You can see a Mount Rushmore tunnel view as you are driving through CC Gideon Tunnel when you drive…read moreIron Mountain Road AWAY FROM Mount Rushmore. It loops around so that you will get a tunnel view of Mount Rushmore as you are driving through at least one tunnel no matter which direction you drive! Driving through the Iron Mountain Road tunnels also means that you'll be driving through Black Hills National Forest.

I went there on. Monday, arrived at 2:00 pm parking lot is easy to pay at the kiosk near the…read moreentrance. There is also an audio tour available. There is a long stairway upwards first to see the Sculpture Station before they closed at 4:00. Inside the station is very nice. Up towards there are four separate small biography of those Presidents. After going around, we went to the building with a gift shop, exhibit and theater with a short informative video. Then to the food court which the one in middle was only one open tried the bison burger and fries. Not worth $20.00 but was decent. They close all at 8:00pm The lighting ceremony was very interesting and amazing. Wishing everyone around would be quiet. It was overall great and very informative!

This was an awesome trip! Even though we drove far, it was well worth it!…read more Make sure you do the presidential trail to get up closer to the monument and see the studio where they have a replica of how the monument should be. Easy parking and you will have in and out privilege so you can come back night time to see the lighting of the monument which is highly recommended. Lots of mosquitoes though so be prepared and wear some mosquito repellent.

I wish I would have paid more attention to history growing up. It's so fascinating, and now seeing…read moreCrazy Horse makes me want to learn all about it! Before heading to Mt. Rushmore last week, we stopped by Crazy Horse. My buddy had been here before, so it was nice having someone with me who knew a little about the history! Native American history is so intriguing, and I just want to learn more. Well, this is definitely a sight to see! Workers have been chiseling away at the mountain since 2020. I also posted a picture of what the finished sculpture is supposed to look like on the mountainside! Great spot to check out if you're in the area. There's a museum and information center where you can learn more about the land and its history, a restaurant on site, and some awesome views! Can't wait to come back someday when the sculpture is complete!

Visiting the Crazy Horse Memorial was one of the highlights of our trip to South Dakota. While the…read moremountain itself is absolutely impressive, what made this experience truly special was learning the incredible history and vision behind it. We stopped to watch the documentary before exploring, and I'm so glad we did. It not only explained the history of the memorial and why it was created, but also introduced us to the Ziolkowski family and the multiple generations who have dedicated their lives to carrying this dream forward. Their commitment, sacrifice, and passion are inspiring and gave us an entirely new appreciation for everything we were seeing. There is so much to experience beyond the monument itself. The grounds feature several souvenir shops, museums, a spacious restaurant/café, and a convenient grab-and-go snack area, making it easy to spend several hours exploring. One of my favorite parts was watching the Native American cultural performance. Native women and girls performed beautiful traditional dances representing different tribes and ceremonies while explaining the meaning, history, and purpose behind each dance. It added a rich cultural dimension to the visit and made the experience even more meaningful. Walking through the sculptor's original home and studio was fascinating. It truly felt like stepping back in time. Standing in the very rooms where the family once lived and worked gave us a genuine appreciation for the dedication and humble beginnings behind this monumental project. The Native American artwork and exhibits throughout the visitor center were also beautiful and well worth taking your time to enjoy. Watching the mountain being carved while learning about the engineering, the progress made over the decades, and the enormous commitment required to complete such an ambitious project was remarkable. It really makes you appreciate the scale of what they're accomplishing. If I had one small suggestion, it would be that I wish the visitor facilities were located closer to the mountain itself. The main lodge and museum are set back quite a distance, so if you want a close-up view, you'll either need to take the bus tour or use the viewing binoculars. That said, it certainly didn't take away from the experience. This was a destination I had been looking forward to visiting for a long time, and it absolutely lived up to my expectations. If you appreciate history, Native American culture, art, engineering, or simply witnessing an extraordinary vision being carried on through generations, the Crazy Horse Memorial is a place you shouldn't miss.

I love that there is no entrance fee for Mount Rushmore, but you do have to pay for parking. It was…read moreregularly $10 or if you're over 62 it's five dollars you take a ticket when you go into the parking lot and you will pay at a pay station before you leave. It will ask you if you're over 62 There is a lot of room to view the monument as well as a restaurant, gift shop, clean restrooms, and plenty of areas to sit on benches and such to enjoy the environment Definitely something you need to check off your bucket list

We stopped at Mount Rushmore while driving through South Dakota, and it's an impressive site that's…read morevery well designed for visitors. The memorial is easy to navigate, with excellent viewpoints, informative exhibits, and a beautiful setting in the Black Hills. We also appreciated learning more about the history of the area. Knowing that the mountain was considered sacred by the Lakota people before it was carved gave us mixed feelings and added important historical context to the visit. If you have the opportunity, be sure to watch the short film in the visitor center. It does a great job explaining the history, construction, and significance of the monument, and it made our visit much more meaningful. Overall, it's a worthwhile stop, especially if you're traveling through the region.

