Venture beyond the Badlands in the Mount Rushmore State.
Storied landmarks and the Midwest’s most visited national park await campers in South Dakota, but this sprawling state also has plenty for road-trippers to discover off the beaten track. Drive your rig right on into the Badlands National Park, where you can hike beneath layer-cake cliffs and jagged canyons, or check into an RV campground in the Black Hills National Forest—a short drive from Mount Rushmore and the Crazy Horse Memorial. Midsummer temperatures peak in the mid-80s, making this the ideal time to camp by Lake Oahe or Lake Sharpe, both popular spots for walleye fishing, or head further east to kayak around the glacial lakes of the Oakwood Lakes State Park or try rock climbing in the Palisades State Park. May through October is peak season for camping, and many campgrounds close down out of season, so check ahead.