Badlands & Black Hills Map
Two of the Great Plains' best landscapes in one weekend, from Rapid City.
3-day Badlands and Black Hills road trip itinerary out of Rapid City. Drive the Badlands Loop Road, spot bison on Custer State Park's Wildlife Loop, and see Crazy Horse, Mount Rushmore, and the granite spires of the Needles Highway in one long weekend.
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15 stops on a real mapEvery stop pinned in order→Badlands & Black Hills: every stop pinned in order.
Badlands · Custer State Park · Mount Rushmore · South Dakota
Every stop on this trip, in order, opens as one driving route in the Google Maps app. No copying addresses across one at a time.
Badlands & Black Hills in photos: 5 of the stops.
Plan and book your 3 days in Badlands & Black Hills, one step at a time
- Needles Highway (SD-87) closes to vehicles with the first snow of the season and does not reopen until April 1 or later, so on a late-fall trip check the Custer State Park page before planning day 3 around it. Wildlife Loop Road stays open all year. Source
How 3 days in Badlands & Black Hills split up
Plan 3 days for Badlands & Black Hills. Base towns: Wall & Custer. Driving: ~300 mi. Permits: Park fees only. This 3-day Badlands and Black Hills road trip pairs the eroded moonscape of Badlands National Park with the granite peaks, bison herds, and carved monuments of the Black Hills. Fly into Rapid City Regional Airport (RAP), base night one in Wall, then shift west to Custer or Keystone for night two.
Day 1: Badlands Loop Road & Short Hikes
5 stops · Day one
Day 2: Custer State Park Wildlife & Crazy Horse
5 stops · Day two
Day 3: Mount Rushmore & the Needles Highway
5 stops · Day three
Badlands Loop Road & Short Hikes
Drive from Rapid City to Wall, home of the famous Wall Drug Store, then enter Badlands National Park at the Pinnacles Entrance. Spend the day on the scenic 39-mile Badlands Loop Road (SD-240), stopping at overlooks for the eroded buttes, pinnacles, and spires that define the park.
Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.
- Drive from
~1 hr to Wall · car required · DriveFly into Rapid City Regional Airport (RAP) and drive about an hour east on I-90 to Wall, home of the famous Wall Drug Store. From Wall it is a short hop to the Pinnacles (west) Entrance of Badlands National Park. A rental car is essential, no transit reaches the parks.
Jdzhu49 / CC BY-SA 4.0Badlands Loop Road (SD-240)39-mi scenic drive · 15+ overlooks · ViewpointDrive the scenic 39-mile Badlands Loop Road from the Pinnacles Entrance toward the Ben Reifel Visitor Center, stopping at more than 15 overlooks for the eroded buttes, pinnacles, and spires. Watch for bison, bighorn sheep, and prairie dogs. Badlands National Park entry is $30 per vehicle for 7 days.
Official info →- Chris Light / CC BY-SA 4.0Notch, Door & Window Trails
0.25–1.5 mi RT · boardwalks + a log ladder · HikeFrom the shared trailhead lot two miles east of the Ben Reifel Visitor Center, stitch together three short hikes. The Window Trail (0.25 mi) is an accessible boardwalk, the Door Trail (0.75 mi) opens through the Badlands Wall, and the Notch Trail (1.5 mi) climbs a log ladder to a canyon-rim viewpoint. Skip the ladder after rain.
See the trail → 
Yellow Mounds & Pinnacles OverlookColor-banded soils · sunset spires · ViewpointContinue along the Loop Road to the Yellow Mounds, ancient color-banded soil layers of yellow, orange, and brown, then the Pinnacles Overlook for a classic vista of countless spires. Both are excellent late-day photo stops and good places to spot bighorn sheep.
Tony Webster / CC BY 2.0Overnight in Wall$100–200/night · near Pinnacles Entrance · lodgeCheck into Wall for the night, just outside the Pinnacles Entrance with several motels and restaurants. For an in-park stay, Cedar Pass Lodge near the Ben Reifel Visitor Center books far in advance, and Cedar Pass Campground is the camping option.
Custer State Park Wildlife & Crazy Horse
Leave the Badlands and drive west into the Black Hills to Custer State Park. Cruise the 18-mile Wildlife Loop Road at dawn for the park's 1,300-strong bison herd, plus pronghorn, deer, and the famous begging burros. Stretch your legs on the easy 1.1-mile Sylvan Lake Shore Trail, the "crown jewel" of the park.
Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.
- Drive to Custer State Park
~1.5–2 hr · Badlands to the Black Hills · DriveLeave the Badlands and drive west about 1.5–2 hours into the forested Black Hills, entering Custer State Park near Hermosa. The landscape shifts from open prairie to granite peaks and ponderosa pine. Fill up on gas and snacks before you enter, services thin out inside the park.
- Wildlife Loop Road
18-mi loop · bison, pronghorn & burros · ViewpointDrive the 18-mile Wildlife Loop Road, the highlight of Custer State Park, winding through prairie and pine. Watch for the park's 1,300-head bison herd, pronghorn, deer, and the famous begging burros. Go early morning or late afternoon for the best sightings, and never approach or feed the wildlife.
