Find fun for everyone with lake swimming, canoeing, and accessible camping near Brookings.
An hour north of Sioux Falls, Brookings offers a scenic gateway to eastern South Dakota wilderness and camping. Admire starry skies at a tent site in town, or experience extra comfort at a local homestead featuring cozy beds and a bonfire circle. Just outside Brookings, a visit to Oakwood Lakes State Park brings campers closer to eight glacial lakes, where swimming, cross-country skiing, and ice-fishing for northern pike deliver year-round excitement. Stay in two campgrounds or a camping cabin with amenities that include flush toilets, drinking water, showers, and a dump station. Lake Cochrane State Recreation Area offers more waterfront accommodations as well as canoeing, kayaking, and paddleboarding in the lake. Accessible campsites here include showers and direct access to the swimming beach. Discover even more camping at Lake Poinsett Recreation Area with amenities like picnic tables and flush toilets. From winter snowshoe adventures to volleyball, paddleboarding, and disc golf, Lake Poinsett offers something fun in every season.