Rocky Point Recreation Area  Back to Rocky Point

It’s 4:30 a.m. as I sit in the cool darkness at Orman Dam. My wife thinks that I’m crazy to come here at this hour to fish, but I love it. There is such a contrast between the early morning quietness and the excitement of reeling in a fish.

With my line in the water, I watch the sun come up. Other anglers and boaters start to arrive so they, too, can enjoy this 8,040 surface acre lake. Soon after, campers in the makeshift campsites start moving around fixing breakfast. I can't smell the bacon but my imagination makes my stomach rumble. As I eat my sandwich, I look around the area and try to visualize the changes that are about to happen.

Being a native East River fisherman where there are walleyes in just about any body of water you care to drop your line, it is no wonder I like to fish at Orman Dam. Anglers are able to catch walleye, tiger muskee, perch and catfish at this reservoir. Obviously, because of the dramatic increase in recreational use over the last several years, I am not alone. Because of the high number of campers, fishermen and boaters here (estimated at 170,000 in 2001), along with the absence of basically any facilities, the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) was motivated to look at the future of this area.

Orman Dam, also known as Belle Fourche Reservoir, is north of Highway 212, seven miles east of Belle Fourche. It was built in the early 1900s as an irrigation water storage dam, and that remains its primary purpose. BOR officials say the proposed changes listed below will not affect the water operations of lands within the Belle Fourche Irrigation District.

The Bureau of Reclamation, who owns this land, completed a Resource Management Plan for the area over the past three years. During this period they held many public meetings to get input for a master plan for the 6,473 acres of federal land and approximately 50 miles of shoreline that surround the reservoir. The objective of this plan is to provide for the maximum protection and enhancement of natural resources as well as the scenic qualities of the reservoir. At the same time, the plan seeks to provide visitors with both developed and primitive recreation opportunities.

Developed recreation will be concentrated on Rocky Point, the peninsula where the boat ramp is located, with smaller primitive recreation areas outside of this area. Under the plan, Rocky Point, the only portion of the area that is leased by Parks and Recreation, would feature designated campsites, a playground, drinking water and electricity. Additional facilities include a cold storage building for administrative use, a fish cleaning station, a recreational vehicle dump station, accessible vault toilets, a comfort station, and a picnic shelter. The time frame for the development of this new recreation area is to have water and electricity installed this fall, with the pavement of the road to Rocky Point and the other improvements to this area constructed in 2005. Any improvements to the areas outside the 359-acre Rocky Point may be phased in after the development of Rocky Point is finished.

Once these changes are in place on Rocky Point, a fee structure will be implemented. The same entrance license that can be used in all the other state parks and recreation areas in the state will be valid at Orman as well. Camping and park entrance fees will be $12 for electrical campsites and $8 for non-electrical sites. Like with all South Dakota state parks and recreation areas, these fees are necessary to provide for the on-going maintenance of the site.

Jeff Nettleton, BOR’s Rapid City field office manager, said the goal is to make the improvements to help the public "develop a sense of pride about the dam. It’s their property after all."

The paving of the road on the west side of Orman Dam to the ramp will provide easy access for people pulling boats. With the other improvements phased in over the next several years, the public will gradually see the transition of Rocky Point into what they have come to expect in other state recreation areas. With some primitive camping opportunities outside of this area, there should be something for those that like the comfort of a full-scale recreation area, as well as those that like the more primitive areas.

Personally, I can’t wait for the paved roads and the fish cleaning station, which will make my fishing trips to Orman Dam all the more enjoyable. I might just have to start getting up before 4 a.m. so I can spend even more time on the water. I just need to be careful not to wake my wife when I leave.

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The entrance license requirement affects only those vehicles entering the recreation area, which is located 8 miles east of Belle Fourche on the Belle Fourche Reservoir. A license is not needed to access other areas of the reservoir.

Rocky Point is the newest recreation area in the South Dakota state park system. This summer, it will feature 61 campsites, including 50 with electricity and three accessible sites, as well as accessible showers and restrooms, dump station, playground, picnic shelter, fish cleaning station and boat ramp.

Camping is permitted only in areas designated for camping. Electrical campsites are $12 per night and non-electrical are $8 per night. Camping will be offered at a reduced rate until electricity and water are operational.

