BRANDON, S.D. (KELO) — Plenty of families are coming home tonight to their refreshing air conditioners after having spent the Labor Day holiday camping-out. For many, it was their last big getaway for the summer. Campers near Brandon didn’t find the heat to be hindrance at all, as long as there was plenty of water and shade nearby.

Roughing-it in the outdoors can get a lot rougher when it’s this hot.

“Coming in, we just expected it to be hot. So, it was no surprise when we were sweating,” Ben Olson of Hartford, SD said.

This group of campers came prepared for their overnight stay at the Big Sioux Recreation Area.

“We brought about three cases of water and then just wherever the shade is, just move into the shade,” Olson said.

“There’s some nice shaded areas around here, so just take walks in the trees when you can has been helpful, too,” Ally Quanbeck of Hartford, SD said.

There were a lot of empty chairs gathered around the campfire. Nobody wants to get this close to the flames when it’s so warm.

“It’s really not necessary. We’ve used it a little bit to cook hot dogs, yesterday,” Quanbeck said.

The campers almost didn’t make it here. They gave serious consideration about cancelling their outing due to the heat.

“We were afraid of not being able to sleep at night just with being so hot. But I think eventually we just said you know, let’s just try it,” Olson said.

It’s a decision the campers don’t regret. Especially when it cooled-down at night.

“And then at about four in the morning, you wake up and you realize, actually, the temperature dropped enough to where we actually need our sleeping bags, now. Didn’t really expect that,” Olson said.

Now it’s time to pack up and leave their campsite. A bittersweet moment as a carefree weekend outdoors comes to a close.

“Leaving already feels kind of sad because it’s been so nice to be out here and kind of back to the real world tomorrow. Yeah, it’ll be a little sad, but that’s okay,” Quanbeck said.

But camping season doesn’t come to a close after Labor Day. The Big Sioux Rec Area is booked solid for at least the next two weekends.