Hi there!
South Dakota state park camping cabins are basically minimalist shelters without a whole lot of amenities inside the cabin.
You can think of it as a simple place to sleep without having to go through the effort of putting up a tent yourself!
And, it’s possible to find these South Dakota state park camping cabins in Custer State Park!
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Custer State Park is a rather big state park, and there are 8 regular campgrounds at Custer State Park.
There are campgrounds for tent camping and RV camping.
And the way it works for the camping cabins is that they are located at the Custer State Park campgrounds.
Not all of the Custer State Park campgrounds have camping cabins, but some of them do!
Staying at a Custer State Park camping cabin means that you can stay at a budget cabin in the Black Hills of South Dakota!
There are 3 regular campgrounds in Custer State Park with camping cabins
If you are horse camping in South Dakota, then the French Creek Horse Camp is another Custer State Park campground with camping cabins! But you can only stay there if you have a horse!
What to know about Custer State Park camping cabins
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I stayed at Custer State Park camping cabins in August 2021.
Some things may change, but this can start to give you an idea of what the Custer State Park cabins can be like!
If you will be driving from/through Minnesota, then you can look at staying at the Palisades State Park camping cabins for an overnight stop in eastern South Dakota too! They were similar to the Custer State Park camping cabins.
1. The camping cabins are located at the campground.
So you will go directly to the Custer State Park campground you have booked your cabin at, and then start looking for the camping cabins!
2. Once you have made it to campground you’re staying at, you will look for your cabin number!
There won’t be any campground office that you check into before you go to your cabin.
You can go straight to your cabin. (A little bit more about camping cabin “check-in” procedures later below!)
You will look for the specific cabin you reserved!
You’ll look for the sign post with the number on it, or the cabin number will be directly on the cabin itself.
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3. There are beds and mattresses inside the camping cabins. But there is no bedding of any kind!
The exact layout will vary based on the camping cabin you reserve. When you make your booking, you can see how many people the cabin will sleep.
The beds are set up bunk bed style.
All you get is a mattress.
No bedding of any kind is included, so you’ll need to bring all of that on your own.
This can include things like a sleeping bag and a pillow.
What you see is what you get!
4. There is a small table inside the camping cabins with a little bit of space to put a few things.
It’s not a whole lot of space, but there is a small table inside the cabin.
There is also a spot to place a few things for convenience.
5. There is a picnic table outside the cabin.
The more convenient place to eat will be outside!
There is a picnic table located just outside your cabin.
6. The camping cabins have electricity, AC, and heat!
There is electricity inside the cabin, so you’ll get lighting inside… and outside!
This also includes many outlets around the inside of the cabin.
There is also AC in the camping cabins.
You can also get heat in the camping cabins!
You can also use electricity outside of your cabin.
There is an outlet outside on the cabin porch.
7. There is no running water inside the cabin. Instead, you will use the water faucets that can be found around the campground.
There are faucets around the campground for drinking water (and cooking water) that you can use to fill up your water jug.
8. There is no bathroom inside the camping cabin. Instead, you will use the shared campground bathroom.
The type of bathroom you use will depend on where your cabin is located and how far you’re willing to walk!
Each of the Custer State Park campgrounds with camping cabins have regular bathrooms.
There are also basic no-flush toilets that might be a shorter walk from your cabin.
9. There is no shower inside the camping cabin. Instead, you will use the shared campground showers.
The regular campground bathroom is also the “bath house” or where you will go to take a shower at the campground.
10. There is a small trash can inside the camping cabin.
There’s also a trash dumpster at the Blue Bell campground. Similar to tent camping or RV camping, it would be good to take the trash bag from your cabin to the dumpster!
Try to leave the cabin as you found it.
There is minimal housekeeping with the camping cabins.
You’ll find a broom and dust pan inside the cabin so you can leave the cabin reasonably clean.
11. There is a fire extinguisher inside the camping cabin.
Know how to use a fire extinguisher! PASS: pull, aim, squeeze, sweep! Watch the video!
A small portable fire extinguisher is also a good thing to add to your Custer State Park camping packing list! You can find them at Walmart.
How to check in for your Custer State Park camping cabin
Once again, there is no campground office that you need to check-in to.
There is no formal check-in process.
What you DO need to do (or should) before you arrive at Custer State Park during business hours is call the South Dakota state parks office.
There will be instructions in the cabin reservation email for how to access your cabin!
So DO be sure to read that email completely!
It tells you to call the South Dakota state parks office (which is only open during regular business hours) to find out how to get your key.
BUT… if you don’t read that email and you’re traveling during the regular camping season, chances are the campground host can take care of your cabin access.
Each of the regular campgrounds with camping cabins have campground hosts.
It might even turn out that the way to access your cabin is through the campground host.
Or, the cabin might already be unlocked and the key might be inside.
At some point, the campground host will probably come and talk to you about the basics.
How to make camping cabin reservations for Custer State Park
You will make your camping reservation for all of the Custer State Park camping cabins through the South Dakota state park camping reservation website, which is go outdoors south dakota.
