Badlands National Park and Mt. Rushmore Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour

Free cancellation

Place: Rapid City and Mount Rushmore

Duration: from 77 hours to 102 hours

Language: English

Mobile voucher accepted

Instant confirmation

Tour with Audioguide

e-Voucher

Do this because

Experience how awe-inspiring Mount Rushmore can be in person
Learn about its sculptor and find out how workers carved the monument
Discover the beauty of the Black Hills along the Presidential Trail
See wild bison and pronghorns in the Badlands
Uncover a history of prehistoric beasts, Lakota hunting grounds, and more

What to expect

Uncover the hidden beauty and history of South Dakota with this combo tour of Mount Rushmore and Badlands National Park. Get the full story behind one of America’s largest sculptures at Mount Rushmore. Learn who designed it, how they carved it, and why these four presidents were selected for the monument. Then, take a trip back in time to the Badlands, where a landscape of alien beauty hides ancient fossils, geological marvels, and Lakota history.

The tour of Mount Rushmore begins outside the Information Center. As you walk toward the mountain, you’ll stop at a memorial to the sculptor behind this monument and hear his story. Next, you’ll stroll down the Avenue of Flags before arriving at the main viewing platform, boasting a clear view of Mount Rushmore. Too many people? A less-crowded platform waits just ahead, where you’ll hear how workers carved the presidential faces. At Badlands National Park, your tour begins in the town of Wall (or Philip if it’s more convenient). Upon entering the park, you can choose to detour to a prairie dog colony that’s perfect for animal lovers. That’s followed by Pinnacles Overlook, a great place to see bison or bighorn sheep.

You won’t want to miss the next trio of trails known as The Notch, The Castle, and The Door. Boasting a whole breadth of difficulties and lengths, there’s something for everyone here. Finally, you’ll reach Big Badlands Overlook, which offers some of the best views of the whole park.

Important to know

Know in advance:

This is a self-guided tour; no guide will accompany you. The Action Tour Guide app functions as a guide, an audio tour, and a map all in one
Please arrange for a vehicle before you take the tour. You only need to book one tour per vehicle, not per person
After booking the tour, search your email for the phrase "Set up your self-guided tour now." Follow these instructions immediately to finish setting up the tour while you have Wi-Fi/data. Do not wait until you are onsite
Works perfectly without cellular or Wi-Fi with offline maps
This tour has been developed by local guides, curated by creative writers, and narrated by professional voice artists
The audio stories play on their own based on your location. You can start anytime and pause anywhere
Most stops along the tour have animated videos allowing you to visualize what you cannot see, such as snapshots from different centuries or interior rooms
This tour is valid for an entire year - from the moment of booking. You can use it multiple times over multiple trips
This tour is an audio tour guide and not an attraction entrance ticket