Free Camping Near Mount Rushmore
Almost every National Park has a few hidden gem campgrounds hiding just outside the park boundaries. These two spots for free camping near Mount Rushmore are the hidden gems!
If you’re unfamiliar with free camping, it means camping on public land, with no amenities, and paying no fees. Yes, it’s legal (where it’s allowed).
Today we’re sharing two free camping spots near Mount Rushmore, South Dakota.
Let’s dive in!
Wrinkled Rock Trailhead
This free campsite gives you access to rock climbing on the backside of Mount Rushmore (no rock climbing can be done on the sculptures themselves!). Here you’ll find toilets, but not much else in the way of amenities. But hey, it’s free!
GPS: 43.887837, -103.469496
Access: This campsite is for tents & vans. Large RVs and camper trailers won’t be able to camp here. The area is heavily forested. This is great for shade, but not useful if you need solar panel energy.
Cell Reception: If you have AT&T or Verizon, you may be able to squeak out one bar of service. We strongly recommend a cell booster for this free campsite.
Miles to Mount Rushmore: 2 miles. The location is excellent for this free camping option.
Keyrapmore Dispersed Camping
The free camping spot near Mount Rushmore offers a great central location to get you to the national monument and beyond. You can camp here for up to 14 days consecutively, but you won’t have access to any amenities.
GPS: 43.93898, -103.44763
Access: This campsite is for tents, vans, and RVs. Based on the multiple reviews, Class C RVs have been able to access this area successfully.
Cell Reception: This boondocking spot is better for cellular access, but still not ideal. A booster will help for sure. ATT & Verizon reported two bars of service.
Miles to Mount Rushmore: 7 miles. This spot will get you a little further away from the crowds.
Discover the Best Free Camping in North America
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.
Here’s our list of the 20 Best Free Campsites in the USA.
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You never seem to mention the MVUMs. The motor vehicle use maps available free at forest service stations for each national forest. These show all roads where dispersed camping is allowed and even which side of the road. But don’t be fooled by seeing the dots that there are that many sites as there aren’t. You must camp in the obvious sites or a ranger might cite you. They don’t want people making new sites. The bigger national forest can have more than one map , splitting districts. You can also download them online but being old school I like the paper maps as I will look them over and highlight the roads I think I can access with my rig. A lot of the roads are only for high clearance 4 wheel drive.