Cabins · South Dakota State Parks · South Dakota
Camping Cabins
South Dakota State Parks · South Dakota, United States · at Lake Cochrane Recreation Area
- Sleeps
- 5
- Heated
- Yes
- Electricity
- Yes
- Season
- Year-round
- Drinking water
- No
- Elevation
- 1,693 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 1
- Nearest town
- Clear Lake
- Address
- 3454 Edgewater Drive Gary, SD 57237
- Phone
- (605) 882-5392
About
Lake Cochrane Recreation Area's Camping Cabins are simple one-room, log-style cabins sleeping four to five people, furnished with a set of bunk beds, a double bed, and a table with benches. Electricity, heat, and air conditioning are provided, but there's no running water, bathroom, or kitchen inside - bring your own water container, sleeping bag or bedding, cooking gear, a cooler, toiletries, and a flashlight. Outside, each cabin has a fire grate, picnic table, and a covered porch. Some cabins are pet-designated (with an added pet fee); others don't allow pets at all, so ask when booking if you're bringing a dog or cat. Some are also wheelchair-accessible, with an accessible picnic table, porch ramp, and wide doorway - ask when booking if that matters for your stay. Lake Cochrane Recreation Area has 1 of these cabins.
Fees
$60/night. Plus a required Park Entrance License at every GFP park/recreation area: Daily $10 resident / $15 nonresident, Annual $40 resident / $60 nonresident. Reservations open 90 days before arrival.
South Dakota GFP's own Camping Cabins page states these are available year-round at most parks (not independently reconfirmed park-by-park). This cabin itself has no water or bathroom inside, so you'll use the surrounding campground's shared restroom - Lake Cochrane Recreation Area's own general season note: Year-round. Between Oct. 1 and April 30, showers, flush toilets and other water systems may be closed - vault toilets usually remain open. Call ahead for current status.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 24° | 2° | -23° | 47° | 11 of 11 |
| February | 28° | 8° | -25° | 59° | 11 of 11 |
| March | 40° | 25° | -11° | 71° | 11 of 11 |
| April | 53° | 32° | 14° | 79° | 10 of 11 |
| May | 68° | 48° | 32° | 85° | 1 of 11 |
| June | 79° | 60° | 43° | 94° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 82° | 65° | 55° | 94° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 78° | 62° | 56° | 92° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 77° | 58° | 37° | 88° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 59° | 41° | 21° | 77° | 4 of 10 |
| November | 44° | 30° | 6° | 67° | 8 of 10 |
| December | 31° | 20° | -11° | 52° | 10 of 10 |
Mid-month figures from 2016–2026 of daily weather at this spot (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0), in °F. Typical is the median; coldest and hottest are the extremes seen.
Campgrounds nearby
- Lake Cochrane Recreation Area · South Dakota State Parks · 0 mi · 30 sites
- Clear Lake City Park Campground · City, County & Regional Parks · 11 mi · 18 sites
- Veterans' Park Campground · City, County & Regional Parks · 25 mi · 6 sites
- Castlewood City Park Municipal Campground · City, County & Regional Parks · 27 mi · 6 sites
- Oakwood Lakes State Park · South Dakota State Parks · 31 mi · 145 sites
Other cabins nearby
- Oakwood Lakes State Park · South Dakota State Parks · 31 mi
- Lake Poinsett Recreation Area · South Dakota State Parks · 32 mi
- Camden State Park · Minnesota State Parks · 36 mi
- Pelican Lake Recreation Area · South Dakota State Parks · 37 mi
- Lac qui Parle State Park · Minnesota State Parks · 37 mi · 3 units
All public cabins and yurts in South Dakota · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-08-27. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.