Mount Rushmore Extended Expedition Tour
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September 2026
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Adults
Age 13 and over
Children
Age 12 and under
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Free cancellation up to 24 hours before. Same price on Viator, Outty earns a commission.
Traveler rating
4.9/5
Based on 85 traveler reviews. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
Quick answer
Is Mount Rushmore Extended Expedition Tour worth booking?
Mount Rushmore Extended Expedition Tour is a 10-hour experience in Rapid City, United States, from $295 per person. It scores 81 out of 100 on the Outty Ranking, which we label “Exceptional”, based on a 4.9/5 rating across 85 reviews. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the start time. Same-day spots are currently showing.
- Outty Ranking
- 81 / 100
- Rating
- 4.9/5 (85)
- Duration
- 10 hours
- From
- $295 per person
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
What you get
About this experience
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. The history begins with our pickup in Rapid City connecting the life of Crazy Horse with General George Armstrong Custer; the Fort Laramie treaty of 1868 and the Battle of the Little Bighorn, also known as Custer's Last Stand; and the thread that ties everything together is the discovery of gold in the Black Hills. 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
Included
- All Fees and Taxes
- We have unbrellas for folks in case it rains!
- Bottled water and light snacks.
Not included
- Lunch
- No raincoats
- No gratuity
What you'll see and do
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.
120 minutes here
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.
75 minutes here · Admission 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.
75 minutes here · Admission 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.
60 minutes here
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.
120 minutes here · Admission included
Custer State Park Visitor Center
We will stop here for a short break to stretch our legs, watch a 20 minute film on the history of Custer State Park (narrated by Kevin Costner), then head out to find the buffalo and other wildlife on the Wildlife Loop Road.
30 minutes here · Admission 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.
60 minutes here
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.
15 minutes here · Admission included
Keystone
Our last stop of the tour is Keystone, dropping off any guests we picked up here before heading back to Rapid City.
Pass by without stopping
Where it starts and ends
Meeting point
Rapid City
Keystone is the historic gold mining town near Mount Rushmore. We pickup at the Borglum Story Museum located at the 342 Winter St from 8:10 am - 8:20 am, departing at 8:15 am. Parking nearby; when the Borglum Story Museum opens for the summer, there's parking next to the museum for $5.00. Cash only!
Meeting point
Rapid City
The DoubleTree by Hilton is located at 505 N 5th Street, near downtown Rapid City (former Holiday Inn). We load at the entrance to the hotel under the drive through canopy / portico from 7:25 am to 7:30 am, departing at 7:30 am. Plenty of parking in the hotel convention center parking lot.
Meeting point
Rapid City
We load at the entrance to the hotel under the drive through canopy / portico. We load from 7:15 am to 7:20 am, departing at 7:20 am. There is plenty of parking in the hotel convention center parking lot.
Hotel pickup
No pickup: everyone meets at the start point.
Ends at
Keystone is the historic gold mining town near Mount Rushmore. We pickup at the Borglum Story Museum located at the 342 Winter St from 8:10 am - 8:20 am, departing at 8:15 am. Parking nearby; when the Borglum Story Museum opens for the summer, there's parking next to the museum for $5.00. Cash only!
Ends at
The DoubleTree by Hilton is located at 505 N 5th Street, near downtown Rapid City (former Holiday Inn). We load at the entrance to the hotel under the drive through canopy / portico from 7:25 am to 7:30 am, departing at 7:30 am. Plenty of parking in the hotel convention center parking lot.
Ends at
We load at the entrance to the hotel under the drive through canopy / portico. We load from 7:15 am to 7:20 am, departing at 7:20 am. There is plenty of parking in the hotel convention center parking lot.
Before you book
- Cancellation
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
- Languages
- en
- Ticket
- Mobile Only
- Runs on
- Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat
- Group size
- Up to 9 travelers per booking
- Operated by
- Black Hills Day Trips
Know before you go
- 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
Photos
What travelers are saying
Outty’s summary of the themes that recur across 84 traveler reviews. Written by us, not quoted from reviewers.
