9.5-Hour Mount Rushmore Guided Bus Tour
See the Black Hills by coach with guided stops and attraction admission included
Duration
9.5 hrs
Includes
Guided tour, bus, admission
Highlights
Spend a full sightseeing day on the road through the Black Hills. This tour-only option keeps meals separate from your outing.
- Discover 100 miles of Black Hills National Forest scenery
- Look for free-roaming wildlife during scenic stops
- Capture photos along scenic highways, tunnels, and overlooks
- Recharge your phone using onboard USB or traditional outlets
- Use scheduled stops for restroom breaks
Itinerary
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Fort Hays Old West Town and Dinner Show, 2255 Fort Hayes Rd, Rapid City, SD 57702-8703 Your tour starts at Fort Hays Chuckwagon by checking into the Fort Hays Headquarters Building between 7:45-8am to get your printed tickets with your assigned Bus for the day. 45 minutes, Admission is free
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Mount Rushmore National Memorial, 13000 Hwy 244, Keystone, SD 57751-4403 The bus departs at 9am and heads for Mount Rushmore! You will have a little over an hour to look around at your own convenience and enjoy the sites and beauty that you came to South Dakota for. We stop here first because Mount Rushmore is at it's best in the morning sun. Gutzon Borglum carved this mountain facing east towards the morning sun and intended it to be viewed this way. 1 hour , Admission included
3.Iron Mountain Road, Custer, SD After leaving Mount Rushmore we will travel along the Iron Mountain Road. A beautiful 17 mile road of breath taking scenery featuring 3 one lane tunnels that perfectly frame Mount Rushmore. 1 hour , Admission included
4.Sylvan Lake, Custer, SD 57730 Take a rest stop and coffee break at the beautiful Sylvan Lake. This is among the crown jewels of Custer State Park and the beauty within it. 20 minutes, Admission included
5.South Dakota 87, SD 57730 After lunch we depart for the Needles Hwy. This 14 mile scenic drive is sure to leave you breathless and awe struck at amazing beauty of the Black Hills. Sit back and enjoy the ride and watch the crowd gather around when we drive the bus through the Needles Eye Tunnel. With only inches to spare on each side of the bus you can relish in the fact that you are not the one driving. 1 hour , Admission included
6.Crazy Horse Memorial, 12151 Avenue of the Chiefs, Crazy Horse, SD 57730-8900 We spend about an hour at Crazy Horse Memorial. You are on your own to spend this time enjoying this piece of history in the making. Upon completion it will be the largest mountain carving in the world! Truly a piece of awe inspiring history being worked on every day. 1 hour , Admission included
7.Custer State Park Resort, 13389 US Highway 16a, Custer, SD 57730-8351 We stop for lunch inside Custer State Park at the Game Lodge and previous summer White House for president Calvin Coolidge. Try the Buffalo Stew, it's the best you will ever find! 1 hour , Admission is free
8.Fort Hays Old West Town and Dinner Show, Rapid City, South Dakota You will arrive back to Fort Hays Chuckwagon to end your day. If you would like to join us for the Chuckwagon Supper and Show please see the front desk in the Headquarters building to get tickets. 15 minutes, Admission is free
What's Included
- Guided narration
- Air-conditioned coach transportation
- Attraction admission fees
- Photo stops
Important details
- Check in between 7:45 and 8:00 AM at the Fort Hays Headquarters Building for your paper ticket and assigned bus
- Toddlers must sit on a lap when not using a bus seat
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner, bottled water, and guide gratuity are not included in the listed price
- The tour operates rain or shine
- Wildlife sightings are not guaranteed and wildlife may delay the tour
Cancellation Policy
Full refund within 48 hours.
Product ID: 4XWUK3
FAQs
No. You need to check in at the Fort Hays Headquarters Building to get a paper ticket with your assigned bus for the day.
Yes. You can also use restrooms at scheduled stops; the onboard restroom is like a porta potty.
No. You stop at the State Game Lodge, where you can buy lunch from a menu or buffet.
Meeting details
Fort Hays Old West Town and Dinner Show, 2255 Fort Hayes Rd, Rapid City, SD 57702-8703
More about Mount Rushmore National Memorial
Mount Rushmore National Memorial rises from the granite peaks of South Dakota's Black Hills, where the carved faces of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln gaze out across the Ponderosa pine forests below. This iconic American landmark anchors a full-day bus tour through the Black Hills region, giving travelers the chance to experience one of the most recognizable monuments in the world without the stress of navigating mountain roads or hunting for parking. The scale of Mount Rushmore National Memorial is something photographs rarely capture, and seeing it in person, framed by the rugged terrain that inspired sculptor Gutzon Borglum, is the kind of moment that defines a trip to the American West.
The tour brings you directly to Mount Rushmore National Memorial with time to walk the Avenue of Flags, stand at the Grand View Terrace, and study the four faces up close as your guide shares the stories behind the carving. Alongside the memorial, the day winds through the scenic byways of the Black Hills, with stops that may include Custer State Park's wildlife loop, the dramatic granite spires of the Needles Highway, and the small Western towns tucked into the hills. The contrast between the quiet pine forests, the bison roaming open meadows, and the monumental presence of Mount Rushmore National Memorial gives the route a rhythm that feels both intimate and grand.
This experience is ideal for history lovers, families introducing children to American landmarks, photographers chasing dramatic light on stone, and travelers who prefer to settle into a comfortable seat and let someone else handle the logistics. Solo visitors and couples will appreciate the company of a knowledgeable guide who turns the scenery into stories, while groups will enjoy the easy pace and shared discoveries along the way. If you want to see Mount Rushmore National Memorial and the surrounding Black Hills in one well-paced day, this bus tour offers a relaxed and memorable way to take it all in.
Related locations
Mount Rushmore National Memorial
Admission includedStanding before Mount Rushmore National Memorial, you feel the sheer scale of the place settle over you. The 60-foot granite faces of Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, and Lincoln emerge from the Black Hills with quiet authority, carved into a cliff that rises nearly 6,000 feet above sea level. Mount Rushmore National Memorial rewards slow looking, offering changing light and shifting perspectives as you move along the Avenue of Flags.
