Experience the extraordinary beauty of the Black Hills and mysterious Badlands. Learn about Crazy Horse, the Lakota Sioux and Mount Rushmore. Expert instructors meld 40 million years of history into a cogent story of geology, exploration, conflict and discovery. Take a vivid look at battles fought on our own soil to better understand the history that shaped our nation. Field trips to the historic gold rush town of Deadwood, Tatanka, Custer State Park and Mount Rushmore provide an absorbing overview of the history represented by the Presidents on Mount Rushmore, westward expansion, the Indian Wars, and the irony of the two stories told by colossal mountain carvings within 17 miles of each other.

Elevations over 5,000 feet. Some hilly terrain and stairs at one-quarter mile with rest stops.

Date Specific Information

Join the annual Buffalo Round Up in Custer State Park. You will arrive at the round up area shortly after sunrise to watch as 1,500 buffalo are driven into the corrals in Custer State Park. A must-see!

Program in association with Black Hills Educational Institute.

Shuttle to/from Rapid City Airport (RAP), extra fee.

Mount Rushmore

Massive granite faces overlook the forested treetops of the Black Hills, representing the first 150 years of American history in the sculptural representation of four U.S. presidents: Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt and Lincoln. Mount Rushmore and the gateway town of Keystone attract visitors to this beautiful, storied region of the state.