Bear Gulch
Bear Gulch is a national forest group campground in South Dakota. Hookups: no hookups.
- Type
- National forest group campground
- Location
- South Dakota
- Coordinates
- 44.07444, -103.52556
- Hookups
- No hookups
- Activities
- Biking, Boating, Camping, Fishing, Hiking, Picnicking
- Map
- Open in OpenStreetMap
- Phone
- 605-574-4402
Amenities
- Reservable sites
Only amenities a source confirms are listed; an amenity missing here is unknown, not absent.
About Bear Gulch
Overview This private access group campsite is isolated among the forested Black Hills of South Dakota, overlooking a private bay on the Pactola Reservoir. Great for group events with up to 40 people, there are eight individual tent sites around a central parking area. The summers are pleasant, and the bay provides a great way to cool off on sunny days (summer temperatures range from highs in the mid-80s, to lows in the mid-50s). It can be reserved from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Recreation Pactola Reservoir is an 800-acre lake, great for water skiing, swimming, fishing and even scuba diving. There is no boat ramp at the campground, but there is a separate marina where you can rent a boat and two boat ramps nearby on the main reservoir. Pactola Point Swim Beach, the Osprey Trail trailhead and a visitor center are within a short drive of the site. Fishing for such sought-after species as brown, rainbow and record lake trout is popular at the reservoir. There is also fishing in nearby Rapid Creek. Facilities Bear Gulch was formerly an eight-site single family campground, but has been converted into a group campground available for one group reservation at a time. It is primitive, but comfortable. There is a brand new accessible toilet. A hand pump for drinking water is available. Six of eight sites within the facility were originally designated for tent-only camping and still serve that purpose with a flat area, picnic table and fire ring at each site. There are a few
Cell coverage
No coverage data for this location yet.
Nearby RV services
- Dump station
- Custer State Park · 23 mi
- Water fill
- None mapped within 50 mi
- Propane
- AmeriGas · 22 mi
- Low clearances
- None mapped within 10 mi
- Off-road routes
- 643 designated routes (750 mi) within 10 mi
Other places to stay nearby
| Name | Type | Distance | Fee | Hookups |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear Gulch | Private campground | under 0.1 mi | — | — |
| Pactola Reservoir Campground | National forest campground | 0.4 mi | — | No hookups |
| Pactola | National forest campground | 1.1 mi | — | — |
| Pactola Campground | Private campground | 1.3 mi | $26 | — |
| Steamboat Rock Picnic & Tent Camping Area | Private campground | 6.4 mi | $14 | — |
| Steamboat Rock | National forest camping area | 6.4 mi | — | — |
Open Bear Gulch in DryRig
Save it offline, check your rig's clearance on the drive in, and see what's nearby on the map.
Sources. USFS and BLM recreation sites, Recreation.gov (RIDB). Updated June 2026. Facility facts only; DryRig does not publish ratings or reviews on this page.