Elena Mallia 
If you are planning to visit the Mount Rushmore National Memorial, the famous patriotic tribute to four former presidents of the US located in the Black Hills National Forest (South Dakota), you are probably wondering where you can stay to be close to the attraction!
To avoid you doing all the research by yourself, I already did the job for you and collected all the best places to stay near Mount Rushmore, including cities for different interests and Rushmore hotels for different budgets.
Keystone is the best place to stay close to Mount Rushmore, otherwise, there is Hill City for culture lovers, Rapid City if you are traveling on a budget, or Custer if you also want to have access to the outdoors.
And for those of you who want a little bit more privacy, I also included a bonus with the best cabins near Mt. Rushmore, perfect for families, couples, and friends!
NOTE: Mount Rushmore National Monument is a super popular and visited monument, especially in the summer months (June to August), so make sure to book your Mount Rushmore lodging well in advance if you don’t want to lose the spot!
Well, time to start… Let’s jump right in!
Contents
- Quick Picks for Your Stay
- 1. Keystone – the closest city to stay near Mount Rushmore
- 2. Hill City – the best city near Mt. Rushmore for culture
- 3. Rapid City – best place to stay near Mt. Rushmore on a budget
- 4. Custer – where to stay near Mt. Rushmore for the outdoor
- BONUS: Best cabins near Mt. Rushmore
- FAQs about hotels near Mount Rushmore
- Conclusion
Quick Picks for Your Stay
If you just want to quickly book your accommodation, here’s a list of the best hotels near Mount Rushmore, South Dakota, divided by budget:
Check out this map to see where all the best cities to stay when visiting Mount Rushmore are located:
- Keystone : the closest town
- Hill City : for culture
- Rapid City : on a budget
- Custer : for outdoors
1. Keystone – the closest city to stay near Mount Rushmore
If you are going to South Dakota exclusively to visit Mount Rushmore National Memorial, you should definitely stay in the town of Keystone, only 3 miles (5 km) by car!
This charming city has a relaxed wild west feel and countless hotels and restaurants where you can spend some leisure time after an intense day of visiting Mt. Rushmore and the Black Hills region.
And if you want to have some family fun, you need to check out the Rushmore Tramway adventure park or the Rush Mountain Adventure Park, where you can take a scenic chairlift, race down alpine slides, glide along zip lines, try some downhill tubing and much more!
Other things you can do in the nearby area include catching the 1880 Train, the oldest operating tour railroad in the nation between Hill City and Keystone, or visiting the National Presidential Wax Museum.
Ah, and of course, don’t forget to catch the night light show ceremony at Mt. Rushmore, a popular summer tradition!
This is definitely one of the best places near Mount Rushmore, South Dakota, with an excellent location only 10 minutes drive from the famous attraction! Here you’ll sleep in luxury tents, perfect for couples, solo travelers, or families, with big and comfy beds and their own seating area. And in the camping surroundings you will have access to many hiking and biking trails, so you can spend a lot of time in nature!
Other accommodation options in Keystone
Check out this great hotel option near Mt. Rushmore, offering family rooms with access to a hot tub and free breakfast at no extra cost!
This is one of the best hotels near Mount Rushmore if you want to stay on a budget, with an indoor pool, tennis courts and a terrace
Feel at home in this cozy house within walking distance from a tennis court, and library… perfect for a holiday with the family!
Things to do in Keystone
- Walk the Presidential Trail up to Mt. Rushmore
- See the best of Black Hills on this tour, including Mt. Rushmore and Crazy Horse!
- Have an adrenaline rush at Rushmore Tramway Adventures
- Take the 1880 Train between Keystone and Hill City
- Catch the night light shows at Mt. Rushmore in summer!
- Visit the National Presidential Wax Museum
- Take an audio driving tour through the Black Hills mountains
2. Hill City – the best city near Mt. Rushmore for culture
One of the best places to stay near Mount Rushmore is Hill City, only a 20 minute drive from Mt. Rushmore monument. It’s so close that the city actually took its name for being at the foot of the famous Black Hills!
This charming city is packed with many historical landmarks, parks, and cultural attractions to check out, as well as many hotels, restaurants, wineries, and pubs… no wonder why it is known as the “Heart of the Hills.”
Among all the things you can do here, some musts are definitely visiting the Black Hills Institute, hosting well-preserved dinosaur fossils, petrified minerals, and meteorites, the State Railroad Museum, or the Civilian Conservation Corps Museum if you are curious about the CCC’s historical past and the Great Depression.
Basically, this is a paradise for history and cultural buffs, but art lovers won’t be let down either!
In fact, Hill City has a thriving arts community and organization, The Hill City Arts Council, regularly holding workshops, exhibitions, musicals, etc… so you’ll find events at any time of the year.
So, in other words, if you want to visit Mt. Rushmore, but you want to have access to many other interesting attractions at the same time, Hill City is the place for you, whether you’re going on a holiday with the family, alone or your special one.
