Horsethief Lake Campground
Campground · 22 bookable sites ·
Managed by the USDA Forest Service
Norbeck Wildlife Preserve National Game Refuge (National Game Refuge) · Open Access
- 22
- Bookable sites
- 99 ft
- Max rig length
- up to 8
- People per site
- 4,948 ft
- Elevation
Overview
Located 10 miles 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 miles from Mount Rushmore National Memorial and adjacent to Horsethief Lake. Sites are tucked into a forest of towering ponderosa and lodgepole pine.Recreation
Black Hills National Forest offers visitors a multitude of recreational opportunites throughout all seasons. Hiking, fishing, horseback riding, mountain biking, and riding off-highway vehicles are popular in summer and early autumn. Winter landscapes are ideal for snowshoeing, skiing and snowmobiling. Hundreds of miles of trails and roads offer a variety of terrain for mountain bikers. Hikers and bikers can access the nearby George S. Mickelson Trail, which traverses over 100 miles through the heart of the Black Hills. The majority of the trail follows an abandoned railroad branch line and includes 4 tunnels, over 100 converted railroad bridges, and 15 established trailheads. The trail surface is packed gravel, traversing mountain, meadow, and forest terrain. The trail is named in honor of the former South Dakota governor who crusaded for the trail. For those seeking higher elevations, a day-long trek to the summit of nearby Black Elk Peak is worth the effort. Black Elk Peak is the highest natural point in the United States east of the Rocky Mountains. Most of the summit is bare granite and offers expansive views of the surrounding area. An old stone tower at the top(Harney Lookout Tower), once used as a fire lookout, is still open to hikers.Facilities
Horsethief Lake Campground has sites able to accommodate tents, trailers, and RVs. There are several tent-only and walk-to tent-only sites.The campground is equipped with picnic tables, campfire rings, vault toilets, and drinking water. Electrical hook-ups are not available.
Roads in the campground are paved.
Natural Features
Located in western South Dakota and northeastern Wyoming, Black Hills National Forest encompasses nearly 1.25 million acres of rugged rock formations, canyons and gulches, open grassland parks, tumbling streams, deep blue lakes, and unique caves.Derived from the Lakota language, the words "Paha Sapa," meaning "hills that are black," honor the dark, pine-covered hills rising several thousand feet above the surrounding prairie.
Wildlife in the area abounds. Bighorn sheep navigate mountainous terrain, while elk, deer and pronghorn gather in forests and prairies. Bald eagles, hawks, osprey, peregrine falcon, and hundreds of other bird species can be found in the forest, especially along streams, lakes and rivers.
Contact Info
For facility specific information, please call (661) 702-1420.Nearby Attractions
Explore Mount Rushmore National Memorial, host to almost 3 million visitors a year from across the country and around the world. Visitors may want to inquire about any Independence Day Celebrations taking place on the Mountain.
Possible day trips include Custer State Park with its many Buffalo and other wildlife, Crazy Horse Monument and Wind Cave National Park as well as Jewel Cave which is the second longest cave in the world at 159.29 miles. It features sparkling calcite crystals and other rare formations, as well as some of the largest concentrations of passageways in the world..
Charges & Cancellations
No refunds will be given for weather related events.
The facts
- 22 bookable sites
- 42 sites in total, including non-bookable
- Vehicles up to 99 ft
- Up to 8 people per site
- Loops: HORS, LKSD, MANAGEMENT SITES 1, MANAGEMENT SITES 2, WALK
Site types
- 20 Management
- 12 Standard Nonelectric
- 6 Tent Only Nonelectric
- 4 Walk To
Amenities
- Campfires allowed
- Shade
- Pets allowed
Not recorded upstream: electric hookups, water hookups, sewer hookups, fire pits, picnic tables, grills.
42 campsites at Horsethief Lake Campground
| Site | Loop | Type | Entry | Surface | Access | Max rig | People | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 007 | HORS | Standard Nonelectric | Back In | Gravel | Drive In | 58 ft | 8 | 🐾 |
| 008 | HORS | Standard Nonelectric | Back In | Gravel | — | 39 ft | 8 | 🐾 |
| 009 | HORS | Standard Nonelectric | Back In | Gravel | Drive In | 38 ft | 8 | 🐾 |
| 010 | HORS | Standard Nonelectric | Back In | Gravel | Drive In | 38 ft | 8 | 🐾 |
| 011 | HORS | Standard Nonelectric | Back In | Gravel | — | 38 ft | 8 | 🐾 |
| 012 | HORS | Standard Nonelectric | Back In | Gravel | Drive In | 46 ft | 8 | 🐾 |
| 013 | HORS | Standard Nonelectric | Back In | Gravel | Drive In | 48 ft | 8 | 🐾 |
| 014 | HORS | Standard Nonelectric | Back In | Gravel | Drive In | 45 ft | 8 | 🐾 |
| 015 | LKSD | Standard Nonelectric | Back In | Gravel | — | 49 ft | 8 | 🐾 |
| 016 | LKSD | Standard Nonelectric | Back In | Gravel | Drive In | 59 ft | 8 | 🐾 |
| 017 | LKSD | Standard Nonelectric | Back In | Gravel | Drive In | 48 ft | 8 | 🐾 |
| 018 | LKSD | Standard Nonelectric | Back In | Gravel | Drive In | 38 ft | 8 | 🐾 |