Ooh boy, yet another highlight of Needles HIghway. Of course if you're going through the area,…read morewhether to visit Mt Rushmore, Custer SP, etc, it's an enthralling experience to traverse this fun tunnel (or funnel) once. Just make sure you're manning like a sedan/SUV to clear it, cuz boy it sure is narrow!

Iron Creek Tunnel is one of three amazing tunnels that you will find along the Needles Highway in…read moreCuster State Park in South Dakota. This tunnel is along a scenic route known for its tunnels, incredible rock formations, and views of the Black Hills. The two other tunnels that you will find along Needles Highway are Needles Eye Tunnel and Hood Tunnel. Iron Creek Tunnel is one lane, like the other tunnels so be mindful and drive carefully. It's easy to pull over along this highway and take in the views. There are also trails that start from some of the small parking lots along Needles Highway. This is a popular scenic drive so I would recommend going earlier in the day to avoid the crowds. I would also recommend taking your time along Needles Highway to really soak in the views and all that this scenic drive has to offer because the views are incredible.

A temporarily placed statue of Pres. Lincoln outside the Hotel Alex Johnson, Don Perdue came up…read morewith the idea to put a life-sized statue of every U.S. President on the sidewalks of Downtown Rapid City. Each statue is privately funded, then a local artists is selected . They research the president ; learning their passions, hobbies & achievements during their presidency. Well known mannerisms or characteristics are incorporated. This information helps to decide on the pose, facial expression, clothing, and all the amazingly tiny details found on each statue. After they have their concept the sculpting work can begin. It can take up to 9 months for each statue to be created. All the statues match the height & weight of the president except one. Pres. Taft's statue was trimmed down from his actual weight to make the monument affordable. A new audio tour allows us to get to know each as people, not just presidents. We can now dial in or scan the QR code found in the brochure to read along. The audio will even point out those tiny details the artist added info we might overlook.

We were in the area for Mount Rushmore, and were looking for other historic things to do/see. The…read moreFounding Fathers exhibit is really a unique experience. Being able to walk around a display with that kind of detail is impressive. I just wish that there was a bit more included in the price. It is $12 per person (discounts for large families/groups). This price includes a light and audio show (about 20 min) of a life size replica of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. For $30 per person, you get to see the show and shoot 3 shots from a musket at the range out back. The light and audio show was a pretty standard museum type explanation of the events surrounding the Declaration of Independence and the people involved. It's well done and fun to look at. They have information around the room to look at afterwards that gives you a background of all the people mentioned. The stories on them are worth taking a few minutes to read and was probably my favorite part. We really just didnt get enough out of it to make it worth the stop, especially for the price. We were in and out of there in less than an hour. We loved the idea of being able to shoot the replica guns out back and it would have been a fun way to complete the experience, but for $30 each it just didn't make sense. I'm glad we checked it out, but its needs a bit more included to make the detour worth it.

Fascinating highlight of Needles HIghway. If you're going through this Custer area, whether to…read morevisit Mt Rushmore, Custer SP, etc, it's an enthralling experience to traverse this fun tunnel (or funnel) once. Just make sure you're driving like a sedan/SUV to clear it, cuz boy it sure is narrow!

Had spent the morning in the southern area of Custer State Park, and the afternoon was going to be…read morethe Needles Highway, followed by Mount Rushmore. It was a little bit drizzly, but the sites were still amazing as we drove the ever winding path. The tunnels were pretty crazy, one in particular being extra narrow! We were in a big SUV, but we were following a big SUV, so I figured if the car in front of us made it, we would! This is a great drive to make if you're in the Rapid City area.

Just Go (#17) My…read morefirst time in the State of South Dakota was a little over 10 years ago. We spent one day that day on 4/10/14 and explored the following sites: Mt Rushmore - what a sight to see as we arrived at the park super early to be the first ones to wander amongst giant presidents -- the majestic figures of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln. Minuteman Missile National Historic Site - about 1.5 hours from Mount Rushmore we visited the hidden sites of the Cold War nuclear arsenal. We took the Delta-01 Launch Control Facility Tour that included the missile silo at Delta-09. We were able to see Delta-09 in all its glory staring at us. Just amazing... Badlands National Park - less than 10 miles from the Minuteman Missile is the colorful buttes, spires, and the rugged beauty pinnacles of this underrated park. Unfortunately, because of our tight schedule we didn't get a chance to explore as much as we would've wanted to. This July 4th, 2024 we revisited the Great State of South Dakota. We enjoyed the celebrations, cultural demonstrations and presidential performances at Mount Rushmore then that evening we watched the traditional monument lighting ceremony. Thank you, Great State of South Dakota! Review #3473

Loved my 2021 road trip, thank you South Dakota for keeping this state a true American state, love…read morehow well you honor and respect our American flag, and what our founding fathers have fought for! Love that everywhere we go only the American flag stands alone!!! Most of all how your conservative and moral values are still practiced and respected here! PROUD to be an American and stand by God and my constitution!