Camping @ Custer, SD after Bike Week

[HorseyHauler]

We are planning this years vacation to Custer, SD in August due to work limitations. This years Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is August 5-11, 2013.

Anyone have any experience with camping in the area after the Rally. We are considering August 17th - 23rd and concerned about traffic in the area and if it would be a poor choice of time to see the sites.

Also, we would appreciate any recommendations for campgrounds. We are older, not yet retired and just looking for a nice quiet campground to park our still new 21FBRS and use as a base. We prefer a larger site with shade.

The horse campgrounds we go to typically have very large shady sites, so we are spoiled. No horse(s) on this trip.

[wmtire]

This forum thread may help....... as several campgrounds in the area, as well as Custer State park, were discussed:

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...ore-24013.html

[4kmprs]

Originally Posted by HorseyHauler

We are planning this years vacation to Custer, SD in August due to work limitations. This years Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is August 5-11, 2013.

Anyone have any experience with camping in the area after the Rally. We are considering August 17th - 23rd and concerned about traffic in the area and if it would be a poor choice of time to see the sites.

Also, we would appreciate any recommendations for campgrounds. We are older, not yet retired and just looking for a nice quiet campground to park our still new 21FBRS and use as a base. We prefer a larger site with shade.

The horse campgrounds we go to typically have very large shady sites, so we are spoiled. No horse(s) on this trip.

We stayed in the koa that is very close to mt Rushmore "during" bike week last year. Supposedly it is one of the largest koas in the country. Great people all around us. We had no reservations, yet we were still able to get a full hook up. I was initially concerned about the crowds along with what my 10 and 12 yr olds would experience but these concerns were unfounded.

We broke camp and towed our camper through the bad lands as it was on the way to our next destination. We became instant friends with the bikers when we extended our awning to provide them with shade and offered them some of the bottled water we had when we stopped at the overlooks and rest stops.

I thought our unplanned timing of the trip during bike week heightened the experience and gave us another great memory of our "Adventures with Rooby"

[rattleNsmoke]

Ayup, us Biker types can be friendly folk.

[HorseyHauler]

We are just concerned about the amount of traffic, not the two-wheelers. Sounds like we will be booking soon.

My son and his wife; have not seen since the wedding (two years), may be able to meet us there. He is an Air Force pilot and frequently deployed. So, this could be an awesome trip.

[Oakman]

There will still be a number of bikers but not so many that it might ruin your trip. Bikers are an interesting group.

[Indymule]

We were last there 2 years ago. We stayed at the "Big Pines Campgrounds" in Custer. It is out of the main stream and very nice. Restrooms and showers were very clean. The laundry area was kept neat and clean. Things were quite when we were there but it was the 2nd week of September. When we go back to Rushmore, we will stay at Big Pines again.

[joelek]

Bike week is really 3 weeks. The week before, bike week, and the week after. The 3rd week you can find sweet deals on leftover items the vendors don't want to haul back with them.

Custer is far enough away from Sturgis that camping the week after bike week shouldn't be a problem. Get reservations and enjoy camping. Go to Sturgis and Rapid City while your are there too. Downtown Custer and Sturgis - the strips are hard to get a parking spot anywere on main street especially for 4 wheel vehicles. Go early morning to beat the crowd or park blocks away and go for a walk.

2013 will be Harley Davidson's 110th anniversary. It is also the unveiling of Indian's two new models (probably Chief and Scout) redone via Polaris as the parent company. Expect 2013 to be extra busy.

If you like Native American Indian stuff, go see Bear Butte Mountain state park just north of Sturgis. This is the holy land for Indians. Learn about it, respect it, go climb the mountain, say some prayers, reflect on your life. It's one of my favorite places in USA.

[ibjon]

We stay at the Spearfish City camp grounds and love it, there is a small creek that runs through the camp ground and it is very shady. This is a nice campground with nice showers and toilets, it is close to many of the sites you will want to see.

[Archicamper]

We stayed a Sylvan Lake campground in Custer State Park around bike week and it was not a problem. Sylvan Lake was very nice. We had reservations which I would recommend.

[F.R.O.G.]

Custer Gulch, on the east edge of the town of Custer, worked well for us when we were there several years ago for the buffalo roundup in the park. The center spots don't have much shade, but the back-ins around the edges do.

I've not been there, but have heard nothing but good things about Rafter Bar J. It's near Hill City and the turnoff to the road up to Mount Rushmore. The KOA is also on the road to Rushmore.

Depending on your need for hookups, the campgrounds in Custer State Park might be excellent choices.