Great campsite and beautiful but man so thoughtless of them. Even when you talked to them they were cold and acted like you were inconveniencing them to ask questions. ZERO stars for them, 4 for the site and campground
Chris D
VerifiedJune 28, 2020 • Stayed at: 013, Loop: HORS
The campground itself was beautiful and the location was great. The spaces are really close together but everyone was nice and the beauty helped. You can literally hear every ones conversations at sites on each side of you, but was still nice due to location and beauty. The problem was the host's, they were not terribly friendly and every single morning they were riding a four wheeler around to the site posts between 7am and 7:30 am to change the reservation tags for the day. Woke us up both mornings and our infant (this was the big deal). They had zero consideration for others that were on vacation. We were not trying to sleep in but these posts are 4 feet from you head in your camper due to the size and close proximity of the sites. All they had to do was wait an hour and it would have been fine, not like they have a ton to do that early. They have all day to do that and check out is not till 11 or 12, but they felt it necessary to wake us up with a four wheeler engine every morning basically parked on our heads. I hope Recreation.gov sees this and does not allow them back. Other than that it was great. Great campsite and beautiful but man so thoughtless of them. Even when you talked to them they were cold and acted like you were inconveniencing them to ask questions. ZERO stars for them, 4 for the site and 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.
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.
Latitude & Longitude: 43.8951 / -103.484
Elevation: 1509 feet
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Last updated: June 5, 2026