Ultimate Guide to Mt. Rushmore: Things to Do Plus Mt. Rushmore Road Trip Itineraries
Planning a trip and wondering what there is to do at Mount Rushmore and in the nearby area? Read this guide to learn all about things to do at and near Mount Rushmore, get our top tips for visiting, including costs and how to get there, and learn how to create a perfect Mount Rushmore road trip itinerary that takes you through the Black Hills of South Dakota.
Mount Rushmore is probably the most iconic landmark in the United States, with over two million visitors a year seeking to lay eyes on the presidential giants. Whether it’s to learn more about American presidential history or to gaze up and marvel at the seemingly impossible rock carvings, Mount Rushmore makes it onto nearly everyone’s bucket list.
But you might be wondering, what exactly is there to do at Mount Rushmore other than just glance up at the carvings? Is Mount Rushmore really worth seeing? A totally valid question – and one that I certainly had as well!
In this Mount Rushmore guide, we’ll give you all the details on how to plan a visit to Mount Rushmore to help you answer that question for yourself! We’ll include things to do at Mount Rushmore (hint: there’s a little more to it than just staring up at the heads!), how to get there, costs and when to go. Plus, we’ll go over places to visit near Mount Rushmore so that you can plan a road trip to Mount Rushmore while hitting some other fun spots in the Black Hills of South Dakota during your trip.
Hopefully after reading this guide, you’ll be able to answer for yourself whether you feel Mount Rushmore will be worth the visit!
In this Mount Rushmore guide:
Facts About Mount Rushmore
The first time you see Mount Rushmore in person, and even in pictures, so many questions come to mind…how on earth were these giant faces carved into the side of a cliff might be the main one!
We don’t want to give away too much of the fun details about the creation of this manmade wonder…because for me anyway, what made the Mount Rushmore experience so worthwhile was being able to learn all about the process while being right there in person looking up at it…it’s one of the best things to do at Mount Rushmore! Being there in person just brings the stories into a bit more perspective.
But we will tell you the basics!
Which four president’s faces are on Mount Rushmore? The presidents are George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln. They were chosen by the sculptor because he believed these four presidents represented times when some of the most important events in US history occurred (i.e. the Revolutionary War, the Declaration of Independence, the country’s economic growth and expansion, and the Civil War).
Who designed and built Mount Rushmore? Mount Rushmore is the brainchild of Gutzon Borglum. You can read all about him, his story, and the motivation to sculpt Mount Rushmore here. While he dreamt of the idea and designed the sculpture, it took an army – of about 400 people- and 14 years to carve the entire sculpture, and it never even was technically finished! The original plan for Mount Rushmore was to carve complete busts of the presidents into the cliff face, but budget constraints had them stop at just the faces.
If you attend a ranger talk (which we highly recommend you do!), you’ll learn all about the process that went into sculpting the presidents. You’ll learn how 90% of the carving was initially done by dynamite blasting the cliff face…basically blasting 450,000 tons of rock! Then through a process of honeycombing and smoothing techniques, they created the smooth detailed faces we see today.
If you’re dying to know more before your visit to Mount Rushmore, you can read all about it here.
Where is Mount Rushmore
Mount Rushmore is located in the southwestern corner of South Dakota, in the heart of the region known as the Black Hills. This area has a lot of other places that people often combine into a South Dakota road trip.
Because Mount Rushmore is ideally located next to places like Custer State Park, Wind Cave National Park, and more, it’s easy to make a Mount Rushmore – Black Hills road trip out of your visit, and we’ll talk more about that later!
Where to Stay Near Mount Rushmore
The major nearby areas to stay near Mount Rushmore include Rapid City (30 minutes), Keystone (10 minutes), Custer (30 minutes), Hill City (20 minutes), and Hot Springs (1 hour). There are plenty of accommodation options in each of these towns.
Where you choose to stay really just depends on what else you plan on seeing during your Mount Rushmore road trip, so just choose somewhere that’s centrally located. We really liked staying in the Custer area, as it was pretty close to all the best places in the Black Hills that we wanted to visit (we’ll talk more about these when we mention places to go near Mount Rushmore).
