If you are headed to a campground near Sturgis SD this summer, plan on cooking and relaxing with propane. Open wood fires are not allowed at Suzie's Camp at any point in the season, no matter what the county says that week. Our property on Pleasant Valley Drive sits two miles south of town with Forest Service timber on three sides, and in August the grass between here and Bear Butte is cured dry. One ember carried on a gust past the site line puts every tent, cabin and rig on the place at risk. A propane pit or grill does the same job for an evening and shuts off with a turn of the valve.
How do I check the fire danger before I come?
Three sources cover it. The National Weather Service office in Rapid City issues red flag warnings when wind and low humidity line up, and those days happen often during Rally week. South Dakota Wildland Fire posts statewide conditions and any active restrictions. The Black Hills National Forest sets its own fire restriction stages for the Northern Hills, and you will see the rated danger signs on the way up Highway 14A toward Spearfish Canyon or along the roads into Vanocker Canyon. Check all three the morning you ride, not just the night before. Conditions here can move from moderate to very high inside a day when a dry front comes through.
What does the fire danger rating actually tell me?
The rating is about how fast something would spread if it started, not how likely you are to be careless. On a very high or extreme day, cheatgrass and pine needle duff will carry flame faster than a person can walk. That is the real reason for the propane rule at this Sturgis rally campground. It is also why we ask you to think about the parts of a visit that have nothing to do with a fire ring: a hot exhaust parked over tall grass, a cigarette out a window on the way back from Deadwood, a chain dragging sparks on the shoulder of I-90.
What is allowed on site?
Propane grills, propane camp stoves and propane fire pits are all welcome. Set them on bare ground or gravel rather than in the grass, keep them clear of awnings and tent flys, and shut the bottle valve when you are done rather than just turning the knob. Charcoal, wood, fire bowls burning logs and anything that leaves a live coal behind are out. If you are tent camping during the Sturgis rally, the shade awnings over the sites are fabric and they will take a spark, so keep the burner well away from them.
Does this apply to cabins and RV sites too?
Yes. The dry cabins near Sturgis South Dakota, the oversized tent sites and the full-hookup RV sites all run under the same rule. Generators are fine here and we do not keep quiet hours, but a generator still has a hot muffler, so park it on gravel and give it room. If you are staying in one of our dry cabins, bring a propane two-burner if you want to cook, since there is no stove inside.
What should I do if I see smoke?
Tell us first, then call 911. Give the location as Pleasant Valley Drive off I-90 Exit 34 so Meade County can route a truck without hunting. Do not try to fight anything in brush or timber on your own. Most of the campers at this Black Hills campground are towing bikes or driving big rigs, and clearing a lane for emergency equipment matters more than anything you can do with a bucket.
Riding, hiking, horse camping on the Black Hills trails, running dogs on a leash — none of it is affected by the propane rule. It is one habit to change for the week, and it is the reason this place is still standing in the pines.