The guide
7 mentionsTravelers single out the guide as the reason the experience works.
Knowledge and storytelling
7 mentionsReviewers describe the commentary as informative rather than scripted.
Photo opportunities
3 mentionsThe views and photo stops come up again and again.
Organization
2 mentionsPickup, timing, and logistics are described as running smoothly.
Pace and timing
2 mentionsSeveral reviewers comment on how the schedule is paced.
Traveler reviews
84 verified traveler reviews for Mount Rushmore Extended Expedition Tour. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
Very enjoyable tour of Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse, and Badlands.
We had a great tour with Neil. He was very friendly and informative. He was very knowledgeable on Mt Rushmore, Crazy Horse and the Badlands.
Response from the operator: Thank you, Gladys, for taking the time to leave a review! I'm glad you enjoyed the tour. The tour group was fantastic and a lot of fun AND I'm so glad we saw so many bison! Safe travels on your journey back home. Sincerely, Neal
via Tripadvisor
All the sites in one day.
Great tour with knowledgeable guide in a clean comfortable mini bus. Saw all the sites Visit to Mount Rushmore could have been longer. Only downside was the length of the overall tour. It made for a long day. Would probably do 1/2 tours.
Response from the operator: Thank you for taking the time to leave a review, Travel9! I'm glad you enjoyed the tour with the only downside being the length of the tour. It is a long day - no doubt about that. As I told your travel partner, we now offer a slightly shorter tour, leaving later in the morning and returning earlier in the afternoon. It's called the Mount Rushmore Discovery Tour. Many thanks for choosing Black Hills Day Trips. If you return to the Black Hills with friends, you now can take our shorter tour! Safe travels on your journey home. Sincerely, Neal
via Tripadvisor
All the sites in one day.
Great guide and so nice to have someone else do the driving. We could have had more time at mt Rushmore. The van was comfortable and clean. However it is a very long day and I would probably choose a half day tour if I had the time.
Response from the operator: Many thanks for taking the time to leave a review, Yvonne! I'm glad you seemed to enjoy the tour with the exception that it was a long tour. And you are right - it's a long day, but we make that clear in the tour description. We do have some folks call and inquire and decide not to do it because of the length. The good news is we started offering another tour that is shorter. We eliminated going to Crazy Horse Memorial. This allows us to leave later in the morning and return earlier in the afternoon. It's called the Mount Rushmore Discovery Tour. We enjoyed having you on the tour and safe travels on your journey home. Sincerely, Neal
via Tripadvisor
Great sights, friendly and knowledgeable guides
The tour was terrific. Neil was a very knowledgeable and engaging guide, who shared a lot of information about the sights we saw. Thoroughly enjoyed the day with Black Hills Day Trips. Mt Rushmore and the Crazy Horse monument were definitely the highlights.
Response from the operator: Many thanks for taking the time to leave a review! I'm glad you enjoyed the "narration" as we tend to call it - giving the history surrounding the sights we visit. Mt Rushmore and Crazy Horse never cease to amaze me, too, despite the number of times we visit there in a summer! Safe travels on your journey home! Sincerely, Neal
via Tripadvisor
Amazing, informative and enjoyable!
An excellent, informative guide. Amazing views of the Mt. Rushmore and Crazy Horse memorials. Custer National Park and the Black Hills are full of impressive landscapes, wildlife and natural beauty. We thoroughly enjoyed our trip and we recommend it wholeheartedly.
