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Day trip of the Black Hills: Mount Rushmore to Custer State Park!

51 Reviews 5.00 out of 5 stars Based on 51 traveler reviews collected by Cool Destinations and TripAdvisor |
Badge of Excellence |Badge of Excellence This experience is highly rated by travelers and has met our top quality standards.
Rapid City, USA
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This is usually booked 35 days in advance.

10 hours (Approx.)
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Overview

Neal and Becky live in the Black Hills near the historic mining town of Hayward. Neal is a native South Dakotan having a close association with the Black Hills since his youth. As you tour the southern Black Hills, you'll get a narration of the history of the sights as well as personal stories of the area. They love people and have a desire to serve you to make your visit an enjoyable one. Suggestions and tips on how to make your stay more enjoyable freely offered!

What's Included

  • All Fees and Taxes
  • Bottled water and light snacks.
  • Lunch
  • No raincoats or umbrellas
  • No gratuity

Meeting Location

Meeting point
End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Start Time • 7:30 AM

What To Expect

Black Hills National Forest

Our entire day trip is within the Black Hills National Forest that covers an area 125 miles long and 65 miles wide, a 1.25-million acre forest! We spend about 2 hours driving time that is interspersed between the sites we visit as outlined below. Along the way, we take in the beauty of the Black Hills that encompasses rugged rock formations, canyons, gulches, open grassland, and mountain lakes, including learning about the rich history of the area, including Custer's expedition to the area in 1874.
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2 hours • Admission Ticket Included

Mount Rushmore National Memorial

Our first stop is Mount Rushmore National Memorial where the rich history of the United States is told through the lives of presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham enshrined on Mount Rushmore. Through their lives we learn about the birth, growth, development and preservation of this country. The memorial is surrounded by the beauty of the Black Hills.
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1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Crazy Horse Memorial

Leaving Mount Rushmore, we wind our way over to Crazy Horse Memorial passing by Horsethief Lake, a beautiful mountain lake, and Black Elk Mountain, the highest peak in SD at 7,244 feet above sea level.Crazy Horse Memorial is the largest carving in the world, depicting the Oglala Lakota war chief, Crazy Horse, riding a horse and pointing to his tribal land. Housed within the Crazy Horse Memorial complex, is the Indian Museum of North American.
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1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Custer

Next stop is in the small town of Custer for lunch. You’re on your own for lunch here, having the opportunity to choose the restaurant of your choosing. Custer is the oldest and first permanent settlement established in the Black Hills by European Americans.
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1 hour • Admission Ticket Free

Custer State Park

Next stop is Custer State Park, a 72,000 acre state park and wildlife refuge. The park is home to a herd of 1,500 bison and a variety of other wildlife that roam free over the varied terrain that includes rolling prairie grasslands and rugged mountains.
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2 hours • Admission Ticket Included

Custer State Park Visitor Center

We will stop here for a short break to stretch our legs, watch a short film on Custer State Park, then head out to find the buffalo and other wildlife on the Wildlife Loop Road.
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30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Iron Mountain Road

The Iron Mountain Road is one of the most scenic and unique roads in America! It winds through the countryside, traversing through three tunnels, navigating up and down switch-backs and pig-tail-bridges with views of Mount Rushmore along the way. It was built to connect Custer State Park with Mount Rushmore. It was intentionally engineered to make travelers slow down to enjoy the beauty of the area. Along the way, we drive through the Norbeck Wildlife Preserve, a wilderness designated area.
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1 hour • Admission Ticket Included

Iron Mountain Road

Iron Mountain Summit, also called the Peter Norbeck Scenic Overlook. From the summit at 5,450 feet above sea level, we are at the same elevation as Mount Rushmore which can be seen in the distance across the valley below, about 1 mile away. A breathtaking view! We can also see Black Elk Peak, the highest point in South Dakota at 7,200 feet above sea level. It is also the highest peak east of the Rockies.
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15 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Keystone

Our last stop of the tour is Keystone, dropping off any guests we picked up here before heading back to Rapid City.
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15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Show 7 more stops

Additional Info

  • Confirmation is instant and will be received at time of booking
  • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • Operated by a business

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the tour for a full refund.

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Activity code: C-368596P1

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Reviews

5.00
51 reviews

Average 5.00 out of 5 stars based on 51 traveler reviews collected by Cool Destinations and partner sites such as Trustpilot, Viator, and TripAdvisor

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This is usually booked 35 days in advance.

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