Road noise from Highway 385 provides a constant backdrop at this small Forest Service campground, where roughly 13 sites occupy a pine-studded loop at the bottom of a hillside. The gravel access road requires careful navigation, particularly for larger RVs, though truck campers and smaller rigs manage the route without major difficulty.
Each site comes equipped with a concrete picnic table, metal fire ring, and grill, spread across a mix of gravel parking spots and mowed grass areas. Fred S. notes the campground is "clean and well maintained," with sites offering partial shade under the pine canopy. The single vault toilet stays consistently clean according to multiple visitors, though no water source exists on-site.
Traffic noise diminishes after 10 PM, creating quieter evening conditions for campers. The $10 fee applies during the main season, with trash service and recycling bins provided. AT&T cellular service works well here, while T-Mobile coverage proves spotty. Sites vary in privacy levels, with some offering more separation than others.
Campers seeking additional overnight options can check Chadron State Park Campground, though several reviewers specifically chose Red Cloud to avoid the crowds and higher fees found at the state park.
Description
Overview
The Red Cloud Campground is located one mile south of Chadron State Park on the west side of Highway 385. Situated in the middle of the Pine Ridge area, the campground has 13 sites with picnic tables, parking pads, pedestal grills, fire rings, and a vault toilet.
Recreation
Access the nearby Pine Ridge Trail system via Outrider and Strong Canyon trailheads. The Pine Ridge trail passes through a wide variety of landscapes ranging from grassland, ponderosa pine forest, creek bottoms, canyons and open ridges with views of the nearby buttes. Motorized trails can also be accessed nearby at Strong Canyon trailhead, Spotted Tail trailhead, and the Cliffs trailhead.
Fee Info
$15/night/vehicle. $7.50/extra vehicle Interagency Senior/Access Recreation Passes provide a 50% discount to single campsites ONLY. *The discount applies only to the fee for the campsite physically occupied by the pass holder, no to any additional fees or campsite(s) occupied by members of the pass holder's party.*
RV Road Trip Guides
Location
Public CampgroundRed Cloud (Ne) Nebraska Nf — Nebraska National Forests And Grasslands is located in Nebraska
Directions
From Chadron, NE travel eight miles south on U.S. Highway 385 to the campground.
Coordinates
42.69583333 N
103.0036111 W
Connectivity
T-MobileNo Coverage
VerizonLTESome CoverageVerified by 2 usersLast on 4/2/26- AT&TLTESome CoverageVerified by 2 usersLast on 3/29/26
Connectivity
- T-MobileNo Coverage
- VerizonLTESome CoverageVerified by 2 usersLast on 4/2/26
- AT&TLTESome CoverageVerified by 2 usersLast on 3/29/26
Access
- Drive-InPark next to your site
- Walk-InPark in a lot, walk to your site.
Site Types
- Tent Sites
- RV Sites
- Standard (Tent/RV)
Features
For Campers
- Trash
- Phone Service
- Toilets
- Alcohol
For Vehicles
- Big Rig Friendly
Drive Time
- 1 hr 35 min from Rapid City, SD
- 2 hrs 49 min from Casper, WY
- 2 hrs 53 min from Cheyenne, WY
- 3 hrs 43 min from Greeley, CO