Official info → - Qyd / CC BY 2.5Sylvan Lake Shore Trail
1.1 mi loop · easy · granite lakeshore · HikeStretch your legs on the easy 1.1-mile Sylvan Lake Shore Trail, the "crown jewel" of Custer State Park, ringed by dramatic granite formations. It is a great family walk and connects to the longer Black Elk Peak trail if you want South Dakota's highpoint (7,242 ft).
See the trail → - Crazy Horse Memorial
Ongoing carving since 1948 · ViewpointVisit the Crazy Horse Memorial, a still-in-progress mountain carving begun in 1948 by Korczak Ziolkowski and funded privately as a non-profit. Explore the museums, cultural center, and viewing veranda, and learn the history and vision behind the largest sculpture in progress in the world. Admission varies by carload.
Operator info → 
Jerry Huddleston from / CC BY 2.0Overnight in Custer or Keystone$120–250/night · central to the Black Hills · lodgeSettle into Custer or Keystone for the next two nights. Custer is the relaxed small-town base with local restaurants like Black Hills Burger & Bun Co; Keystone sits closer to Mount Rushmore with more tourist amenities. In-park resort lodges (Sylvan Lake, State Game, Blue Bell) are the scenic splurge, book them far ahead.
Mount Rushmore & the Needles Highway
Start early at Mount Rushmore National Memorial to beat the crowds and catch morning light on the four presidents. Walk the Presidential Trail for close-up views and stop at the Lincoln Borglum Visitor Center before the parking lots fill.
Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.
Sunrise hot air balloon over the Black HillsOptional · about 1 hr aloft · 4.96 from 535 reviews · activityA sunrise balloon flight out of Custer, drifting over the pine ridges and granite of the southern Black Hills before the Rushmore crowds are up. Flights launch around dawn and are weather dependent, so book the first morning you are in Custer and keep day 3 as the backup. The season on Viator runs late May to mid-October.
Book this →- Mount Rushmore National Memorial
Presidential Trail · go at opening · ViewpointStart early at Mount Rushmore National Memorial to beat the crowds and catch morning light on the four presidents. Walk the Presidential Trail for close-up views and visit the Lincoln Borglum Visitor Center. There is no entrance fee, but parking is about $10 and valid for the calendar year.
Official info → 
Vladsinger / CC BY-SA 3.0Needles Highway (SD-87)14 mi · granite spires + one-lane tunnels · DriveDrive the 14-mile Needles Highway (SD-87) through Custer State Park, threading towering granite spires, pine forest, and narrow one-lane rock tunnels including Needles Eye Tunnel. The tunnels are roughly 8'6" wide, so RVs and large trailers should skip it. The road closes with the first snow and reopens around April 1.
Official info →
Little Mountain 5 / CC BY-SA 3.0Needles Eye Tunnel & Cathedral SpiresPhoto stop + optional 1.5-mi hike · HikeStop at the Needles Eye Tunnel, where the road threads through a slender granite formation, for the classic photo. Nearby, the Cathedral Spires offer dramatic views of skyward granite towers and an optional 1.5-mile moderate hike, a favorite of rock climbers.
See the trail →
Jeffrey Beall / CC BY 4.0Depart Rapid City Regional Airport (RAP)~1 hr from Keystone · return rental car · DriveWrap up the trip with the roughly one-hour drive from Keystone to Rapid City Regional Airport (RAP). Allow buffer for peak-season traffic and returning your rental car. If time permits, grab a final meal in Rapid City, the largest city in the Black Hills.
Book the 2 nights
Beds near the trailheads are the one thing on this trip that genuinely runs out. Everything else can be decided later.
Tell us your dates and we will do the checking. We find what is still open near each trailhead and email you this plan back with a booking link for each night. Nothing is charged and you decide at the end.
Request to bookWhat to pack for Badlands & Black Hills
Built from this route, not a generic list. Every line says why it is here.
On every day of this trip
On your feet
Because you are sleeping indoors
For the driving days
Essential park rules & planning.
Fly into Rapid City (RAP)
Rapid City Regional Airport is the closest major airport, about 1 hour from both Wall and the Black Hills attractions. A rental car is essential, this is a scenic-drive trip and no transit reaches the parks. Reserve the car several months out for the best rates.
Park fees, not permits
Badlands National Park is $30 per vehicle for 7 days and Custer State Park is $25 per vehicle for 7 days. Mount Rushmore has no entrance fee but charges about $10 to $11 per car to park, and Crazy Horse Memorial runs roughly $35 per vehicle for three or more people ($30 for two). Note that the America the Beautiful pass covers Badlands (and Devils Tower) but is not accepted at Custer State Park or Crazy Horse. Backcountry camping in the Badlands is free but requires visitor-center registration.
Watch tunnel dimensions
The Needles Highway (SD-87) and Iron Mountain Road tunnels are narrow, roughly 8'6" wide and 10'8" tall. Large RVs and trailers should avoid them. The Needles Highway closes with the first snow and reopens around April 1.
