Rapid City to Mt Rushmore, Custer State & Crazy Horse

• Visit Mount Rushmore, Custer State Park, Wildlife Loop Road, Crazy Horse, Needles Eye, and Sylvan Lake. Lunch, an expert guide, a private vehicle, admissions, water, and snacks are all included.  • 

• Mount Rushmore
• Custer State Park
• Wildlife Loop
• Needles Highway
• Sylvan Lake

Your tour begins with a pickup directly from your hotel or other accommodations in Rapid City, Hill City, Custer, or Keystone. After you meet your guide, you'll be taken to the greatest points of interest in the Black Hills of South Dakota. You'll visit Mount Rushmore, Iron Mountain Road, Custer State Park, Wildlife Loop Road, Needles Highway, Sylvan Lake, and Crazy Horse Memorial. 

No planning is required, we take care of that for you. A quality lunch is included on your tour, and the guide will be happy to take photographs along the way. Sit back, relax, enjoy the view and learn from one of our expert guides on each location. 

Take a private tour of South Dakota's Southern Black Hills (Paha Sapa) and its landmarks. Learn the history and biology via an interactive presentation. Understand why they're called the Black Hills. Discover the mountain before it was carved and its carver and workers. Sit in the amphitheater and view the faces while talking about the monument. Hike the Presidential Trail and take photos at the Grand Overlook.

We can pause at the Lincoln Borglum Visitor Center to view and experience an Interactive exhibit. View a film and explore the edited history of Mt Rushmore and the reason for the carved faces.​

As you ascend Iron Mountain Road, the stunning view of hills and forests full of animals creates an unforgettable sight. Unforeseen attractions like the Pigtail Bridges are at every turn. Intended to make the ride fun, these bridges decrease our speed and allow you to take in the immense granite spires, Aspens, and Ponderosas.

Iron Mountain Road takes you through three tunnels cut into the Black Hills granite. They are narrow enough for us to fit and are designed to frame Mt Rushmore. We'll take pictures; if it's not crowded, you can go inside to experience being inside a mountain. The tunnels are named after significant contributors to the road and area: Doane Robinson, CC Gideon, and Scoval Johnson.

 At Norbeck Overlook, you'll see Black Elk Peak, the Six Grandfathers, and the Cathedral Spires! ​On the ground, you'll notice red rocks thrust up from the earth, which is why they call this place Iron Mountain. It's the abundance of iron-rich schist. This rock is oxidized, has the color of rust, and looks like petrified wood. 

We now reach Custer State Park. The visitor center is an excellent introduction to Wildlife Loop Road, a well-known spot in SD. You may spot various birds, bison, elk, deer, prairie dogs, and pronghorn on the drive. Along with wildlife, the geology is also prominent, with red sandstone and yellow limestone seen in the Black Hills. Be prepared for bison approaching our vehicle - and stay inside!

If the weather is good, we'll picnic, or visit a restaurant, then journey to Sylvan Lake, South Dakota, renowned for its beauty in the Black Hills. We'll ascend the Needles Highway and Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway, then explore the lake and a side trail to the store. It's a popular wedding spot, so we'll take all the photos you want before continuing. As we continue, we approach the Needles Eye. 

The Cathedral Spires, in the mountains of South Dakota, are a remarkable rock formation. Doane Robinson envisioned carving faces into them, but Gutzon Borglum found the rock unsuitable. Locals were outraged when they heard about plans to carve the spires. Thankfully, the Spires remain intact, and we can visit them today to take pictures of this extraordinary antiquity. What's not to love about Custer State Park besides the name?

Lastly, we head to Crazy Horse. Once complete, it will be the world's largest sculpture. Carved by Korczak Ziolkowski at Chief Standing Bear's request, it's an amazing sight. At the parking lot peak, we'll share what we know about Crazy Horse. Inside the museum, you'll learn about his family and foundation. Artifacts, as well as a plaster mini-replica, are displayed. 
   By the time we're finished and have you safely back home, we hope you've had an excellent experience on our Black Hills Tour. It's our pleasure to share our knowledge and hopefully make new friends in the process!

• Custer State Park Wildlife Loop Road, Wildlife Loop Road, Crazy Horse, SD, USA
• Crazy Horse Memorial, Crazy Horse, SD, USA
• Custer State Park, US Highway 16A, Custer, SD, USA
• Sylvan Lake Lodge, South Dakota 87, Custer, SD, USA
• Mt Rushmore National Memorial, South Dakota 244, Keystone, SD, USA
• Iron Mountain - Road 15 Trailhead, National Forest Development Road 15, Foster, OR, USA

A waiver must be signed before boarding the vehicle.

Not wheelchair accessible, Not recommended for those with transferring issues such as stepping up and out of a high clearance van.