Openings · last 7 days
46
Booking reality
Campsite Sniper detected 46 site openings here in the last 7 days
01 · Detected Opening History · the openings record · file CS-255134
When Left Tailrace reopens
Left Tailrace's openings record: every site-date Campsite Sniper detected turning available, logged and time-stamped. Refreshed hourly.
Openings · last 30 days
65
Openings · last 90 days
65
Weekday pattern
Detected openings by day of week · 90dNo strong weekday pattern is evident in the openings Campsite Sniper has detected: 65 openings spread across the week.
Hour-of-day pattern
First detected by hour · local time · last 90 daysThe largest concentrations of detected openings were first detected during the 10:00 and 19:00 local-time hours. Those hours contained 32 of 65 detected openings (49.2%). Hours show when Campsite Sniper first detected each opening, in Central Time, not when the change was made upstream.
Lead-time profile
Days before stay date · percentilesHalf of the openings Campsite Sniper detected appeared at least 6 days before the stay date; the middle 50% land 3–13 days out. Set an alert if you want Campsite Sniper to monitor future openings.
Highest-churn sites
Most openings · 90d| Site | Openings | Share of all openings |
|---|---|---|
| 30 | 14 | 21.5% |
| 08 | 8 | 12.3% |
| 23 | 8 | 12.3% |
| 24 | 5 | 7.7% |
| 10 | 4 | 6.2% |
Site 30 had the most detected openings in the last 90 days: 14. One free watch covers every site here.
02 · Availability Outlook · Sep 18 – Sep 30, 2026 · of 91 monitored sites
Of the 1,144 tracked site-nights (Sep 18 – Sep 30, 2026): 826 open for online reservation · 318 reserved.
Where the open windows are
27.8% of tracked site-nights are not currently open for online reservation. 826 of 1,144 remain open; here is where they are.
Load status
Sep 18 – Sep 30, 2026Not open online27.8%
Open site-nights826 / 1,144
Reserved (of online inventory)318 / 1,144
Weekday openings493
Weekend openings333
Of the open site-nights on mapped sites, 493 fall on weekdays and 333 on weekends (Fri–Sun).
Open dates by month
Sep 2026 – Sep 2026September holds the most room. 826 of 1,144 site-nights are still open there.
Holiday windows
Sites open per night · of 88 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 |
|---|---|
| 33 | 13 |
| 34 | 13 |
| 44 | 13 |
| 45 | 13 |
| 46 | 13 |
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 dateFri · Sep 18
Next open weekendFri · Sep 18
The next bookable night is Sep 18; the first open weekend starts Sep 18. Campsite Sniper can watch later dates for you.
Stays and site detail
826 open site-nights across 84 sites at Left Tailrace, from the same hourly snapshot as everything above.
Multi-night stays. 106 2-night, 94 3-night, 49 7-night openings where a single site is free for every night, per Campsite Sniper's current snapshot — soonest Sep 18 at site 33.
RV length. Longest recorded site here is 89 ft. 76 sites take 25 ft, 76 sites take 35 ft, 76 sites take 40 ft. 12 sites of 88 have no recorded maximum and are not counted.
Showing 60 of 84 sites with current availability
| Site | Max RV | Hookups | Open site-nights | Longest run | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 33 | 75 ft | Yes | 13 | 13 nights | Sep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +1 more |
| 34 | 77 ft | Yes | 13 | 13 nights | Sep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +1 more |
| 44 | 47 ft | Yes | 13 | 13 nights | Sep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +1 more |
| 45 | 55 ft | Yes | 13 | 13 nights | Sep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +1 more |
| 46 | 54 ft | Yes | 13 | 13 nights | Sep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +1 more |
| 47 | 56 ft | Yes | 13 | 13 nights | Sep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +1 more |
| 48 | 56 ft | Yes | 13 | 13 nights | Sep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +1 more |
| 49 | 60 ft | Yes | 13 | 13 nights | Sep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +1 more |
| 51 | 58 ft | Yes | 13 | 13 nights | Sep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +1 more |
| 52 | 56 ft | Yes | 13 | 13 nights | Sep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +1 more |
| 53 | 52 ft | Yes | 13 | 13 nights | Sep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +1 more |
| 54 | 56 ft | Yes | 13 | 13 nights | Sep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +1 more |
| 55 | 52 ft | Yes | 13 | 13 nights | Sep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +1 more |
| 57 | 51 ft | Yes | 13 | 13 nights | Sep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +1 more |
| 58 | 48 ft | Yes | 13 | 13 nights | Sep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +1 more |
| 59 | 44 ft | Yes | 13 | 13 nights | Sep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +1 more |
| 60 | 47 ft | Yes | 13 | 13 nights | Sep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +1 more |
| 64 | 47 ft | Yes | 13 | 13 nights | Sep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +1 more |
| 65 | 45 ft | Yes | 13 | 13 nights | Sep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +1 more |
| 68 | 46 ft | Yes | 13 | 13 nights | Sep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +1 more |
