Chahinkapa Park

This is a small campground with 7 RV sites (sites 1 and 7 have water and electricity, while the others only have electricity), 2 cabins and space for tents. All the sites (except for 6) have a fire pit and picnic table. There is a large dumpster near site 7, a dump station and a building with restrooms and showers.

We stayed in site 7 and had a wonderful experience. First of all, this site is directly adjacent to the rhino and zebra exhibit. There is a black tarp up on the fence, but you are able to enjoy extremely close access (less than 10 ft) from these amazing animals. Our presence did not seem to bother them and the rhinos spend a fair amount of their time resting under a tree next to site 7. Another benefit of this site is that it enjoys the most privacy of any of the sites in the campground. It was also shaded by a pair of trees. There are quite a few flies in the area due to the animals and dumpster, but it was well worth the inconvenience for the location. Smell was not an issue for the most part, although you do get a waft from the enclosure every once in awhile.

This campground was full over the weekend and can be a little noisy during the day. At night, the other campers were respectful during our stay. Most of the other sites are very close together and site 6 seemed especially cramped and muddy after it rained. I would rate sites 1-6 as 3 star.

The zoo, indoor carousel, golf course, sculpture garden, golf course and baseball diamonds are all within walking distance of the campground.

Small, compact, municipal campground with 6 RV spots with electricity, 2 camper cabins and a tent area that has an electrical post.
The RVs spurs are close together. The tent area has been made smaller due to a new building being constructed which from appearances looks like it will be a new bathroom/shower.
The bathroom building has one shower each in the womens and mens. The bathrooms are old and in fair condition with the stalls in the women's not being able to latch shut. But it was clean. Again, I strongly suspect that the new building will be a new restroom/shower. Drinking water is available and fire pits with tables available in each RV spur as well as a few in the tent area.

The campground is right next to the zoo, located in a very nice park which has (but not limited to) walking and biking paths, a sculpture garden, a very pretty historical carousal (double check the hours), a chapel for rent, golf course, and further in the park are softball diamonds, a municipal swimming pool with fun curling slides (you know the type), playground, skateboard park, fishing in the river, nice picnic areas by a very pretty pond, and apparently a beach (which I did not personally view). Not sure if there is swimming at the beach along the river.

Needed a place to spend the night on our way further into ND to visit some friends. Popped in here tossed $10 in the payment box and pitched a tent in the tent area around 8 pm. Selection of where to pitch the tent was limited at this time because grass was removed due to the construction of the new building, as well as the new building taking up quite a bit of the original tent area. The remaining area was mostly taken up with toys and games from one of the nearby RV groups. But we did find a nice level area to pitch.

The peacocks were rather noisy in the early evening with other beasties joining in now and then. But they seemed to quiet down after 10pm. (Wish the same had been for some of the RV campers who decided loud conversation was appropriate until 12:30 am. Not a reflection on the actual campground however, just venting.) Although there is a road next to the campground, it is not traveled much during the evening and once the neighbors settled down it was quiet and sleep was good.

After a nice walk around the park in the morning, we packed up and headed out as my van and attached pop-up trailer was taking up two much needed parking spaces after the zoo opened.

Overall a decent and cheap place to spend the night. We slept well and then went on our way the next day.

Have a Tracfone and was able to get cellphone service.