Split Rock Creek Campground

The Great Outdoors

Camping at the Split Rock Creek Campground is a good base for visiting the Blue Mounds State Park, which is a 20-minute drive south of the RV park. It was originally established to protect a herd of American bison and encompasses what is one of the most extensive tracts of prairie remaining in western Minnesota. Follow one of the hiking trails to see the 100 or so bison that inhabit the park, together with coyotes and deer, or trek to the impressive, 100-foot-high Sioux quartzite escarpment. The Blue Mounds State Park is also renowned for its Plains Indians archaeological site, which features a series of rocks that were used to mark the sunrise and sunsets of the spring and fall equinoxes.The Split Rock Creek Campground is around 40 minutes’ drive from the Big Sioux State Recreation Area, which lies just across the border in South Dakota. It’s a popular recreational destination for local residents, with an archery range, an 18-hole golf course, and a disc golf course, together with a paved cycling trail to explore. If you’re visiting during the winter months, you can get active while snowmobiling and snowshoeing on the Big Sioux Recreation Area’s designated trails.Just to the south of the Big Sioux State Recreation Area lies the Gitchie Manitou State Preserve, which protects a natural prairie along the Big Sioux River. It’s renowned for its Native American burial mounds and takes its name from the Anishinaabe Indian creator spirit. Follow one of the walking trails that wind through open meadows and woodlands while soaking up the magnificent views of the Sioux quartzite outcroppings that are believed to be around 1.6 billion years old.

Exploring the City

Campsites at the Split Rock Creek Campground are just ten minutes' drive from Jasper, where you’ll find a grocery store for stocking up on supplies. There’s also a gas station here if you need to fill up your RV rental, a post office, and an ATM, as well as a grill-style restaurant if you don’t feel like cooking. Closer to the campsite, Ihlen also features a restaurant dishing up burgers, wraps, and breakfasts to-go.The Split Rock Creek Campground makes a good base for visiting Sioux Falls, which lies just across the border in South Dakota. It centers around Falls Park along the Big Sioux River (where around 7,400 gallons of water cascade every second) and where some of the city’s oldest buildings are located. Take in the views from the observation tower and witness the late-19th-century Queen Bee Mill, then visit the Stockyards Ag Experience museum that occupies an old barn. Other museums not to miss in Sioux Falls include the Old Courthouse Museum that details the local history and the Queen Anne-style residence of the Pettigrew Home & Museum, which was formerly home to Senator Richard Franklin Pettigrew.If you’re traveling with kids, head to the Great Plains Zoo & Delbridge Museum of Natural History to get up close to species from around the globe. The zoo is home to Amur tigers, snow leopards, and rare eastern black rhinos, as well as kangaroos and emus all the way from Australia. In the summer months, the waterpark in Sioux Falls is the best place to cool off and holds the title of being the largest waterpark in South Dakota. Aside from its waterslides, wave pools, and bumper boat lagoon, the park is also home to a mini-golf course and paintball arena that will keep all ages entertained.Whether you want to experience the cascades and cultural museums of Sioux Falls or see American bison in the Blue Mounds State Park, book an RV in Pipestone County and start planning your next vacation.