Mount Rushmore & The Dakota Badlands

Day 1  Rapid City                    
The ‘City of Presidents’ is a great base to explore South Dakota’s most breathtaking attractions including iconic Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse Memorial, the largest mountain carving in progress in the world which pays tribute to Native American history.      

Days 2-4  Rapid City                
Spend the next few days exploring the surrounding area. The sharp buttes and gradient rocks of Badlands National Park are a treasure trove of fossils, and the remoteness of the stunning landscape provides plentiful opportunities for stargazing. Custer State Park on the other hand, in the beautiful Black Hills, features lush forests, serene meadows, majestic mountains and a bison herd of over 1,000!                    

Day 5  Rapid City to Deadwood          
Head back to 1876 in the historic mining town of Deadwood. Watch re-enactors bring the gold rush, gambling saloons and gun-toting outlaws of the Wild West to life.  

Days 6-7  Deadwood to Medora            
Today make the scenic drive from South to North Dakota and arrive at Medora. This homely town is a great base to visit remarkable Theodore Roosevelt National Park, where you can discover an abundance of wildlife, including the golden eagle, and enjoy spectacular sights such as Painted Canyon on one of the many hiking trails. In Medora itself, enjoy a traditional pitchfork steak dinner with all the trimmings and witness the Medora Musical, a western musical extravaganza!            
                   
Day 8  Medora to Rapid City      
En route back to Rapid City, why not cross the border into Wyoming and visit striking Devil’s Tower, America’s first national monument.