Sheridan Lake
- Right now
- Nobody has saidNo season, no closure, no bookings to read
- A night
- $30From, per site
- Sites
- 11089 on recreation.gov
The place
the agency’s own description · what’s there · 8 notices
In the agency’s own words
This campground is along the south shore of Sheridan Lake. Within its 5 large loops, there are many sites with direct access to the lake. Access to the south boat ramp and the Flume Trailhead from within the campground and easy access to the South Beach Area, this recreational complex has everything needed for a fun, family camping experience. Keep reading
Recreation
Black Hills National Forest offers a multitude of recreational opportunites throughout all seasons. Hiking, fishing, horseback riding, mountain biking, and riding off-highway vehicles are popular in summer and early autumn. Winter landscapes are ideal for snowshoeing, skiing and snowmobiling. The Dakota Point Trailhead for the popular Centennial Trail is located on the northeast side of Sheridan Lake, as is the Calumet Trailhead for the Flume Trail. At 11 miles (plus a 3-mile loop), the Flume Trail has been designated a National Recreation Trail because of its historical significance to the local people. The Rockerville Flume carried water 20 miles, from Spring Creek west of present day Sheridan Lake, east to the placer diggings near Rockerville. The flume operated until 1885, and the trail follows the actual flume bed for much of its length. Along the way are historic artifacts and parts of the flume itself. Sheridan Lake is an ideal spot for fishing, swimming and boating. The reservoir supports populations of rainbow, brown trout, northern pike and perch. Fly fishing is popular in Spring Creek below the dam, and ice fishing is popular on the lake in winter.
Facilities
Sheridan Lake Campground has sites able to accommodate tents, trailers, and RVs, including 2 tent-only sites. Each campsite has picnic tables, campfire rings, vault toilets, and drinking water. Electrical hook-ups are not available. Access to the lake and beach is within walking distance, and a boat ramp is available on-site.
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. 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. Contact Info For facility specific information, please call (661) 702-1420.
Nearby Attractions
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.
Charges & Cancellations
No refunds will be given for weather or related events.
What the agency tells you
FYI: During the off season starting 10/01 the USFS operates this campground. Please note that the Woodsy Loop is OPEN. All other loops are closed. October 1st to May 15th Their information is listed below: Black Hills National Forest / Hell Canyon Ranger District 1019 North 5th Street, Custer, SD 57730 Phone 605.673.9200 www.fs.usda.gov/r02/blackhills0 Daily Fee is $15.00 per First Come First Served campsite of which there are 30 available. Self-Pay at all open campgrounds. The stay limit is 14 days in a 28 day period. Parking Spur Length is 60 ft. Drinking water is NOT available. Each site has a picnic table and a fire ring. Vault toilets are also available. Garbage and Trash "Pack It In Pack It Out" at all times. Please note that roads are not maintained during the off-season. Sites are open until weather prohibits access or closed on the date noted above. The information listed below is pertinent during the open season from May 15th to September 30th.
These campsites are non-electric sites. Generators may run from 6 a.m. until 10 p.m. only.
Non-reservable sites may be available on a first come, first served basis
Everything else this campground posts · 5
Prevent the spread of invasive species by inspecting and cleaning packs, equipment, and tires before using lake or trails
A pet fee of $2 per pet per night is required upon check-in
Don't Move Firewood: Prevent the spread of tree-killing organisms by obtaining firewood at or near your destination and burning it on-site. For more information visit dontmovefirewood.org.
- The Senior and Access discounts are only honored for the site that houses the card holder. - If multiple sites are reserved on one card, the rest of the camping fee will be collected upon arrival unless another card holder occupies the site.
In accordance with standard industry practices, ExplorUS will be assessing an additional vehicle fee of $5.00 per night on the second vehicle in each single family campsite, and on the third and fourth vehicle in any double family campsite, provided these vehicles are not joined to the first vehicle by a hitch and towed onto the site. In the case of motorcycles, the first two are considered to be one vehicle and the third and fourth are also considered to be one vehicle. No additional vehicle fees are collected for bicycles. This fee is payable to the camp host upon arrival
Tents and rigs
- Sites
- 110 · 2 tent-only
- Hookups
- None
- Longest rig
- 77 ft
- Paved pads
- 2 of 110
- Accessible sites
- None listed
- Pets
- Allowed
- Campfires
- Allowed, barring fire bans
- Shade
- Every site
Facilities
- Toilets
- Vault Toilets
- “…has picnic tables, campfire rings, vault toilets, and drinking water. Electrical hook-ups are not…”
- Drinking water
- Yes
- “…campfire rings, vault toilets, and drinking water. Electrical hook-ups are not available. Access to…”
- Boat ramp
- Yes
Around the campground
- On the water
- Reservoir, Lake, River, Creek, Beach
- Accessible Swimming
- Birding
- Boating
- Canoeing
- Fishing
- Hiking
- Historic site
- Ice Fishing
- Kayaking
- Motor Boat
- Mountain biking
- Swimming
- Water access
- Water Skiing
- Night sky · 48th darkest of 52 in SD
- Bortle 4
- Fall color · reported 3 days ago, 22 km away
- Peak color
No reading yet, book on recreation.gov
recreation.gov lists 89 of the 110 campsites the agency files here. The rest aren’t on its booking system, so a reservation won’t get you one.
