Fort Welikit Family Campground

The Great Outdoors

A highlight of camping at the Fort Welikit Family Campground is its access to Custer State Park, which is the largest of its kind in South Dakota. It was the first park to be established in the state, with more than 71,000 acres that provide a habitat for a herd of around 1,500 free-roaming bison. Stop in at the heritage-listed Peter Norbeck Center to learn about the park’s natural and cultural history, then visit the Badger Clark Historic Site, which protects the former home of South Dakota’s first poet laureate. The bison herd is best viewed along one of the scenic drives that wind through the park, with white-tailed deer, mountain goats, and bighorn sheep also regularly spotted.Just to the south of Custer State Park is the Wind Cave National Park, which was the first cave to be designated as a national park in the world. It’s renowned for its vast cave system comprising several spectacular chambers and can be explored on ranger-led tours. Opt for the relatively easy Garden of Eden tour or the popular Natural Entrance tour to get up close to the caves’ boxwork calcite formations. Those feeling more adventurous can tackle the challenging Fairgrounds Cave tour, which explores the upper and middle levels of Wind Cave.The Fort Welikit Family Campground can also be used as a base for visiting the Badlands National Park, which lies around 90 minutes’ drive to the east. It includes spectacular canyons and layered rock formations that are easily explored along the Badlands Loop Road. Numerous hiking trails also wind through the park for those wanting to stretch their legs, with sightings of bison, bighorn sheep, and prairie dogs not uncommon. Stop in at the visitor center to pick up maps and information about the park, then enjoy a short stroll on the Fossil Exhibit Trail to see fossils that have been uncovered in the park.

Exploring the City

The campsites at Fort Welikit Family Campground are just a couple of minutes’ drive from the center of Custer, where you’ll find supermarkets for stocking up on supplies and gas stations if you need to fill up your RV rental. There’s also an outstanding collection of cafes and restaurants for dining out that will appeal to all tastes and budgets.While you’re camping in Custer, stop in at the Custer County 1881 Courthouse, which occupies the city’s original 19th-century courthouse. This three-story red-brick building has been designated as a historic site. It now houses exhibits that detail the Lakota Native American people’s culture. Learn about the 1874 expedition of George Custer (after whom the city is named) and what life was like for Victorian-era settlers in the Black Hills and Dakota Territory. The museum also features an original jail cell and a one-room schoolhouse, as well as a carriage house complete with vintage cars.A few miles north of Custer is the Crazy Horse Memorial, a 606-foot rock sculpture depicting the victor in the Battle of Little Bighorn. It was created by Korczak Ziolkowski, a sculptor of Polish origin, in 1947 and stands adjacent to the Indian Museum of North America. The museum boasts a large collection of art and artifacts that reflect the diverse cultures of the Native Nations, as well as encompassing the Mountain Carving Gallery, where the history of carving in the region is explored.A 45-minute drive south of the Fort Welikit Family Campground is the town of Hot Springs, where you’ll find the Mammoth Site, an active paleontological excavation site where Pleistocene-era flora and fauna have been uncovered. Browse the impressive collection of mammoth remains at the on-site museum, then head to the Pioneer Museum that occupies a 19th-century sandstone building. It once served as an elementary school and is now filled with historical exhibits featuring old photographs, artifacts, and pioneer-era treasures.Whether you want to see the bison herds of South Dakota or discover the cultural museums of Custer and Hot Springs, book an RV in Custer County and start planning your next vacation.