Our journey west led us to Hieb Park in Marion, South Dakota. The town is located 20 miles south of I-90. We happily ventured slightly off-route to take advantage of free camping with water & electricity included!

Here’s our personal experience:

Location: Marion, South Dakota

GPS: 43.4259, -97.2653

Price: FREE for seven days. If you want to stay longer, there is a $150 utility fee per month.

Date/Temp: We camped at Hieb Park for two nights in mid-July. The highs were in the 90s, but it cooled down quickly in the evenings to the mid 60s.

Amenities: The campsites provides water & electric. There is a bathroom facility on site; it wasn’t “nice”, but it was sanitary. Hieb Park consists of a baseball field, a large grassy area with covered pavilion, multiple playgrounds, and a city pool.

Noise: Since the town is so small, even when the park is active there isn’t much noise. The days are full of kids swimming at the pool and adults playing softball, but at night its silent and peaceful.

Wifi/Cell: Our T-Mobile hotspot received blazing fast 4G LTE. We uploaded videos, streamed movies, and even recorded a Facebook Live session. AT&T had equally fast connection.

Grocery/Errands: We visited the local grocer for a few items – the selection was pretty good, but the prices were a little steep. We also shopped at the local thrift store and made a post office run.

Dog Friendly: River loved it at Hieb Park. We played fetch, monkey in the middle, and went on a jog through the field. There is so much space to play.

Entertainment: If you’re looking for peace and solitude, this park is perfect. We sat outside and watched the days roll by. But, the park is also great for focusing on work. With the fast internet connects, we worked on our Etsy shop & YouTube channel. As for entertainment, you’re gonna have to be creative!

Discover the Best Free Camping Across the USA

To be honest with you, we hate paying for camping. There are so many free campsites in America (with complete privacy).

You should give it a try!

As a matter of fact, these free campsites are yours. Every time you pay federal taxes, you’re contributing to these lands.

Become a FREE CAMPING INSIDER and join the 100,000 campers who love to score the best site! 

We’ll send you the 50 Best Free Campsites in the USA (one per state). Access the list by submitting your email below: