Openings · last 7 days
10
Booking reality
Campsite Sniper detected 10 site openings here in the last 7 days
01 · Detected Opening History · the openings record · file CS-232078
When Pactola Reservoir Campground reopens
Pactola Reservoir Campground's openings record: every site-date Campsite Sniper detected turning available, logged and time-stamped. Refreshed hourly.
Openings · last 30 days
28
Openings · last 90 days
37
Only 37 openings in the last 90 days: not enough recent activity for a reliable pattern. A free Campsite Sniper alert watches around the clock instead, and pings you the moment one opens.
02 · Availability Outlook · Sep 18 – Sep 30, 2026 · of 53 monitored sites
Of the 689 tracked site-nights (Sep 18 – Sep 30, 2026): 316 open for online reservation · 67 reserved · 59 on sites not offered for online reservation (first-come, first-served or administrative) · 247 closed. Of the facility's 53 monitored sites, 52 can be reserved online and 1 are first-come, first-served.
Where the open windows are
54.1% of tracked site-nights are not currently open for online reservation. 316 of 689 remain open; here is where they are.
Load status
Sep 18 – Sep 30, 2026Not open online54.1%
Open site-nights316 / 689
Reserved (of online inventory)67 / 383
Weekday openings203
Weekend openings113
Of the open site-nights on mapped sites, 203 fall on weekdays and 113 on weekends (Fri–Sun).
Open dates by month
Sep 2026 – Sep 2026September holds the most room. 316 of 689 site-nights are still open there.
Holiday windows
Sites open per night · of 53 sites| Window | Night | Sites open | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Labor Day | SAT Sep 5 | 0 | None open |
| SUN Sep 6 | 0 | None open | |
| MON Sep 7 | 0 | None open |
Labor Day: no online availability on any tracked night.
Best-availability sites
Most open site-nights · tracked window| Site | Open site-nights |
|---|---|
| 008 | 11 |
| 010 | 11 |
| 017 | 11 |
| 018 | 11 |
| 023 | 11 |
The 5 sites with the most open site-nights in the current snapshot. Pair a bookable date with a free alert to cover everything else.
Next windows
As of Sep 18, 2026 snapshotNext open dateSun · Sep 20
Next open weekendFri · Sep 25
The next bookable night is Sep 20; the first open weekend starts Sep 25. Campsite Sniper can watch later dates for you.
Stays and site detail
316 open site-nights across 33 sites at Pactola Reservoir Campground, from the same hourly snapshot as everything above.
Multi-night stays. 38 2-night, 36 3-night, 27 7-night openings where a single site is free for every night, per Campsite Sniper's current snapshot — soonest Sep 20 at site 008.
RV length. Longest recorded site here is 82 ft. 49 sites take 25 ft, 12 sites take 35 ft, 4 sites take 40 ft. 1 site of 53 has no recorded maximum and is not counted.
All 33 sites with current availability
| Site | Max RV | Hookups | Open site-nights | Longest run | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 008 | 30 ft | None | 11 | 11 nights | Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30 |
| 010 | 30 ft | None | 11 | 11 nights | Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30 |
| 017 | 51 ft | None | 11 | 11 nights | Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30 |
| 018 | 82 ft | None | 11 | 11 nights | Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30 |
| 023 | 30 ft | None | 11 | 11 nights | Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30 |
| 024 | 30 ft | None | 11 | 11 nights | Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30 |
| 025 | 20 ft | None | 11 | 11 nights | Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30 |
| 026 | 28 ft | None | 11 | 11 nights | Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30 |
| 028 | 35 ft | None | 11 | 11 nights | Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30 |
| 029 | 30 ft | None | 11 | 11 nights | Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30 |
| 030 | 36 ft | None | 11 | 11 nights | Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30 |
| 038 | 25 ft | None | 11 | 11 nights | Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30 |
| 040 | 38 ft | None | 11 | 11 nights | Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30 |
| 041 | 25 ft | None | 11 | 11 nights | Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30 |
| 042 | 36 ft | None | 11 | 11 nights | Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30 |
| 043 | 25 ft | None | 11 | 11 nights | Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30 |
| 044 | 30 ft | None | 11 | 11 nights | Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30 |
| 045 | 25 ft | None | 11 | 11 nights | Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30 |
| 046 | 18 ft | None | 11 | 11 nights | Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30 |
| 012 | 30 ft | None | 10 | 10 nights | Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 |
| 047 | 22 ft | None | 10 | 7 nights | Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30 |
| 009 | 30 ft | None | 9 | 6 nights | Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30 |
| 032 | 25 ft | None | 9 | 6 nights | Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 23, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30 |
| 037 | 36 ft | None | 9 | 9 nights | Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30 |
| 002 | 40 ft | None | 8 | 8 nights | Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30 |
| 004 | 30 ft | None | 8 | 8 nights | Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30 |
| 016 | 35 ft | None | 8 | 7 nights | Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 30 |
| 031 | 38 ft | None | 8 | 8 nights | Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30 |
| 033 | 28 ft | None | 8 | 4 nights | Sep 20, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30 |
| 011 | 30 ft | None | 7 | 7 nights | Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30 |
| 034 | 38 ft | None | 6 | 4 nights | Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 29, Sep 30 |
| 039 | 30 ft | None | 6 | 3 nights | Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30 |
| 035 | 54 ft | None | 1 | 1 night | Sep 27 |
About Pactola Reservoir Campground
Overview
This campground is nestled in the pine trees along the south shore of Pactola Reservoir, offering guests lake views and access to a multitude of recreational opportunities both on land and water. Pactola Visitor Center is located in close proximity to the campground, providing opportunities for conservation education and information to visitors.
Recreation
Black Hills National Forest offers recreational opportunities for all ages. Visitors can take advantage of opportunities for hiking, fishing, horseback riding, mountain biking, and riding off-highway vehicles (OHVs) on moderate terrain. From Pactola Reservoir, hikers can access the 2.2-mile Osprey Trail which includes two loop trails and a spur trail to an overlook. The trail is named for the ospreys that are often seen in the area. Pactola Reservoir is an ideal spot for fishing and boating. The reservoir is stocked with rainbow, lake and brown trout as well as largemouth and rock bass, kokanee salmon and yellow perch. Record lake trout are caught here annually, and large brown trout find habitat in Rapid Creek above and below the reservoir.
Facilities
Pactola Reservoir Campground has sites able to accommodate tents, trailers, and RVs, including several tent-only sites. Several sites have views of the reservoir. The campground has picnic tables, campfire rings, vault toilets, and drinking water. Electrical hook-ups are not available. Access to the reservoir and beach is within walking distance, and 2 boat ramps are available on-site. A full service marina is nearby, offering basic supplies and services. A National Forest visitor center on the south side of the dam is open seasonally and provides visitors with information about the building of the dam and forest management.
Natural Features
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. Pactola Reservoir is the largest and deepest reservoir in the Black Hills, boasting 14 miles of shoreline and 150 foot depths on 800 acres. The Bureau of Reclamation manages the dam and water. Wildlife in the area abounds. Bighorn sheep navigate mountainous terrain, while elk, deer and pronghorn gather in forests and prairies. Bald eagles, hawks, osprey, peregrine falcon, and hundreds of other bird species can be found in the forest, especially along streams, lakes and rivers.
Nearby Attractions
Nearby Jewel Cave is the second longest cave in the world at 159.29 miles. It features sparkling calcite crystals and other rare formations, as well as some of the largest concentrations of passageways in the world. Other possible day trips include Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Custer State Park, Crazy Horse Monument, Devils Tower National Monument and Wind Cave National Park.
53 monitored sites1 FCFS siteRVs up to 82 ftNo hookups36 shadedPets OKFire pitsMax party 8
Getting there
Drive 17 miles west on State Highway 44 from Rapid City, South Dakota. From Highway 44, turn on 385 south. Campground located 2 miles off US Highway 385.
BikingBoatingCampingCanoeingDay Use AreaFishingHikingKayakingPaddle BoatingPhotographySwimming SiteVisitor CenterWater SkiingWildlife Viewing
View on Recreation.gov ↗ Get directions ↗
03 · Field Photos · roll CS-232078 · facility + sites
Photo gallery
Roll CS-232078 · Pactola Reservoir Campground12 frames · facility + sites
FAQ
How do I get a reservation at Pactola Reservoir Campground?
Reservations for Pactola Reservoir Campground are made through Recreation.gov. 316 of 689 tracked site-nights are currently open (45.9%). Campsite Sniper has also detected 37 site openings here in the last 90 days, so further dates may appear. Pick a site on the map to see its calendar, or set a free Campsite Sniper alert. You complete the reservation yourself on Recreation.gov.
Does Campsite Sniper book this campground for me?
No. Campsite Sniper sends alerts and direct Recreation.gov links. It never books, pays for, holds, hoards, or resells reservations.
How current is this availability data?
Campsite Sniper re-checks public Recreation.gov availability for this facility every hour and republishes whenever anything changes. This facility's data last changed at Sep 18, 2026 11:17 UTC; an older timestamp means nothing has changed since that time, not that checking stopped. Always confirm final availability on Recreation.gov when you book.
How often do new openings appear at Pactola Reservoir Campground?
Campsite Sniper detected 10 site-date openings at Pactola Reservoir Campground in the last 7 days, 28 over 30 days and 37 over the last 90.
Can I get a multi-night stay at Pactola Reservoir Campground?
36 three-night openings are showing, counting only runs where the SAME site is free for all three nights. The soonest starts Sep 20 at site 008. Confirm and book on Recreation.gov.
Which sites at Pactola Reservoir Campground fit a 35-foot RV?
12 of the 53 sites that support RV analysis have a recorded maximum of 35 ft or more; the longest recorded is 82 ft. 52 of those 53 sites have a recorded maximum length and 1 does not; it is not counted as fitting.
Which month has the most availability at Pactola Reservoir Campground?
September 2026, with 316 open site-nights in the current snapshot of 689.
When is the next open date at Pactola Reservoir Campground?
As of the Sep 18, 2026 snapshot: the next open date is Sun, Sep 20 and the next open weekend starts Fri, Sep 25. Detected openings can add earlier dates at any time; a free Campsite Sniper alert catches those the moment they appear.
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