No availability snapshot inside the last 36 hours, so this page draws nothing rather than ageing a reading into fiction.
Watch for a cancellation
Full? Watch it.
One email when a night opens, plus More Than Just Parks dispatches. Unsubscribe any time.
We read recreation.gov once an hour, at 40 minutes past, and write the first time a site in your window is free for the nights you asked for.
Scanners that check every few minutes exist, and most of them charge. This one is free, it reads the same calendar, and it won’t always be first.
Tell me when the season opens
Watch for the season to open
One email when the season goes on sale, plus More Than Just Parks dispatches. Unsubscribe any time.
We check once an hour, at 40 minutes past, and write the first time the agency has that season on sale.
Scanners that check every few minutes exist, and most of them charge. This one is free, it reads the same calendar, and it won’t always be first.
We make nothing when you book. The link goes straight to the government.
Every line of the receipt · 14
What you actually pay
“In accordance with standard industry practices, ExplorUS will be assessing an additional vehicle fee of $5.00 per night on the second vehicle in each single family campsite, and on the third and fourth vehicle in any…” · the U.S. Forest Service’s own agency notice
Derived by CAMPANAC: the agency’s published rate for this season, $30 a night, plus one $8 recreation.gov reservation fee for the booking. A weekend here means Friday and Saturday night, booked once. Optional charges (an extra vehicle, a second tent, a dump-station fee) are listed separately and aren’t in this total.
“No refunds will be given for weather or related events.” · this campground’s own terms
Who keeps the booking fee
The agency’s own policy text says the reservation fee and the cancellation processing fee are “retained by the reservation service contractor”, and that a campground concessionaire will decline to refund them because “they did not receive these fees”. Recreation.gov is run under contract by Booz Allen Hamilton. What share of your booking fee the contractor keeps isn’t published in any federal dataset we can read, so we print no number for it. Our reporting on the contract →
How we know this receipt · 7
rules read Oct 1, 2026 · rates Oct 1, 2026 · How we know all this
The sites
111 records · which ones have room · the site map
The sites, ranked
from 89 mapped sitesAll 111 records
Toilet distances are OpenStreetMap’s, measured for 77 of the 111 sites listed. A site with no reading is unknown, never far.
The price is derived by CAMPANAC, not published per site: the per-night rate this campground publishes for each site’s own site type. 110 of the 111 sites listed carry one, and a site whose type has no published rate sits out of the price rather than being called free.
Measured shade is NLCD Tree Canopy Cover 2024 (USDA Forest Service / MRLC) read at the site’s own coordinate, 27% canopy or more, and only for the sites the agency gave no Shade value. It never changes the agency’s own shaded count beside it.
