Cedar Pass Campground
Surrounded by the vast, open prairie and featuring expansive views of the Badlands, Cedar Pass Campground is a great base camp from which to explore Badlands National Park. Featuring 96 sites, this seasonal campground is open from late March through mid-October, and is conveniently located within easy walking distance of Cedar Pass Lodge & Restaurant and the Ben Reifel Visitor Center.
More like this: electric hookups in South Dakota · reservable in South Dakota · big rigs in South Dakota · pets allowed in South Dakota · group sites in South Dakota · dark sky in South Dakota
Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Site mix
| RV, no hookups | 48 |
| RV with electric | 23 |
| Tent-only | 8 |
| Group sites | 4 |
| Host/management | 17 |
Site guide
Will my RV fit
The longest site here provides 65 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter.
70 sites in 2 loops. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.
| Site | Loop | Type | Fits, ft | Power | Water / sewer | People / vehicles | Fires | Accessible |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Agate | RV | 20 | No | No / – | 4 / 1 | No | |
| 2 | Agate | RV | 20 | No | No / – | 4 / 1 | No | |
| 3 | Agate | RV | 20 | No | No / – | 4 / 1 | No | |
| 4 | Agate | RV | 20 | No | No / – | 4 / 1 | No | |
| 5 | Agate | RV | 20 | No | No / – | 4 / 1 | No | |
| 6 | Agate | RV | 20 | No | No / – | 4 / 1 | No | |
| 7 | Agate | RV | 35 | No | No / – | 4 / 2 | No | |
| 8 | Agate | RV | 25 | No | No / – | 4 / 2 | No | |
| 10 | Agate | RV | 30 | No | No / – | 4 / 1 | No | |
| 12 | Agate | RV electric | 30 | 30/50 amp | 4 / 1 | No | Yes |
Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 1:00 PM, checkout 11:00 AM.
Amenities & rules
| Hookups | Electric |
| Max vehicle length | 65 ft |
| Equipment | RVs & trailers, Tents |
| Pets | Allowed |
| Dark sky | Inside Badlands National Park, a certified International Dark Sky Park |
| Accessibility | Sites 12, 20 are listed accessible |
An evening program led by park rangers is held nightly at the Cedar Pass Amphitheater. This event runs from Memorial Day to Labor Day, beginning each evening with a half-hour educational talk about the Badlands, covering a wide array of topics that change every evening. Once the educational part of the presentation finishes, the rangers begin a guided night sky viewing program. Interesting facts and features of our night sky will be explored and pointed out for you via laser, and telescopes are often provided to view star clusters, planets, and the Milky Way. The Amphitheater parking lot is conveniently located at the entrance to Cedar Pass Campground, in easy walking distance for most campers! For evening program start times, please see the Ben Reifel Visitor Center, Cedar Pass Lodge, or the host kiosk at the campground entrance.
Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.
Weather by month
Getting there
From Sioux Falls. Travel west on I-90 to exit 131. Turn south onto Hwy 240, the Badlands Loop Road and enter Badlands National Park at the Northeast entrance. Travel 8 miles (13 km) to Cedar Pass Lodge, making a slight left onto Hwy 377. Cedar Pass Campground will be on your left. From Rapid City. Travel east on I-90 to exit 110.
| Nearest town | Interior, South Dakota |
| Coordinates | 43.7450° N, 101.9484° W · Directions ↗ |
Supplies & services
| Dump station | Dump station ↗ | under 0.1 mi |
Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.
Explore
Video
CEDAR PASS CAMPGROUND | Badlands National Park REVIEW | Amenities? How Big are the Sites?
Public land it sits in
This campground sits inside Nebraska National Forest.
- inNebraska National Forest ↗National Forest · Forest Service · 2,064,856 acres
- 13.5 miBadlands Wilderness ↗Wilderness · National Park Service · 64,144 acres
Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.
Other campgrounds nearby
Natural features
Cedar Pass Campground is surrounded by prairie grasslands and Badlands buttes, or geologic formations. These formations contain sandstone, siltstone, mudstone, claystone, limestone, volcanic ash, and shale. The natural beauty of this landscape makes for stunning sunrises and sunsets, while low population density and minimal light pollution creates a beautiful night sky most evenings.
Recreation
An evening program led by park rangers is held nightly at the Cedar Pass Amphitheater. This event runs from Memorial Day to Labor Day, beginning each evening with a half-hour educational talk about the Badlands, covering a wide array of topics that change every evening. Once the educational part of the presentation finishes, the rangers begin a guided night sky viewing program. Interesting facts and features of our night sky will be explored and pointed out for you via laser, and telescopes are often provided to view star clusters, planets, and the Milky Way. The Amphitheater parking lot is conveniently located at the entrance to Cedar Pass Campground, in easy walking distance for most campers! For evening program start times, please see the Ben Reifel Visitor Center, Cedar Pass Lodge, or the host kiosk at the campground entrance.
Nearby
- Ben Reifel Vistor Center
- Cedar Pass Lodge
- Minuteman National Historic Site
- Prairie Homestead
- Wall Drug
- Mount Rushmore (1 hour, 45 mins)
- Custer State Park (1 hour, 45 mins)
Guidebooks for Badlands National Park and camping across the country
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Moon South Dakota's Black Hills: with Mount Rushmore and Badlands National ParkLaural A. Bidwell, 2022Find at Bookshop.org
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
Do I need a reservation at Cedar Pass Campground?
Sites at Cedar Pass Campground are reservable on Recreation.gov. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.
Source: Recreation.gov
What time is check-in at Cedar Pass Campground?
Check-in 1:00 PM, checkout 11:00 AM.
Source: Recreation.gov
How many sites does Cedar Pass Campground have?
100 sites, including 48 RV sites without hookups, 23 RV sites with electric, 8 tent-only sites, and 4 group sites.
Source: Recreation.gov
Will my RV fit at Cedar Pass Campground?
The longest site here provides 65 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter. The sidebar tool checks a trailer or motorhome length against every site.
Source: Will my RV fit
Does Cedar Pass Campground have hookups?
Yes, electric hookups at some sites.
Source: Recreation.gov
Are pets allowed at Cedar Pass Campground?
Yes, pets are allowed at Cedar Pass Campground. Leash rules apply.
Source: Recreation.gov
Are there accessible sites at Cedar Pass Campground?
Sites 12 and 20 are listed accessible on Recreation.gov. What that covers (a paved pad, an accessible table, a nearby accessible restroom) is on each site's booking page.
Source: Recreation.gov
Is Cedar Pass Campground good for stargazing?
Yes. Cedar Pass Campground sits inside Badlands National Park, a certified International Dark Sky Park.
Source: DarkSky International
Is there cell service at Cedar Pass Campground?
FCC coverage maps show Verizon 4G LTE and AT&T 4G LTE at the campground point. Terrain changes that from one site to the next.
Source: FCC Broadband Map
What is there to do at Cedar Pass Campground?
An evening program led by park rangers is held nightly at the Cedar Pass Amphitheater. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.
Source: Recreation
What is the nearest town to Cedar Pass Campground?
Interior, South Dakota. Ben Reifel Vistor Center
Source: Getting there
What if Cedar Pass Campground is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are Sage Creek Campground (25.4 mi, first-come), Grizzly Bear Campground (74.8 mi), and Iron Creek Horse Camp (76.3 mi).
Source: Campgrounds nearby