Respect the wildlife
Custer State Park has a 1,300-head bison herd plus pronghorn, elk, and begging burros. Never approach or feed wildlife, stay in your vehicle on the Wildlife Loop, and keep a safe distance. Bison are fast and unpredictable.
Go spring or fall
May, early June, September, and early October bring mild temperatures, thinner crowds, and active wildlife. Summer (July–August) is hot with afternoon thunderstorms and heavy crowds at Mount Rushmore. Carry layers, sun protection, and rain gear year-round.
Download offline maps
Cell service is spotty to nonexistent inside Badlands National Park and in the Black Hills canyons. Download offline maps (AllTrails, Gaia GPS, or Google Maps) and any reservations before you head out, and carry at least 2 liters of water per person.
Badlands & Black Hills: questions before you go
Black hills: the questions people ask most.
Three days is enough for the highlights: one full day in Badlands National Park, one day for Custer State Park's Wildlife Loop and Crazy Horse, and one day for Mount Rushmore and the Needles Highway. Fly into Rapid City Regional Airport (RAP), base night one in Wall and night two in Custer or Keystone. Add a fourth day if you want Wind Cave, Jewel Cave, a Black Elk Peak hike, or the waterfalls and limestone cliffs of Spearfish Canyon on the northern edge of the Black Hills.
No special permits are required beyond park entry fees: Badlands National Park is $30 per vehicle for 7 days and Custer State Park is $25 per vehicle for 7 days. There is no timed-entry system. Backcountry camping in the Badlands is free but requires a quick visitor-center registration. Lodging, especially in-park lodges, should be booked 3–6 months ahead.
May, early June, September, and early October are ideal, with mild temperatures, smaller crowds, and active wildlife. Summer (July–August) is hot, stormy in the afternoons, and crowded at Mount Rushmore. The Needles Highway (SD-87) closes with the first snow and typically reopens around April 1, so plan spring trips accordingly.
This is a scenic-drive trip with optional short hikes. Most Badlands trails are flat with boardwalks (Door, Window); the Notch Trail is moderate thanks to a log ladder and canyon rim. In Custer State Park, the Sylvan Lake Shore Trail is an easy 1.1-mile loop, while Cathedral Spires (1.5 mi) and Black Elk Peak are more strenuous options.
Yes, it is very family-friendly. The scenic drives make for easy viewing, many Badlands trails are short and fun for kids, and the Wildlife Loop is a hit for spotting bison and burros. Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse are accessible. Plan frequent stops, carry water and sun protection, and match hike lengths to younger travelers.
Cell service is intermittent or nonexistent in much of Badlands National Park and in the Black Hills canyons. Download offline maps and any reservations before you go. Wi-Fi is generally available at visitor centers and most lodging. Carry a physical map as backup for the Loop Road and the Needles Highway.
There is no paid audio tour to book. The free NPS App has a self-guided tour of the Badlands Loop Road covering the geology, overlooks and wildlife you will pass, so download it before you arrive, since cell service inside the park is unreliable once you are off the highway.
No, they are separate places about 80 miles and 1 hour 15 minutes apart. Mount Rushmore sits in the Black Hills near Keystone, and Badlands National Park is out on the prairie to the east, entered from Wall or Interior. Most trips, including this one, treat them as two stops on the same loop rather than one park.
Yes. Tell us your dates and we check what is still open for the plan on this page, then send it back with a booking link for each night and the total. Nothing is charged and nothing is held, and you pay the normal rate.
Pick how you want to go.
Same 3-day route. Same 9 stops.
- 1 night, a campsite near Wall
- $43
- 1 night, a campsite near Custer
- $26
- Sunrise hot air balloon over the Black Hills
- $750
- Rental car, 3 days
- $180
- Gas, about 246 miles
- $35
- 1 night, a room in Wall
- from $124
- 1 night, a room in Custer
- from $103
- Sunrise hot air balloon over the Black Hills
- $750
- Rental car, 3 days
- $180
- Gas, about 246 miles
- $35
- A private local guide, rooms and campsites booked
- Included
- Airport pickup and every drive
- Included
- Park, permit and campsite fees paid
- Included
- All the gear and the trail meals
- Included
Written and walked by Yulia Vasilyeva · Co-founder · Lead planner and guide
Three years leading guided hikes in the Pacific Northwest, rated 5.0 by 20+ verified guests, and she builds every custom itinerary herself. Based in Seattle.
Last checked October 2026
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All reviews are from verified guests. ★★★★★ 5.0 average from 20+ bookings.
"Felt like going out with a really knowledgeable friend who just happens to know everything about the area. No awkward tour-guide energy, just a magnificent day."
"Yulia is an incredible guide. She knew every trail, every viewpoint, and exactly how to pace the day for our group. The photos she took of us were stunning. 100% booking again."
"I was visiting Seattle solo and this was the best decision I made on the trip. Yulia picked me up, had snacks, and took us to a trail I never would have found on my own. Absolute must-do."
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Fees, reservation windows, shuttle dates and trail closures are planning estimates. Confirm hours, road status and any reservations with the land manager before you go.
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