Black Hills Road Trip: Mount Rushmore, Custer State Park and Badlands
Granite faces, bison jams, one-lane tunnels blasted through spires and a moonscape of eroded badlands, all within a few hours of Rapid City. A four-day Black Hills road trip that goes beyond the famous carving.
Plan four days for a Black Hills road trip from Rapid City, South Dakota. Visit Mount Rushmore and the Crazy Horse Memorial on day one, drive the Needles Highway, Iron Mountain Road and Custer State Park’s Wildlife Loop for bison on day two, explore Wind Cave National Park on day three, and spend day four in Badlands National Park. The full loop is about 400 miles. Go from June to September, and check the dates of the Sturgis motorcycle rally in early August before you book.
Most people come to western South Dakota for Mount Rushmore, stay for an hour, take a photo and leave. That’s a mistake. The Black Hills, a forested mountain island rising from the Great Plains, are packed with some of the best scenic driving in the country, roaming bison herds, two of the longest caves in the world, a state park as good as many national parks and, an hour to the east, the eerie badlands. The famous carving is the least interesting thing here. Plan for days, not hours.
The Black Hills are also sacred land to the Lakota, who call them Paha Sapa. They were guaranteed to the Lakota by the 1868 Treaty of Fort Laramie, then taken after gold was discovered in the 1870s. In 1980, the US Supreme Court ruled that the land had been taken illegally and awarded compensation, which the Lakota have refused, seeking the return of the land instead. That history is worth knowing as you visit.
- 4 daysFor the full loop
- ≈400 miRapid City to the Badlands and back
- 60 ftHeight of each face at Mount Rushmore
- June–SeptBest season for the scenic roads
The route at a glance
| Day | Highlights | Driving | Overnight |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse Memorial | About 1.5 hours total | Keystone, Hill City or Custer |
| 2 | Iron Mountain Road, Needles Highway, Sylvan Lake, Wildlife Loop | About 3 hours with stops | Custer State Park or Custer |
| 3 | Wind Cave National Park, Jewel Cave | About 2 hours | Hot Springs or Custer |
| 4 | Badlands National Park, Wall | About 3.5 hours | Rapid City or Wall |
With a fifth day, add Deadwood and Spearfish Canyon in the northern hills, or Devils Tower in Wyoming, about two hours west.
Day 1: Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse
Mount Rushmore National Memorial features the faces of four presidents, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln, carved between 1927 and 1941 under sculptor Gutzon Borglum. Each face is about 60 feet tall. Walk the Avenue of Flags, then take the Presidential Trail, a short loop of about 0.6 miles with steps, which brings you closer to the base of the carving. Visit the sculptor’s studio to see the original model. In summer, an evening program and lighting of the carving draws big crowds.
Entry to the memorial is free, but there is a parking fee, and it isn’t covered by national park passes. Arrive early in the morning for the best light on the faces and smaller crowds.
About 17 miles southwest, the Crazy Horse Memorial is a massive mountain carving of the Lakota leader Crazy Horse, begun in 1948 by sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski at the invitation of Lakota elders. The face alone is about 87 feet tall, and work continues today, funded privately. The visitor complex includes the Indian Museum of North America. It’s a privately run memorial with its own admission fee. Some Lakota people support it; others object to carving a sacred mountain. Both views are worth hearing.
Spend the night in Keystone, a touristy former mining town close to Rushmore, or in Hill City or Custer, which are quieter.
Day 2: The great scenic drives and Custer State Park
This is the best day of the trip.
Iron Mountain Road (US-16A) runs about 17 miles between Keystone and Custer State Park, with hairpin turns, three-level “pigtail bridges” that loop over themselves and narrow tunnels carefully placed to frame Mount Rushmore in the distance. Drive slowly. It’s designed to be enjoyed, not hurried.
Custer State Park covers about 71,000 acres of prairie, pine forest and granite peaks and is home to one of the largest publicly owned bison herds in the world, roughly 1,300 to 1,500 animals. A park entrance license, purchased per vehicle, is required. The 18-mile Wildlife Loop Road winds through grasslands where you can see bison, pronghorn, prairie dogs, elk and the park’s famous “begging burros,” wild donkeys that approach cars. Don’t feed them, and give bison plenty of room. They can be dangerous, especially in late summer.
The Needles Highway (SD-87) climbs about 14 miles through towering granite spires called the Needles, squeezing through tight one-lane tunnels. The Needles Eye Tunnel is only about 8 feet 4 inches wide. Large vehicles and RVs won’t fit; check tunnel dimensions before you go. Stop at the Needles Eye, a thin spire with a narrow slit at the top.
End the day at Sylvan Lake, a small, beautiful lake surrounded by granite boulders, with an easy one-mile loop. From here, strong hikers can climb Black Elk Peak, at 7,242 feet the highest point in the US east of the Rocky Mountains. The round trip is about seven miles, ending at a stone fire lookout tower with views over four states.
The Buffalo Roundup, held each year in late September, draws thousands of spectators to watch cowboys and cowgirls drive the bison herd across the prairie.
Day 3: Wind Cave and Jewel Cave
Wind Cave National Park, south of Custer State Park, protects both a vast cave and a rolling prairie with bison and prairie dog towns above it. The cave is one of the longest in the world, with more than 160 miles of mapped passages, and it’s famous for boxwork, a rare honeycomb-like calcite formation found in very few places. Ranger-led cave tours are the only way inside, and they sell out in summer. Book ahead.
Jewel Cave National Monument, west of Custer, protects another of the world’s longest caves, with more than 200 miles mapped. Its walls sparkle with calcite crystals. Tours are also ranger-led and limited.
