USDA Forest Service · South Dakota
French Creek Campground
USDA Forest Service · South Dakota, United States
- Cost
- No fees are required for this site
- Drinking water
- No
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Elevation
- 2,923 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 1
- Cell coverage
- Verizon weak · AT&T good · T-Mobile none (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Nearest town
- Fairburn, SD
About
US Forest Service campground. This small campground is in a remote area with picnic tables, fire rings, and a vault toilet. This site is popular for rockhounding and exploring the badlands and prairie. Adjacent to the campground is a barren hill with a layer of exposed rocks, including the occasional agate. Please recreate responsibly. Not reservable through Recreation.gov, so plan on first-come, first-served; check with the ranger district for current conditions and fees.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 38° | 19° | -12° | 57° | 11 of 11 |
| February | 42° | 20° | -21° | 69° | 11 of 11 |
| March | 49° | 27° | 7° | 76° | 11 of 11 |
| April | 58° | 32° | 5° | 84° | 10 of 11 |
| May | 68° | 46° | 31° | 85° | 1 of 11 |
| June | 81° | 59° | 47° | 102° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 89° | 65° | 50° | 102° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 86° | 63° | 53° | 103° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 81° | 57° | 35° | 96° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 62° | 40° | 23° | 84° | 4 of 10 |
| November | 54° | 32° | 11° | 72° | 8 of 10 |
| December | 39° | 21° | 5° | 62° | 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.
Nearby campgrounds
- Custer State Park · South Dakota State Parks · 23 mi
- Elk Mountain Campground · National Park Service · 24 mi · 67 sites
- Iron Creek Horse Camp · USDA Forest Service · 25 mi · 10 sites
- Grizzly Bear Campground · USDA Forest Service · 26 mi · 20 sites
- Bismark Lake · USDA Forest Service · 26 mi · 24 sites
All public campgrounds in South Dakota · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2025-12-22. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.