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Runkel

Ghost town · Meade County, South Dakota

Sturgis quadrangle, USGS topographic map (1899, 1:62,500)
Sturgis quadrangle, USGS topographic map (1899, 1:62,500) · U.S. Geological Survey, Historical Topographic Map Collection · Public domain

Runkel is a ghost town in Meade County, South Dakota. It is one of 5 former communities in Meade County on the federal names register. That ranks the county 5th among the 26 South Dakota counties with a vanished settlement on record.

The U.S. Geological Survey lists Runkel as a historical populated place on the Deadman Mountain topographic quadrangle: the name is no longer in official use for a community, whether the settlement was abandoned, absorbed into a neighbouring town or renamed. The recorded location is 44.3005° N, 103.5321° W.

Key facts

USGS quadrangleDeadman Mountain
Elevation4,778 ft
Nearest living townBlucksberg Mountain, SD
Distance to it5.6 miles
GNIS feature ID1264217
Coordinates44.30054, -103.53213

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What's there now

Runkel is no longer a community in its own right. The nearest living town is Blucksberg Mountain, SD (population 683), about 5.6 miles away in a straight line, and the site sits at roughly 4,778 feet above sea level. Much of the land around former townsites is private; check access before you visit.

Nearby places

Questions

Where is Runkel?

Runkel is in Meade County, South Dakota, at 44.3005, -103.5321.

How many ghost towns are in Meade County?

Meade County, South Dakota has 5 ghost towns on record at Wayfarrow.

Sources and licences

Facts marked "approximately" carry an uncertain date in the source. Text on this page is generated from the sources above; no encyclopedia prose is copied. Last updated 2026-11-05.