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Top 10 Things To Do Near Mount Rushmore

Top 10 Things To Do Near Mount Rushmore

Don’t make the mistake of only visiting Mount Rushmore while traveling in South Dakota. There are a ton of things to do near Mount Rushmore that you should plan on seeing when on a South Dakota road trip.

If you only saw Mount Rushmore, you’d really be missing out on some of the best things to see in South Dakota. Here are 10 things to see near Mount Rushmore that are all within a 90-minute drive.


10 Things To Do Near Mount Rushmore

There are actually even more than these 10 things to do near Mount Rushmore, but here are our favorite attractions near Mount Rushmore. We’ve also listed the distance between each attraction and Mount Rushmore to show you how close they really are. Trust us, they are all worth the drive!

Pickup this Mount Rushmore & the Black Hills travel book to make the most out of your South Dakota road trip 

Custer State park in south dakota - road trip itinerary
1. Custer State Park

If you only have time to visit one of the many things to do near Mount Rushmore, make it to Custer State Park. The park is the largest state park, with 71,000 acres of land, and is home to over 1,300 bison.

The park is full of scenic drives and great hiking trails. Make sure to make it to Black Elk Peak which is 7,242 feet and the highest point in the U.S. east of the Rocky Mountains.

  • 14 miles/25 minutes

Sylvan Lake is a top thing to do near mount rushmore - long exposure photo in custer state park

2. Sylvan Lake

Sylvan Lake is often referred to as the “crown jewel” of Custer State Park. It’s a great place to have a picnic, go for a swim, or hit the trails. If you plan on driving Needles Highway, you’ll go right by the lake.

If you are camping consider spending the night at the Sylvan Lake campground and for those wanting a nice soft bed, the Sylvan Lake Lodge has one of the best views of the lake. Staying close to the lake will let you spend more time enjoying the park or watching sunset and sunrise along the shores.

  • 15 miles/28 minutes

Where To Stay Near Mount Rushmore

It’s best to spend a few nights near Mount Rushmore, so you have to check out all the nearby attractions. The area really deserves a few days. Here are some of the best places to stay near Mount Rushmore.

  • Top Pick: Under Canvas – Glamping tents only a 15-minute walk to Mount Rushmore
  • Sylvan Lodge near Custer State Park

Needles highway in south dakota on a road trip near Mt Rushmore

3. Needles Highway

Driving down the 14-mile-long Needles Highway, you won’t believe you are still in South Dakota. The highway goes through one-way tunnels and passes by massive granite walls. The most iconic is the Needles Eye Tunnel.

Needles Highway is located inside Custer State Park. You can enter from one side of the park and drive out to the other end. Depending on the snowfall, Needles Highway closes for the season, but expect it to be closed from November until April.

  • 16 miles/32 minutes
View of Crazy Horse rock sculpture in South Dakota

4. Crazy Horse

Crazy Horse is the world’s largest mountain carving in progress. The carving started in 1948 and is still in progress. Crazy Horse is the Oglala Lakota Native American warrior.

When it is finished, he will be riding a horse and pointing off into the distance. When completed, he is said to be 641 feet wide and 563 feet tall. His head will be 87 feet high, while the heads of the presidents at Mount Rushmore are only 60 feet high.

  • 15 miles/20 minutes

Aerial photo of the Black Hills National Forest near Mt. Rushmore in South Dakota

5. Blackhills National Forest

Home to the highest point east of the Rocky Mountains, the Black Hills National Forest should not be missed when traveling near Mt. Rushmore. This massive reserve takes up the majority of the southwestern corner of the state.

Inside the boundaries are several amazing scenic drives, over 1,000 miles of rivers and streams, and more than 45 miles of trails. The name “Black Hills” comes from the translated Lakota native people who have called this area the Black Hills for centuries.

  • 18 miles/40 minutes

Aerial Photo of Spearfish canyon - a highlight of a south Dakota Road trip Things to do near Mt Rushmore

6. Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway

When visiting the Blackhills National Forest make sure to drive down the Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway. Have your GoPro attached to the windshield for this 22-mile scenic byway.  No matter what time of year it’s a scenic drive.

Weave your way through the 19-mile gorge with 1,000-foot limestone rocks on both sides. If you’re a waterfall chaser, you can’t miss Bridalveil Falls and Roughlock Falls, both of which are accessible within a few minutes’ walk from the road.

  • 62 miles/ 80 minutes
view of the Main Street in Deadwood South Dakota

7. Deadwood, South Dakota

Located in the Black Hills the entire town of Deadwood is registered as a National Historic Landmark. The town got its name from all the dead trees that lined the canyon walls when it was established in 1876 during the gold rush.

If you are driving the Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway from Mt. Rushmore, it’s worth stopping in Deadwood. Visit one of the casinos and see if it’s your lucky day.

