Available sites
52 total sites
RV Sites
About Pactola Reservoir Campground
Activities & Attractions
Nearby
Boating
Fishing
Hiking
Kayaking
Swimming
Year-round
Fishing
Hiking
Spring
Boating
Kayaking
Summer
Boating
Kayaking
Swimming
Fall
Boating
Kayaking
Seasonal information
2026 Season availability
Campground Amenities
Water Access
- Beach Access
- Lake Access
- Marina
Rates, Sites & Availability
52 Sites Available
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Site Details
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52 Sites Available
No available sites
All sites are booked for your selected dates. Try showing all sites to see booked options, create an alert to be notified when something opens up, or adjust your dates.
Reviews (639)
What Guests Are Saying
Pactola Reservoir Campground offers a beautiful lakeside setting with spacious, well-maintained sites and friendly camp hosts. Visitors appreciate the quiet atmosphere, clean facilities, and access to hiking trails and water activities. However, some concerns include the low water level in the reservoir, limited water sources, and occasional noise from nearby campers.
What Guests Are Saying
Pactola Reservoir Campground offers a beautiful lakeside setting with spacious, well-maintained sites and friendly camp hosts. Visitors appreciate the quiet atmosphere, clean facilities, and access to hiking trails and water activities. However, some concerns include the low water level in the reservoir, limited water sources, and occasional noise from nearby campers.
Review Summary
Lisa A
VerifiedJune 7, 2021 • Stayed at: 073, Loop: RESB
Bathrooms were very clean! The campground clean and friendly. One night could hear some unruly campers across the way until past midnight.
Susan L
VerifiedJune 1, 2021 • Stayed at: 025, Loop: PACT
The camp hosts were very nice and very helpful. The camp was clean. Sites were mostly shady. We stayed in loop A, sites 25 and 26. The sites on the outside of the loop were bigger and more flat than sites on the inside of the loop. Some days were quite windy, but with the campground being in somewhat of a bowl, the campsites were fairly calm. There is an RV dump station and water refill at Three Forks Campground about 8 mi away ($10 to dump, $5 for water), and a gas station across from that.
Susan L
VerifiedJune 1, 2021 • Stayed at: 025, Loop: PACT
The camp hosts were very nice and very helpful. The camp was clean. Sites were mostly shady. We stayed in loop A, sites 25 and 26. The sites on the outside of the loop were bigger and more flat than sites on the inside of the loop. Some days were quite windy, but with the campground being in somewhat of a bowl, the campsites were fairly calm. There is an RV dump station and water refill at Three Forks Campground about 8 mi away ($10 to dump, $5 for water), and a gas station across from that.
Susan L
VerifiedJune 1, 2021 • Stayed at: 025, Loop: PACT
The camp hosts were very nice and very helpful. The camp was clean. Sites were mostly shady. We stayed in loop A, sites 25 and 26. The sites on the outside of the loop were bigger and more flat than sites on the inside of the loop. Some days were quite windy, but with the campground being in somewhat of a bowl, the campsites were fairly calm. There is an RV dump station and water refill at Three Forks Campground about 8 mi away ($10 to dump, $5 for water), and a gas station across from that.
Steve K
VerifiedMay 31, 2021 • Stayed at: 035, Loop: PACT
Lake Pactola never lets us down. Love the boat house down the road. Their chicken is the best!
Steve K
VerifiedMay 31, 2021 • Stayed at: 035, Loop: PACT
Lake Pactola never lets us down. Love the boat house down the road. Their chicken is the best!
Steve K
VerifiedMay 31, 2021 • Stayed at: 035, Loop: PACT
Lake Pactola never lets us down. Love the boat house down the road. Their chicken is the best!
Christina W
VerifiedSeptember 14, 2020 • Stayed at: 068, Loop: RESB
The map for this campground is not accurate. The spots are not in a row, but rather grouped together where you have to actually walk through other campsites to get to yours. Parking is directly off the road, a strip of spots, 2 spots per camp site, not designated parking. The campground says tent or 20' camper friendly, what they don't tell you is the camper has to stay in that strip of parking lot, so your camper is squeezed between other campers cars (you might get lucky and get your car and camper in a spot next to each other), then you have to walk to your fire ring/picnic table, potentially cutting through other peoples camp sites if you aren't in front to get to it. Next to spot 069 shows a bathroom on the map, its not. Its a well pump. There is no direct access to a beach from the camp ground, there is a spot you can walk through the trees and get down to the water, but the "beach" is nothing but super sharp rocks. The water is ice cold, and very deep almost instantly. If you have kids bring their life jackets and water shoes. There is a spot nearby you can drive to that has a sandy beach, good luck finding a spot with everyone else in the area there.
