Elk Mountain Campground Overview
- Elk Mountain Campground, which straddles the edge of a ponderosa pine forest and open prairie, offers unique opportunities to view the diverse flora and fauna of the southern Black Hills. These campsites are available in both forested and open environments.
- This is a cashless campground, only credit cards will be accepted through rec.gov in the summer and through credit card slips in the winter.
- We hope you enjoy the reservation process and thank you for considering camping at Wind Cave National Park.
Elk Mountain Campground Permit Regulations:
- In the peak season (summer), all sites are available. You may book sites in advance or use same-day booking. However, you must reserve and pay for your site on rec.gov before occupying it.
- In the off-season( (winter), only B loop sites will be open. Visitors must: Obtain a campsite envelope from the fee kiosk, select a vacant campsite in B Loop, complete envelope information, detach camping permit stub and clip onto campsite number post, enclose credit card payment slip in envelope, seal, and drop into depository (iron ranger).
Facilities
This 63-site campground is open all year with sites available on a reservation basis from May 20th to September 30th. In the off-season, only B-loop is available. Sites 17 and 49 are handicap-accessible. Flush toilets and drinking water are available from late spring through early fall. Fees are half-price when water is not available. Ranger programs are offered most nights in the amphitheater during the summer. Two group campsites are able to be reserved 10 months out.
contact_info
This location is unstaffed. To speak with our main office for general information, please call: (605) 745-4600.Directions to Campground
The visitor center is 11 miles north of Hot Springs off US Hwy. 385, about 1/2 mile west of the highway. Do not rely exclusively on your GPS or Google Maps to find the campground. Routes can be misleading or incorrect. The coordinates for the Visitor Center are N43.55677 W103.47799 From Rapid City, South Dakota: Follow SD Hwy. 79 south approximately 50 miles to US Hwy. 385. Turn right onto US Hwy. 385 north. Continue through Hot Springs another 6 miles north into Wind Cave National Park. Once in the park follow signs to the visitor center for cave tours and general park information. From Chadron, Nebraska: Follow US Hwy. 385 north through Hot Springs, SD to the park. Once in the park follow signs to the visitor center for cave tours and general park information. From Custer State Park: Follow SD Hwy. 87 south into Wind Cave National Park. Once in the park follow signs to the visitor center for cave tours and general park information.
Below the remnant island of intact prairie sits Wind Cave, one of the longest and most complex caves in the world. Named for barometric winds at its entrance, this maze of passages is home to boxwork, a unique formation rarely found elsewhere. | South Dakota | https://www.nps.gov/wica/index.htm