Campfires are allowed only at designated campsites and in approved fireplaces, stoves or grills. Motor vehicles must stay on established roads and parking lots. ATVs must be street legal and be operated by a licensed operator only on designated roads.

Entrance licenses are available from any South Dakota state park office or online at www.sdgfp.info/Parks. They will also be available at the park’s entrance booth. When the entrance station is not staffed, visitors can purchase either annual or daily permit through a self-registration system. Annual licenses are available for $23 or two for $34.50, daily permits are $5 per vehicle.

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What a difference a year makes! One year ago today, Rocky Point on the Belle Fourche Reservoir was a heavily-used lake access area with little more than basic fishing facilities to offer the family. The area consisted of a single boat ramp and a few over-used vault toilets and the heavy use was taking a toll on the facilities. Today, Rocky Point is a state recreation area, complete with 61 campsites (50 electrical), flush toilets and plenty of recreational opportunities.

Rocky Point is 350 acres of land leased from the Bureau of Reclamation by the Division of Parks and Recreation. The development of Rocky Point is part of the Resource Management Plan for the over 6,000 acres of federal land surrounding the Belle Fourche Reservoir. Every stage of development had challenges that needed to be met in order for Rocky Point to become South Dakota’s newest recreation area.

One of the first steps in the development was to expand utilities to the point. By the spring of 2005, contractors had already installed water and power lines from highway 212 to the future recreation area. Now, campers will be able to fill water from one of the three hydrants located in the campground, and 50-amp service will be supplied to 50 of the campsites.

The next step was improving the access road. For years, Fisherman’s Road, the three-mile access road for Rocky Point, had a reputation of being one of the worst roads in the area. The construction plans called for the installation of new culverts and the obliteration of the two-track roads. The construction of Fisherman’s Road was slowed due to a spring rains, and boaters showed plenty of patience during this stage of development. The access road to the only boat ramp on the reservoir was nearly impassible for some time. The weather eventually improved and so did the road. By September, the contractor was wrapping up construction and seeding all of the disturbed ground with a mixture of native grasses. As long as the weather cooperates, Fisherman's Road will be paved by this June. It will be a change welcomed by all who have pulled a camper or a boat down the bumpy road in years past.

With the basis for the road improvements complete, construction and installation began on an administrative shop and entrance booth, recreational dump station, fish cleaning station, comfort station, and eight new vault toilets. These structures were installed by contractors, volunteers, and state employees. The comfort station and fish cleaning station proved to be two of the more memorable projects at Rocky Point.

The comfort station is a prefabricated concrete structure with a men’s and women’s restroom and four separate shower stalls, which ultimately had to be set into place by a crane.

The shelter over the fish cleaning station was constructed by a local fishing group. The group, the High Plains Anglers, constructed most of the shelter on a beautiful Saturday in October. Their support of the development was very much appreciated and did not go unnoticed. A sign will be attached to the shelter recognizing their hard work and support.

At the same time, numerous projects had to be completed to lay the groundwork for the park to be operational in the spring of 2006. One project included removing dead trees and planting new trees in the campground. Years of neglect left Rocky Point with quite a bit of dead, dieing, and diseased trees around the future campground. Work crews spent weeks cutting down hazardous trees and began to move young cottonwoods into the campground. Rocky Point’s campground now has over 200 new trees.

By the fall of 2005, most of the large development projects at Rocky Point had been completed. The remaining projects include the construction of a low-water boat ramp, installing the electrical pedestals, and assembling the playground equipment. Some of these improvements are still in progress today. Contractors are prepared to have all of the structures and utilities operational by April.

In a little over a year, Rocky Point has undergone some major changes. Each successful step in this development has led to a more complete recreation area. In the spring, visitors can expect a clean, safe campground with numerous recreational opportunities.

Even with all of this work, Rocky Point still has farther to go, as we continue to improve and expand facilities to benefit visitors.

For the first time, on April 1, 2006, a park entrance license will be required to enter Rocky Point. Camping will be offered at a reduced rate until all services are operational. All entrance and camping fees will fit within the current state park fee schedule and will go toward the continuing improvement of South Dakota’s newest state park.