Camping near Mount Rushmore
While there is no camping or lodging inside the Mount Rushmore National Monument, you can find plenty of camping (both paid and free dispersed camping) in the nearby area. Custer State Park and the Black Hills National Forest have plenty of campgrounds to choose from.
How to Get to Mount Rushmore
South Dakota (and Mount Rushmore) may kind of seem a little off the beaten path, but it’s not too difficult to get to, especially if you’re on a road trip!
Airports near Mount Rushmore
The closest airport to Mount Rushmore is the Rapid City regional airport, which is about 32 miles (45 minutes) away.
Driving to Mount Rushmore
Mount Rushmore makes an easy and ideal stop on any South Dakota road trip itinerary. Here are some driving distances from places near Mount Rushmore (and some slightly further locations) that we think could be put on a Mount Rushmore road trip.
Mount Rushmore to Custer State Park: 20 miles/20 minutes
Mount Rushmore to Wind Cave National Park: 40 miles/50 minutes
Mount Rushmore to Devil’s Tower: 130 miles/2 hours 15 minutes
Mount Rushmore to Badlands National Park: 84 miles/ 90 minutes
Mount Rushmore to Glacier National Park: 740 miles/11.5 hours
Mount Rushmore to Yellowstone National Park: 420 miles/7.5 hours
Mount Rushmore to Salt Lake City: 630 miles/ 10 hours
Driving to Mount Rushmore on Iron Mountain Road
If you’ve done any research on the area yet, you might have heard of Iron Mountain Road. If you’re traveling from Custer State Park to Mount Rushmore, this is the most direct (and more scenic and fun!) way to get to Mount Rushmore.
Iron Mountain Road is a small portion of route 16A, stretching 17 miles from Custer State Park all the way up to where it joins route 244 (the road that Mount Rushmore is on). But in those 17 miles, the road twists, turns, and literally spirals its way across the Black Hills, making it a fun thing to do near Mount Rushmore.
Along Iron Mountain Road to Mount Rushmore, you’ll drive through three narrow tunnels that were built to perfectly frame Mount Rushmore and were designed to showcase the monument.
One of the three famous tunnels on Iron Mountain Road on the way to Mount Rushmore
Some of the tunnels on Iron Mountain Road provide a perfect frame for Mount Rushmore
You’ll also loop around three pigtail turns in the road (sections of the road that loop back under itself). It is said that Iron Mountain Road was purposely built so twisty and narrow to reduce the speed limit and allow (or more like force!) visitors to slow down and enjoy the drive. You may even encounter wildlife such as bison, elk or deer along the way.
Looping under one of the pigtail bridges on Iron Mountain Road
Here is some more information on driving Iron Mountain Road to Mount Rushmore:
Is Iron Mountain Road scary? Not at all! This isn’t a road with drop offs or cliff edges. The first half of the drive from Custer State Park is a pretty low key drive through the forest of the Black Hills. There are a couple of road side exhibits along the way and when you reach the “summit” of the road, there is a nice viewpoint of Mount Rushmore from afar. The last portion of the road as you drive towards Mount Rushmore gets a little more interesting with the tunnels and pigtail turns that make this road famous, but these aren’t scary, just interesting elements of the drive.
How long does it take to drive Iron Mountain Road? It took us about 45 minutes. It can take a little bit longer depending on if you stop at any of the road side exhibits, the viewpoints, at the tunnels to get the famous picture of the perfectly framed Mount Rushmore, or at the Iron Mountain Road Visitor Center, located about half way down the road. This is open from mid-May to Labor Day and has visitor information, a café, gift shop and supplies. We didn’t make any of these stops in the 45 minutes we took to drive, so just plan accordingly if you want to!
Where does Iron Mountain Road start? Iron Mountain Road begins in Custer State Park. 16A runs through the heart of the park and then branches off to start the Iron Mountain Road (if coming from the west on 16A, you’ll take a left onto Iron Mountain Road rather than continuing on Highway 36, and if coming from the east, you’ll take a right onto 16A, rather than continuing straight and driving to Custer). The Iron Mountain portion of 16A ends 17 miles later, where you’ll take a left onto route 244 which will take you to Mount Rushmore.
