Camping
Need to mow the grass! It hadn’t been mowed for over a week as you can tell from the length. That would help with the mosquito problem greatly!
Campers
7/19/2025
Overall Experience
4.8
Services
5.0
Beautiful site on the Lake
Beautiful lakeside location with shady sites. Nice facilities and amenities. Close to other attractions and points of interest.
swietsto
7/18/2025
Overall Experience
5.0
Services
5.0
Facilities
5.0
Wasn't able to camp
We were not able to camp that weekend and I thought I had the reservation canceled but apparently I didn't click enough buttons. I got to the point that I agreed that we would have a $15 cancellation fee and I confirm that and I thought I had the reservation canceled. I don't like to cancel the reservations but this could not be helped and it's hard to know 90 days in advance.
No show
7/16/2025
Beautiful Lake Thompson
This is now on my list of top three state parks in South Dakota for camping. The camping spots are large and easily accommodate our big rig. The beach was VERY well kept. The lake was clean. I absolutely loved the bike trails. The local sheriff made rounds through the campground several times a day. This added to the feeling of security.
IMPORTANT to keep in mind when picking a spot. The far east circle is quite a ways from the nearest bath house. Also, there isn't easy access to the water there either. Still beautiful and wonderful, but if you can't walk far or well, you may want to stay in the main section.
SBuck
7/10/2025
Overall Experience
4.8
Services
5.0
Facilities
5.0
Restroom accessibility
We loved the view of the lake with the fireworks viewed easily as people around the lake showed off their 4th of July displays.
Cindy
7/10/2025
Overall Experience
4.0
Services
4.0
Facilities
4.3
Kudos to park staff
The campground was basically full. You wouldn’t know it by how consistently clean both site bathrooms were.
Forest R
7/10/2025
Overall Experience
5.0
Services
4.8
Facilities
4.1
Air conditioning didnt work
Cabin was cute and seemed clean. The air conditioning didnt work correctly. It was so hot the first night my kids and slept with wet towels for blankets. The 2nd night was so extremely hot, it had to be over 90 degrees in the cabin. We ended up driving home late that night because it was unbearable.
Not very happy
6/25/2025
Overall Experience
2.5
Services
4.0
Facilities
4.4
Beautiful Park but only saw 3 people in the morning. Wondering if anyone works there.
Rose
6/24/2025
Father's day weekend
We had 8 spots for the weekend. The grass was ankle high on all spots. We arrived on Tues & they were mowing but never came to our section. Was completely skipped. I would think the spots that are reserved earlier should be mowed first. Little disappointed.
Ochcjo
6/19/2025
Overall Experience
4.5
Services
5.0
Facilities
4.7
Great Weekend, Nice Campsite!
Kevin H.
6/18/2025
Camping weekend
Jackrabbit2025
6/18/2025
Clean park
Heidi
6/18/2025
Overall Experience
5.0
Services
5.0
Facilities
4.5
Beautiful camp ground
One of the best kept park in the area. Very well maintained. A most enjoyable and relaxing place to camp.
SD camper
6/16/2025
Overall Experience
5.0
Services
5.0
Facilities
4.3
Nice park!
Mongo
6/15/2025
Lake Thompson a Great State Park
Amber
6/12/2025
Cotton Bowl
This is a very well-kept state park! The cleaning staff was phenomenal even after another camper made a horrible mess in the men's bathroom. The fish cleaning station is a major draw! Thank you for having such a wonderful park!
EmptyNest2025
6/11/2025
Overall Experience
5.0
Services
5.0
Facilities
5.0
Great campground
Happy Campers
6/5/2025
Camping family
Brent
6/4/2025
Excellent place
Josie
5/29/2025
Nice place
Very nice park. Entire time we were there was nothing but bugs (may flies) and wind to include a burn ban. Wasn’t able to really enjoy the park but we would come back but not in May.
Poolshark
5/20/2025
Overall Experience
4.8
Services
4.3
Facilities
4.7
First camp of the year.
