RV Dump Stations South Dakota
- Belle Fourche
- Box Elder
- Brookings
- Custer
- Deadwood
- Dell Rapids
- Ellsworth AFB
- Hill City
- Kennebec
- Keystone
- Lead
- Mitchell
- Rapid City
- Sioux Falls
- Sturgis
- Tea
- Wasta
South Dakota is a state of epic scale. The sky feels bigger, the plains stretch farther, and the sense of adventure is palpable. When you’re driving I-90 across the state, it can feel like you’re on the edge of the world. For RVers, this land of monumental sculptures and mesmerizing badlands is a dream destination, but those long, empty stretches of highway mean you have to be smart about your resources, especially when it comes to your holding tanks. You need to plan your dumps. The good news is, South Dakota gets a ton of RV traffic, and the infrastructure is placed exactly where you need it most, right along the main tourist trail.
My number one piece of advice for anyone heading to Badlands National Park is to dump before you go in. It’s a piece of wisdom passed down from one RVer to another. The town of Wall, home to the famous Wall Drug, sits right at the entrance to the park’s scenic loop. It’s the perfect place to stop. There are facilities in town where you can empty your tanks and top off your fresh water. Trust me, you’ll want to go into that rugged, remote landscape with empty tanks and a full water supply, especially if you plan on boondocking at a spot like the famous “Wall” overlook. After you’ve explored the park, you’ll find more options in and around Rapid City, the gateway to the Black Hills.
Speaking of the Black Hills, this region is the heart of South Dakota’s tourism and it’s incredibly RV friendly. This is where you’ll find Mount Rushmore, Custer State Park, and the Crazy Horse Memorial. Unsurprisingly, it’s also where you’ll find a high concentration of dump stations. Nearly every large private campground and RV park in the area, from Spearfish down to Custer, has a dump station. Custer State Park itself, a must visit destination with its wildlife loop and stunning scenery, has dump stations available at several of its main campgrounds. Even some of the more basic national forest campgrounds in the Black Hills will have a central dump station, even if they don’t offer individual hookups.
When you’re crossing the vast plains on I-90, your best bets are the towns that serve as waypoints. Mitchell, home of the one and only Corn Palace, is a great mid-state stop. You’ll find options there to take care of business. Further west, Chamberlain, perched on the banks of the Missouri River, is another key stop for services. While the highway rest areas themselves aren’t typically equipped with dumps, the truck stops and travel centers in these towns often are. For a small fee, or sometimes free with a big diesel fill up, you can get everything sorted. I always make a point to use these opportunities. When you see a sign for a dump station in central South Dakota, it’s wise to use it, because the next one might be a hundred miles down the road.
Be very mindful of the seasons here. South Dakota winters are no joke. They are long, cold, and harsh. As soon as late fall hits, most dump stations at state parks, national forest campgrounds, and other seasonal locations will be shut down and winterized. We’re talking water off, gates locked. If you’re a full-timer or an off season traveler, your options become much more limited. You will be relying almost exclusively on the large, year-round travel centers along I-90 and I-29 or perhaps a municipal facility in a larger city like Sioux Falls or Rapid City. Always call ahead in the winter. With a bit of foresight, though, you can easily navigate this incredible state, ensuring your RV is ready for whatever adventure lies over the next horizon.