Cost of camping cabins in Custer State Park
The cost in 2023 for Custer State Park camping cabins is $55 a night. There are additional fee of taxes and out-of-state resident fee.
When I did cabin camping in 2021, the base price was also $55.
At that time, the total cost for one night of staying in a Custer State Park camping cabin with taxes and the out-of-state resident was $66.
See current Custer State Park camping cabin fees.
You separately also do need to buy the Custer State Park pass or the annual South Dakota state park pass.
In 2023, it is $20 for a 7-day pass (same if you’re only one day in Custer State Park) and $36 for an annual pass. See current fees.
You can buy either pass when you get to Custer State Park.
Custer State Park camping dates to keep in mind
In August there is the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.
There are reports that this event has attracted nearly half a million people to the region in the past.
Many of these people also go camping, and they also stay at camping cabins!
This means that cabins could get booked up more quickly.
This especially affects the areas surrounding Sturgis SD, and that notably includes Custer State Park, even though it’s an hour away.
As the people at South Dakota state parks say, either join them or avoid them!
In 2023, the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is August 4 to 15. Confirm this year’s dates.
At the end of September there is the buffalo round-up within Custer State Park.
Once again, this will create crowds, and you can choose to go to it because you want to see the buffalo rounded up, or you can choose to avoid this time!
In 2023, the Custer State Park buffalo roundup is September 28 to 30. Confirm this year’s dates.
Which is the best Custer State Park campground?
As always… it depends… on what your interests and preferences are! 😜
The quick summary of the different Custer State Park campgrounds with camping cabins:
The Blue Bell campground and the Stockade Lake campground feel more like you’re staying at a cabin “in nature” with all the trees surrounding the cabin and throughout the campground. This makes it feel more remote.
The Game Lodge campground feels more exposed and open, and there’s a main road directly along the campground. But it’s your best chance (only campground?) to see buffalo directly from your cabin!
See more about the Custer State Park campgrounds with camping cabins:
Resort cabins in Custer State Park
Also to note, there are also “resort cabins” in Custer State Park.
The resort cabins are more of the “luxury” cabins in Custer State Park, and these are different from the camping cabins.
👆 Custer State Park resort cabins: There are resort cabins in Custer State Park, which are not the same thing as camping cabins in Custer State Park.
The Custer State Park resort cabins are part of the Custer State Park lodges.
👆 A Custer State Park lodge: The State Game Lodge served as a “summer White House” for President Calvin Coolidge. Even if you stay in a camping cabin, you can visit this former summer White House by dining at the State Game Lodge.
In comparison to the resort cabins, the Custer State Park camping cabins are the budget cabins.
When staying at a Custer State Park camping cabin, you will be staying at a Custer State Park campground alongside tent campers and RV campers.
And as a minimalist cabin without many amenities, you will be using the same Custer State Park campground amenities as the campers who are tent camping and RV camping.
And that’s a bit about staying at a cabin in Custer State Park!
If you’ll be driving along I-90 in South Dakota to/from the east, you can stay in a camping cabin in eastern South Dakota too! This can make for a perfect overnight stop!
If you are interested in Custer State Park, then you may also be interested in these activities:
- Things to do in Badlands National Park for views
- Needles Highway
- Things to do in Wind Cave National Park
- Things to do in the Black Hills for VIEWS!
- Sylvan Lake
- Things to do for the best views in Mount Rushmore
- Things to do in Black Hills National Forest
- Can you see Crazy Horse Memorial from the road?
- Best hikes in Custer State Park
- Things to do in Jewel Cave National Monument
- Legion Lake
- Things to do in Devils Tower National Monument for views
- Driving from Mount Rushmore to Devils Tower
- Center Lake
- Lakes in Custer State Park
HAPPY STAYING AT A CAMPING CABIN IN CUSTER STATE PARK!
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👆👆 Driving through the Black Hills of South Dakota, minutes away from Custer State Park camping cabins.
Here are some ideas for a classic South Dakota road trip going from east to west!
After you go to Badlands National Park, you can head west to Wall Drug and then onwards to Mount Rushmore!
You've made it to the Black Hills, where you'll find Custer State Park.
While you're in the area, you can also go to Wind Cave National Park and/or Jewel Cave National Monument and/or the Mammoth Site!
Drive the Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway on your way west out of the Black Hills and South Dakota as you continue your epic road trip to Devils Tower National Monument and Wyoming!
Then, onwards to the best places to visit in Wyoming with your grand finale of Wyoming being one day in Yellowstone National Park!
Read more for your South Dakota road trip: Best places to visit in South Dakota
Check the reviews at partner websites included below!
How to save money on your trip
I tend to use booking.com or hotels.com to look for the cheapest hotels. You can also try the expedia hotels site (good for car rentals too) or see if you like any of the vrbo vacation rentals or cabins!
Rapid City hotels will put you in the major city of the Black Hills.
Custer hotels will put you in a small town near Custer State Park!
Keystone hotels will put you in the gateway town for Mount Rushmore.
Wall is the major gateway town for Badlands National Park. I've stayed at the Super 8 in Wall.
Or, you can go camping in South Dakota!