What is the best direction to drive Iron Mountain Road? You’ll definitely want to drive Iron Mountain Road from South to North (Custer State Park to Mount Rushmore), rather than the other way around. This way, you’ll see the famous shots of the monument as you drive through the tunnels. You can definitely back track back down this road after your visit, but be sure to plan your route so that you drive Iron Mountain Road toward the monument as well.
What are the vehicle restrictions on Iron Mountain Road? There are three tunnels on Iron Mountain Road that you have to be aware of, making this road impassable to large vehicles.
Here are the size restrictions for the three tunnels found on Iron Mountain Road:
Doane Robinson Tunnel: 12’x11’4”
CC Gideon Tunnel: 11’6”x10’9”
Scovel Johnson Tunnel: 10’9”x11’
RVs and larger vehicles aren’t recommended on Iron Mountain Road as well due to the tight pigtail turns.
Is driving Iron Mountain Road worth it? Yes! It might not be the most exciting drive you’ll ever do in your life, but it’s definitely the most scenic way to get to Mount Rushmore. If you’re coming from the North, like Rapid City or Keystone, it’s not totally necessary to go out of your way to do this drive from South to North, but if you are in Custer State Park (and we suggest you visit here anyway while in the area!), don’t miss this drive.
How Much Does it Cost to Visit Mount Rushmore?
Mount Rushmore itself is actually free to visit, but parking at Mount Rushmore is not. It costs $10 per vehicle to park at Mount Rushmore, and this pass is good for unlimited visits within a year of the date of purchase.
Unfortunately, the America the Beautiful Annual Park Pass will not cover this fee, nor are these passes sold at the Monument.
At the gate, the parking attendant will give you your parking slip, which will direct you to the parking garage (there are several) you are to park in. It’s pretty easy to navigate and find your way to the garage. Then, at any point during your visit to Mount Rushmore, you can take your parking permit to one of the pay machines which are found at the park entrance, at the gift shop, or at the café, and pay. The receipt that comes out is what will get you back out through the gate of the parking garage. So be sure to hang onto your parking permit and bring it with you into the monument, and hang onto that receipt on your way out!
Can you see Mount Rushmore without paying?
Many people wonder whether it’s worth paying to see Mount Rushmore. Afterall, can’t you see Mount Rushmore from the road, outside the park?
The answer is…yes, you can see Mount Rushmore from various places from the road outside of the park, including along Iron Mountain Road. So yes, technically you can still see Mount Rushmore without paying and actually visiting the monument, but we wouldn’t recommend it. While you’re in the area, we think it’s well worth a stop to actually go into the monument and do a proper visit to experience all the things to do at Mount Rushmore. You’ll have such a more enjoyable and memorable experience seeing the sculpture close up, from all possible angles, and getting to learn all about it. Plus, with National Parks and Monuments, we always feel good that our money is going towards the maintenance and upkeep of the parks themselves.
Best Time to Visit Mount Rushmore
The crowds of Mount Rushmore
Mount Rushmore is open year round, except on Christmas (grounds and parking are open but buildings are not), so you can visit Mount Rushmore any time of year.
Summer at Mount Rushmore is definitely the most crowded, with June, July, and August being the busiest months. It can also get pretty hot this time of year, but luckily you won’t really be doing any strenuous activities here, just some short walks at most. Summer is also the rainiest so you’ll have to keep an eye out on the weather.
Spring and fall are great times to visit Mount Rushmore, as the temperatures are cooler and the crowds are slightly less, although May, September and October are still popular times (especially for fall foliage).
Winter in Mount Rushmore can bring very cold weather and snow, and Iron Mountain Road may be closed for snow as well. Check conditions of roads and weather before your visit here.