| CHIP | 070 | standard nonelectric | 45 ft | 90 ft | 571 ft | 2,767 ft | $30 | |
| CHIP | 071 | standard nonelectric | 49 ft | 90 ft | 560 ft | 2,808 ft | $30 | |
| CHIP | 072 | standard nonelectric | 48 ft | 121 ft | 406 ft | 2,965 ft | $30 | |
| CHIP | 073 | standard nonelectric | 46 ft | 96 ft | 373 ft | 2,991 ft | $30 | |
| CHIP | 074 | standard nonelectric | 39 ft | 96 ft | 287 ft | 3,079 ft | $30 | |
| CHIP | 075 | standard nonelectric | 50 ft | 80 ft | 268 ft | 3,094 ft | $30 | |
| CHIP | 076 | standard nonelectric | 40 ft | 80 ft | 207 ft | 3,155 ft | $30 | |
| CHIP | 077 | standard nonelectric | 40 ft | 86 ft | 212 ft | 3,167 ft | $30 | |
| CHIP | 078 | standard nonelectric | 40 ft | 86 ft | 145 ft | 3,250 ft | $30 | |
| CHIP | 079 | type not stated | 333 ft | 3,098 ft | $30 | |||
| CHIP | 080 | standard nonelectric | 36 ft | 95 ft | 280 ft | 3,073 ft | $30 | |
| CHIP | 081 | standard nonelectric | 42 ft | 64 ft | 365 ft | 2,976 ft | $30 | |
| CHIP | 082 | standard nonelectric | 30 ft | 64 ft | 306 ft | 2,930 ft | $30 | |
| CHIP | 083 | standard nonelectric | 39 ft | 89 ft | 415 ft | 2,898 ft | $30 | |
| CHIP | 084 | standard nonelectric | 45 ft | 39 ft | 161 ft | 3,277 ft | $30 | |
| CHIP | 085 | standard nonelectric | 38 ft | 39 ft | 173 ft | $30 | ||
| CHIP | 086 | tent only nonelectric | 40 ft | 88 ft | 174 ft | $30 | ||
| CHIP | 087 | standard nonelectric | 35 ft | 50 ft | 171 ft | 3,175 ft | $30 | |
| CHIP | 088 | standard nonelectric | 39 ft | 50 ft | 122 ft | 3,201 ft | $30 | |
| CHIP | 089 | standard nonelectric | 50 ft | 80 ft | 187 ft | 3,098 ft | $30 | |
| CHIP | 090 | standard nonelectric | 35 ft | 53 ft | 137 ft | 2,980 ft | $30 | |
| CHIP | 091 | standard nonelectric | 57 ft | 53 ft | 190 ft | 2,999 ft | $30 | |
| CHIP | 092 | tent only nonelectric | 42 ft | 51 ft | 196 ft | 2,816 ft | $30 | |
| CHIP | 093 | standard nonelectric | 39 ft | 51 ft | 223 ft | 2,859 ft | $30 | |
| CHIP | 094 | standard nonelectric | 36 ft | 95 ft | 315 ft | 2,748 ft | $30 | |
| CHIP | 095 | standard nonelectric | 39 ft | 89 ft | 346 ft | 2,833 ft | $30 | |
| MANAGEMENT | 041 | type not stated | 260 ft | 3,075 ft | $30 | |||
| MANAGEMENT | 048 | type not stated | 78 ft | 2,965 ft | $30 | |||
| MANAGEMENT | 053 | type not stated | 162 ft | 2,492 ft | $30 | |||
| MANAGEMENT | 054 | type not stated | 194 ft | 2,346 ft | $30 | |||
| MANAGEMENT | 056 | type not stated | 161 ft | $30 | ||||
| MANAGEMENT | 057 | type not stated | 282 ft | $30 | ||||
| MANAGEMENT | 058 | type not stated | 277 ft | $30 | ||||
| MANAGEMENT | 059 | type not stated | 135 ft | $30 | ||||
| MANAGEMENT | 060 | type not stated | 183 ft | $30 | ||||
| MANAGEMENT | 062 | type not stated | 251 ft | $30 | ||||
| MANAGEMENT | 063 | type not stated | 108 ft | $30 | ||||
| MANAGEMENT | 064 | type not stated | 98 ft | $30 | ||||
| MANAGEMENT | 110 | type not stated | 90 ft | $30 | ||||
| MANAGEMENT | 111 | type not stated | 13 ft | $30 | ||||
| MANAGEMENT | 112 | type not stated | 58 ft | $30 | ||||
| MANAGEMENT | 113 | type not stated | 43 ft | $30 | ||||
| MANAGEMENT | 114 | type not stated | 114 ft | $30 | ||||
| MANAGEMENT | 115 | type not stated | under 10 ft | $30 | ||||
| MANAGEMENT | 121 | type not stated | 308 ft | $30 | ||||
| MANAGEMENT | XXX | unnamed record | 45 ft | yes | $30 | |||
| ROCK | 109 | standard nonelectric | 50 ft | 300 ft | under 10 ft | $30 | ||
| ROCK | 116 | standard nonelectric | 50 ft | 140 ft | 14 ft | $30 | ||
