Rustic S. Dakota Charm at Rafter J Bar Ranch Resort
Trailer Life Cream of the Crop Campsites: Rafter J Bar Ranch Camping Resort—Hill City, SD
Situated right in the middle of the Black Hills, Rafter J Bar Ranch Camping Resort is a large resort with luxurious amenities in a rustic setting. There are five camping areas separated by sweeping meadows and shaded by towering Ponderosa pines; take your pick of a remote site or one closer to the resort’s activity center. There are spacious and sunny big rig sites with full hookups (50 amp service). Pull-thrus and back-ins measure 40x 60’ and both grass and gravel sites are available.
The park offers gas, propane and firewood for sale and the well-stocked camp store has plenty of groceries and camping supplies. You’ll also enjoy free WiFi Internet and free hot showers! Laundry facilities and a public phone are available for your convenience. For a detailed list of resort amenities, see the Trailer Life Directory.
The kids will love the huge playground! The park has a recreation room for games and cards, as well as an arcade. There’s also freshwater fishing in Spring Creek to while away an afternoon. Take a swim in the large heated outdoor pool or soak the aching muscles in the hot tub. You can even rent a bike on site to ride along the George S. Mickelson hiking and biking trail.
Grab a short stack at the daily pancake breakfast from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. between Memorial Day and Labor Day! After a day of sight-seeing, come back for an evening horse-drawn wagon ride along mountain trails, followed by a chuckwagon supper in the oldest barn in the Black Hills. Reservations are required, and you can choose to do either the wagon ride or supper or both.
Rates: Nightly rates vary from $32.95 to $45.95 depending on the season and type of site. Rates are based on 2 people; each additional person is $3 per night. For descriptions of site amenities, see the 2009 resort rates page.
Area Attractions: It’s an easy drive from the resort to a number of Black Hills sites. Check out Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse Mountain, Custer State Park and Jewel Cave National Monument. Devil’s Tower is only a 2-hour drive over to Wyoming. Of course there are plenty of outdoor activities to be had in the general area: off-roading, hiking and mountain biking are just a few. Take a ride on the 1880 Train in Hill City to get a unique perspective of the breath-taking scenery of the Black Hills.
Climate: At an elevation of 5200 ft., be sure to take it easy the first day or two to avoid altitude fatigue.
If you’ve visited the area before, be sure to rate your stay at Rafter J Bar Ranch Camping Resort on the Trailer Life Directory website, or leave a comment below to spread the word about your experience at this quality RV resort!
![[del.icio.us]](http://images.del.icio.us/static/img/delicious.small.gif){kind=small}
Rafter J Bar may be slightly more expensive than some campgrounds in the Black Hills but it well worth it. Probably the nicest place we’ve stayed in 5 years of camping in 10 states.
We stayed at the Rafter J Bar last summer on our trip to the Black Hills. It is a great campgound very close to everything we wanted to see (Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Custer State Park, 1880 Train). The area is beautiful and quiet. The campsites are well maintained and spacious. Big recommendation!
We stayed at the Rafter J Bar last year in mid September. Every thing said above is right on and I must emphasize how centrally located it is. We plan on returning in the future to continue our exploration of the Black Hills.
You can’t miss on this one!