JOE
5/7/2025
Overall Experience
4.8
Services
4.0
Facilities
3.9
Group Hunting Trip
MG
11/14/2024
Ft Siss
everything was good but the electronic lock was problematic and suggest returning to traditional key. Had to call after hours to get assistance. Assistance was good. Ditch the digital locks go back to Keys
jc
11/12/2024
Overall Experience
4.8
Services
4.6
Facilities
4.0
park
excellent park and set up only issue was storm door handle was broken and handle kept falling off.
JC
11/12/2024
Overall Experience
4.8
Services
4.8
Facilities
3.6
Great place
Very clean. Wonderful view. Sites are clean and large. Easy to navigate. I am absolutely going back and using this park again.
Lake
10/30/2024
Overall Experience
5.0
Services
5.0
Facilities
5.0
Great facility
Sunnie 20
10/20/2024
Beautiful park
The bathroom/showers were not clean. My husband stated that the men’s room had some serious messes that needed cleaned up.
Colorado camper
10/16/2024
Overall Experience
4.5
Services
5.0
Facilities
4.6
Beautiful facility
Colorado camper
10/16/2024
Very impressed
This is a gem and I would recommend it to everyone.
Steven, from Russell, ON
10/12/2024
Overall Experience
4.8
Services
5.0
Facilities
4.9
3 Day Fall Fishing Trip
We have visited Lake Thompson several times to fish and take the family to De Smet for the Laura Ingles-Wilder experience. The park is always well taken care of, clean, safe, and the camp hosts have ben awesome. This most recent trip left us a little disappointed, as we were not made aware that the boat ramp inside the park was going to be closed. The ramp was closed for necessary repairs and upgrades, and we understand that. The issue is: There were no signs at the entrance. There were no signs in the campground. There was no notice on the Lake Thompson web page. There was no notice on the reservation page. While it didn't ruin the trip, it definitely threw a wrench in the fishing plans as we battled the wind on the other side of the lake. We will be back, and we hope to use the new, extended ramp and catch a few fish.
MrFlyer44
10/9/2024
Overall Experience
4.3
Services
5.0
Facilities
4.4
Fall is great camping
L Norden
10/9/2024
Fall Camping
Camping pads are spacious and easy to access even with our boat and 5th wheel.
Only recommend to adjust shower bath house lighting to stay on longer so you aren't left in the dark while taking a shower . Also hot water seem to shut off on my husband a couple times.
GBR!
10/4/2024
Overall Experience
4.8
Services
5.0
Facilities
4.8
Very nice stay
The lodge was very nice. Much better than we expected. We went down there to have a celebration of life for my father and this place was definitely beautiful. It was one of his favorite lakes to fish on so was only fitting s you guys had everything we were expecting and more.
Miah
10/2/2024
Overall Experience
5.0
Services
5.0
Facilities
5.0
Lake Thompson
Screen name
9/27/2024
Great park staff
GPABBsoon2b8
9/20/2024
Weekend getaway
badspock
9/20/2024
Nice park but trees must be trimmed
I reserved 3 sites-54, 55, 56. Two of the sites absolutely needed to have trees trimmed so the branches wouldn't be in the air conditioner or catch us in the eyes and mouths. We had to watch where we walked on our sites and even on the trail.
Reflection
9/19/2024
Overall Experience
4.0
Services
4.3
Facilities
3.0
HI
LAKE THOMPSON IS GREAT, LOVE IT . HOWEVER YOUR RESERVATION SYSTEM NEEDS AN OVERHAUL
ME
9/12/2024
Overall Experience
4.8
Services
4.2
Facilities
4.7
Park Visit
Park was in very nice condition. Your habitat stamp fee should only be for yearly out of state licenses and NOT 3-day license. That fee is excessive considering other fees your state charges.
Dan
9/12/2024
Overall Experience
4.3
Services
3.2
Facilities
3.4
Lodge
The campgrpund is really nice, beach for swimming, boat launch and shore fishing places. There was no place to get firewood.
Screen name
9/11/2024
Overall Experience
4.0
Services
5.0
Facilities
4.6
Lake Thompson
Sd28
9/11/2024