Spokane Creek Cabins and Campground

The Great Outdoors

Camping at the Spokane Creek Cabins and Campground offers easy access to Custer State Park, which sprawls across more than 71,000 acres to the south. It was the first park to be established in South Dakota and holds the title of being the largest in the state. A highlight of Custer State Park is its 1,500 free-roaming bison, which can be viewed along with the scenic drives that wind through the protected area. Browse the natural and cultural exhibits that are displayed at the Peter Norbeck Center or visit the Badger Clark Historic Site, which protects the former home of Charles Badger Clark, who was renowned for his “cowboy" poetry. There are also numerous hiking trails where you can stretch your legs and catch sightings of the park’s resident white-tailed deer, mountain goats, and bighorn sheep.Directly west of the campsites at Spokane Creek Cabins and Campground lies the Black Hills National Forest, which encompasses more than one million acres along South Dakota’s border with Wyoming. It’s home to the tallest mountain in the state, Black Elk Peak, which overlooks the dramatic granite cliffs of the Black Elk Wilderness. In addition, there are impressive views of the iconic Mount Rushmore sculpture along the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway and wide expanses of grassland prairie and ponderosa pine forest that provide habitat for large numbers of roaming elk.Drive in the other direction from the Spokane Creek Cabins and Campground, and you’ll arrive in the Badlands National Park, which is renowned for its dramatic canyons and sprawling grasslands. It’s easily explored along the Badlands Loop Road, which winds past various lookouts where you can spot bison, bighorn sheep, and prairie dogs, as well as access a series of trailheads. Begin your visit at the Ben Reifel Visitor Center to learn about the ecology and cultural history of the park before exploring the short Fossil Exhibit Trail.

Exploring the City

The Spokane Creek Cabins and Campground is around 15 minutes’ drive from Keystone, where there’s a small supermarket and a gas station if you need to fill up your motorhome rental. There are also a handful of cafes and restaurants if you don’t feel like cooking, with offerings ranging from American to Mexican and Italian cuisine.While you’re camping near Keystone, stop in at the Keystone Museum, which occupies a late-19th-century schoolhouse that exhibits elegant Victorian architecture. Browse the collection of early mining tools, rocks, and minerals on display, as well as old photographs and memorabilia related to Carrie Ingalls, who died here in 1946. Across the road lies the Big Thunder Gold Mine, where you can join a guided tour to learn about the life of miners, then try your hand at gold and gem panning.Keystone is also home to the National Presidential Wax Museum, where life-size wax replicas of U.S. presidents are exhibited in iconic historical scenes. Embark on a self-guided audio tour to discover the story behind each scene and learn about the intricacies of wax sculpting during a short video presentation. The museum also features a recreation of the White House press briefing room where you can play the part of the White House press secretary. Another museum not to miss is the Borglum Story, where the life of Mount Rushmore’s sculptor is detailed. Learn about his family and the famous people with whom he was friends, then stand alongside a full-size replica of Lincoln’s eye as it appears on the mountain.Whether you want to see the bison herds of South Dakota or discover the cultural attractions of Keystone, book an RV in Pennington County and start planning your next visit to The Mount Rushmore State.