We did have to back Birdy up a long driveway to get into our campsite. We felt like we owned our little piece of the park. Our site backed up to the Black Hills National Forest lands at the edge of the park, and we were a great distance from our neighbors. We knew we wanted a large site with trees and a bathhouse, making the Ranch Camp a great choice for us.
Heading into the Ranch Camp A Cute Casita at the Ranch Camp Our Ranch Camp Siteįor us, selecting a spot was a no brainer. It’s quite a hike down the hill to get to the pool and back. The main drawback is the distance from the amenities. The sites are nicely spaced, and some are bordered by national forest lands. Ranch Camp: You’ll find some of the prettiest sites in the camp in the woodlands at the top of the hill (if you consider pine trees beautiful, as I clearly do). However, it is more remote and does not have a bathhouse. The Island: Large beautiful sites with plenty of room and trees make this area a scenic choice. The Lower Ranch Camp is farther up the hill from the amenities and does not have its own bathhouse. Though there are not many trees along these spots, they are located at the base of a hill and receive some shade. Lower Ranch Camp: This area is also popular with big rigs since the large sites are easy to get into. The Line Camp is halfway up the hill from the amenities and does not have its own bathhouse.
#Rafter j bar ranch Patch#
Some sites are in a lovely patch of trees. Many big rigs like to line the spots along the entrance to the Line Camp. Line Camp: Campers in this area have more room to breath, with larger sites and more scenery. The Main Camp is also home to the cabins. This section is close to all of the amenities and has its own bathhouse. I felt that the campsites seemed crowded in here since. Main Camp: This area is more wooded than the base camp, but the sites are on the smaller side, as well. The Base Camp is the only section with satellite tv, and it does not have a shower house, if those are important to you. Though slightly less scenic, it is close to the park’s amenities. Here’s a rundown of the areas you can choose from:īase Camp: This area is most like a traditional RV park with smaller sites and fewer trees (that being said, there are still pretty nice trees). I’ll do my best to give you an overview of the main areas, but don’t hesitate to call the park to ask for recommendations for which one would best fit your needs. Spread across over 150 acres of land, the campsites at Rafter J vary greatly based on which section your site is in. Historic buildings from this era can still be found on the property.ĭeciding to stay at Rafter J is an easy choice selecting a spot is not. Later, the ranch was a stopping spot for stage coaches. General Custer once stayed here while on a gold-finding expedition. Rafter J has provided a place for visitors to park since the late 1800s. The RV park sits a couple of miles out of town, making it convenient to everything. It has everything you need while you stay at Rafter J. Hill City is a quaint small town with a handful of restaurants, a grocery store, and other amenities. You can read about what we did do in my Black Hills Part I and Part II posts. We barely put a dent in all there is for tourists to do in the region. In addition to the natural beauty, the region is home to many attractions, including Mount Rushmore, Custer State Park, Crazy Horse Memorial, Needles Highway, and more. Though much of South Dakota is flat prairie land, this area is marked by craggy granite peaks and soaring pine trees. Rafter J is located in Hill City, a small town in the Black Hills region of South Dakota.
If you’re planning a trip to the Black Hills of western South Dakota, you need to put Rafter J at the top of your campground list. Out of dozens of campgrounds in a dozen states, this was my absolute all-time favorite. The beautiful woodlands, the rolling green hills, the brilliant blue skies, and the perfect temperatures had won me over. As I stood beneath the towering ponderosa pines of Rafter J Bar Ranch, I was tempted to cancel the rest of our trip (read all about it here: Birdy NPS 100) and stay here for the duration of our vacation.
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