Turn the monument into a full route
Mount Rushmore Road Trip Guide
A Mount Rushmore road trip works best when you group stops into the central, northern and eastern Black Hills instead of treating every attraction as a separate out-and-back drive.
Central Black Hills loop
Connect Keystone, Mount Rushmore, Iron Mountain Road, Custer State Park, Custer and Hill City.
Badlands approach
Travelers arriving from the east can combine Badlands National Park and Wall before continuing toward Rapid City and Mount Rushmore.
Explore WallNorthern Black Hills extension
Add Deadwood, Lead, Spearfish and Spearfish Canyon when you have another day or two.
Explore DeadwoodWyoming extension
Sundance and Devils Tower can extend a northern Black Hills route into northeastern Wyoming.
Explore SundancePlanning questions
Mount Rushmore Road Trip Guide FAQs
How many days should a Mount Rushmore road trip take?
Three days covers a focused central Black Hills trip. Five to seven days gives you room for the Badlands, northern Black Hills and a Wyoming extension.
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Turn the research into a trip
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