  • 50 miles/ 65 minutes
Woman ride large jackalope in the backyard of Wall Drug in Wall South Dakota - A must on any road trip
Don’t just visit Mt. Rushmore – make sure to ride the giant Jackalope at the nearby Wall Drug

8. Wall Drug

It would be hard to miss Wall Drug while in South Dakota near Mt. Rushmore because there is literally a sign every mile (or maybe more) along I-90. Wall Drug is pretty much the ultimate kitsch destination in all of South Dakota or possibly the entire country.

You can find souvenirs, western-inspired jewelry and clothing, or at least one of their famous bumper stickers, at Wall Drug in Wall, South Dakota.

  • 52 miles/ 60 minutes
Inside Wind Cave National Park in South Dakota

9. Wind Cave National Park

The seventh National Park and the first cave to have this designation date back to 1903. Most don’t realize that this cave is among the longest in the world, coming in sixth.

Wind Cave National Park is a short drive from Mt. Rushmore, which is 140+ miles of the cave to explore at Wind Cave. One of the preferred ways to experience the cave is to join a cave tour with a park ranger – reserve a tour in advance online here.

  • 37 miles/45 minutes

sunrise at badlands national park from the window trail - Things to do near Mt Rushmore

10. Badlands National Park

Don’t let the 80-minute drive stop you from visiting the Badlands National Park! The drive is totally worth it. The Badlands was our favorite part of our South Dakota road trip. The park has over 242,000 acres of land and is full of scenic views.

Make sure to get out of the car and hit some of the epic trails. Some of the best views are only a 5-minute walk from the parking lot. Just go to the Badlands and thank us later.

  • 83 miles/ 80 minutes

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What are your favorite things to do near Mount Rushmore? 

This post was sponsored by Travel South Dakota. Thanks to Travel South Dakota for inviting us to explore your amazing state. As always all of our opinions are our own. 

Laura H

Wednesday 19th of May 2021

Thank you, for this great information, we are planning our first visit, soon. Laura

Betty

Monday 14th of September 2020

Born in Deadwood, grew up in Sturgis. Have lived in six different states and like the song says, “ I hear the voice of the mystic mountains calling me back home.” Love being here in this wonderland where mostly I feel safe to roam to all the interesting places you have found. Having worked in the hills where my Dad had trail rides loved meeting all the tourists from all over the world. Keep on coming you are so welcome!

Cheryl Coleman

Friday 28th of February 2020

BEEN 2X..HIKING AROUND SYLVAN LAKE LOVED IT DID ALMOST EVERYTHING ON LIST.CAMPED BOTH TIMES..U SHOULD ALSO MENTION SPEARFISH CANYON WAS WHERE KEVIN COSTNER SHOT THE EPIC MOVIE OF DANCES WITH WOLVES.

Becky

Monday 27th of January 2020

There's another interesting spot located just 10 miles north of Spearfish. Belle Fourche (pronounced Bell Foosh) is the geographical center of the nation. With flags from all 50 states and walking trails near the Belle Fourche river. A very friendly little town with several antique shops.

Hannah Lukaszewicz

Tuesday 28th of January 2020

Becky - That sounds like a great little spot, and we love the travel feel with all 50 state flags. We'll have to stop there on our next South Dakota road trip.

Paul Humphery

Friday 24th of January 2020

I am planning a trip to the Mt Rushmore area. I hear that Crazy Horse and Deadwood are not that great compared to many of the other wonderful attractions in South Dakota. Any thoughts? Please.

Debbie

Tuesday 13th of July 2021

I enjoyed seeing them. Deadwood is a cool looking western town with stores, hotel and casino and casino has a great buffet. Crazy horse is interesting because you can revisit and see the horse in the works.

Stu

Monday 5th of July 2021

We went to crazy Horse the carving itself was not as good as Mount Rushmore but the information center and everything that goes along with it was much better I thought thin Mount Rushmore. As far as deadwood I’m a huge Western fan And expected to see cowboys and Indians, and all I saw was gambling and Harleys so I was a little disappointment in deadwood. Instead of seeing sharks on the streets selling cowboy boots and cowboy hats everything was geared towards motorcycles.

Cheryl Coleman

Friday 28th of February 2020

DONT MISS BAD LANDS AND ALL THE DRIVES AROUND RUSHMORE.CUSTER STATE PARK IRON MT. ROAD..SYLVAN LAKE..OH MY GO FOR THE SCENIC DRIVES AND HIKES. SPEARFISH CANYON. AWESOME. BEEN 2X, WISH COULD GO BACK. ALLOW 3 DAYS, WE CAMPED.

Hannah Lukaszewicz

Tuesday 28th of January 2020

Paul,

If you are short on time you could easily skip them, but if you are going by them they are both great places to stretch your legs and check out.