12620 Hwy. 244, Hill City, 800-562-8503,
Rates: Start at $80 for a one-room cabin; $114-$142 for a lodge room; $448 for an executive cabin without hot tub; $60 for a pull- through RV site; $40 for a tent site. Parking is free. Pets allowed; $20 fee for whole visit.
Stay here if you: are looking for a central Black Hills location, have kids, are part of a big group, have an RV or a tent or are looking for a comfy lodge room or secluded cabin not too far from a main thoroughfare.
It’s close to: Harney Peak and Mount Rushmore. Hill City is about a 15-minute drive, and Custer is about 20.
The rooms are: pretty much whatever you want them to be. There are lodge rooms, with double or king beds, TV and free Wi-Fi; KOA Kamping Kabins of varying sizes and levels; “mountain style” cabins that are more secluded; and newer, more modern, “executive” cabins that are more like small homes, with full kitchens and private hot tubs, as well as RV sites of all types and tent sites along a creek or in a more intimate wooded setting.
They put all of the money into: keeping this appealing property running like a well-oiled machine and making it a kids’ heaven. It’s impeccably organized and clean, and there are plenty of activities to keep everyone entertained, from two heated outdoor swimming pools and hot tubs to a Splash Park, a Jumping Pillow and miniature golf, a basketball court, two playgrounds and a fishing pond. The place also rents banana-seat bicycles for kids, and for adults, cars for those who want to park their RVs for good. The place also offers meeting, banquet and reunion facilities.
The bottom line: This is just a fun property with great views and an inviting atmosphere. The friendly staff goes above and beyond to make guests feel welcome. For an extra fee, there are additional amenities available, such as horseback rides and, from Memorial Day to Labor Day, shuttles to Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse. They do sing-alongs and chuckwagon dinner rides, and the Ponderosa Restaurant on-site offers three meals a day, including a $2.50 all-you-can-eat pancake buffet in-season. Kyle Wagner
