Self-Guided Audio Driving Tour of Black Hills and Mount Rushmore

Overview

Explore the wild landscapes and iconic monuments of South Dakota and Wyoming with this self-guided audio tour. The route takes you through the Black Hills, Badlands, Custer State Park, and the famous Mount Rushmore, while immersing you in the history of the Old West in Deadwood. The experience is powered by the GuideAlong app, which automatically plays stories, tips, and directions based on your GPS location. You can follow suggested itineraries for a half-day, full-day, or multi-day trip, and even add a bonus stop at Devils Tower in Wyoming. The main advantage is total flexibility: you travel at your own pace without a physical guide. Once the content is downloaded, the tour works offline, requiring no WiFi or cellular connection. A single purchase covers all passengers in the vehicle.

Itinerary

1. The Black Hills

   As the audio guides play commentary based on your gps location, you can create your own itinerary along the tour route(s) to match your interests and schedule. Or you can use our trip planners for our suggestions on half, full or multi day itineraries. Some of the many highlights are listed below;

   · 24 min

2. Mount Rushmore National Memorial

   The most famous and recognizable memorial celebrating the nationhood of the USA must be the 4 presidential faces that look out from Mount Rushmore. Though you will have seen it many times depicted on TV, movies and photos, there is no equivalent to seeing it with your own eyes and feeling the scale and depth of the sculpture.

   · 15 min· Admission not included

3. Custer State Park

   Take a leisurely drive through an enormous area of natural habitat of rolling prairie hills with open grasslands and some pine forest. Though the drive is officially only 18-miles long, expect to spend at least 1 hour, but if you enjoy spotting wildlife, its easy to spend 3 or more hours watching. Also explore some of the side roads that branch off the main route.

   · 20 min· Admission not included

4. Devils Tower National Monument

   Devils Tower was always a place of intrigue and fascination since it became the nation's first National Monument. For a multitude of generations before that, and continuing to this day, Native Americans celebrate the site for its spiritual importance. The Tower was thrust into pop culture in the 1970's sci-fi classic as the geographical star of Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

   · 25 min· Admission not included

5. Parc national de Badlands

   Western South Dakota delivers a wide variety of spectacular landscapes ranging from the prairies grassland and rock formations of the Badlands National Park, through to the mountains, canyons and forests of the Black Hills for you to explore.

   · 30 min

6. Crazy Horse Memorial

   In 1948, Sioux Chief Henry Standing Bear approached a Polish sculptor about creating another larger than life sculpture on Thunderhead Mountain - this time celebrating Sioux and other Northern Plains native groups through a depiction of Crazy Horse.

   · 20 min· Admission not included

7. Keystone

   Once a mining boom town, Keystone today is the nearest community to Mount Rushmore. It is filled with hotels, restaurants, cafes and stores to find your perfect Mount Rushmore souvenir.

   · 10 min

8. Rapid City

   The hub of the three best scenic drives in this part of South Dakota is Rapid City and it is the ideal place to base your accommodations, and to do some exploring in this lively town.

   · 20 min

9. Sylvan Lake

   Located along route 87, Sylvan Lake is described as the Jewel of Custer State Park. If time allows, it's very worthwhile to allocate 45 minutes or so to enjoy the relatively easy 1.1 mile trail around the lake. The combination of grassy shores, still lake water and granite formations rising from the water are truly scenic. For more dedicated and prepared hikers, this is also the starting point for the Black Elk Peak trail, a 7 mile loop that rises 1100 feet to South Dakota's highest point.

   · 10 min

10. Iron Mountain Road

    The final 45 minute approach of the recommended direction to Mount Rushmore follows the amazing Iron Mountain Road. We'll encounter tunnels, pigtail bridges, superb lookouts and 314 curves. It is a scenic delight! The most magical moment of the drive is the view through the Scovel Tunnel where 4 presidential faces greet you at the other end, like a postcard.

    · 10 min

11. Bridal Veil Falls

    This 60 foot, narrow, wispy spray of water sits right beside the road in Spearfish Canyon. It's easy to capture that perfect photo right from the viewing platform.

    · 10 min

12. Deadwood

    One of the most famous wild-west towns in the entire country - Deadwood became legendary for it's gold rush boom and the multitude of characters who we recognize to this day.

    · 2 h

13. Roughlock Falls State Nature Area

    From the tiny ex-sawmill town of Savoy on the Spearfish Canyon Road, Roughlock Falls is an easy and popular spot to visit with an attractive waterfall easily accessed by boardwalk. Extend your visit with a 1 mile stream-side walking trail to the falls from the Spearfish Lodge.

    · 1 h

14. Spearfish Canyon is a superb 19 mile stretch of road with stunning waterfalls and 1000 foot high limestone walls. This scenic drive connects the town of Spearfish with Savoy and Cheyenne Crossing, following the Spearfish Creek all the way.

    · 1 h

15. At different times during the drive through the Badlands, we will pass through the Upper and Lower Prairie. The barrier that separates these 2 levels is known as the Wall.

