Forest Road 653.1C, Custer, SD

Hell Canyon Ranger District

Black Hills National Forest

Free Camping Near Mt. Rushmore National Park

Forest Road 653.1C is a popular location for dispersed camping close to Custer, SD. Realistically, there is only once place to camp here, which is indicated by the marker on the map below. It's a large enough site suitable for full-sized RVs, and the access road is hard-packed dirt/gravel.

Authority

Hell Canyon Ranger District logo

Hell Canyon Ranger District

Black Hills National Forest

Custer, SD Office

Tel: (605) 673-9200

Particulars

GPS: 43.7328, -103.6322

Elevation: 5,584 feet

Reservations: First come, first served

Camping Fee: None

Permit: None

Max stay: 14 days in a 60 day period

Amenities: None

Submitted by

Kyle & Michelle

Kyle & Michelle

The Wandering Shores

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Camping on Forest Road 653.1C

Also known as “Spar Spring – Airport Dispersed Camping” on other campsite maps, this lone site is marked on the Motor Vehicle Use Map for Black Hills National Forest as being open for dispersed camping.

This site lies at the end of Custer Airport, and you will hear prop planes and helicopters taking off and landing throughout the day.

Forest Road 653.1C also gets soggy in wet weather, so be sure to scout this area first if you don’t have 4WD or high clearance.

Related Video

The BEST Free Camping Near Custer, South Dakota

Other Campsites Within 20 Miles Radius

Associated Documents

Black Hills National Forest Order BHNF-046-98, Occupancy rules, maximum camping limits, (eff: December 9, 1998)
Motor Vehicle Use Map, Hell Canyon Ranger District, Illustrates dispersed camping restrictions & OHV restrictions, (eff: January 1, 2024)

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