Timber Ridge Campground is a campground located in the Black Hills area of South Dakota. It is open from May 1st to October 1st, and its peak season is from Memorial Day to Labor Day, according to Monika, one of the owners. The campground offers various amenities, including a cafe, RV sites, tent sites, and playgrounds. It is also situated near tourist attractions such as Reptile Gardens, Bear Country, Rush Mountain, and Wind Cave National Park. The owners, Monika and her husband, Peter, are both retired Air Force pilots and have been "pleasantly surprised by the number of repeat guests" they have received since purchasing the property in 2021.
Timber Ridge Campground is nestled in a rural setting surrounded by national forests, nature preserves, and two lakes. The campground occupies an area of 17 acres, with five acres currently developed. The property has a creek that runs through it, with tent sites located on either side. The park has a range of options, including six full hookups, seven electric-only sites, and eighteen prepared sites that will soon have electric, water, and septic. Additionally, four dry cabins are available with power, picnic tables, and fire rings. Each site at Timber Ridge Campground comes with a picnic table and a fire ring. Some of the prepared sites have mini-shade structures to fit a picnic table under. Guests have access to a shower house, a dump station, horseshoe rings, and a playground. From June onwards, patrons can participate in yoga classes five times a week. Additionally, there is a snack stand that offers burgers, nachos, and other refreshments. Also found in the park is an open-air pavilion where people can sit and enjoy their food and drinks.
Timber Ridge Campground has an "open and spacious setting" and "plenty of room for exploring," explains Monika. The campground also receives visits from deer and turkeys. Found on the premises of the campground are granite rocks that kids and adults can climb on and take pictures of. The undeveloped area of the property is free for guests to walk around and explore, adding to the "natural playground" feel of the place, says Monika.
The campground is located in a remote area, about five to seven miles from any major town, which Monika says makes it an ideal stop for motorcyclists and other travelers passing through. In the surrounding area, visitors can explore the ghost town of Spokane, go hiking or mountain biking on trails, or indulge in some motorcycling or bicycle riding on the Iron Mountain Road and Needles Highway. Timber Ridge Campground is located a mile and a half away from Custer State Park and is within close proximity to Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse Memorial. Monika mentions there are also many nearby attractions that are popular with guests. These include Bear Country, a drive-through zoo; Reptile Gardens, which is a reptile-focused zoo; and several caves, such as Wind Cave and Jewel Cave, which are located in the national park. Other attractions that people can visit include the Badlands, Devil's Tower in Wyoming, and Rush Mountain, which is an adventure park with a guided cave tour. When it comes to dining options in the area, the owners recommend several restaurants in nearby Custer, such as Black Hills Burger and Bun Co., the Buglin' Bull Restaurant and Sports Bar, and the Custer Wolf. They also highly recommend the Alpine Inn, which is in Hill City, for its German food and filet mignon.
Timber Ridge Campground, owned by Monika and Peter Johncour, strives to offer a "warm and welcoming atmosphere" to people who visit. The couple explains they have aimed to go "above and beyond" to create a familial culture at their property, where visitors can interact with each other and "feel like they are part of a community." Monika says they take pride in promoting interaction between patrons and have recently installed a community firepit to encourage people to socialize and make new friends. The campground is "family-friendly" and encourages parents to engage with their children in outdoor activities, such as sports and games, to create "unforgettable memories," Monika remarks. Monika and Peter say they also take the time to interact with their guests, "making sure that they have everything they need and providing helpful tips about the surrounding area." The couple says they are "passionate about the Black Hills of South Dakota" and are eager to share their love of the region with others. The couple's goal is to keep the campground small enough to manage themselves but big enough to make a living. One guest mentioned in a review, "This campground has everything you need when enjoying the Keystone area. We stayed three nights and were met with a hospitable host, hot showers, and spacious sites with a creek to lull us to sleep."
Monika mentions that the campground policies have an emphasis on respect for others and the environment. Guests are required to pick up after their pets and refrain from bringing in outside firewood to prevent the spread of pine beetles. Quiet hours are enforced from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m., and there is a speed limit of 10 mph to ensure the safety of all those at the park, particularly children.
The campground is open from May 1st to October 1st, with the peak season being from Memorial Day through Labor Day, remarks Monika. She goes on to explain that there is also an uptick in guests during the buffalo roundup week at the end of September. Monika says that due to the popularity of the area, she advises people to make reservations well in advance, as sites "tend to fill up quickly." A number of the visitors at Timber Ridge Campground are families, and the owners say they have been "pleasantly surprised by the number of repeat guests" they have had since taking over the property in 2021. Monika remarks that the campground is also starting to gain traction with local groups such as veterans' motorcycle groups and church groups. The campground has a mixed demographic which includes visitors from all over the world, including Europe.
Timber Ridge Campground is a campground located near Custer State Park in South Dakota. Monika says that it was originally called Wolf Camp because of the two wolves that were kept on the premises by the previous owners. The current owners, Peter and Monika Johncour, who recently retired from the Air Force, bought the campground and saw it as an opportunity to develop it the "way they want it." They have had their own RV for 13 years and have camped all over the US. Monika explains that they love camping and the outdoors, which is why they are "excited to be running the campground."
The owners intend to add 10-20 more RV sites in the next 3-5 years, and Monika plans to open her own yoga studio on the property. Monika mentions that they are passionate about their job and enjoy talking to people from all over the world who come to stay at their campground. They are planning to make improvements to the campground, such as upgrading the RV sites to 50 amps, adding more sites, renovating the shower house, and putting in a laundry facility. Monika says they also plan to expand the cafe and office closer to the road to attract more customers. The owners are interested in providing retreats specifically for veterans to help them work through the trauma of military life. Monika explains they are passionate about giving back to veterans and want to use their campground as a place where veterans can come and "relax and find peace."
24600 Iron Mountain Rd
Keystone, South Dakota 57751
United States
Campground
Peter and Monika Johncour