| 69 | 46 ft | Yes | 13 | 13 nights | Sep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +1 more |
| 70 | 45 ft | Yes | 13 | 13 nights | Sep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +1 more |
| 71 | 46 ft | Yes | 13 | 13 nights | Sep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +1 more |
| 72 | 45 ft | Yes | 13 | 13 nights | Sep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +1 more |
| T01 | Not recorded | None | 13 | 13 nights | Sep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +1 more |
| T03 | Not recorded | None | 13 | 13 nights | Sep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +1 more |
| T04 | Not recorded | None | 13 | 13 nights | Sep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +1 more |
| T05 | Not recorded | None | 13 | 13 nights | Sep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +1 more |
| T06 | Not recorded | None | 13 | 13 nights | Sep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +1 more |
| T08 | Not recorded | None | 13 | 13 nights | Sep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +1 more |
| T09 | Not recorded | None | 13 | 13 nights | Sep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +1 more |
| T10 | Not recorded | None | 13 | 13 nights | Sep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +1 more |
| T11 | Not recorded | None | 13 | 13 nights | Sep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +1 more |
| T12 | Not recorded | None | 13 | 13 nights | Sep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +1 more |
| 32 | 84 ft | Yes | 12 | 12 nights | Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30 |
| 38 | 79 ft | Yes | 12 | 6 nights | Sep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30 |
| 56 | 54 ft | Yes | 12 | 8 nights | Sep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30 |
| 61 | 48 ft | Yes | 12 | 11 nights | Sep 18, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30 |
| 62 | 47 ft | Yes | 12 | 11 nights | Sep 18, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30 |
| 16A | 57 ft | Yes | 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 |
| 16B | 50 ft | Yes | 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 |
| 17A | 60 ft | Yes | 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 |
| 35 | 78 ft | Yes | 11 | 10 nights | Sep 18, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30 |
| 50 | 59 ft | Yes | 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 |
| 05 | 74 ft | Yes | 10 | 6 nights | Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30 |
| 08 | 80 ft | Yes | 10 | 7 nights | Sep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 27, Sep 29, Sep 30 |
| 18B | 53 ft | Yes | 10 | 9 nights | Sep 18, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30 |
| 21B | 62 ft | Yes | 10 | 5 nights | Sep 18, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30 |
| 26 | 84 ft | Yes | 10 | 6 nights | Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30 |
| 63 | 49 ft | Yes | 10 | 7 nights | Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30 |
| 66 | 46 ft | Yes | 10 | 6 nights | Sep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30 |
| T02 | Not recorded | None | 10 | 6 nights | Sep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30 |
| T07 | Not recorded | None | 10 | 6 nights | Sep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30 |
| 17B | 53 ft | Yes | 9 | 5 nights | Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30 |
| 20A | 55 ft | Yes | 9 | 5 nights | Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30 |
| 29 | 85 ft | Yes | 9 | 5 nights | Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30 |
| 36 | 77 ft | Yes | 9 | 9 nights | Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30 |
| 41 | 73 ft | Yes | 9 | 7 nights | Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30 |
| 14A | 51 ft | Yes | 8 | 4 nights | Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30 |
| 15A | 55 ft | Yes | 8 | 4 nights | Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30 |
About Left Tailrace
Overview
Left Tailrace Campgound at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - Big Bend Project, sits on the shore of Lake Francis Case on the Missouri River below Big Bend Dam. Just upstream of Left Tailrace, Lake Sharpe, a popular recreation destination in the Great Plains,was created by the completion of Big Bend Dam in 1966.
Today, approximately 80,000 acres of public lands and water provide a variety of benefits to the public including flood control, recreation, conservation of our natural resources, fish and wildlife habitat, irrigation, and hydropower production.
It is possible to view many types of wildlife on the Missouri River at Lake Sharpe. Tribal bison herds can be seen grazing the lake area's grasslands north of the towns of Fort Thompson and Lower Brule. The shoreline areas of the lake also offer excellent waterfowl, upland game birds and big game hunting opportunities. Big game animals include whitetail and mule deer, elk, bison, coyotes and wild turkeys. Waterfowl and upland game birds include ducks, geese, pheasants, prairie chickens, and grouse. Hunting regulations are established and enforced by the State of South Dakota, and the Lower Brule and Crow Creek Tribes.
