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Private Mount Rushmore Tour from Rapid City
This private Mount Rushmore tour is built for travelers who want the best viewpoints, the best timing, and none of the guesswork. Admissions are included, pickup is coordinated to fit your day, and your guide handles the scenic route and the pacing. Expect 8 to 9 hours with photo stops, short walks, and flexible options based on what you care about most.
This tour includes the Custer State Park Wildlife Loop and scenic drives on Iron Mountain Road and Needles Highway, with stops at the Cathedral Spires, Sylvan Lake, and Crazy Horse Memorial by request.
Tour highlights at a glance
Duration: 8 to 9 hours
Pickup: Rapid City and Keystone included. Hill City, Custer, and Deadwood available with an extra charge
Group size: private group only, up to 8 guests
Admissions: included for the parks, monuments, and memorials visited
Includes: snacks, water and soda, private vehicle, private guide, photo help, educational materials
Minimum: 2 guests
Booking: reserve your date online or call.
Route: Mount Rushmore, Iron Mountain Road, Needles Highway, Custer State Park Wildlife Loop Road, Crazy Horse Memorial(if requested).
If you want to compare tour styles, timing, and what’s included, start with our guide to the best private tours of Mount Rushmore.
Pricing and minimum
Two guest minimum
Guests 1 to 2: 473.01 per person including taxes and fees.
Additional guests: $250 per person plus taxes and fees
Private group only
What this tour solves for you
Most first time visitors waste daylight on routing, parking, and timing. This tour is designed to remove that friction.
You get the best timing, not the busiest timing. We coordinate pickup to avoid the worst crowd windows when possible.
You do not have to plan the loop. Your guide builds the route around what you want to see most.
You do not have to manage admissions details. Admissions are included for the places we visit.
You stay in the moment. Photo stops, short walks, and pacing are handled for you so the day feels easy.
Tour Snapshot
- Tour type: Private (your group only)
- Admissions to all Parks and Monuments are included.
- Duration: About 8–9 hours (flexible pacing)
- Pickup: Rapid City + nearby areas
- Group size: Up to 8 guests
- Walking: Easy to moderate (short walks + overlooks)
- Signature highlights: Mount Rushmore, Iron Mountain Road, Custer State Park, Needles Highway, Sylvan Lake, Crazy Horse Memorial
- Wildlife opportunities: Custer State Park (sightings happen on nature’s terms)
- Optional add-on: Picnic-style meal for $20 per person (highly recommended to save time and stay outdoors)
- Operates under a US Forest Service special use permit on the Black Hills National Forest.
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This Tour Is a Great Fit If
You want a private Mount Rushmore tour from Rapid City with a calm, unhurried pace
You prefer real context and storytelling, not a rushed photo stop
You enjoy scenic drives like Iron Mountain Road and Needles Highway as part of the experience
You like short walks, overlooks, and photo stops spread naturally through the day
You hope for wildlife opportunities in Custer State Park (always on nature’s terms)
You appreciate flexibility so the day can adjust to weather, light, and what you’re most excited about
Are curious about adding Crazy Horse Memorial as an optional cultural stop, without it being forced
This Tour Is Not A Fit If
You need a strict, minute by minute itinerary with no flexibility
You prefer a fast checklist tour that squeezes in every possible stop
You want long hikes or physically demanding trails
You must be back by a hard early time or prefer not to be out for a full day
You expect guaranteed wildlife sightings rather than natural possibilities
You need step free access at every stop (most stops are easy, but a few include uneven ground or short trails)
You prefer a tour that focuses only on Mount Rushmore and nothing else in the Black Hills
A Typical Day on the Tour
We start with Mount Rushmore and give you time to experience it without rushing. That usually includes exploring the grounds, visiting the Sculptor’s Studio and the Lincoln Borglum Visitor Center, and walking a portion of the Presidential Trail if you want. The focus is not just the photo. It’s the story, the context, and the details most visitors miss when they move too fast.
After Mount Rushmore, the day opens into the Black Hills in a way most people never get on their own. We travel scenic routes like Iron Mountain Road and Needles Highway, then slow down in places that invite it, like Sylvan Lake and select stops in Custer State Park. These are not “in between” moments. They are the experience, with time for photos, short walks, and quiet viewpoints when the light is right.
The day stays flexible on purpose. We adjust the flow based on weather, light, road conditions, wildlife movement, and what you’re enjoying most. Wildlife sightings are never guaranteed, but we move patiently and intentionally so you have real opportunities when the landscape offers them.