As far as the best time of day to visit Mount Rushmore, the park service recommends visiting either before 9 am or after 3:30 pm to avoid the heaviest crowds. We were there about 6 pm on a Friday in early July and there were definitely a lot people there, though. We would recommend not going on weekends, and especially on holidays, as well. We read a few accounts that said first thing in the morning, especially around sunrise, the park is pretty dead, so go then to really avoid the crowds. Going in the evening would be best if you want to catch the evening lighting ceremony, although you can always leave the park and then come back later at night for that if you have the wiggle room in your Mount Rushmore/Black Hills itinerary.
Things to Do at Mount Rushmore
Surprisingly, there’s a bit more to do at Mount Rushmore other than just going, looking up at the president’s heads, snapping a quick picture, and leaving! We spent about an hour and a half here, and probably could have spent a little longer, but we skipped doing some things.
To help you plan out your time at the monument, here’s all the things you can do at Mount Rushmore (all of which can easily be done in just a few hours time!).
Mount Rushmore Map
A satellite view of Mount Rushmore, taken from the National Park Service. You can refer to this as you read about everything there is to do at Mount Rushmore.
Catch views of Mount Rushmore at the Avenue of Flags and the Grand Terrace
Probably the most well known thing to do at Mount Rushmore is to walk the Avenue of Flags. This flag-lined walkway displays flags from all 50 states, a district, two territories, and two commonwealths.
Just know that it will pretty much be impossible to get an unobstructed shot of yourself on the avenue unless you go at sunrise, but it’s still possible to get shots of the flags and Mount Rushmore without having the crowds of people in it.
The Avenue of Flags leads you right to the Grand Terrace, the main viewing area for Mount Rushmore. Even though I had seen it in pictures, I was surprised at how much grander and more incredible the sculpture looks in real life! This is where you can do the most typical thing to do at Mount Rushmore…stare up in awe and snap those pics!
The view of Mount Rushmore from the Grand Terrace
Visit the Lincoln Borglum Visitor Center
Just below the Grand Terrance is the Mount Rushmore Visitor Center. Here, you can check out some exhibits and watch a 14 minute film on the construction of Mount Rushmore.
Walk the Presidential Trail
In my opinion, walking the Presidential Trail is the best thing to do at Mount Rushmore. This is a paved walking path about 0.6 miles long that starts and ends on either side of the Grand View Terrace. But just know that while it’s an easy path, there are quite a few stairs…about 422 of them (according to the park service…I tried counting myself but lost count!). If you walk the Presidential Trail loop in a clockwise direction, then most of the upward direction comes at the very end.
What I really liked about the Presidential Trail is that you really see Mount Rushmore from every angle and perspective imaginable. It took us way closer to the monument than I thought you could ever get…pretty much right up to the blasted rock pile at the bottom. We also got to see some wildlife in the form of deer grazing in the woods nearby.
Getting close-up views of the sculptures was one of our favorite things to do at Mount Rushmore!
Presidential Trail Map and Elevation Profile
This trail profile of the Presidential Trail is from going in a clockwise direction
A satellite view of the Presidential Trail at Mount Rushmore (marked in red) from our Garmin Watch
It doesn’t really matter which direction you walk the Presidential Trail. But I would just try to time it so that you are at the Sculptor’s Studio (along this walk) in time for the ranger talk that takes place there…which just so happens to be the next thing on our list…
Check out the Sculptor’s Studio
Attending a ranger talk at the Sculptor’s Studio is a must-do at Mount Rushmore. The studio is found along the Presidential Trail, towards the end if going in a clockwise direction. Or, if not walking the trail, simply start walking the Presidential Trail on the east side of the Grand Terrace and go down a bunch of stairs which will take you directly there.
We really enjoyed the ranger talk at the Sculptor’s Studio. It was only 15 minutes long, but it was super interesting and jam-packed with tons of information about the why, who, and how of building Mount Rushmore. And the excitement of the ranger presenting was almost infectious.
Also, in the Sculptor’s Studio there is the actual model that Borglum used when constructing Mount Rushmore. During the ranger talk, we learned that every inch on this model equals one foot on the actual sculpture. We also learned that this is the 9th version of the model that Borglum used. He had to keep changing the model and re-blasting the rock on the cliff face to reposition the faces after encountering issues in the rock wall. It’s actually a really interesting talk, and I am not usually one to get excited about history, so this is saying something!
