Booking choice: The Black Hills small-group day, 8 hours. Book this Compare the options below
Mount Rushmore has one restaurant but no lodging or camping. The nearest beds are in Keystone, just below the memorial; the widest choice is in Rapid City, the region's hub.
This guide compares Keystone, Hill City, Custer, Rapid City and Deadwood, with what each is best for and which of the tours on this site collect you there.
The quick answer
Stay in Keystone to be closest (about 2 miles), in Hill City or Custer for a quieter, central base near Crazy Horse and Custer State Park, and in Rapid City (23 miles) for the most hotels, the airport and the most tour pickups. Deadwood suits the northern Black Hills. Without a car, Rapid City is the practical choice.
What is the best town to stay in near Mount Rushmore?
Keystone if you want to be closest; Rapid City if you have no car or want the most choice.
It depends on how you travel. With a car, any of the Black Hills towns works, and Keystone or Hill City put you minutes from the memorial for the morning light and the evening lighting. Without a car, Rapid City is where most guided tours pick up.
| Town | To Mount Rushmore | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Keystone | About 2 miles | Being closest, the evening lighting, attractions in town |
| Hill City | Short drive west | A quieter central base, Crazy Horse, the 1880 Train |
| Custer | Short drive south | Custer State Park, Crazy Horse, Wind and Jewel Caves |
| Rapid City | 23 miles, about 30 minutes | Most hotels, the airport, most tour pickups |
| Deadwood | Around an hour and more | The northern Black Hills and Spearfish |
Is Keystone a good base?
Yes, for a short stay focused on Mount Rushmore: it is the closest town, about two miles away.
Keystone is a small tourist town with gold-mining roots. Nearby are the Big Thunder Gold Mine, Rushmore Tramway Adventures with its ziplines, the Keystone Historical Museum and, five miles east, Rush Mountain Adventure Park with Rushmore Cave. Staying here makes a morning visit and the Evening Lighting on the same day easy. The flagship small-group tour and the private SUV tour on this site can collect you in Keystone.
Staying in Keystone? The Pinnacle zipline course has three lines with views toward Mount Rushmore.
Book thisHill City or Custer?
Both are quieter central bases: Hill City is between Rushmore and Crazy Horse, Custer is closest to Custer State Park and the caves.
Crazy Horse Memorial is 9 miles south of Hill City and 4 miles north of Custer. Hill City is the terminus of the 1880 Train steam line to Keystone. Custer puts you at the edge of Custer State Park's Wildlife Loop Road and Needles Highway, and within reach of Jewel Cave and Wind Cave. The Black Hills small-group day lists Hill City among its pickup towns.
Is it better to stay in Rapid City?
It is if you are flying in, have no car, or want to book tours: Rapid City has the airport and the most hotel pickups.
Rapid City Regional Airport is 35 miles from Mount Rushmore. The city has the widest range of hotels and restaurants, and it sits between the Black Hills and the Badlands, so it works for both. Most of the tours on this site pick up at Rapid City hotels or Airbnbs; the meals-and-show day meets at Fort Hays in Rapid City.
Based in Rapid City without a car? The half-day tour to Mount Rushmore picks you up at your hotel.
Book thisIs it better to stay in Deadwood or Rapid City?
Deadwood for the northern Black Hills and Spearfish, Rapid City for the airport and a shorter drive to Mount Rushmore.
Deadwood is a historic gold-rush town, but it is further from Mount Rushmore than Rapid City. The Black Hills small-group day lists Deadwood and Lead among its pickup areas, which makes a Rushmore day possible without driving.
Can you stay inside Mount Rushmore or Custer State Park?
Not at Mount Rushmore, which has no lodging or camping; Custer State Park has its own lodges and campgrounds.
The NPS confirms there is no lodging or camping at the memorial and no overnight parking. Custer State Park, a few minutes south, has lodges, including the State Game Lodge, and campgrounds that make an atmospheric base, especially for early wildlife drives.
Frequently asked questions
What is the closest big city to Mount Rushmore?
Rapid City, about 23 miles away, with Rapid City Regional Airport 35 miles from the memorial.
Which town is closest to Mount Rushmore?
Keystone, about 2 miles below the memorial.
Do tours pick up in Keystone?
The Black Hills small-group day and the private scenic SUV tour list Keystone among their pickup areas.
Is there public transport from Rapid City to Mount Rushmore?
No. The NPS lists no public transport: you need a car, a taxi or a guided tour.
Ready to book
Choose your tour
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on each of these tours. Entry to Mount Rushmore itself is free.
Black Hills & Monuments Small-Group Day
- Pickup and drop-off in Rapid City, Keystone, Hill City, Deadwood, Lead or Sturgis (per the listing)
- Admission to all attractions on the route, as stated on the listing
- A fully narrated tour in a small group of up to 14
Mount Rushmore Half-Day Tour from Rapid City
- Pickup at your hotel or Airbnb in Rapid City
- The Mount Rushmore parking fee
- Tour guide and cold bottled water
Private Scenic Black Hills SUV Tour
Iron Mountain Road, the Needles and Sylvan Lake, privately