| ROCK | 117 | standard nonelectric | 50 ft | 85 ft | under 10 ft | $30 | ||
| ROCK | 118 | standard nonelectric | 60 ft | 85 ft | 89 ft | $30 | ||
| ROCK | 119 | standard nonelectric | 50 ft | 200 ft | 270 ft | $30 | ||
| ROCK | 120 | standard nonelectric | 60 ft | 96 ft | 278 ft | $30 | ||
| ROCK | 122 | standard nonelectric | 55 ft | 96 ft | 206 ft | $30 | ||
| ROCK | 124 | standard nonelectric | 65 ft | 300 ft | 284 ft | $30 | ||
| SMOK | 001 | standard nonelectric | 60 ft | 103 ft | 437 ft | 2,229 ft | $30 | |
| SMOK | 002 | standard nonelectric | 60 ft | 103 ft | 538 ft | 2,193 ft | $30 | |
| SMOK | 003 | standard nonelectric | 75 ft | 105 ft | 465 ft | 2,074 ft | $30 | |
| SMOK | 004 | standard nonelectric | 75 ft | 84 ft | 499 ft | 1,971 ft | $30 | |
| SMOK | 005 | standard nonelectric | 60 ft | 106 ft | 571 ft | 2,055 ft | $30 | |
| SMOK | 006 | standard nonelectric | 60 ft | 84 ft | 581 ft | 1,949 ft | $30 | |
| SMOK | 007 | standard nonelectric | 65 ft | 109 ft | 534 ft | 1,797 ft | $30 | |
| SMOK | 008 | standard nonelectric | 55 ft | 93 ft | 629 ft | 1,854 ft | $30 | |
| SMOK | 009 | standard nonelectric | 55 ft | 90 ft | 573 ft | 1,667 ft | $30 | |
| SMOK | 010 | standard nonelectric | 55 ft | 90 ft | 661 ft | 1,691 ft | $30 | |
| SMOK | 011 | standard nonelectric | 60 ft | 97 ft | 627 ft | 1,537 ft | $30 | |
| SMOK | 012 | standard nonelectric | 65 ft | 97 ft | 707 ft | 1,501 ft | $30 | |
| SMOK | 013 | type not stated | 638 ft | 2,143 ft | $30 | |||
| SMOK | 014 | standard nonelectric | 55 ft | 145 ft | 633 ft | 2,231 ft | $30 | |
| SMOK | 015 | standard nonelectric | 65 ft | 121 ft | 791 ft | 1,930 ft | $30 | |
| SMOK | 016 | standard nonelectric | 65 ft | 93 ft | 717 ft | 1,829 ft | $30 | |
| SMOK | 017 | standard nonelectric | 60 ft | 123 ft | 836 ft | 1,817 ft | $30 | |
| SMOK | 018 | standard nonelectric | 60 ft | 70 ft | 796 ft | 1,655 ft | $30 | |
| SMOK | 019 | standard nonelectric | 65 ft | 121 ft | 827 ft | 1,522 ft | $30 | |
| SMOK | 020 | standard nonelectric | 60 ft | 151 ft | 839 ft | 1,380 ft | $30 | |
| SMOK | 021 | standard nonelectric | 55 ft | 93 ft | 909 ft | 1,731 ft | $30 | |
| SMOK | 022 | standard nonelectric | 65 ft | 70 ft | 858 ft | 1,643 ft | $30 | |
| SMOK | 023 | standard nonelectric | 65 ft | 128 ft | 1,004 ft | 1,649 ft | $30 | |
| SMOK | 024 | standard nonelectric | 65 ft | 128 ft | 993 ft | 1,527 ft | $30 | |
| SMOK | 025 | standard nonelectric | 60 ft | 96 ft | 1,119 ft | 1,544 ft | $30 | |
| SMOK | 026 | standard nonelectric | 65 ft | 96 ft | 1,064 ft | 1,450 ft | $30 | |
| SMOK | 027 | standard nonelectric | 60 ft | 103 ft | 1,166 ft | 1,482 ft | $30 | |
| SMOK | 028 | standard nonelectric | 70 ft | 113 ft | 1,149 ft | 1,344 ft | $30 | |
| SMOK | 029 | standard nonelectric | 40 ft | 113 ft | 1,255 ft | 1,446 ft | $30 | |
| SMOK | 030 | standard nonelectric | 60 ft | 156 ft | 1,304 ft | 1,376 ft | $30 | |
| SMOK | 031 | standard nonelectric | 55 ft | 90 ft | 1,468 ft | 1,482 ft | $30 | |
| SMOK | 032 | standard nonelectric | 70 ft | 106 ft | 1,406 ft | 1,371 ft | $30 | |
| SMOK | 033 | standard nonelectric | 65 ft | 90 ft | 1,519 ft | 1,475 ft | $30 | |
| SMOK | 034 | standard nonelectric | 70 ft | 106 ft | 1,387 ft | 1,290 ft | $30 | |
| SMOK | 035 | standard nonelectric | 55 ft | 105 ft | 1,440 ft | 1,274 ft | $30 | |
| SMOK | 036 | standard nonelectric | 55 ft | 105 ft | 1,530 ft | 1,379 ft | $30 | |
| SMOK | 037 | standard nonelectric | 75 ft | 124 ft | 1,594 ft | 1,381 ft | $30 | |
