4-Nights South Dakota Hiking: Badlands, Mount Rushmore & Black Hills Lodge Based from $3,399

MT Sobek

OFFER ID 1629281

The Land of infinite variety beckons! Enrich your mind and immerse yourself in the majestic wonders of South Dakota. Walk the dimly lit passageways of Wind Cave National Park & Jewel Cave National Monument. Search for fossils in the otherworldly terrain of Badlands National Park. Stand in awe before the colossal visages of Mount Rushmore National Memorial, a true testament to human ingenuity and artistry. A unique and exciting adventure awaits us each day! Join your seasoned guide as they share their deep knowledge of local geology, flora, and fauna woven by the rich tapestry of ancient history. Watch as the barren landscape of Badlands gives way to the evergreen forests and sparkling mountain lakes of the Black Hills. South Dakota is brimming with natural treasures above and below ground that are just waiting for you to explore!

Highlights:

Uncover the mystery of the eerie and stunning Badlands National Park
Stroll the Avenue of Flags at Mount Rushmore National Memorial
Explore two of the largest caves in the world

Important Trip Details:
Participants should have experience hiking and be comfortable hiking 1-6 miles with up to 1,200' elevation gain/loss each day. The trails in Badlands are mostly dirt & flat with very limited shade. Some trails in the Black Hills are paved while some require navigating uneven terrain that include, rock, dirt, and roots. The Cave tours require comfortably navigating uneven ground and climbing a series of stairs that can be slippery, steep, and dimly lit. Some bending & stooping is required.

Minimum Age: 18

4 nights from $3,399 per person

Itinerary

MT Sobek: South Dakota Hiking: Badlands, Mount Rushmore & Black Hills Lodge Base

Day 1 Welcome to Badlands National Park
2.5 hours private van transfer
2-3 miles hiking with 197' elevation gain and loss
We meet in the lobby of our host hotel in Rapid City for a quick orientation before making our way to Badlands National Park. We'll make a short stop en-route at the famous roadside attraction, Wall Drug - no South Dakota Road trip would be complete without it! After a quick cup of their famous 5-cent coffee, we'll make our way to Sage Creek Rim Road. This scenic road winds its way through the park and provides incredible views and the occasional (and welcomed) bison jam. Our mellow hike today allows us to truly immerse ourselves in this bizarre landscape as we do a little exploring on the badland's colorful bedrock. Late this afternoon we tour the park's impressive visitor center before making our way to the historic and quaint, Cedar Pass Lodge, the only lodge inside the park. We'll have dinner at the lodge's restaurant before settling into our private cabins for the night. Lunch and dinner included.
Accommodation: Cedar Pass Lodge
(L, D)

Day 2 From Badlands to the Black Hills
2.5 hours private van transfer
4-5 miles hiking with 142' elevation gain and 161' loss
Rise early this morning and enjoy the sunrise over the badlands from the inviting, handcrafted pine chairs on your patio. Today we'll hike the winding Castle Trail through an alien landscape and vast prairie lands. Once we return to our trailhead, we say our goodbyes to Badlands National Park and head over to the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site, a unique relic of the Cold War. This afternoon we make our way west toward the lush forests and jagged granite peaks of the Black Hills. We'll spend our remaining nights in private, rustic cabins in the charming town of Custer.
Accommodation: Rock Crest Lodge & Cabins
(B, L, D)

Day 3 Tour Jewel Cave & visit the impressive, Crazy Horse Memorial
1 hour private van transfer
3.5-4.5 miles hiking with 507' elevation gain and 491' loss
Today we'll explore one of the largest caves in the world, and the impressive stone carving of the famous Lakota leader, Crazy Horse. At Jewel Cave, we'll follow a ? mile paved path surrounded by sparkling calcite crystals, dripping stalactites & stalagmites, and glossy flowstone. After our cave exploration, we'll enjoy a delicious lunch prepared by our guide and hike the only trail above ground in the park. Late this afternoon we visit the unfinished, incredible, Crazy Horse Memorial. Once completed this imposing stone carving will be over three times the size of Mount Rushmore. We'll tour the extensive museum and take a rustic bus ride right to the base of the mountain. We end our day with dinner in Custer where our guide shares what exciting adventures await us tomorrow. All meals included.
Accommodation: Rock Crest Lodge & Cabins
(B, L, D)

Day 4 Hike to the Cathedral Spires & visit the iconic, Mount Rushmore National Memorial
2.5 hours private van transfer
5 miles hiking with 1,161' elevation gain and 1,175' loss
Today's hike takes us to the arresting Cathedral Spires, striking granite pinnacles named for their resemblance to the organ pipes in a Cathedral. These unique rock formations were chosen as the original canvas for Mount Rushmore, but it was quickly discovered the rock was too thin to support the massive edifice that sculptor Gutzon Borglum envisioned. This afternoon we soak in the incredible views on the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway as we make our way to Mount Rushmore National Memorial. We can enjoy different views of this national treasure as we follow the Presidential Trail stopping at the Sculpture's Studio along the way. We enjoy our final, celebratory dinner together in Custer this evening.

