We stayed at Custer’s Gulch RV Park & Campground in June 2025 as part of our Wild West Loop RV road trip.
A quiet Black Hills base just outside Custer
After a white-knuckle drive through Custer State Park with the fifth wheel, pulling into Custer’s Gulch felt like exhaling. The campground sits on Golden Valley Road, a few miles outside the town of Custer, with national forest right behind it. It’s a convenient base for exploring the southern Black Hills, and it’s quiet and dark at night, which is exactly what we want after a long day of sightseeing.
Fun bit of history: the campground sits on the site of an 1874 Custer Expedition camp.
Quick Facts About Custer’s Gulch RV Park & Campground
📍 Location: 25112 Golden Valley Rd, Custer, SD
📅 Dates stayed: June 2025
🏕️ Site: Deluxe area, site 58
🅿️ Parking pad: Gravel, level
🔌 Hookups: Full hookups
📶 Wi-Fi: Free campground Wi-Fi
📱 Cell signal: Low
🐶 Dog-friendly: Yes, max 2 pets per site, with a national forest gravel road behind the park for dog walks
🚿 Amenities: Bathrooms and showers, laundry, small camp store, dump station, trash at the exit, pond (no swimming), ATV/UTV trail access
⏰ Check-in / check-out: 2 p.m. / 11 a.m.
🤫 Quiet hours: 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.
☀️ Weather on our stay: Gorgeous. Sunny, highs in the 70s and 80s, cool nights
💲 Cost: $84 per night
✅ Best for: RVers who want full hookups and a quiet base within about 20 minutes of Custer State Park, Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse and Wind Cave
Arrival and Check-In
There are no gates, just a long drive down a gravel road, so getting in and out is simple at any hour. The speed limit in the park is 5 mph, and with UTVs and big groups around, that’s worth taking seriously.
Our tip: Have a sewer elbow or donut ready. They’re required here.
Campsites and Setup
Our site was in the deluxe area, with a level gravel pad that made setup quick after a long travel day. We got nice shade in the early morning. Spacing between sites is fine, but there isn’t much privacy, so you’ll get to know your neighbors’ schedules.
Our flamingo held down the picnic table while the cats supervised from the bedroom window.
The pull-thru sites near the entrance road looked especially nice and easy for big rigs if you’re just passing through.
A few campground rules worth knowing before you book: firewood must be purchased in South Dakota (no bringing it from out of state), washing your RV isn’t allowed, and drones and fireworks are off limits.
Bathrooms, Laundry and Camp Store
The bathrooms were clean. They close daily for cleaning, so check the posted times if you plan to use them. There’s a laundry room, a small camp store for the basics, a dump station, and trash bins conveniently located at the exit so you can drop bags on your way out.
The Crowd and the Vibe
The crowd was friendly but kept to themselves. Many folks were there on vacation with UTVs to ride the trails, along with some bigger groups. It never felt rowdy, and once quiet hours kicked in, the campground was peaceful. With only a few lights, it’s nice and dark at night.
The real bonus for us was the national forest behind the campground. A gravel road heads right into the woods, and it made for easy, quiet dog walks morning and night.
Take a Look Around
Black Hills Weather in June
We lucked out with gorgeous weather. Mornings started sunny and in the 60s, afternoons climbed into the upper 70s and mid-80s, and nights cooled off into the 50s, with a few dipping into the 40s. That’s perfect for open windows and a campfire. Pack layers: the Black Hills cool off fast once the sun goes down, and you’ll want a jacket for early-morning dog walks.
Connectivity and Remote-Work Readiness
Cell signal was low at our site. The campground offers free Wi-Fi, which helped with the basics. Starlink was our rock for getting online at the RV. If you need to work from the road, plan for spotty service and download maps and anything important before you arrive.
Exploring the Black Hills From the Campground
Location is the big selling point. The town of Custer is about 10 to 15 minutes away, and Custer State Park, Wind Cave National Park, Mount Rushmore, and Crazy Horse Memorial are all roughly 20 minutes out.
In Custer, we loved lunch at Calamity Jane’s, the little coffee shop attached to the Gold Pan Saloon, and Lynn’s Dakotamart is a solid spot to restock groceries (Stefan was thrilled to find German candy).
For everything we did in the area, check out our Custer State Park, Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse post.
Who This Campground Is Perfect For (and Who It’s Not)
Perfect if you:
- Want full hookups and a level site within easy reach of the big Black Hills attractions
- Are bringing UTVs or ATVs and want trail access
- Have dogs and want somewhere quiet to walk them
- Like quiet, dark nights
Probably not ideal if you:
- Need reliable cell service for work
- Want a lot of privacy between sites
- Would rather wake up inside Custer State Park itself
Would We Stay Again?
Maybe. Custer’s Gulch was clean, quiet and convenient, and it did exactly what we needed it to do as a base for exploring. But after seeing Custer State Park, we’d rather stay inside the park next time and be closer to the Wildlife Loop at sunrise and sunset. If the park campgrounds are full, though, this is a comfortable backup.
More campground reviews: see our Lake Thunderbird State Park review from earlier on the Wild West Loop, plus Cherry Hill Park, Johnny Appleseed Campground and Biloxi Bay RV Resort & Marina.
Bookmark this page if you’re planning a Black Hills trip, and check Custer’s Gulch RV Park & Campground for current rates and availability.
Free printable: The Simpler Way RV Trip Planner
The same 10-page planner we use for every trip in our fifth wheel: our planning rules, a hub planner, a campground scouting checklist, a budget sheet, a packing list and a travel day checklist.
Have you stayed in the Black Hills? Inside Custer State Park or outside? Let us know in the comments!Oscar Scherer State Park review.>