| SMOK | 038 | standard nonelectric | 75 ft | 114 ft | 1,670 ft | 1,509 ft | $30 | |
| SMOK | 039 | standard nonelectric | 60 ft | 114 ft | 1,623 ft | 1,526 ft | $30 | |
| WOOD | 040 | standard nonelectric | 29 ft | 114 ft | 287 ft | 2,915 ft | $30 | |
| WOOD | 042 | standard nonelectric | 41 ft | 155 ft | 225 ft | 3,201 ft | $30 | |
| WOOD | 043 | standard nonelectric | 24 ft | 155 ft | 176 ft | $30 | ||
| WOOD | 044 | standard nonelectric | 44 ft | 127 ft | 185 ft | $30 | ||
| WOOD | 045 | standard nonelectric | 43 ft | 87 ft | 111 ft | 3,222 ft | $30 | |
| WOOD | 046 | standard nonelectric | 61 ft | 87 ft | 192 ft | 3,191 ft | $30 | |
| WOOD | 047 | standard nonelectric | 67 ft | 123 ft | 94 ft | 3,088 ft | $30 | |
| WOOD | 049 | standard nonelectric | 27 ft | 122 ft | 176 ft | 2,989 ft | $30 | |
| WOOD | 050 | standard nonelectric | 63 ft | 114 ft | 314 ft | 2,803 ft | $30 | |
| WOOD | 051 | standard nonelectric | 47 ft | 120 ft | 137 ft | 2,782 ft | $30 | |
| WOOD | 052 | standard nonelectric | 61 ft | 120 ft | 133 ft | 2,673 ft | $30 | |
| WOOD | 055 | standard nonelectric | 47 ft | 204 ft | 347 ft | 2,410 ft | $30 | |
| WOOD | 061 | standard nonelectric | 41 ft | 244 ft | 289 ft | $30 | ||
| WOOD | 065 | standard nonelectric | 67 ft | 73 ft | 153 ft | $30 | ||
| WOOD | 066 | standard nonelectric | 77 ft | 73 ft | 154 ft | $30 | ||
| WOOD | 067 | standard nonelectric | 55 ft | 141 ft | 155 ft | $30 | ||
| WOOD | 068 | standard nonelectric | 57 ft | 141 ft | 190 ft | $30 | ||
| WOOD | 069 | standard nonelectric | 42 ft | 149 ft | 86 ft | $30 |
The agency files 1 more record here that isn’t a site for the night. It types it MANAGEMENT rather than a campsite. It’s in the table above, marked for what it is, and it isn’t counted as a site.
25 of 111 listed
Getting there
the map and the coordinate · the agency’s directions · the phone number
Where it is
Sheridan North Cove Grp CGBlack Hills National Forest · 0.3 mi
Sheridan Lake South CampgroundBlack Hills National Forest · 1.0 mi
Horsethief Lake CampgroundNorbeck Wildlife Preserve National Game Refuge · 5.9 mi
Pactola CampgroundBlack Hills National Forest · 6.2 mi
Willow Creek Horse CampNorbeck Wildlife Preserve National Game Refuge · 6.2 mi
Grizzly Bear CampgroundNorbeck Wildlife Preserve National Game Refuge · 6.9 miFrom Rapid City, take Highway 16 for 18 miles west to Three Forks. Turn right (north) on Highway 385 and travel 2 miles to Calument Road at the inlet. Turn right and travel 1 mile to the campground.
The weather
the next four days · the thirty-year normal
Next four days, and the thirty-year normal
Forecast
NWS forecast for Hill City, SD
Typical weather
Typical October night 28°F, day 60°F.
Coldest month of the year: typical January night 10°F, below freezing. Bring a bag rated colder than that, and expect ice in the water bottle.
Daily high and lowDays with 0.10 in or more
A normal is the 1991-2020 average for the month, not a forecast: about half of all Julys are colder than the July line. The seven-day forecast above answers the other question.
The land, and who answers for it
what threatens it · who answers for it
What threatens this place
You’re camping on ground somebody wants. We track the threats and the comment deadlines.
Who answers for this land
Sheridan Lake is in South Dakota’s at-large congressional district. Its representative, Dusty Johnson (R), votes on the laws that decide what happens to this land. Public-lands grade so far: F. See every public-lands vote →