Trees were pretty, campground was clean, bathrooms were clean, close to Mount Rushmore.
Christina W
VerifiedSeptember 14, 2020 • Stayed at: 068, Loop: RESB
The map for this campground is not accurate. The spots are not in a row, but rather grouped together where you have to actually walk through other campsites to get to yours. Parking is directly off the road, a strip of spots, 2 spots per camp site, not designated parking. The campground says tent or 20' camper friendly, what they don't tell you is the camper has to stay in that strip of parking lot, so your camper is squeezed between other campers cars (you might get lucky and get your car and camper in a spot next to each other), then you have to walk to your fire ring/picnic table, potentially cutting through other peoples camp sites if you aren't in front to get to it. Next to spot 069 shows a bathroom on the map, its not. Its a well pump. There is no direct access to a beach from the camp ground, there is a spot you can walk through the trees and get down to the water, but the "beach" is nothing but super sharp rocks. The water is ice cold, and very deep almost instantly. If you have kids bring their life jackets and water shoes. There is a spot nearby you can drive to that has a sandy beach, good luck finding a spot with everyone else in the area there.
Trees were pretty, campground was clean, bathrooms were clean, close to Mount Rushmore.
Christina W
VerifiedSeptember 14, 2020 • Stayed at: 068, Loop: RESB
The map for this campground is not accurate. The spots are not in a row, but rather grouped together where you have to actually walk through other campsites to get to yours. Parking is directly off the road, a strip of spots, 2 spots per camp site, not designated parking. The campground says tent or 20' camper friendly, what they don't tell you is the camper has to stay in that strip of parking lot, so your camper is squeezed between other campers cars (you might get lucky and get your car and camper in a spot next to each other), then you have to walk to your fire ring/picnic table, potentially cutting through other peoples camp sites if you aren't in front to get to it. Next to spot 069 shows a bathroom on the map, its not. Its a well pump. There is no direct access to a beach from the camp ground, there is a spot you can walk through the trees and get down to the water, but the "beach" is nothing but super sharp rocks. The water is ice cold, and very deep almost instantly. If you have kids bring their life jackets and water shoes. There is a spot nearby you can drive to that has a sandy beach, good luck finding a spot with everyone else in the area there.
Trees were pretty, campground was clean, bathrooms were clean, close to Mount Rushmore.
Location & Directions for Pactola Reservoir Campground
Forest Recreation Management, Inc, Hill City, SD 57745 United States
Elevation: 1,429 ft
Getting There
Drive 17 mi west on State Highway 44 from Rapid City, South Dakota. From
Highway 44, turn on 385 south. Campground located 2 mi off US Highway
385.
Policies & Rules
Cancellation policy
- Reservation fees are non-refundable. For campsites, cabins, lookouts, yurts, group sites, and similar stays, we charge a reservation service fee of $8.
- Standard cancellations usually have a $10 cancellation fee. Customers can generally cancel before the check-in date online.
- Late cancellation rules differ by stay type.
- Individual campsites: cancelling after 12:00am local time the day before arrival usually means a $10 cancellation fee plus forfeiting the first night's fee.
- Cabins, lookouts, and yurts: cancelling less than 14 days before arrival usually means a $10 cancellation fee plus forfeiting the first night's fee.
- One-night reservations: a late cancellation usually forfeits the full amount paid, up to the total original reservation cost.
- Modifications are allowed before the cut-off window, but fees depend on the change. Changing to dates completely outside the original reservation dates may trigger a $10 change fee. Extending or shortening a stay that still includes original dates usually has no change fee, though refunds may depend on timing and facility rules. Switching to the same type of campsite for the same dates usually has no change fee, but price differences are charged or refunded.
- Early departures may or may not be refunded. At certain facilities, partial refunds may be possible if staff can mark the site available for other visitors. No refund is given for a night if the early departure is requested after that day's check-out time.
- Security deposits are separate. Security deposits may be refunded to the original payment method if the facility is left in acceptable condition, as determined by the property.
Site types & loops
- These campsites do not have electric service.
- Some sites are available on a first come, first served basis without reservations.
Safety & rules
- Inspect and clean all gear before using the lake or trails to avoid spreading invasive species.
Fees & deposits
- There is a $2 fee per pet per night.
- Senior and Access discounts apply only to the site of the card holder, and additional fees may apply for other sites.
General
- Click here for more information about Black Hills National Forest.
Fires & fuel
- Firewood should be sourced locally and burned on-site to prevent pests.
Nearby Campgrounds
Nearby destinations
Last updated: October 22, 2026
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Explore Hill City, SD
Population: 834
Nearby city: Rapid City, SD
Approx. 15 mi away (straight-line distance)
Elevation: 4,980 ft
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