Attending the ranger talk in the Sculptors Studio is a must-do at Mount Rushmore
The schedules of the ranger talks in the Sculptor’s Studio are posted at the Information Center near the park entrance, and also at the visitor center, so be sure to pop in and check those before you head there, and be sure to put this on your list of things to do at Mount Rushmore!
Attend a ranger talk
In addition to the talk at the Sculptor’s Studio, there are also several other free ranger talks at Mount Rushmore that you can attend in the summer, including 30 minute ranger walks. Check the Info Center or Visitor Center for a schedule and locations.
Talk a self-guided tour
You can also choose to do your own self-guided tour of Mount Rushmore by renting a $6 audio tour (or $8 for audio and visual multimedia device). This can be purchased at the Audio Tour Building, which is just to the left right past the monument entrance. It’s a good thing to do at Mount Rushmore to really get all the knowledge you can of the monument and its history.
View Washington’s famous side profile
A cool thing to do at Mount Rushmore is actually just outside of the actual monument. About a mile or so west of the monument entrance on route 244 is a small pull off where you can view the side profile of Washington’s head, which is pretty cool! On Google Maps, this is called “Mount Rushmore Profile View”.
The view of Washington’s side profile outside of Mount Rushmore
Attend the evening lighting ceremony
A great thing to do at Mount Rushmore to end your day there is to stick around for the evening lighting ceremony. This is right at the amphitheater in front of the Grand Terrace and lasts about 45 minutes. You’ll hear talks from a ranger, watch a film, and then watch the ceremonial nightly lighting of the monument. This ceremony happens from late May to the end of September, and again, check in the visitor or info centers for exact times which change throughout the year with the changing sunset times (but of course, plan to be there around sunset or later).
Drive Iron Mountain Road
Driving the twists and turns of Iron Mountain Road is a unique thing to do near Mount Rushmore!
Our final item on our list of things to do at Mount Rushmore is something we already talked about before…drive Iron Mountain Road!
It’s not technically in the monument, but it’s definitely part of the experience of visiting Mount Rushmore, so if it makes logistical sense, we would definitely recommend doing it.
How Much Time Do You Need at Mount Rushmore?
As you can see above, there aren’t a ton of things to do at Mount Rushmore, but there is certainly enough to keep you busy for a couple of hours.
We spent about an hour and a half in the park, walking the Avenue of Flags, hanging out at the Grand View Terrace, walking the Presidential Trail, and visiting the Sculptor’s Studio. If you pop into the Visitor Center for a bit to check out the exhibits, and do a self-guided tour or ranger talk, you can easily add on another half hour or so to your visit here. And if you stay for the evening ceremony, that’s another 45 minutes. So we would say to devote anywhere from 2 to 3 hours for a visit to Mount Rushmore.
Things to Do Near Mount Rushmore
Custer State Park near Mount Rushmore is a great place for hiking and scenic drives!
If you’re thinking of visiting Mount Rushmore, chances are you aren’t coming to South Dakota just to see this monument (and we suggest you don’t do that!). There are so many other cool places to go near Mount Rushmore in the surrounding Black Hills that it is super easy to make a Mount Rushmore and Black Hills road trip that can easily last a week or more.
Here are some of the top sights near Mount Rushmore to consider adding to your Black Hills South Dakota road trip itinerary! In the next section, we’ll give you some suggestions for how to create a Mount Rushmore roadtrip itinerary that spans one to four days and more.
CUSTER STATE PARK: Custer State Park is one of the best places to go near Mount Rushmore and would be a perfect addition to your Black Hills South Dakota itinerary. It is connected directly to Mount Rushmore via Iron Mountain Road and has scenery, wildlife, and hiking that some say rivals that in the nearby national parks! Check out all the best things to do at Custer State Park in our guide!
WIND CAVE NATIONAL PARK: This National Park is just a quick drive from Mount Rushmore. In fact, many people visit both Mount Rushmore and Wind Cave in the same day. Here, you can go underground and explore one of the most complex cave systems in the world, and see the largest example of boxwork, a unique geologic feature.