Now let’s check out the following Mount Rushmore hotels:
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Hill City
If you want to visit Mt. Rushmore then return to your accommodation with all comforts, Holiday Inn Express & Suites is for you! In this hotel, you will have access to outdoor swimming pools and an indoor pool, a fitness center, and a delicious free breakfast every morning, the perfect way to start your day with the right energy! And check out the couples’ or family rooms, featuring panoramic mountain views, air conditioning, and a hot tub… what else do you need?
Other accommodation options in Hill City
Heck out this nice hotel offering comfortable rooms, an indoor pool where you can relax, and free wifi through all the property
This is the best hotel in Hill City if you are staying on a budget, featuring rooms with private bathrooms, a flat screen tv and coffee machine
You’ll immediately feel at home in this cozy house fully equipped with a kitchen and living room, perfect for couples, families or friends
Things to do in Hill City
- See dinosaur fossils, petrified minerals, and meteorites at the Black Hills Institute
- Visit the interesting State Railroad Museum
- Stroll around Tracy Park or just relax and enjoy the stunning nature
- Learn about the CCC’s historical past at Civilian Conservation Corps Museum
- Have some American style delicious food at Sugar Shack
- Celebrate art at The Hill City Arts Council
- Taste award winning wines at Prairie Berry
- Explore the beautiful Pactola Lake on a kayak or paddleboard
Subscribe here to get up to 35% off your accommodation for your next trip!
3. Rapid City – best place to stay near Mt. Rushmore on a budget
If you are traveling on a budget and you don’t mind staying a little further from Mt. Rushmore, Rapid City might be the perfect option for you, located 30 minutes drive from the national monument!
Rapid City is way bigger when compared to the other places to stay near Mt. Rushmore, so this means you will have more choices of Mount Rushmore hotels and things to do once you are done visiting the memorial. Some examples?
If you love animals as much as I do, you should definitely check out the wildlife at Bear Country USA. Driving through the park you’ll spot wolves, elks, black bears, and many more. This is the perfect activity to do with the family.
Another must-visit park in the area is Badlands National Park (Badlands NP), hosting steep canyons, rock formations, towering spires, as well as the world’s richest fossil beds and many animal species like bison, prairie dogs, bighorn sheep, and black-footed ferrets.
And if you want to stay in the city itself, in downtown Rapid City you will find the heart of the town: Main Street Square, hosting live concerts, festivals, and interactive fountains in summer, and a big ice skating rink in winter… don’t forget to check it out!
Located in Rapid City, a short 15 minutes drive from Rapid City regional airport, this modern hotel offers many facilities for a comfy stay! Here you can relax at the indoor pool after an intense day of visiting, or keep yourself in shape at the fitness centre if you’re more of an active type of traveler. The property is pet-friendly, so you can bring your four-legged friend with you, and offers free private parking, perfect if you want to explore the nearby area!
Other accommodation options in Rapid City
This lovely hotel in Rapid City offers many amenities giving you great value for the price, like an indoor pool, free wifi, and free parking!
If you want to stay on a budget in Rapid City, check out this affordable hotel, featuring an outdoor pool and a panoramic terrace
Check out this cozy one-bedroom apartment, fully equipped with everything you need, located in the middle of many shopping and dining options
Things to do in Rapid City
- Check out the world’s richest fossil beds at Badlands National Park
- Spot wolves, elks, black bears at the Bear Country USA park!
- Go on a full-day tour of Mount Rushmore and Black Hills
- Attend all the cool events at Main Street Square
- Check out 5 different art galleries at Dahl Arts Center
- Have a delicious breakfast at Colonial House Restaurant & Bar
- See paleontology exhibitions at the Geology Museum
- Visit Mt. Rushmore, Custer State Park Wildlife Loop & Crazy Horse on a private tour
4. Custer – where to stay near Mt. Rushmore for the outdoor
Custer is the most southern city from Mt. Rushmore, located a 30 minute drive away, but also the perfect place to connect with nature, explore the Black Hills area and engage in outdoor activities!
In fact, Custer’s surrounding area is home to many parks, like the huge Custer State Park, a wildlife reserve extending across 71,000 acres in the Black Hills, offering many adventures from camping to hiking, swimming, biking, fishing, or just relaxing and spotting animals!
Otherwise, in Wind Cave National Park, you can visit one of the longest caves in the whole world: Wind Cave, which takes its name from the barometric winds at its entrance and also hosts a labyrinth of passages as well as a unique rock formation… How can you miss this?
But that’s not all, Custer will also give you easy access to the Crazy Horse Memorial, right on the way from Custer to Mount Rushmore, and the Black Elk Peak, the highest natural point in South Dakota, offering panoramic views of Wyoming, Nebraska, Montana, and North Dakota!
And after spending your days in nature, you can have delicious food at the many restaurants in the city and then return to one of the nice Mt. Rushmore hotels right below, check them out!
