Public lands in South Dakota

12 units whose boundary reaches South Dakota, 8.5 million acres counted whole even where a boundary crosses into another state. 6 national wildlife refuges, 2 wilderness areas, 4 national forests and grasslands. Largest first within each type.

National wildlife refuges

All national wildlife refuges →

Refuge · USFWS

Sand Lake National Wildlife Refuge

19,786 acresNational Wildlife Refuge

Refuge · USFWS

Lacreek National Wildlife Refuge

16,734 acresNational Wildlife Refuge

Refuge · USFWS

Waubay National Wildlife Refuge

4,633 acresNational Wildlife Refuge

Refuge · USFWS

Karl E. Mundt National Wildlife Refuge

1,394 acresAlso NE

Refuge · USFWS

Lake Andes National Wildlife Refuge

953 acresNational Wildlife Refuge

Refuge · USFWS

Bear Butte National Wildlife Refuge

402 acresNational Wildlife Refuge

Wilderness areas

All wilderness areas →

Wilderness · NPS

Badlands Wilderness

64,144 acres2 campgrounds near

Wilderness · USFS

Black Elk Wilderness

13,534 acres8 campgrounds near

National forests and grasslands

All national forests and grasslands →

Forest · USFS

Custer Gallatin National Forest

3.4 million acres107 campgrounds near

Forest · USFS

Nebraska National Forest

2.1 million acres12 campgrounds near

Forest · USFS

Black Hills National Forest

1.5 million acres44 campgrounds near

Forest · USFS

Dakota Prairie Grasslands

1.4 million acres13 campgrounds near

Boundaries come from the agencies’ own layers. A unit is listed in every state its boundary reaches. Data refreshed September 18, 2026.