Here we approach our turn to Shep's Canyon Road, from SD71.For anyone who happens to choose to visit our summer home, I thought that I'd add a few facts and pictures. The main park is Angostura Recreation Area and while we are a part of it, we are located a bit more than a mile away if you come by boat, but some 26 miles should you want to bring your RV. We are directly across the lake from the main park and as such we kind of stand alone with our own little staff and the management visits us about once a week to see if we need anything. We are each supplied with a radio to contact the park or staff members as well as office and cell phone numbers for everyone. This makes for a great situation for people like ourselves, who prefer the small team situation. In addition to us as campground hosts there is one summer college intern named Nathan and a part time seasonal worker named Dawn. The four of us just work out how we will get the things needing attention cared for and pretty much do our own thing. We are supported by the maintenance staff as needed and the two LE rangers also patrol over here regularly and we have ready access to the sherriff's office if assistance should be needed.

We can view the lake and boat ramp from the picnic table in our site.We have 22 campsites here, three with full hook-ups and 19 with electric only. The three full hook-up sites were built for two sets of campground hosts and the intern, butThis is our summer home in Shep's Canyon campground. until the campground is expanded there is only one host site in use, so the remaining full hook-up site is available to campers but you must call the park office to reserve it as it is not available through the parks internet or 800 phone reservation system. We also have a potable water supply for filling RVs and a dump station for the campers use. Next to the camp is a double boat ramp with parking which we also service. In addition, the park property extends another three miles down the lake where there are 11 more campsites for horse-campers and each one has a corral. We do some support for those sites also and we are provided with vehicles for our use. The view from our site is very good and we frequently see deer stroll past in morning or evenings.The sign for the road to our campground is very clearly marked.

This is the road just as you leave the pavement and head into the canyon.As you reach the turnoff for the Shep's Canyon Road from Hot Springs there is a sign that clearly marks the turn. That exit is 7 miles south of town on SD71. Shep's Canyon Rd. is a graveled road in good condition, but it can be dusty or if wet it will put a nice coating of red mud  on whatever passes over it. As country roads go it is in pretty good condition and well maintained. The road is not difficult to travel but is scenic and interesting. As you pass through the canyon you do need to be aware of the possibility of cattle on the road as fences seem to be in poor repair and stock on the road is not unusual here. There are mostly ranch properties along the road in, but there are a few other homes and a rock quary. The trip is mostly scenic and As you enter the canyon the road becomes a little steep and crooked.there are no excessively steep or crooked parts but with gravel you are probably wise to keep your speed down. Most of us find that we start to travel the road at higher speeds with more familiarity. There is some traffic on the road but it is always lite and most drivers are reasonably cautious.

The entry into the canyon is very beautiful this spring.In morning and evening it is also possible to have wildlife using the roads with deer quite common. Even if the road happens to be wet or it is raining the road is easily passable and solid so there is no need to be concerned with getting stuck or other problems, other than those that a good carwash can correct. We do not have well or city water here but large tanks which are kept full by a service for potable water, but we also have an irrigation system for the trees which has connections that we can use to wash our cars and such, and that is greatly needed this spring with it having been so wet and rainy,

As you near the lake there are also some private developments as well as a mobile home park and a commercial RV park with monthly sites, located just outside of the park. There are probably about 20 sites in each of the two neighboring parks and only a handful of homes built on the lots nearby. Weekends are pretty busy here with Arriving at the park you see the entry sign and the shop building.much traffic to and from the boat ramp but the camp is mostly families and pretty peaceful. We have enjoyed the summer so far and have been able to visit many of the attractions of the Black Hills. We love to have visitors from our RV friends or most anyone else so please do consider stopping by if come this way. We have already had one Escapee's RV Club member stop and spend some time where so we look forward to more.