Grizzly Bear Campground

Overview

This campground lies beneath a canopy of oak and Ponderosa pine on the banks of Grizzly Creek. The site has retained much of its original Civilian Conservation Corps character, and offers visitors recreation and relaxation in Black Hills National Forest. Located along the Iron Mountain Road, it is between Mount Rushmore National Memorial and Custer State Park.

A pavillion built by the Civilian Conservation Corps still stands and is available for use by campers.

Recreation

Black Hills National Forest offers visitors a multitude of recreational opportunites throughout all seasons. Hiking, fishing, horseback riding, mountain biking, and riding off-highway vehicles are popular in summer and early autumn. The winter landscape is ideal for snowshoeing, skiing and snowmobiling. From a nearby trailhead, visitors can access the Centennial Trail and parts of the Black Elk Wilderness and Norbeck Wildlife Preserve. Trails weave through the wilderness for a primitive, non-motorized recreation experience. For those seeking higher elevations, a day-long trek to the summit of nearby Black Elk Peak is worth the effort. Black Elk Peak is the highest natural point in the United States east of the Rocky Mountains. Most of the summit is bare granite and offers expansive views of the surrounding area. An old stone tower (Harney Lookout Tower) at the top, once used as a fire lookout, is still open to hikers.

Facilities

Due to tight, sharp turns, towing vehicles is prohibited in this campground. This includes vehicles pulling trailers and fifth-wheels, motorhomes pulling vehicles, and vehicles pulling pop-up campers.

Vehicles up to 24 feet maximum are allowed. No overflow parking available.

The campground has picnic tables, campfire rings, vault toilets, and drinking water. Electrical hook-ups are not available.

Firewood is available for a fee.

Natural Features

Located in western South Dakota and northeastern Wyoming, Black Hills National Forest encompasses nearly 1.25 million acres of rugged rock formations, canyons and gulches, open grassland parks, tumbling streams, deep blue lakes, and unique caves. Derived from the Lakota language, the words "Paha Sapa," meaning "hills that are black," honor the dark, pine-covered hills rising several thousand feet above the surrounding prairie. This campground is located in the Norbeck Wildlife Preserve and is close to the Black Elk Wilderness, South Dakota's only designated wilderness area. This area encompasses the Harney Range, an area long held sacred by American Indians. Wildlife in the area abounds. Bighorn sheep navigate mountainous terrain, while elk, deer and pronghorn gather in forests and prairies. Bald eagles, hawks, osprey, peregrine falcon, and hundreds of other bird species can be found in the forest, especially along streams, lakes and rivers.

Nearby Attractions

A short 2 miles away is the fabulous Mount Rushmore National Memorial, which hosts almost 3 million visitors a year.

This campground is located on the scenic Iron Mountain Rd. with its famous CCC built Pigtail Bridges and tunnels for breathtaking views of Mt. Rushmore.

Possible day trips include Custer State Park with its many buffalo and other wildlife, Crazy Horse Monument and Wind Cave National Park as well as Jewel Cave which is the second longest cave in the world at 159.29 miles. It features sparkling calcite crystals and other rare formations, as well as some of the largest concentrations of passageways in the world.

What people do here

• biking
• camping
• fishing
• hiking