| 023 | LKSD | Tent Only Nonelectric | Back In | Gravel | Drive In | 52 ft | 8 | 🐾 |
| 024 | LKSD | Tent Only Nonelectric | Back In | Gravel | Drive In | 23 ft | 8 | 🐾 |
| 025 | LKSD | Tent Only Nonelectric | Back In | Gravel | Drive In | 34 ft | 8 | 🐾 |
| 026 | LKSD | Tent Only Nonelectric | Back In | Gravel | Drive In | 34 ft | 8 | 🐾 |
| 027 | LKSD | Tent Only Nonelectric | Back In | Gravel | Drive In | 28 ft | 8 | 🐾 |
| 028 | LKSD | Tent Only Nonelectric | Back In | Gravel | Drive In | 29 ft | 8 | 🐾 |
| 001 | MANAGEMENT SITES 1 | Management | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 002 | MANAGEMENT SITES 1 | Management | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 003 | MANAGEMENT SITES 1 | Management | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 004 | MANAGEMENT SITES 1 | Management | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 005 | MANAGEMENT SITES 1 | Management | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 006 | MANAGEMENT SITES 1 | Management | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 019 | MANAGEMENT SITES 1 | Management | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 020 | MANAGEMENT SITES 1 | Management | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 021 | MANAGEMENT SITES 1 | Management | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 022 | MANAGEMENT SITES 1 | Management | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 033 | MANAGEMENT SITES 1 | Management | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 034 | MANAGEMENT SITES 1 | Management | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 035 | MANAGEMENT SITES 1 | Management | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 036 | MANAGEMENT SITES 1 | Management | — | — | — | — | — | |
| XXX | MANAGEMENT SITES 1 | Management | Back In | Gravel | — | 99 ft | 5 | 🐾 |
| XXX4 | MANAGEMENT SITES 1 | Management | — | Gravel | — | — | 5 | 🐾 |
| XXX41 | MANAGEMENT SITES 2 | Management | — | — | — | — | — | |
| XXX42 | MANAGEMENT SITES 2 | Management | — | — | — | — | — | |
| XXX43 | MANAGEMENT SITES 2 | Management | — | — | — | — | — | |
| XXX44 | MANAGEMENT SITES 2 | Management | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 029 | WALK | Walk To | — | Gravel | Walk In | — | 8 | 🐾 |
| 030 | WALK | Walk To | — | Gravel | Walk In | — | 8 | 🐾 |
| 031 | WALK | Walk To | — | Gravel | — | — | 8 | 🐾 |
| 032 | WALK | Walk To | — | Gravel | — | — | 8 | 🐾 |
Getting there
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.
43.89510, -103.48423 · 43°53'42.4"N 103°29'3.2"W
Typical weather
Typically 79°F in Jul, down to 36°F in Feb.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 37 | 36 | 44 | 50 | 60 | 71 | 79 | 78 | 69 | 55 | 44 | 37 |
| Low °F | 19 | 18 | 25 | 32 | 42 | 52 | 59 | 58 | 50 | 37 | 27 | 20 |
| Precip in | 0.5 | 0.8 | 1.4 | 2.6 | 4.8 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 2.3 | 1.8 | 1.8 | 0.6 | 0.5 |
1991–2020 averages from the nearest NOAA station, 1.8 mi away — not measured at the facility itself, and elevation can make a real difference over that distance.
Map
More photos
Member photos
Common questions about Horsethief Lake Campground
- Can you reserve a site at Horsethief Lake Campground?
- Yes, Horsethief Lake Campground is reservable through Recreation.gov.
- How many campsites does Horsethief Lake Campground have?
- 42 sites in total, of which 22 can be booked.
- What is the maximum RV length at Horsethief Lake Campground?
- 99 ft. That is the longest vehicle the sites here are recorded as taking; individual sites may be shorter.
- Are pets allowed at Horsethief Lake Campground?
- Yes, pets are allowed at Horsethief Lake Campground.
- Are campfires allowed at Horsethief Lake Campground?
- Campfires are allowed at Horsethief Lake Campground. Check for a current fire restriction before you go.
Also listed by
Horsethief Lake Campground also appears in other federal recreation data. Facts below are matched by name and location, not confirmed by Horsethief Lake Campground's operator.
USDA Forest Service — data as of Aug 24, 2026
- Regular Season: $30/night --- See Off-Season Information
Camping near Horsethief Lake Campground
- South Dakota's Mount Rushmore Fireworks Celebration Lottery 1.9 mi · Tickets · we watch it
- Grizzly Bear Campground 2.5 mi · Campground · we watch it
- Willow Creek Horse Camp 2.6 mi · Campground · we watch it
- Iron Creek Horse Camp 5.3 mi · Campground · we watch it
- Sheridan Lake 6 mi · Campground · we watch it
- Sheridan North Cove GRP CG 6.3 mi · Campground · we watch it
- Oreville Campground 6.6 mi · Campground · we watch it
- Lincoln Borglum Visitor Center 1.9 mi · Facility
- Information Center 2 mi · Facility
- Grizzly Bear Campground 2.6 mi · Campground
- Palmer Creek Trailhead (Lost Cabin #2) 3.5 mi · Facility
- Sheridan Lake South Campground 5 mi · Campground
Contact
- Phone 605-673-9200
- Email tbolton@goexplorus.com
- Book Recreation.gov
Recreation.gov last updated this record on 2026-06-16.
Facility information and photographs from Recreation.gov (RIDB). SpotOpened is not affiliated with Recreation.gov or any federal agency.
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