    · 30 min

16. The 3/4 mile Door Trail is the most popular as you follow a boardwalk until reaching a notch in the rock - the Door. Through the Door, hikers can venture into the amazing rock formations, characteristic of the Badlands. The shorter option is known as the Window Trail, just 1/4 mile long.

    · 1 h· Admission not included

17. This easy 0.25 mile boardwalk is dedicated to the stories of fossils that have been found throughout the park. During its history, what is now the park has experienced perfect conditions leading to animal, plant and insect life forms to be quickly buried in silt of mud. When these events are timed just right, bones, teeth and shells especially are preserved to provide us a window to past times. Fossil finds are active to this day.

    · 1 h· Admission not included

18. For a complete change of theme in the Badlands, there is an opportunity to experience an important location from the Cold War arms race era. The Minuteman Missile Visitor Center serves as a museum and an opportunity to visit now decommissioned nuclear missile silos and control centers.

    · 1 h· Admission not included

19. One of the best vistas in Badlands National Park, the view from this overlook reveals classic buttes and erosion. The unique coloring in bands across these mounds, ranges from yellow and beige through to pink. The formation originated as black, ocean mud which has weathered through exposure to air into this highly photographic yellow display.

    · 20 min· Admission not included

20. These 2 cave systems are incredible and if you have time in your itinerary, should not be missed. Both locations require driving on side trips off the Black Hills Loop tour route. If you follow the loop, the commentary will include descriptions of where to turn off for these these places, and details of how to visit. Simply return to the tour route when you are done.

    · 5 min· Admission not included

How to use your ticket

Ticket handed over by the operator on site

Includes an app based self-guided experience, so you do not need any in-person guide. STEPS TO GET YOUR GUIDEALONG AUDIO TOUR: 1. SIGN IN + REDEEM your VOUCHER CODE: https://store.guidealong.com/voucher 2. DOWNLOAD the GuideAlong App 3. SIGN IN to the GuideAlong app with the same Apple or Google account as Step 1 4. DOWNLOAD the Audio Tour NOW FIND YOUR VOUCHER CODE AND INSTRUCTIONS - Email: Search for “GuideAlong”. Check All Mail and junk/spam. - Text: Search for “GuideAlong”. - This Ticket: Find the VOUCHER CODE at the top under the QR code and redeem at Step - Viator App: Open your booking and Contact Support > Contact Tour Operator. - TripAdvisor App: Account > Messages. - Support: Call GuideAlong toll-free on 1866-477-1791. DOWNLOAD THE GUIDEALONG APP & TOUR NOW You must download the GuideAlong app and tour to your phone over WiFi or cellular data beforehand. If you can OPEN your tour and see START TOURING, it is downloaded. No service is required while touring. FLEXIBLE TRAVEL DATE There’s no expiry date or time limit for your tour. If your plans change, there’s no need to change your travel date. CHARGING & SOUND Use a USB/C car charger adapter in the auxiliary power outlet (cigarette lighter) to keep your phone charged, not the vehicle's USB port. Audio will play through Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and the app’s map will display on your phone. Connect your phone via Bluetooth to listen through the car stereo: guidealong.com/travel-tips-bluetooth/. HELP & SUPPORT - FAQs: See the GuideAlong app’s Help menu or online FAQs at guidealong.com/faq. - Contact GuideAlong Support: Call toll-free 1866-477-1791, chat online at guidealong.com, or email info@guidealong.com.

Meeting point

What to know before you go

• Suitable for all fitness levels.
• After booking, follow the instructions sent via email and SMS to activate your code using an Apple or Google account.
• Download the free GuideAlong app via WiFi or cellular data.
• Download the specific tour in the 'My Tours' section of the app.
• Review the itinerary and trip planner in the app before starting.
• Audio commentary triggers automatically using your phone's GPS chip.
• Travel date is flexible: the purchase is a one-time fee with no expiration or time limit.
• You can pause, stop, and resume the tour at any time.
• A single purchase covers all passengers in the vehicle.
• The tour works offline after the initial download.
• Bring a USB/C car charger to keep your device powered.
• Technical support is available daily via toll-free phone, chat, and email.
• Height restrictions apply on the Black Hills Loop (Needles Highway and Iron Mountain Road); large RVs cannot pass through the tunnels.
• Audio is compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, or via Bluetooth through the car stereo.
• Booking confirmation is immediate.

Travelers

Pricing per package (up to 8 people).

Cancellation policy

Free cancellation for a full refund at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure date.

• No refund possible less than 24 hours before departure.

Who is it for?

• Travellers with their own vehicle
• Those preferring to explore at their own pace without a physical guide
• Groups or families (one purchase for the entire vehicle)
• Fans of Old West history and natural landscapes

What makes it different

• Unlimited lifetime access with no expiration date
• Fully offline functionality via GPS
• One ticket covers all passengers in the vehicle

Frequently asked questions

Reviews

Product code: 309754P5

Activity offered by GuideAlong (GyPSy Guide) via Viator.