U.S. Forest Service · Black Hills National Forest · South Dakota

Pactola Reservoir Campground

This campground is nestled in the pine trees along the south shore of Pactola Reservoir, offering guests lake views and access to a multitude of recreational opportunities both on land and water. Pactola Visitor Center is located in close proximity to the campground, providing opportunities for conservation education and information to visitors.

Closed for the seasonReservable · Recreation.gov79 sites99 ft maxNo hookupsPets okFires ok

More like this: reservable in South Dakota · big rigs in South Dakota · pets allowed in South Dakota

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
PACTOLA ENTRANCE SIGNPactola Reservoir CampgroundPACTOLA BEACHPactola Reservoir Campground
Photos courtesy of USFS · Recreation.gov

Site mix

Standard, no hookups47
RV, no hookups6
Host/management26
Most sites here open on Recreation.gov six months ahead, at 10 a.m. Eastern. Sold out is not final: cancellations come back into the pool, most of them two to three days out. How to catch one

Site guide

Will my RV fit

The longest site here provides 99 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter.

Have the trailer VIN? It carries the trailer length.

53 sites in 3 loops. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.

SiteLoopTypeEntryFits, ftSurfaceShadePeople / vehiclesFiresAccessible
023PACTStandardBack-in30GravelFull8 / 2Yes
024PACTStandardBack-in30GravelFull8 / 2Yes
025PACTStandardBack-in20GravelFull8 / 2Yes
026PACTStandardBack-in28GravelFull8 / 2Yes
028PACTStandardBack-in35GravelFull8 / 2Yes
029PACTStandardBack-in30GravelFull8 / 2Yes
030PACTStandardBack-in36GravelFull8 / 2Yes
031PACTStandardBack-in38GravelFull8 / 2Yes
032PACTStandardBack-in25GravelFull8 / 2Yes
033PACTStandardBack-in28GravelFull8 / 2Yes

Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 1:00 PM.

Amenities & rules

HookupsNone
Max vehicle length99 ft
EquipmentRVs & trailers, Tents
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed, subject to restrictions
AccessibilitySites XXX, 002, 004, 008 and 1 more are listed accessible

Pactola Reservoir Campground has sites able to accommodate tents, trailers, and RVs, including several tent-only sites. Several sites have views of the reservoir. The campground has picnic tables, campfire rings, vault toilets, and drinking water. Electrical hook-ups are not available. Access to the reservoir and beach is within walking distance, and 2 boat ramps are available on-site. A full service marina is nearby, offering basic supplies and services. A National Forest visitor center on the south side of the dam is open seasonally and provides visitors with information about the building of the dam and forest management.

Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.

Season & status

StatusClosed for the season. Forest Service sites close for the season; check the official page for the reopening date.
ForestBlack Hills National Forest

Black Hills National Forest recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Pactola Reservoir Campground20°30°40°50°60°70°January: 0.33 inches of precipitation, 5.7 inches of snowFebruary: 0.56 inches of precipitation, 8.2 inches of snowMarch: 1.05 inches of precipitation, 10.5 inches of snowApril: 2.32 inches of precipitation, 12.8 inches of snowMay: 4.26 inches of precipitation, 4.5 inches of snowJune: 3.53 inches of precipitation, 0.2 inches of snowJuly: 3.07 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 2.38 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 1.59 inches of precipitation, 0.8 inches of snowOctober: 1.55 inches of precipitation, 6.3 inches of snowNovember: 0.53 inches of precipitation, 6.5 inches of snowDecember: 0.36 inches of precipitation, 5.4 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 23.6°F averageFebruary: 23.7°F averageMarch: 31.3°F averageApril: 38.3°F averageMay: 48.1°F averageJune: 57.9°F averageJuly: 64.8°F averageAugust: 63.3°F averageSeptember: 54.4°F averageOctober: 42.4°F averageNovember: 32.5°F averageDecember: 24.7°F average0 in5 in10 in15 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Pactola Dam, 3 miles from the campground at 4,720 feet, station USC00396427 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 22 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 61 inches a year on the same inches scale.

Getting there

Drive 17 miles west on State Highway 44 from Rapid City, South Dakota. From Highway 44, turn on 385 south. Campground located 2 miles off US Highway 385.

Coordinates44.0753° N, 103.5331° W · Directions ↗

Charges and cancellations

No refunds wil be given for weather or related events.

