A Little History
The Black Hills were transformed by the gold rush that followed the 1874 Custer Expedition, and mining camps sprang up across these hills almost overnight. Oreville was one of the small settlements in the area’s mining district, and it had its own post office by 1895. Today the name lives on at this Black Hills National Forest campground, just a short drive from two of South Dakota’s most famous monuments.
Our Visit
This has got to be, without a doubt, the most perfect campground to ever exist. Oreville Campground is absolutely beautiful. Even better, it sits right between Crazy Horse Memorial and Mount Rushmore in the Black Hills of South Dakota. I planned a three-day stay so I could take my time and really enjoy both. 🌲
Cliffs, Pines and Drone Footage
The grounds and the surrounding cliff faces are just stunning. As a result, I grabbed a ton of photos and drone footage for the blog.
Lola, meanwhile, made it her personal mission to sniff every pine tree in the campground. She also introduced herself to every camper within leash range. Most of them seemed delighted. A few even had treats.
Evenings at camp were Lola’s favorite part. Once the sun started setting, she stretched out next to me in the tent, nose twitching at every new smell drifting through the pines. Every so often, she hopped up to investigate a noise outside. Then she trotted right back for more belly rubs.
Three Days at Oreville Campground
I actually stopped at Mount Rushmore on the way in. That way, we could enjoy a nice, long, relaxing lazy day at camp, and it worked out great. Lola napped in the shade, woke up for snacks and a stroll, and then napped some more. Living her best life.
The next day we headed to Crazy Horse Memorial. (That’s on a separate post.) Then, on our third and final day, we explored more of Oreville itself. We wandered around camp at an easy pace while Lola checked every last corner for interesting smells.
I took several drone videos of this campsite, too many to post all of them here, so feel free to visit my YouTube channel. The below video from that campgrounds is my favorite. I guided it all the way up the other side of the mountain to see what it looked like at the top!
Planning Your Own Stay
Oreville is a Black Hills National Forest campground, with sites tucked in among the pines. You can find details and reservations on the Forest Service’s Oreville Campground page.
If you’re planning a trip to the Black Hills, put Oreville at the top of your list. Lola gives it two enthusiastic paws up! 🐾
Next stop: Crazy Horse Memorial →
Enjoying the adventures?
Buy my human a coffee for the long drives, or buy me a biscuit. 25% of your purchase goes to local rescues & shelters. — Lola 🐾
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