Dutchman

Dutchman Campground is located in a shady Ponderosa pine forested area on the northeast edge of Deerfield Reservoir at 5,000 feet. This camp is an ideal setting for guests seeking recreation and relaxation in Black Hills National Forest. Sites are widely spaced, and a few offer wide views of the lake. Of the 3 campgrounds in the Deerfield Recreation Area, this one is the most RV-friendly. Dutchman has sites able to accommodate tents, trailers, and RVs. The campground has picnic tables, campfire rings, vault toilets, and drinking water; however, electrical hook-ups are not available. Lake access is within walking distance. Deerfield Reservoir is an ideal spot for fishing and boating, and supports populations of stocked rainbow and native brown trout; it is a no wake lake. Open to hikers, bikers, and horseback riders, the 10-mile Deerfield Lake Loop Trail encircles Deerfield Lake, traversing the forested shoreline, and offers fantastic views and opportunities for birding and picnicking. Across the lake, Deerfield Trail connects Deerfield Lake with Rapid Creek and Pactola Reservoir; sites including a log flume, cabins, mines, tunnels and railroad grades provide visitors with a glimpse into the area's history. The wider forest offers hiking, fishing, horseback riding, mountain biking, and riding off-highway vehicles on moderate terrain. Located in western South Dakota and northeastern Wyoming, Black Hills National Forest encompasses nearly 1.25 million acres of rugged rock formations, canyons and gulches, open grassland parks, tumbling streams, deep blue lakes, and unique caves. Derived from the Lakota language, the words "Paha Sapa," meaning "hills that are black," honor the dark, pine-covered hills rising several thousand feet above the surrounding prairie. Bighorn sheep navigate mountainous terrain, while elk, deer and pronghorn gather in forests and prairies, and bald eagles, hawks, osprey, peregrine falcon, and hundreds of other bird species can be found in the forest, especially along streams, lakes and rivers. Possible day trips include Custer State Park with its many buffalo and other wildlife, Crazy Horse Monument and Wind Cave National Park, as well as Jewel Cave, the second longest cave in the world at 159.29 miles, which features sparkling calcite crystals and other rare formations.