Above ground at Wind Cave, drive the park roads for more bison and visit the prairie dog towns, which kids love. In the evening, soak in the hot springs pool in the town of Hot Springs, or visit the Mammoth Site, where more than 60 mammoths have been found in an ancient sinkhole.
Day 4: Badlands National Park
About an hour east of Rapid City, Badlands National Park is a landscape of eroded buttes, pinnacles and canyons in bands of pink, tan, gray and yellow, rising from mixed-grass prairie. It’s also one of the richest fossil beds in the world. Drive the Badlands Loop Road (SD-240), about 39 miles, stopping at overlooks. Walk the Door and Window trails, short walks into the formations, and the Notch Trail, about 1.5 miles round trip with a log ladder and a cliff-edge view. Watch for bighorn sheep, bison and prairie dogs. Visit the Fossil Preparation Lab at the Ben Reifel Visitor Center to see paleontologists at work.
Sunset and sunrise are when the badlands come alive with color. If you can, stay nearby for one or the other.
On the way, stop at Wall Drug in the town of Wall, a sprawling roadside attraction famous for free ice water and signs posted for hundreds of miles along the highway. It’s kitschy, cheap and fun. Nearby, the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site preserves a Cold War missile silo and control center.
The northern Black Hills
With extra time, head north. Deadwood, a historic gold rush town and National Historic Landmark, is where Wild Bill Hickok was shot in 1876. Today it has casinos, saloons and history tours. Spearfish Canyon is a narrow limestone canyon with waterfalls, one of the best short scenic drives in the region, especially in fall. Devils Tower National Monument, about two hours west in Wyoming, is a dramatic rock tower sacred to many Plains tribes.
Getting there
Rapid City Regional Airport is the main gateway, about 30 to 40 minutes from Keystone and Mount Rushmore. Flights are limited and can be expensive in summer, so compare with Denver, about six hours’ drive away, which often has cheaper flights and rental cars and lets you add Colorado or Wyoming to the trip. Interstate 90 runs east to west across South Dakota, connecting the Black Hills to Sioux Falls and Minneapolis. A car is essential; public transportation in the region is minimal.
Food and local flavor
Try a bison burger, sold at restaurants throughout the hills. Order Indian tacos, made on fry bread, a popular local dish with deep roots in Native communities. Look for chislic, cubes of grilled or fried meat that are a South Dakota specialty. Wild plum and chokecherry jams and syrups are sold at gift shops. For a souvenir, you’ll see Black Hills gold everywhere: a distinctive style of jewelry with pink and green gold leaves and grapes, made in the region since the gold rush era. And for dessert, look for homemade pie at small-town cafés across the hills.
When to go
June through September is the best time. All scenic roads are open, and the weather is warm, with occasional afternoon thunderstorms. Late September brings fall color, fewer crowds and the Buffalo Roundup. Winter is cold, and the Needles Highway and Iron Mountain Road often close. Spring can bring late snow.
A crucial warning: the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, held for about 10 days in early August, brings hundreds of thousands of riders to the region. Hotel prices soar, rooms sell out and roads are crowded with motorcycles. Unless you’re going for the rally, avoid those dates.
Where to stay
Rapid City, the region’s largest city, has many hotels and the main airport. Keystone is closest to Rushmore. Hill City and Custer are central small towns with good restaurants. Inside Custer State Park, historic lodges and cabins, including the State Game Lodge and Sylvan Lake Lodge, put you near the scenic drives; book early. Campgrounds are plentiful.
What it costs
Mount Rushmore charges a parking fee. Custer State Park requires an entrance license per vehicle. Wind Cave and Badlands are covered by the America the Beautiful pass; cave tours cost extra. Crazy Horse charges its own admission. Hotels range from about $100 to $300 a night outside rally week, much more during it. A four-day trip for two typically costs $1,200 to $2,000 before flights.
With kids
This is one of the best family road trips in the country. Kids love the bison and burros, the tunnels on the Needles Highway, prairie dog towns, cave tours and the free ice water at Wall Drug. Junior Ranger programs are available at Mount Rushmore, Wind Cave, Jewel Cave and Badlands. The Mammoth Site in Hot Springs is a hit with dinosaur fans. Bear Country USA, a drive-through wildlife park near Rapid City, is another family favorite.
Common mistakes
Only seeing Mount Rushmore. The scenic drives and Custer State Park are the highlights.
Booking during Sturgis by accident. Check the dates.
Taking an RV through the Needles Highway tunnels. Many won’t fit.
Getting too close to bison. Stay in your car or keep at least 25 yards away.
Not booking cave tours. They sell out in summer.
Frequently asked questions
How many days do you need in the Black Hills?
Three to four days covers Mount Rushmore, Custer State Park, a cave and the Badlands.
Is Mount Rushmore free?
Entry is free, but there is a parking fee not covered by national park passes.
What is the best scenic drive in the Black Hills?
The Needles Highway and Iron Mountain Road, both through Custer State Park.
When is the Sturgis rally?
Usually for about 10 days in early August. Expect crowds and high prices.
Plan your trip
- Check Sturgis rally dates and avoid them unless you’re going.
- Book lodging in Custer State Park or nearby towns early.
- Reserve Wind Cave or Jewel Cave tours.
- Plan your Needles Highway drive for morning, before the traffic.
Eric Gamble
Eric Gamble is the founder of Travon Inc. and editor-in-chief of Travon Blog, based in New Orleans. He plans every guide around the questions travelers actually ask before they book: when to go, what it really costs, how to get around and what is worth skipping. Eric oversees research, fact-checking and the regular updates that keep each guide accurate.