For more information, visit the Big Bend Project website .
Recreation
Lake Sharpe provides many opportunities for outdoor recreation. Recreation areas vary from primitive to highly developed areas like the Left Tailrace area located below the dam. Facilities at the Left Tailrace include campsites with electrical hookups, comfort stations with showers, a dump station, boat ramp, fish cleaning station, courtesy dock, picnic shelters, tables, grills, drinking water, disc golf, etc. Fishing is the main attraction to the area, with walleye being the primary sport fish, although sauger, smallmouth bass, white bass, channel catfish and northern pike also provide great fishing action.
Facilities
Left Tailrace Campground offers 81 electrical hookups and 12 non-electrical tent sites. Electrical sites have a 30 and 50 amp pedastal, paved pull-thru and back-in sites. Left Tailrace Campground also offers men's and women's comfort stations with showers and toilet stalls. Each site has a picnic table and most with shelter covering, fire ring and shade nearby. Tents sites have fire rings and picinic tables. The area also offers large day use areas with shelters and grills, play grounds and a nine-hole disc golf range.
Natural Features
Left Tailrace Campground is located in central South Dakota, three miles from the town of Fort Thompson, 20 miles from Chamberlain and 65 miles from Pierre, which is the state capitol. Lake Sharpe was the last of the Missouri River reservoirs completed and follows a serpentine course of 80 miles between Big Bend Dam and Pierre, SD.
91 monitored sitesRVs up to 89 ft76 with hookups73 shadedWaterfrontLakefrontPets OKFire pitsMax party 8
Getting there
From west bound I-90 take exit 265 at Chamberalin SD, turn right on to Highway 50 travel approximatly 16 miles, turn left on to BIA Highway 4, travel 8 miles to FT. Thompson SD, turn left on to highway 47 travel 3 miles then take a left at the Left Tailrace Campground sign on Big Bend Dam then travel approximately 1 mile to the Left Tailrace Campground. From East bound I-90 take exit 248 at Reliance SD take a left onto Highway 47 north bound, travel 18 miles to Big Bend Dam. Turn right after crossing the Power House bridge, then turn right at the Left Tailrace Campground sign, and travel about 1 mile to the Left Tailrace Campground.
U.S. Army Corps Of Engineers, Chamberlain, SD 57325605-245-2173. FOR RESERVATIONS, PLEASE CALL 1-877-444-6777.
BirdingCampingDay Use AreaDisc GolfFishingHuntingIce FishingPicnickingPlayground Park Specialized Sport SiteRanger Station
View on Recreation.gov ↗ Get directions ↗
03 · Field Photos · roll CS-255134 · facility + sites
Photo gallery
Roll CS-255134 · Left Tailrace · Chamberlain SD12 frames · facility + sites
FAQ
How do I get a reservation at Left Tailrace?
Reservations for Left Tailrace are made through Recreation.gov. The current snapshot shows substantial availability: 826 of 1,144 tracked site-nights are open (72.2%), though availability can change. Campsite Sniper has also detected 65 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 16:19 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 Left Tailrace?
Campsite Sniper detected 46 site-date openings at Left Tailrace in the last 7 days, 65 over 30 days and 65 over the last 90.
Can I get a multi-night stay at Left Tailrace?
94 three-night openings are showing, counting only runs where the SAME site is free for all three nights. The soonest starts Sep 18 at site 33. Confirm and book on Recreation.gov.
Which sites at Left Tailrace fit a 35-foot RV?
76 of the 88 sites that support RV analysis have a recorded maximum of 35 ft or more; the longest recorded is 89 ft. 76 of those 88 sites have a recorded maximum length and 12 do not; they are not counted as fitting.
Which month has the most availability at Left Tailrace?
September 2026, with 826 open site-nights in the current snapshot of 1,144.
How far ahead of a stay do openings appear at Left Tailrace?
Half of the openings Campsite Sniper detected appeared at least 6 days before the stay date; the middle 50% landed 3-13 days out. Campsite Sniper can monitor future changes for dates you select.
When is the next open date at Left Tailrace?
As of the Sep 18, 2026 snapshot: the next open date is Fri, Sep 18 and the next open weekend starts Fri, Sep 18. Detected openings can add earlier dates at any time; a free Campsite Sniper alert catches those the moment they appear.
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When a match opens, you get a push with a Recreation.gov link so you can review and book it yourself.