Response from the operator: Many thanks for your review, Daniel! We appreciate you taking the time to leave a review more than you know! It was a beautiful day for the tour and it was made all that more memorable by running into several hundred of the bison. Safe travels on your journey home. Sincerely, Neal
via Viator
Good to know
- Duration
- 10 hours
- Free cancellation
- Up to 24h before
- Minimum age to book
- All ages
- Availability
- Bookable today
- Runs on
- Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat
- Hotel pickup
- No pickup, meet at start point
- Booked in 30 days
- 30
- Verdict
- Exceptional
Why this scores 81
The Outty Ranking is a weighted composite. Here is how this experience performed on each component.
Mount Rushmore Extended Expedition Tour: questions travelers ask
Practical detail on this experience, plus the wider planning questions for Rapid City.
How much does Mount Rushmore Extended Expedition Tour cost?
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Prices start at $295 per person. The final price depends on the date, the time slot and the number of travelers, and peak weekends in Rapid City usually price higher than midweek mornings. Live pricing and remaining availability are confirmed on the booking screen before you pay.
How long does Mount Rushmore Extended Expedition Tour take?
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Plan for about 10 hours from start to finish, not counting travel to the meeting point. Most travelers leave another 30 minutes on either side so the rest of the day in Rapid City is not rushed.
Is Mount Rushmore Extended Expedition Tour worth it?
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It holds an Outty Ranking of 81 out of 100, which we label "Exceptional". That score blends traveler sentiment (4.9/5 across 85 reviews), the depth of that review evidence, recent booking momentum, value for money against comparable last minute in Rapid City, and how flexible the cancellation terms are.
Can I cancel or reschedule Mount Rushmore Extended Expedition Tour?
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Yes. Cancel free up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Inside that window the booking is non-refundable, and no-shows are not refunded.
Is Mount Rushmore Extended Expedition Tour suitable for kids and families?
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Yes, all ages are welcome. Families should still weigh the 10-hour running time, and strollers are easier on the earlier, quieter departures.
How far in advance should I book Mount Rushmore Extended Expedition Tour?
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Around 30 people booked this in the last 30 days, so popular slots go early. Two to three weeks ahead is comfortable in shoulder season, while summer weekends and holidays in Rapid City can sell out a month out. Same-day spots do open up when other travelers cancel, so it is worth checking if you are already in town.
What should I bring or wear?
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Bring photo ID, your booking confirmation on your phone, a refillable water bottle and comfortable shoes. Dress for the weather in Rapid City and add a light layer if any part of the 10-hour experience runs outdoors or after sunset.
Where does Mount Rushmore Extended Expedition Tour start and how do I get there?
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The exact meeting point and directions are on your voucher once you book, and they sit in central Rapid City within reach of public transport. Arrive 15 minutes early: late arrivals are treated as no-shows by most operators.
What are the best things to do in Rapid City?
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Rapid City is the base for Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse tours, Badlands National Park loops, Custer State Park wildlife drives and Black Hills cave visits. On Outty we rank every Rapid City experience on the same 0 to 100 scale, and alongside this one the highest scorers right now include Mount Rushmore and Black Hills Tour with Two Meals and a Music Variety Show, Bus Tour of Mount Rushmore and the Black Hills, PREMIER PRIVATE Tour: Mt Rushmore, CrazyHorse & Custer State Park. The city page groups everything into most popular, highest reviewed, last minute and family-friendly so you can build a day around what actually delivers.
When is the best time to visit Rapid City?
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May to September, with Sturgis crowding early August. Booking patterns follow the same curve: prices and queues climb in peak weeks, while shoulder season gives you better availability on the top-ranked experiences and more room to change plans.
How many days do you need in Rapid City?
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Three full days covers the headline sights without sprinting. A workable rhythm is one anchor experience each morning, such as this one, an unhurried afternoon in a single neighborhood, then a food or nightlife booking in the evening. Five days lets you add a day trip outside the city.
Do I book through Outty or through the operator?
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Outty ranks and explains the experiences, then hands you to Viator to complete the booking with the operator directly. The price is the same as booking on Viator yourself, and Outty earns an affiliate commission on the referral, which is how the rankings stay free to read.
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