2 to 3 hours (approx.)
Daily Tour
4 people
English
Explore the Black Hills with this self-guided walking and driving tour, weaving through landmark sites steeped in monumental art and history. Walk through the majestic Mount Rushmore, delve into the natural splendor of Custer State Park, experience the cultural resonance of Crazy Horse Memorial, and relax at the picturesque Sylvan Lake. Each location enriches your journey with its unique story and breathtaking vistas, creating memories that echo through the landscapes of South Dakota. Purchase one tour per car, not per person. Everyone listens together! After booking, check your email to download the separate Audio Tour Guide App by Action, enter your unique password, and access your tour. These steps require good internet/Wi-Fi access. From there, follow the audio instructions and the route. New, extra validity ‘ now yours for an entire year! Use multiple times over multiple trips!
If you have my Mount Rushmore walking tour, you should exit this tour now and switch to that one. To access the Mount Rushmore tour, first tap Home in the top left corner of your screen. Then press Yes to exit this tour. Once you’ve exited, launch the Mount Rushmore tour. It will start near the Information Centre at the Entrance.
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
This section of 16A is called Iron Mountain Road, which, together with the Needles Highway, encapsulates the spirit of Custer State Park.
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Next up is the second Pigtail Bridge, which is followed immediately by the first tunnel.
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Enjoy this last section of single lane roller coaster driving. As you wind through the forest here, you’ll soon be cresting the ridge and leaving the Mount Rushmore area.
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
The highpoint of the Iron Mountain Road at 5400 ft. There’s a big parking lot here, and I recommend taking the time to get out of the car to walk to the overlook.
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
The last tunnel on Iron Mountain Road is the Scovel Johnson Tunnel, named for the chief engineer and surveyor of the Black Hills Scenic drives.
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
You’re now driving through the heart of the Galena Fire from way back in 1988, one of largest wildfires in Custer State Park history.
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
“Jewel Cave”, The third largest cave system in the world, is probably already on your radar if you’re at all fascinated with the subterranean world now.
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
In 1874, Lieutenant Colonel George Custer forever changed the fate of the Black Hills. In those days, the Black Hills belonged to the Sioux, as stated in the 1868 Treaty of Fort Laramie.
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
If you want to visit cowboy poet Badger Clark’s home, which will be on the left. You’ll see a sign that says Badger’s Hole.
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
You’ll soon see a turnoff for the Black Hills Playhouse, possibly the single most obscure locations for drama in the world! Plays are staged between June and mid-August, a tradition that has been going strong since 1946.
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
Not too long from now, you’ll be at Sylvan Lake. That marks the state park boundary. There are two particularly worthwhile places of interest here.
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
You’ll soon pass the historic Sylvan Lake Lodge on the right, although you’ll not be able to see much through the trees.
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
In just a few minutes, you’re going to need to make a choice about whether you’d like to take the detour to the Crazy Horse Memorial, or continue following the tour loop around the Black Hills. Crazy horse is barely a ten minute drive from the junction.
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
The next few blocks are the town, and most things are pretty self-explanatory.
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
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