Campgrounds and RV parks near Lake Preston, SD

Lake Preston sits in Kingsbury County in eastern South Dakota, about 90 minutes northwest of Sioux Falls on the open prairie made famous by Laura Ingalls Wilder. The town is a practical base for RV travelers touring the Little House on the Prairie sites in nearby De Smet and for anglers heading to the chain of glacial lakes that dot the surrounding counties. The closest full-service campground is Lake Thompson Recreation Area, a South Dakota state park just outside town with electric campsites, camping cabins, a swim beach, and boat access. Ingalls Homestead near De Smet operates as both a campground and a living history experience on the original Laura Ingalls Wilder family homestead, offering RV sites, tent camping, a bunkhouse, and covered wagon rentals. Additional state park options within easy driving distance include Campground 1 - Lake Poinsett State Recreation Area near Arlington, and both Campground 2 - Oakwood Lakes State Park and the Horse Camp - Oakwood Lakes State Park to the northeast. All four state properties are managed by South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks.

The four state-managed properties in this list use the South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks reservation system, which handles Lake Thompson Recreation Area, Lake Poinsett State Recreation Area, and Oakwood Lakes State Park. Reservations can be made by calling 1.800.710.2267 or through Go Outdoors South Dakota, and campsites, cabins, and picnic shelters can be reserved within 90 days of arrival. All out-of-state visitors also need a park entrance license, which can be added to the reservation. For summer weekend stays, most campsites and cabins are reserved within a week of reservations opening, so plan to book right at 7 a.m. Central on the day the 90-day window opens for your arrival date. Ingalls Homestead is booked separately through its own website; RV space there is limited, so reserve well ahead if traveling in June or July.