Comfort Inn & Suites Near Custer State Park
Comfort Inn & Suites is the perfect place where to rest after all the outdoor activities you will do in and around Custer, like exploring the Custer State Park! Here you can chill at the year-round heated indoor pool or in the hot tub, eat at the many restaurant options in the hotel’s surroundings, and go to sleep in the very comfy beds of your deluxe room. The property also offers a fitness center, daily hot breakfast, and laundry service onsite… What else do you need?
Other accommodation options in Custer
Check out these bungalows located within walking distance from Black Hills National Forest, with access to a beautiful garden
This hotel is perfect if you want to stay on a budget in Custer, offering double or family rooms, free parking and free wifi
I am sure you will fall in love with this cozy and small bungalow, the right place to enjoy some peace and quietness
Things to do in Custer
- Go camping, hiking, swimming or fishing at Custer State Park
- Explore one of the longest caves in the world at Wind Cave National Park
- Hike up to the Black Elk Peak for some panoramic views!
- Visit the Crazy Horse Memorial
- Spend a day hiking at the Big Rock Park
- Fly above the black hills on this hot air balloon ride
- Have a delicious burger at Black Hills Burger and Bun Co
| 👑 Luxury price: | $120 |
| 💵 Mid Range: | $80 |
| 🛏️ Budget: | $60 |
| 💰 Accommodation prices: | Medium |
| 📍 Best area: | Keystone |
| 🛎️ Best luxury hotel: | Under Canvas Mount Rushmore |
| 💵 Best mid-range hotel: | K Bar S Lodge |
| 👛 Best budget hotel: | Comfort Inn & Suites |
BONUS: Best cabins near Mt. Rushmore
We saw all the best Mt. Rushmore hotels that are available for different budgets and interests, but what if you prefer to stay in a place that makes you feel like you’re at a home away from home?
Well, that’s why I made this bonus with the best cabins near Mt. Rushmore, all fully equipped with all the comforts of a house and nestled in beautiful natural settings, so you can disconnect from everything and enjoy some privacy with your loved ones.
Whether you are going on a holiday with your family, friends, or a couple, there is the right cabin for you in the list below… check it out. All the following cabins cost around $180 a night:
- 3 Bedroom Log Cabin – Nestled in the middle of Black Hills, within 6 miles from Mt. Rushmore, this hand-crafted log cottage hosts up to 8 people. The property is fully equipped with everything you need: a kitchen, loft, patio, laundry, hot tub, and grill to share delicious barbecues with the people you love!
- The Cabin At Brookview – Located only 20 minutes’ drive from Mount Rushmore, this one-bedroom cabin is perfect for a romantic getaway nestled in nature! Here you’ll benefit from private parking on site, so you can explore the surrounding area by car during the day and fall asleep at night with the sound of wild animals.
- Knotty Pine Cabin – Situated in Hill City, just a short drive from Mount Rushmore, this cozy cabin offers rooms for 2 – 7 people! Here you can cook your own breakfast in the shared kitchen and just relax at the sun terrace or in the hot tub. This place is really a dream, check out the pictures, you will love it!
FAQs about hotels near Mount Rushmore
👑 Which are the best hotels near Mount Rushmore, South Dakota?
The best hotels near Mount Rushmore, South Dakota, are Under Canvas Mount Rushmore if you are looking for luxury or Comfort Inn & Suites if you want to stay on a budget.
👪 Which are the best hotels near Mount Rushmore, for families?
The best Mount Rushmore hotels for families are K Bar S Lodge, in Keystone, or the budget-friendly Rocket Motel, in Custer, both offering spacious family rooms!
📍 What is the ?
The closest town to Mt. Rushmore National Memorial is Keystone, only 10 minutes driving from it, hosting many good hotels like the K Bar S Lodge or cozy airbnbs like View Mount Rushmore House.
📅 How many days do you need for visiting Mt. Rushmore Memorial?
To visit only the monument it will take you just 2-3 hours, but if you want to explore the Mount Rushmore area, including the Black Hills, the Custer Park, and Crazy Horse Memorial, you need at least 2-3 days.
👀 What are the best things to do in the Black Hills?
The best things to do in the Black Hills, apart from the famous Mount Rushmore, are exploring the Custer State Park, visiting the Wind Cave National Park, and seeing the Crazy Horse Memorial.
Conclusion
Well, here we are at the end of this useful guide with the best places to stay near Mount Rushmore national monument, in South Dakota with Rushmore hotels for any budget.
Since we literally saw all the best hotels near Mount Rushmore, you could be still undecided about which one is the best for your travel needs, so I decided to help you with 2 absolute favorite options:
- Holiday Inn Express & Suites Hill City – this is definitely one of the best hotels near Mount Rushmore, offering an outdoor pool and fitness center
- K Bar S Lodge – this hotel offers family rooms, a hot tub, and a delicious free breakfast every morning
If you also like them, make sure you book immediately or at least some months in advance, so you don’t risk losing the spot! And if you have any hotel suggestions or questions for me, please share them in the comments below… Looking forward to hearing your thoughts!
Have the best holiday!
Elena
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