Elk Mountain Campground
The Quick Take
Elk Mountain is Wind Cave's only campground, and that simplicity is part of its charm. Tucked just off Highway 385 between Hot Springs and Custer, it sits above one of the world's longest caves in a landscape where bison and prairie dogs roam right through camp. The trade-off is straightforward: you get a reservable site in a park that most people only visit for a cave tour, but you give up showers, hookups, and any pretense of a camp store. The amphitheater hosts ranger programs worth rearranging your evening for, and the half-price winter rates make this one of the cheapest year-round campgrounds in the Black Hills. Choose Elk Mountain if you want a quiet base camp for exploring both Wind Cave and nearby Custer State Park without the chaos of the Sylvan Lake crowd.
Booking
Reserve Your Campsite
All 64 sites are reservable.
Book at Wind Cave LodgesWhat You Get
Sites & Setup
RV Information
RVs allowed. No electrical hookups. Generators permitted during designated hours.
Accessibility
There are two wheelchair accessible campsites at sites 17 and 49. There are wheelchair accessible vault toilets in B loop and seasonal accessible flush toilets in D loop. Campground amphitheater is wheelchair accessible. Paved Roads - All vehicles OK
Rules to Know
- Fires:No unattended fires.
- Generators:Quiet hours are 10 pm through 6 am.
Pro Tips
Book through Recreation.gov as soon as your dates are set -- Wind Cave flies under the radar compared to Badlands, but summer weekends still fill up. Shoulder season from late September through October is prime time: fewer visitors, half-price fees once the water shuts off, and elk bugling echoes through camp at dawn.
The cave system beneath you is the real draw here. Sign up for the Natural Entrance or Fairgrounds cave tour early in the day, then spend afternoons driving the park's Wildlife Loop or hiking the mixed-grass prairie trails. Custer State Park's Needles Highway is only a twenty-minute drive north and pairs perfectly with a two-night stay.
There is no camp store, no firewood for sale, and no dump station on site -- stock up in Hot Springs on your way in. Cell service is essentially nonexistent, so download maps and entertainment ahead of time. Bring layers even in July; sitting at nearly a mile in elevation, nights drop fast once the sun sets behind the Hills.
Photos
NPS Photo
NPS Photo / Megan Porter
NPS PhotoGetting There
Directions
The Elk Mountain Campground is located about 11 miles north of Hot Springs, or 22 miles south of Custer, off U.S. Hwy 385, about 1/2 mile west of the highway. Follow the link below for detailed directions to the visitor center; the campground entrance is approximately 1/4 mile north of the visitor center.
Get directions