MAMMOTH SITE: Just 10 minutes south of Wind Cave is Hot Springs, SD, which houses the Mammoth Site. This is a fascinating thing to do near Mount Rushmore, as it houses the world’s largest mammoth research site, and gives you the chance to tour the active dig site!
CRAZY HORSE MEMORIAL: Located close to Mount Rushmore off route 385, Crazy Horse memorializes the famous warrior of the Oglala Lakota tribe. Construction began in 1948, and it’s still a work in progress, but you can still visit the grounds for up close viewing of the carving, and to visit museums, see films, attend cultural programs from local indigenous groups, and watch the evening laser show. Optional tours can also bring you even closer to the monument (to the base of the carving or even to the top) for an extra fee. The admission cost to Crazy Horse is about $12-15 per person depending on time of year. You can read more about the history and story of the Crazy Horse Memorial here and check the calendar of events here to plan a visit.
JEWEL CAVE NATIONAL MONUMENT: Another great place to go near Mount Rushmore is the Jewel Cave. Located just 15 minutes west of Custer, this monument is often overshadowed by the nearby Wind Cave, but it’s actually the third longest cave in world! Here, you can tour inside the cave or explore the trails outside. Note: Tours of the Jewel Cave have been closed for a while now due to elevator repair. Be sure to check the site before you go to get the current status. Above ground, three trails ranging from a quarter mile to over 5 miles take you through forest, meadows, and above Hell Canyon for views, wildlife, and wildflowers.
DEVILS TOWER: Devils Tower is a couple hours away from Mount Rushmore, so it’s not the most convenient place to go near Mount Rushmore, but if you have time in your Mount Rushmore Black Hills itinerary, a trip to Devils Tower would make a good addition. This massive and striking geologic feature is cool to see up close. During your visit, you can learn more about the tower and its formation, and hike trails around its base to see it from every angle imaginable.
SPEARFISH CANYON: An hour a half from Mount Rushmore is Spearfish Canyon, a 20 mile scenic byway that will take you through towering cliffs, viewpoints, and several roadside waterfalls. We wouldn’t say to drive out here just for this, but if you’re heading this way, particularly to go to Devils Tower, it’s a nice scenic detour.
LEAD/DEADWOOD: These two historic towns are located about an hour or so away from Mount Rushmore. If you’re into old western style themes and gold mining history, these are great places to go near Mount Rushmore.
BADLANDS NATIONAL PARK: This National Park is about 90 minutes away from Mount Rushmore, but no South Dakota road trip is complete without a visit to the Badlands. If we recommend one place to go near Mount Rushmore, it’s Badlands National Park. With scenic drives, fun hiking, and lots of wildlife, this was our favorite place in South Dakota. For more information to help you plan out your trip, check out our guide to the best things to do in Badlands National Park.
Mount Rushmore Road Trip Itineraries
Now that you know all the things to do at and around Mount Rushmore, we wanted to give you some suggested Mount Rushmore road trip itineraries to help you start planning your own trip!
One day Mount Rushmore and Black Hills itinerary
Though it’s ideal to have more time, even with just one day at Mount Rushmore and in the Black Hills you can still see a lot!
If you have only one day in the Black Hills, we highly recommend you drive the Peter Norbeck National Scenic Byway. This is a 70 mile figure 8 loop that connects a lot of the best things to do in the Black Hills, including Mount Rushmore! It will be a jam-packed day, but it will be worth it to squeeze in as much as you can with your little time.
A herd of bison on Wildlife Loop Road, part of the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway!
To begin the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway, ideal locations to start would be from Keystone (near Mount Rushmore) or in Custer.
If starting from Keystone, you’re first stop would be Mount Rushmore, which is ideal because if you get there very early, around sunrise, you’ll likely beat the crowds.
From Mount Rushmore, continue west until you meet up with route 385. Drive south and make a pitstop at Crazy Horse.
