Glacier National Park and Mount Rushmore campgrounds

[53_willys]

wanting to know your favorite RV parks / campgrounds near Mount Rushmore and Glacier Nat Park. We are in the process of planning a 6 to 8 week trip for the late spring early summer of 2022 and are welcoming all suggestions for campsites. we will be traveling in our class A towing our jeep. We will also be spending time in Idaho, Montana ,Wyoming, Colorado , Nebraska any and all suggestions welcome .

[LindaAnn]

We stayed at the KOA in Hill City while in the Mount Rushmore area. Big park, with several stores...for souvenirs, ice cream, supplies, and a nice restaurant.

[dodge_guy]

We stayed in my cousins driveway in the hills outside Kalispell. But if I was going to stay anywhere it would be west Glacier KOA. We seen more wildlife at their house than I did in Glacier and Yellowstone combined!
As for MtRushmore area, we liked Horse Thief campground (private). But we had a TT, I don’t remember if a big rig would fit! While Rafter J is nice, it doesn’t have the Black Hills feel. It feels like I’m camping in a field, which I can do here in iL!

[F-TROUP]

We liked Buffalo Ridge in Custer, nice roomy sites.

[Addy15]

Another vote for West Glacier KOA here. very much enjoyed our stay there.

Don't have any experience with camping in the Mt. Rushmore area so can't offer an opinion on that.

[Mike_W]

Another vote for Rafter J. Loved everything about it. base camped there and did a lot in the area. Had a wooded spot for a 35 footer with Jeep. No issues.

[ReneeG]

The first time we went to Glacier, we stayed on the West side first at Mountain Meadows RV park. Beautiful and wooded. Then that same trips we moved to the East side and stayed at the KOA. At that time, it was fairly new and not so crowded, but it sure was windy. Next trip back we stayed at North American RV Park for a few days since we used Passport America for half off, then we moved to the West Glacier KOA.

[time2roll]

bob213 wrote:
Can you still see enough of Glacier if the Road to the Sun is not open or don't have an entry ticket for it?

I spent a day going over the road, it was great.
Also spent a day on the west side including a couple of the lakes and the Hotel and boat cruise. Spent another day on the east side where the moose can be easily spotted. Then two days in the north at waterton to enjoy the small town and an evening boat ride.

While GTTS road is great, it was mostly just a drive by for us. I did utilize the tours so the stories were good too. Although certainly the whole trip was not centered on this road.

[dedmiston]

bob213 wrote:
Can you still see enough of Glacier if the Road to the Sun is not open or don't have an entry ticket for it?

In my opinion, no, you really don't see much of it without going to the top. It's like driving to Rushmore to look at the parking structure.

That's just my opinion though.

[bob213]

Can you still see enough of Glacier if the Road to the Sun is not open or don't have an entry ticket for it?

[Gjac]

It depends on how you like to camp. If you prefer dry camping which I do, I like 2 medicine GC inside Glacier NP at the east entrance, I have camped there at least 3 times over the years and twice got a site right on the lake. Caught some nice trout there also(you don't need a license to fish in the park). Camped at the west side also at St Mary's was nice but preferred the east side, less crowded. If you can get into Custer State park that would be great stayed there once years ago but could not get a site in recent years so we stayed at Wind Cave NP CG. Visited the cave drove through Custer and visited Mount Rushmore from there. The CG's and the cave tour was half price if over 62 and get the senior pass, Custer was not. I never made reservations ahead of time because things change if you have limited time you will need reservations at Custer if you want to stay inside.

[Horsedoc]

http://www.glaciercampground.com/
West Glacier CG. We have stayed here several years ago. Restaurant on site. Had a bear on site behind our site also 😉 Wery nice folks running the place.
No sewer so we had to use the dumpstation.
Wooded sites in most of the CG. Very close to the GNP entrance and the West Glacier Village if you want to hike over for a look around. We went in July and they had just cleared the Going to the Sun over the pass

[Martyn]

Definitely Rafter J for Mt Rushmore!

[Horsedoc]

http://www.glaciercampground.com/

[CharlesinGA]

Black Hills is a relatively small area, about 60 miles N-S and less E-W. You can stay anywhere from Spearfish to Hotsprings and see it all, many good campgrounds in the area. Depends on what you want to see and what hookups you need.

I stayed at Spearfish City Campground with my motor home and rented a car and did all my touring that way.

Charles