Supplies & services

RV sales & serviceJack's Campers ↗14.3 mi
Outdoor gearThe Rooster ↗14.4 mi
Dump stationDump station ↗23.5 mi

Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.

Explore

Video

CampgroundViews.com - Pactola Campground Rapid City South Dakota SD Forest Service

Worth a stop

Nearby Jewel Cave is the second longest cave in the world at 159.29 miles. It features sparkling calcite crystals and other rare formations, as well as some of the largest concentrations of passageways in the world. Other possible day trips include Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Custer State Park, Crazy Horse Monument, Devils Tower National Monument and Wind Cave National Park.

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →
  • 1.2 mi
    Osprey
    1.7 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 1.6 mi
    Centennial on Mystic ↗
    31.9 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 1.9 mi
    Deerfield ↗
    23 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 2 mi
    Veterans Point ↗
    0.6 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 2.2 mi
    Bogus 08
    1.1 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 3 more
  • 2.2 mi
    Bogus 09
    0.3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 3 more

Trailheads within three miles

Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.

Public land it sits in

On Wilderness Atlas →

This campground sits inside Black Hills National Forest.

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.

On the National Register nearby

On Register Atlas →

Natural features

Located in western South Dakota and northeastern Wyoming, Black Hills National Forest encompasses nearly 1.25 million acres of rugged rock formations, canyons and gulches, open grassland parks, tumbling streams, deep blue lakes, and unique caves. Derived from the Lakota language, the words "Paha Sapa," meaning "hills that are black," honor the dark, pine-covered hills rising several thousand feet above the surrounding prairie. Pactola Reservoir is the largest and deepest reservoir in the Black Hills, boasting 14 miles of shoreline and 150 foot depths on 800 acres. The Bureau of Reclamation manages the dam and water. Wildlife in the area abounds. Bighorn sheep navigate mountainous terrain, while elk, deer and pronghorn gather in forests and prairies. Bald eagles, hawks, osprey, peregrine falcon, and hundreds of other bird species can be found in the forest, especially along streams, lakes and rivers.

Recreation

Black Hills National Forest offers recreational opportunities for all ages. Visitors can take advantage of opportunities for hiking, fishing, horseback riding, mountain biking, and riding off-highway vehicles (OHVs) on moderate terrain. From Pactola Reservoir, hikers can access the 2.2-mile Osprey Trail which includes two loop trails and a spur trail to an overlook. The trail is named for the ospreys that are often seen in the area. Pactola Reservoir is an ideal spot for fishing and boating. The reservoir is stocked with rainbow, lake and brown trout as well as largemouth and rock bass, kokanee salmon and yellow perch. Record lake trout are caught here annually, and large brown trout find habitat in Rapid Creek above and below the reservoir.

Guidebooks for South Dakota and camping across the country

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

  • Moon Mount Rushmore and the Black Hills
    Laural A. Bidwell, 2016
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Frommer's Exploring America by RV
    Harry Basch and Shirley Slater, 2012
    Find 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 Pactola Reservoir Campground?

Sites at Pactola Reservoir 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 Pactola Reservoir Campground?

Check-in 0:00 AM, checkout 0:00 AM.

Source: Recreation.gov

Is Pactola Reservoir Campground open right now?

Closed for the season as of Oct 16, 2026.

Source: Forest Service status

How many sites does Pactola Reservoir Campground have?

79 sites, including 47 standard sites without power and 6 RV sites without hookups.

Source: Recreation.gov

Will my RV fit at Pactola Reservoir Campground?

Recreation.gov lists no practical vehicle capacity limit for the largest site here, which usually means pull-through or open parking. The sidebar tool checks a trailer or motorhome length against every site.

Source: Will my RV fit

Are pets allowed at Pactola Reservoir Campground?

Yes, pets are allowed at Pactola Reservoir Campground. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Pactola Reservoir Campground?

Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are there accessible sites at Pactola Reservoir Campground?

Sites XXX, 002, 004, and 008 are listed accessible on Recreation.gov, 5 sites in all. What that covers (a paved pad, an accessible table, a nearby accessible restroom) is on each site's booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

What is there to do at Pactola Reservoir Campground?

Black Hills National Forest offers recreational opportunities for all ages. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What if Pactola Reservoir Campground is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Bear Gulch (0.4 mi), Sheridan North Cove Grp CG (6.9 mi), and Sheridan Lake (7.2 mi).

Source: Campgrounds nearby