The Amazing Campground in South Dakota We Want To Visit All-Year Round

South Dakota is a state that's blessed with incredible natural beauty—from Sioux Falls to the wide Missouri River, the Badlands to the Black Hills, and nearly everywhere else in the Mount Rushmore State. I think one of the best ways to get out and enjoy all the nature our state has to offer is camping—any time of year. Yes, even in winter! That's because South Dakota is beautiful in every season, and if you only get out to see it in the summer, you're missing out on a whole lot of what our state has to offer. One of the most stunning places you can sleep under the stars in any season is Hanna Campground in the Black Hills National Forest. It's easily one of my favorite year-round campgrounds in South Dakota.

You'll find Hanna Campground along Spearfish Creek in the Spearfish Canyon management area—close enough to enjoy the canyon’s scenery, but just outside the canyon proper. It’s located about 8 miles south of Lead (and just over 10 miles from Spearfish) along the scenic Highway 14A—an easy but beautiful drive that winds through the hills. It's an intimate, rustic campground with a total of 13 sites—seven of which are drive-in sites accessible by RV, but they’re only open during the regular season, which runs from mid-May through late September. Six of the sites, however, are walk-in tent sites that are open year-round. Campsites cost $24 per night during the peak season and $15 per night during the shoulder season. All sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

The one-and-a-quarter-mile Hanna Nature Trail is a relatively easy loop that leaves right from the campground. The trail does involve a couple hundred feet of elevation gain, but it offers incredible views of the Black Hills and Spearfish Canyon in all seasons. Cell phone reception isn't always reliable in this part of the Black Hills, so I recommend using AllTrails Plus to download any hiking maps you think you may need—and to preview the hikes themselves—before you get here.

This is easily one of the best spots in the Black Hills and definitely one of the best year-round campgrounds in South Dakota. Visit the campground's page on the official website of the U.S. Forest Service for the latest information on conditions, fire restrictions, and seasonal updates. One last advisory for off-season camping: although the vault toilets are open year-round, potable water is shut off during the off-season (Oct. 1 through mid-May), so plan to either pack in drinking water or filter water from Spearfish Creek—and always pack out what you bring in, adhering to Leave No Trace principles.

Ready to plan your South Dakota adventure? Use the official Only In Your State itinerary planner to map out your stops from Sioux Falls to the Black Hills!