Mount Rushmore & Crazy Horse Private Tour from Rapid City

Mount Rushmore's Hidden Details & Two Monuments in One Day

You get a private Mount Rushmore tour with a local expert guide, then drive through Custer State Park at your own pace, stopping for hikes or views as you choose. The tour includes snacks and water, and because it's limited to your group only, there's no waiting in visitor center lines or following a tour bus schedule. Book a half-day or full-day depending on how much time you want in the park.

Step-by-step itinerary

• Guided tour of Mount Rushmore
• Visit Sculptor's Studio and Visitor Center
• Personalized tour of Crazy Horse Memorial
• Drive through Custer State Park
• Stop at Needles Highway and Iron Mountain Road
• Explore Wildlife Loop Road and short hikes

The Experience

You pull up to Mount Rushmore and the four faces are already there, carved into the granite. But the real tour starts when your guide — one of three family members who run GeoFunTrek — walks you past what most visitors miss. The Sculptor's Studio shows you Gutzon Borglum's original models. The Presidential Trail loops around the mountain itself, and you get views from angles the visitor center crowds never reach. Your guide has decades of local knowledge, not a script memorized last month. Cindy, Christopher, or John will spend the morning unpacking the monument's actual history, the engineering that went into it, the secrets the stone holds.

After Mount Rushmore, you drive into Custer State Park — 71,000 acres of Black Hills landscape where you set the pace. Your guide takes you down the Needles Highway, stops where you want to stop, pulls over for short hikes if the group feels like it. You might visit Iron Mountain Road or the Wildlife Loop Road depending on what interests you. The park has lodges and visitor facilities scattered through it, and since this is a private tour, you're not herding through a group schedule. It's just your people and your guide in an SUV, moving at your rhythm.

The day includes light snacks, bottled water, and apple juice — small things that matter when you're out for hours. Children under 3 ride free with their own seat. Larger groups can upgrade to a van. Because GeoFunTrek is family-owned and all three guides live in the same household, they monitor each other's health constantly and keep the vehicles clean. You're not getting a rotating cast of seasonal staff; you're getting the same people who've been doing this for years.

What’s included

• Your day includes entry to Mount Rushmore National Memorial, a personalized guided tour of the monument with access to the Sculptor's Studio and Presidential Trail, private SUV transport through Custer State Park with stops at attractions of your choosing (Needles Highway, Iron Mountain Road, Wildlife Loop Road, and park lodges), light snacks, bottled water, and apple juice.
• Children 3 and under ride free.
• All tours are private and limited to your group only.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleStroller friendlyPets welcome

Operated by GeoFunTrek Tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you want a Mount Rushmore tour that goes beyond the visitor center crowd and includes time to explore Custer State Park without a fixed schedule — the private format is what lets your guide spend real time on the monument's history and lets you set the pace through 71,000 acres of Black Hills landscape.

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Top questions

How long is the Mount Rushmore & Crazy Horse private tour?

The tour can be booked as a half-day or full-day experience. Mount Rushmore itself takes a few hours with the guide, and Custer State Park can be explored for as long as you want within your booking window.

Is this tour really private, or will other groups join?

It's completely private. No additional guests are added to your booking. You have the guide and vehicle to yourself.

Who are the guides?

All three guides — Cindy, Christopher, and John Esposti — are family members who own GeoFunTrek Tours. They're not seasonal or part-time; they conduct every tour personally.

What's included in the tour?

Mount Rushmore entry, a guided tour of the monument including the Sculptor's Studio and Presidential Trail, transport through Custer State Park, light snacks, bottled water, and apple juice.

Can we bring young children?

Yes. Children 3 and under are free and get their own seat. Children must be accompanied by one adult. If you need a car seat, you must supply it.

What if someone in our group uses a wheelchair?

The vehicles can accommodate a folding wheelchair, and the guest must be able to enter and exit the vehicle independently. The guides will assist with pushing and any other help needed.

What's the difference between Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse?

Mount Rushmore features the four presidents carved into the mountain. Crazy Horse is a separate memorial in the Black Hills honoring the Lakota warrior. Both are in the same region and can be visited in one day.

Can we stop wherever we want in Custer State Park?

Yes. The tour includes driving through the park's 71,000 acres with frequent stops at sites of your choosing. You can take short hikes, visit lodges, or explore the Needles Highway and Wildlife Loop Road.

Do you operate year-round?

GeoFunTrek Tours operates from Rapid City. Seasonal conditions in the Black Hills may affect specific routes, so confirm availability for your travel dates when booking.

What if our group is large?

Standard tours use SUVs. For larger groups, a van can be rented. Contact the tour operator to discuss group size and vehicle options.