Continue through Custer and drive the Needles Scenic Highway through Custer State Park. Along the way, you can stop at the popular Sylvan Lake to take an easy stroll or kayak, or you can opt for a larger hike in the area, such as to the Cathedral Spires or up to Black Elk Peak.
Finish driving the Needles Highway and then head over to Wildlife Loop Road, a scenic drive in Custer State park where you’re pretty much guaranteed to see the quintessential South Dakota wildlife like bison and prairie dogs.
Finish your day by continuing up 16A to Iron Mountain Road back to Keystone. Driving the road in this direction is the best, so you can see the Mount Rushmore framed through the tunnels.
Note: If driving the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway starting from Custer, you’ll drive everything in the same direction, but starting with the Needles Highway and ending with Crazy Horse.
It’s a packed route, but it’s the best way to spend a day at Mount Rushmore and in the Black Hills!
Two day Mount Rushmore and Black Hills itinerary
With two days in the Black Hills, we recommend following the above Mount Rushmore itinerary for your first day (i.e. driving the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway).
On your second day in the Black Hills, head down to Wind Cave National Park. Tour the Wind Cave, do a hike or two, and with extra time, head into Hot Springs just south of the park to check out the Mammoth Site.
Wind Cave is a great place to go near Mount Rushmore to hike and spot wildlife!
One Day in Wind Cave National Park and Best Things to Do
Three days in the Black Hills itinerary
With a third day in the Black Hills, you can take a day trip to Devil’s Tower. This is about a 2.5 hour drive from Mount Rushmore, so to make it more interesting, we suggest adding on stops in Spearfish Canyon and Lead/Deadwood if you’re interested. This is easiest if you’re coming from Mount Rushmore, Keystone, or Rapid City.
Devils Tower in Wyoming
If you’re driving to Devils Tower from Custer, those pitstops would be a bit out of the way. However, from Custer, you can add on a visit to Jewel Cave either before or after Devil’s Tower.
Four days in the Black Hills and Badlands itinerary
With four or more days in the Black Hills, we recommend venturing outside of the Black Hills area and heading to the Badlands!
You can easily see the top spots in Badlands National Park in just a day, but there is also plenty to do here with more time, so spending a night near the Badlands would be a great way to spend your additional time in South Dakota.
Badlands National Park was our favorite place to go near Mount Rushmore for the epic scenery and hikes!
Best Things to Do in Badlands National Park
The Best One Day Badlands National Park Itinerary
The Best Hikes in the Badlands
Is Mount Rushmore Worth Seeing?
Ah, we’ve finally arrived back at the original question…is Mount Rushmore worth visiting?
You might have formulated your own answer after reading through this post, but our answer, in case you’re wondering, is yes! Mount Rushmore is definitely worth a visit. Our whole visit was way cooler and more interesting than we thought it would be!
With that said, we’re not saying to go out of your way and come to South Dakota just to go to Mount Rushmore. A visit to the monument is definitely more worth it when you include it in a larger South Dakota Black Hills road trip. There’s so much to see in this area, and Mount Rushmore will make up just a small segment of that trip!
More Resources For Your Mount Rushmore - Black Hills Road Trip Itinerary
CUSTER STATE PARK - Check out our complete guide to Custer State Park with things to do, itineraries, and more!
We also have a guide to the best hikes in Custer State Park, including three of our favorites (and the hike to the highest point in South Dakota)!
WIND CAVE NATIONAL PARK - Check out how to spend one day in Wind Cave National Park, which includes tips for how to tour the cave, the best trails to hike, and more.
DEVILS TOWER - Read our Devils Tower Complete Guide with things to do and the answer to the question, is it worth the visit?
BADLANDS NATIONAL PARK - Check out our complete Badlands guide to one of our favorite National Parks, with info on our favorite hikes, scenic drives, and more!
SOUTH DAKOTA ROAD TRIP ITINERARY - Learn how to plan a South Dakota road trip lasting one to day to one week.
We hope this guide helps you plan a visit to the Black Hills area and gives you a better sense of all the things to do at Mount Rushmore and nearby. What are you looking forward to most for your visit? Let us know in the comments!