Sage Creek Campground

Wow, hands down already one of my favorite free campsites! The dirt road to get there is gnarly - beveled to slow traffic and it will make you think your car is coming apart. But it’s worth it! Campsites are located in a meadow — all around are wild flowers and hills (there’s also a little trail with a pretty good vista of Sage Creek and a good first taste of the signature badlands bluffs). The sites fill up quickly so definitely come by early — as others mentioned, most only stay a night so many come and go. Prairie dogs are everywhere during the day, be careful not to camp on a burrow. At night, you will hear coyotes howl and see many many stars. One of the nights I camped an intense thunderstorm came through most of the evening and night — the meadow floods a bit so beware. The site I was at (19) seemed to flood more than the others - namely just where the picnic table stands / where the car was parked. A properly set up tent should fare just fine. Bathrooms are pit, but overall good. Lots of trash/recycling cans. A buffalo did come visit us in the AM!

Nice campsite in the middle of the park. Only toilets available, no water. Very busy campground, people come and go quickly. Was a great stop to see buffalo, bighorn sheep, epic views in the park. Dont park or set your tent on top of prairie dog hole, theyre everywhere! Unbearable mosquitos at night, thought the dog and I were going to need a blood transfusion! If youre pulling a trailer, there is horrible washboarding for most of the 12 mile road coming in, double your travel time for those 12 miles if you have a trailer.

If you are feeling adventurous and willing to go the extra mile (or twelve), then Sage Creek is right for you! The road in can be a but tricky for inexperienced dirt road drivers - I'd recommend taking it slow and just enjoy the surrounding landscapes. You'll most definitely catch a glimpse of a few prairie dog towns, and if you are lucky catch a a herd of bison roaming.

The biggest fear I had traveling to this remote campsite was showing up only to find zero sites available. While there are designated sites, it seems like as long as you just show up you find find somewhere to post up for the night.

The campground was just a pit stop for us as we were back on the road the next morning, and that seems to be the case for most people who camp here. So while there isn't that much to do besides enjoy the beautiful views from the campground and on the drive in, there were a few trails from the campground that led to some elevated lookout spots. Aside from the tricky access to this campground, it was one of the main highlights of our trip and made the trek to Badlands NP even more worth it.

Dan & Jaclyn are world travelers, having kicked the dirt in over 100 countries and sailed within all 7 seas. Currently, we are full-time, location independent, perpetual travelers, roaming around d North America.

Our intention was to utilize Sage Creek Campground as a jumping off point for the entire Badlands National Park, Wall Drug and surrounding area.

There are two entrances to Sage Creek Campground. One is through the Badlands National Park although the more preferred route, primarily paved road, called Sage Creek Road, turns off a ways back before reaching the park.

Although it had rained throughout the last couple of days, we found the road more than appropriate. Smooth in most parts with small amounts of washboard from time to time. We averaged a speed of about 35mpg in our BiG RiG if that better conveys the condition of the dirt road all the way to the camping location.

WHAT OTHERS LIKELY WILL EXPERIENCE
From our experience, this would be the preferred way over the option within the park. When touring within the park, using their entrance to the Sage Creek Campground, although coming from parts outside the park, slow moving tourist, road closures and the amount of cars/trailers will slow your commute 30 minutes or longer.

Passing numerous Bison,k half of which were directly on the road, we eventually arrived to a circular layout where tenters primarily camping the center and trailers, and truck campers and RVs would typical stay to the opposing side.

We chose to park directly across from the vault toilets. I know.. I know.. why? Well, we understand the differences between our BiG RiG and those trying tent a few nights. Therefore we wanted to give them as much room as possible. Funny enough, it was humorous eating breakfast, watching the comings and goings from the vault toilets;)

Our view on the opposing side, our canopy side of the BiG RiG completely blocked out everyone, and therefore we felt like we were free camping elsewhere, without neighbors. Daily we would relax outside during afternoons and sit quietly as the bison would every so slowly stroll by our BiG RiG.

We would go to sleep each evening with the campground pretty much full, only to wake and find most would pack up and go back out into unknown parts of the world. On most of our stay there would only be us and 1 other trailer during the day. That said, if you do not need much space (tenters) you would be welcome to arrive at all hours of the day on all days of the week. That said, if you require space, anything trailing behind, I would suggest never arriving any time after 5PM to ensure a spot.

Around 3PM, the population would begin to build and by 7PM, we would be full once again.

SPECIAL EXPERIENCE
The location does have trash and vault toilets, although much... mush more importantly, this location has more wild life than I could have imagined.... even after reading the review before our own arrival. Derringer stay of 5 days, we had around 20 Bison, on property, a couple strolling among the tents during the evening. CRAZY!!! There is a prairie dog town going about their daily business chirping when we get too close, while the nightly howling of the coyotes made their presence known.

Due to the remoteness, we had 1 bar of AT&T with boost. Therefore we drove to Wall Drug and enjoyed the energy there while utilizing their internet throughout the day. I was told that if you walked to the top of the mount.. a 5 minute walk.. and could handle the direct sunshine, the internet was more than adequate.

If you are a free camper, this type of location absolutely will not disappoint!

RATING - TOP 5 CAMPING CONTENDER

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CAMPED MAY 2018
POSTED SEPTEMBER 2018

The only drawback to this spot is the long, unpaved road leading to the campgrounds. But we have definitely driven on a lot worse!

Otherwise the perfect spot for free camping close to the National Park. So neat to see Bison roaming the grounds!

Come early, especially towards the weekend. It’s not a big place and mostly filled up every night we were there,

Even on Memorial Day weekend, when this camp was fairly full, there was a great calm over the camp. It's nestled on the edge of the Badlands (and, FYI, if you're using Google Maps coming east on I-90, it'll take you down south of Wall, SD before bringing you into camp). Toilets were clean, people were friendly. I wish we had brought some more water. I also wish we could have stayed a few more nights.

I arrived here on Nov, 8th 2016. The day of the Presidential election. All around the country and indeed, the world, society was being electrified by the current pulsing through the digi-sphere. The noise must have been unbearable. But here I was, all by my lonesome, except for the giant bull bison laying in one of the camp sites 300 feet from me, a small herd off by the creek, a bald eagle, and some Magpie's flitting about. The warm sun on my cheeks, the gentle breeze tussling my hair, and no one around for miles. No radio, no internet, no TV! I was in heaven at Sage Creek!
As dusk approached, 4 other campers showed up, went about their business and settled in for the night, under a full moon rising. By 2:00am, the moon dipped below the horizon and the Milky Way came alive!
I opened the door of my Teardrop, turned sideways so my head could lay on the doors threshold, to gaze at the constellations. Not far away at all, packs of Coyotes were yammering back and fourth in the 25 degree air.
It proved to be one of the most spiritual nights of my life, in a most enchanted land.
Morning at Sage Creek was staggering in its beauty and serenity. I dream everyday of coming back.