(B, L, D)

Day 5 Wind Cave & Mammoth Site
2.5 hours private van transfer
1-2 miles hiking with 241' elevation gain and 235 loss
This morning we'll explore another mysterious underground labyrinth. The shimmering calcite crystals of Jewel Cave are replaced with the extremely rare, delicate boxwork formations found in Wind Cave. Before our ranger-led cave tour, we'll hike a short trail so we can appreciate the magic above ground in the vast mixed-grass prairie. After our illuminative cave tour, we'll celebrate our final meal together while we discuss all the intriguing & distinct differences between these two caves. On our final adventure together we'll explore a different kind of underground treasure, the Mammoth Site, an active paleontological dig site that has uncovered the remains of 60+ Mammoths. This afternoon we return to our host hotel in Rapid City recounting all the incredible things we've done and seen during our time together.

Featured Destinations

Black Hills

Rapid City

Mt. Rushmore

Located in the southwestern part of the state, 35 mi/56 km southwest of Rapid City, Mount Rushmore is one of the most famous landmarks in the U.S. and the draw that started the Black Hills tourism boom. The likenesses of four U.S. presidents—George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt—have been carved into the mountain. Each 60-ft-/18-m-tall face of this impressive sculpture was designed by Gutzon Borglum. He died in 1941, shortly before the monument was completed and 14 years after the project was begun.

You're likely to spot the faces well before you arrive at the foot of the mountain: The approaching road provides some dramatic views of the presidents. You have several choices for getting a closer view. Most visitors see the faces from the observation area below the mountain, during the daytime. In summer you can also see them at night, when a lighting ceremony dramatically reveals the faces against the black sky. A 0.5-mi-/0.8-km-long Presidential Trail from Grandview Terrace leads to the slope immediately below the faces, where fragments of blasted stone are still heaped in large piles (part of the sculpting process involved dynamiting the mountain). Be sure to visit the museum, which details how the monument came to be.

If you have one sculpted mountain, you might as well have two: The second is Thunderhead Mountain (17 mi/27 km southwest of Mount Rushmore), site of the Crazy Horse Memorial, 17 mi/27 km southwest of Mount Rushmore. This ongoing work is a tribute to Native Americans in the form of Lakota Chief Crazy Horse, who led the defeat of Gen. George Custer at Little Big Horn. When finished, the Crazy Horse Memorial will be a 641-ft-/200-m-long by 563-ft-/175-m-high sculpture in the round of the Lakota hero riding a charging stallion: The animal's head alone will be 22 stories tall, and Crazy Horse's outstretched arm will be the length of a football field. The face was completed in 1998, giving visitors a good idea of what the sculpture will look like.

Still, something that large takes time. Though the sculpture was begun in 1949, some people estimate its completion to be around 2050. Sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski designed the memorial at the request of Native Americans. He died in 1982. His family is carrying on the project and doing so without any public funding. Finances come largely from admission fees to the area, where you can see a scale model of the sculpture, as well as the Native American Educational and Cultural Center, which showcases Native American artisans. The Crazy Horse Volksmarch, a 6-mi/10-km hike up the Crazy Horse Memorial, is held the first full weekend in June—the one time visitors are allowed to walk on the sculpture. A laser-light show entertains summer visitors each evening.

Not far from the Crazy Horse Memorial is Needles Highway (Highway 87), one of the most scenic drives in the Black Hills. It's meant to be driven slowly—the winding route runs through tunnels, over bridges and beneath mountain summits. Harney Peak, seen from the highway, is the highest point in the Black Hills at 7,242 ft/2,207 m. Oversized recreational vehicles aren't allowed to travel the main road, but there is an alternative route available. Motorists enjoy the spectacle of the Needles—eerie granite spires that tower over the landscape.

Badlands National Park

Vacation Details

Valid Date Ranges

09/19/2025 - 09/23/2025

from $3,399 per person

09/26/2025 - 09/30/2025

from $3,399 per person

10/06/2025 - 10/10/2025

from $3,399 per person

06/07/2026 - 06/11/2026

from $3,399 per person

06/13/2026 - 06/17/2026

from $3,399 per person

06/18/2026 - 06/22/2026

from $3,399 per person

09/13/2026 - 09/17/2026

from $3,399 per person

09/19/2026 - 09/23/2026

from $3,399 per person

09/25/2026 - 09/29/2026

from $3,399 per person

* This departure has been designated a guaranteed departure by the operator, meaning that the minimum number of guests has been met, although still subject to weather and other conditions.

Prices Start At

from $3,399 per person

Length

4 Nights

Air City

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Vacation Rating

Deluxe
Fine dining, on-site bars or lounges and room service with extended hours are characteristic of deluxe establishments. Guest services usually include valet parking, concierge services, baggage assistance and laundry services. Other on-site facilities often include shops and boutiques, full service spas, full fitness facilities with pools and tennis courts. Business amenities may include available up-to-date technology and support staffs available for services. Attention to detail is apparent in the guestrooms which typically have stylish furnishings, quality bedding and bath products and often provide an evening turn down service.

Remarks

Prices subject to availability and change without notice. Some restrictions may apply.

All fares are quoted in US Dollars.

OFFER ID

1629281

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Vacations by Lisa Scrimger

810-339-6160
855-336-6222