If it fits your interests and the pacing of the day, we can include Crazy Horse Memorial if requested, and approached with curiosity and respect, not obligation.
If you want to see exactly where we spend meaningful time, scroll down to Places We Spend Time for the stop by stop detail.
Places We Spend Time
This tour includes iconic landmarks, but the most memorable moments often happen when we slow down. We spend meaningful time at a handful of places that show you the Black Hills with context, not just quick photos. Stops can shift slightly based on weather, light, wildlife movement, and what you’re enjoying most, but the places below capture the heart of the day.
Mount Rushmore National Memorial
Mount Rushmore deserves more than a parking lot photo. We take time to explore the grounds, visit the Sculptor’s Studio and Lincoln Borglum Visitor Center, and walk a portion of the Presidential Trail if you choose. The goal is to understand what you’re seeing, how the memorial was created, and why it is viewed so differently depending on who is telling the story. With the right pacing, the experience becomes deeper, quieter, and far more memorable.
Iron Mountain Road and the Granite Tunnels
Iron Mountain Road is one of the most thoughtfully designed drives in the Black Hills. The famous pigtail bridges naturally slow the pace, and the narrow granite tunnels frame the landscape like windows. This stretch is part scenic drive, part engineering story, and part “how did they even build this here.” It’s also one of the best places to feel the character of the Hills shifting from open views to tight granite corridors.
Needles Highway, Sylvan Lake, and the Norbeck Scenic Byway
The Needles Highway is not a shortcut. It’s one of the highlights of the day. Granite spires rise close to the road, tunnels narrow down to a single lane, and the landscape feels dramatic without trying to be. Sylvan Lake adds a completely different energy, calm water tucked into stone, with time for photos and a short walk if you’d like. This part of the tour is where the Black Hills feel ancient, textured, and surprisingly intimate.
Custer State Park and Wildlife Loop Road
Custer State Park is where the Black Hills feel most alive. We move through open grasslands and forested valleys where bison, pronghorn, deer, prairie dogs, elk, and a wide range of birds live on their own terms. Wildlife sightings are never guaranteed, but this is one of the best places in the region to see animals in a truly natural setting. We travel patiently, keep respectful distance, and take time when the landscape gives us something worth watching.
Cathedral Spires, Coolidge Lookout, and Quiet Stops
Some places are made for slowing down. Cathedral Spires offers a striking granite landscape and a short walk that feels like stepping into the spine of the Black Hills. Coolidge Lookout Tower provides wide open views that help you understand just how much country the Hills cover. Along the way, we also use a few quieter pullouts and viewpoints to let the day breathe, especially when the light is right or the forest is particularly still.
Cultural Stop at Crazy Horse Memorial
If it fits your interests and the flow of the day, we can include time at Crazy Horse Memorial. From the viewing areas and museum, you’ll gain perspective on the scale of the carving, its origins, and the broader cultural conversations surrounding it. This stop is guided by curiosity, not obligation, and we approach it with respect for the people and stories connected to this place.
Wildlife and a Living Landscape
Custer State Park is one of the best places in the Black Hills to see wildlife in a natural setting. Bison, pronghorn, deer, prairie dogs, elk, and a wide range of birds all live here, and sightings are common, though they always happen on nature’s terms. We travel patiently, keep respectful distance, and take time when the landscape gives us something worth watching.
What makes this part of the day special is that the land itself is doing the storytelling. Grasslands shift into ponderosa forest, granite rises from the hills, and the park’s valleys and ridgelines create natural corridors for animals and changing light. Along the way, we talk through what you’re seeing, from geology and vegetation to why certain areas consistently support wildlife, so the experience feels connected instead of random.
Scenic Drives That Shape the Experience
Scenic drives are a major part of why this tour feels so complete. Routes like Iron Mountain Road and the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway were designed to reveal the Black Hills slowly, with curves, tunnels, and viewpoints that make the journey feel like an experience of its own. We don’t treat these roads as filler. We treat them as part of the story, moving at a pace that lets you actually notice the landscape.
The Needles Highway is the standout drive for many guests. Granite spires rise close to the road, tunnels narrow down to a single lane, and the scenery shifts with every bend. Along the way, we use pullouts and overlooks intentionally, stopping when the light is right, the view opens up, or something unexpected appears. These drives shape the rhythm of the day, creating a tour that feels immersive rather than rushed.
