NE Nebraska / SE South Dakota Late July

[ThroughLiner]

Hey All,

We are headed to Minnesota (from Colorado) in late July of 2023 for a family reunion. We pretty much always boondock... but I'm guessing we'll be out of luck on that front. We don't need hookups or anything, but are happy to pay for them if that's the only option. We're in an A-Liner Ranger 12 Expedition... so pretty small. We'll likely be coming through on the weekends on either side of the reunion (which is during the week).

Anyone know of particularly lovely campgrounds in the Northeast Nebraska / Southeast South Dakota area? Ideally, we'd find something on the quiet/out of the way side of the spectrum...

I was looking at North Point State Recreation Area, but don't have much to go on other than what's on the interwebs. I think we'll try to reserve a site so we don't have the stress of a first-come-first-served scenario. That said, if someone knows of a first-come-first-served option that is untraveled and highly likely to be available... we'd consider it!

Thanks for any info!

 

[MNTCamper]

Lewis and Clark recreation area in Yankton is a beautiful campground. You will have to make reservations for sure. It is right on the Missouri river. It's one of our favorite places. Many sites, but if you can get one on the river it's fantastic. This is a SD state park.

 

[Arlyn Aronson]

I'd guess you have AC?

 

[New Old Jayco]

We visited Lewis and Clark last summer as well. Busy, but clean and nice. We also went to Ponca State Park in NE Nebraska. Definitely more “out of the way”, and very pretty.

 

[ThroughLiner]

Thanks for the suggestions! If we had a hookup we could run AC. Would be interesting to see if the thing works!

 

[Arlyn Aronson]

We visited Lewis and Clark last summer as well. Busy, but clean and nice. We also went to Ponca State Park in NE Nebraska. Definitely more “out of the way”, and very pretty.

We're been to and stayed at L&C but that was years ago. Nice location.

 

[ThroughLiner]

Been doing a little more e-scouting... Anyone ever boondock in Fort Pierre National Grassland? Wondering if it's a war zone in the summer like the Pawnee Grassland can be here in Colorado (tons of target shooting). Anyone know? Thanks!

 

[Susan Premo]

Where are you going to head to in Minnesota? Just curious, it's where I live love camping up in the Ely area. We don't camp with hook ups, we stay in national forest campgrounds.

 

[ThroughLiner]

Where are you going to head to in Minnesota? Just curious, it's where I live love camping up in the Ely area. We don't camp with hook ups, we stay in national forest campgrounds.

The reunion is at a lodge (Arrowwood up in Alex), so we'll be in a cottage for that part.

But we may try to hit Glacial Lakes State Park the night before check-in. We camped there maybe a decade ago on the way back from a BWCA/Quetico canoe trip, and really loved it. I love the whole area around Ely and points north! I've stayed in various National Forest campgrounds up there over the years. One of my very favorite spots on the earth.

 

[PopUpSteve]

The campground I believe @MNTCamper is referencing to in Cottonwood CG. As you can see on the map, it's in the middle of the Missouri River between NE and SD near Yankton SD. Yankton is a good place to resupply and there is a dump station at the CG you can hit on the way out.

Cottonwood Campground · Toe Rd, Yankton, SD 57078

★★★★★ · Campground

www.google.com

I stayed there for two days last year. It may be the last green grass and trees your find.



It's also a good CG to hit if your plains include going to Badlands NP as your next stop.

 

[MNTCamper]

We stay in the Gavin's point part of L and C right on the water. Has electric and is a premium site per SD. They all have electric there.

 

[Zephyr]

If you have any interest in fossils, check out Ashfall Fossil Bed near Royal NE. There's no camping there, but there are Wildlife management areas and small town city parks in the area with free or low cost camping. We use the Kampnik app to find these out of the way campsites. For paid camping, Niobrara State Park is a nice place.

 

[ThroughLiner]

@PopUpSteve Thanks for the details on the specific campground. Looks beautiful.

@Zephyr the fossil beds look cool! Thanks. Also appreciate the app suggestion... I have a few that sound similar but haven't tried that one.

Thanks, everyone, for your suggestions! Really appreciate the intel. I have a spreadsheet going...

 

[Arlyn Aronson]

I wich I could be of more help but we've not stayed at these sited in many years. I've got family in Chamberian SD which used to bring us there now and then.