What's Included
Admissions included for all parks and monuments
Private guided tour for your group only
Mount Rushmore National Memorial with time to explore the Sculptor’s Studio, Lincoln Borglum Visitor Center, and parts of the Presidential Trail
Scenic drives on Iron Mountain Road, Needles Highway, and the Norbeck Scenic Byway
Time in Custer State Park, including the Wildlife Loop Road
Crazy Horse Memorial admission included if requested
Bottled water, soda, and light snacks throughout the day
A calm, flexible pace shaped by light, weather, road conditions, and your interests
Pickup and drop off in the Rapid City area and nearby locations when arranged in advance
Whats Not Included
Optional picnic style meal, $20 per person (highly recommended to save time and stay outdoors)
Gratuities for your guide
Additional time beyond the planned tour length
A fresh picnic-style meal is available for $20 per person and is highly recommended. Choosing the lunch option allows us to enjoy quality food in a beautiful setting while saving valuable time that would otherwise be spent waiting at a restaurant. This keeps the day flowing outdoors, where it belongs.
If you’d like to extend your day beyond 9 hours and the guide is available to continue, additional time is billed at $99 per hour.
Official Park and Site Information
Mount Rushmore National Memorial (National Park Service) for current hours, accessibility notes, and visitor updates.
Custer State Park (South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks) for road conditions, wildlife guidance, and park information.
Crazy Horse Memorial for admission details and museum information if you choose to include that stop.
Timing, Lunch, and Extra Time
Tour Length and Timing
This is a full-day private tour designed to run about 8 to 9 hours, with flexibility built in. We adjust the flow based on weather, light, road conditions, wildlife movement, and what you’re enjoying most. Some stops invite lingering. Others are best experienced briefly. The goal is a smooth, balanced day that feels natural, not rushed.
Optional Picnic Style Meal
A picnic style meal can be added for an additional $20 per person, and we highly recommend it. Choosing this option lets us enjoy fresh food in a beautiful setting without losing valuable time to restaurant waits. It keeps the day moving and gives you more time outdoors during the best parts of the experience.
Extend Your Day, If You’d Like
Your private tour includes up to 9 hours of touring time. If the day is flowing and you’d like to stay out longer, we can often extend the tour as long as your guide is available. Extra time is $99 per hour, billed in one hour increments. That rate covers the added guide time, fuel, insurance, and normal vehicle wear. We’ll always confirm the plan and the cost before we extend the day, so there are no surprises.
Gratuities
We share this because we want to be transparent and because it’s a question many guests have, even if it can feel a little awkward to ask out loud. If you’re wondering what’s normal, you’re not alone.
Gratuities are always optional, but they’re genuinely appreciated and they make a real difference for the guide who’s with you all day. In the Black Hills, a common range for private guiding is $70 to $150 per day, with $100 to $200 per day being typical when guests feel they’ve received exceptional care and attention.
Guides are paid a living wage, and gratuities help support them beyond the basics, especially on long days. For multi day tours, gratuities are customary per day, not as a single total. If tipping isn’t possible, there’s never any pressure. Your kindness and trust mean a lot either way.
Guides accept cash, Venmo, Cash App, and PayPal. If those aren’t convenient, the home office can process a gratuity of any amount and add it directly to the guide’s paycheck.
What to Bring
Even on warm days, the Black Hills can shift quickly with elevation, wind, and changing weather. A little preparation keeps the day comfortable and relaxed, especially when we’re moving between scenic drives, overlooks, and short walks.
- A warm layer, even in summer (a light jacket or fleece goes a long way)
- Closed toe shoes for short walks and uneven ground
- Sun protection such as sunglasses, sunscreen, and a hat
- Your camera or phone, plus a portable charger if you use it for photos
- Any personal items you rely on during the day, including medications
- A reusable water bottle
If you’re unsure about conditions on the day of your tour, we’re always happy to offer guidance ahead of time. The goal isn’t to be overprepared, but to feel comfortable and at ease as the day unfolds.
Explore More With My XO Adventures
Badlands Sunset and Golden Hour Tour for guests who want the best light, wildlife, and wide open views in Badlands National Park.
Badlands Sunset and Night Sky Tour if staying out after sunset to enjoy the stars is a priority.
Spearfish Canyon, Devils Tower Adventure for a second full day that blends big scenery, a national monument, and western history.
Black Hills Wildlife Guide for a quick look at what you might see and how to watch wildlife respectfully.
Black Hills Weather and Packing Tips to help you prepare for changing conditions in the Hills.
Planning your own itinerary first? Start with our Rapid City to Mount Rushmore and Custer State Park day trip guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
These are the questions we hear most often about our private Mount Rushmore tour from Rapid City. If something isn’t covered here, just reach out. We’re always happy to help you plan a day that fits your interests and pace.
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