Explore the Black Hills of South Dakota from our base in Rapid City. Stand beneath the towering faces of Mount Rushmore by day and again after dark, when the monument glows against the night sky. Trace the region’s layered past at the Crazy Horse Memorial, Deadwood, and Badlands National Park, and watch buffalo roam through Custer State Park on a Jeep safari. Along the way, scenic drives, a ride aboard the historic 1880 Train, and evenings filled with cowboy music and lodge dinners offer a deeper sense of the American West.

June 23-29, 2027

 

Itinerary Highlights:

• Daytime and nighttime visits to Mount Rushmore
• Devil’s Tower National Monument
• Crazy Horse Memorial
• Fort Hays Dances With Wolves movie set
• Badlands National Park
• Wall Drug Store
• Custer State Park
• Buffalo safari Jeep tour
• State Game Lodge dinner
• 1880 Train
• Deadwood
• The Mammoth Site
• The Journey Museum
• K-Bar S Lodge dinner
• Chuckwagon supper and cowboy show

 

Package Includes:

• Round-trip airfare from Raleigh-Durham International Airport or Charlotte Douglas International Airport
• Six nights’ accommodations at one hotel
• 10 meals: Six breakfasts and four dinners
• All sightseeing and admissions per itinerary
• Deluxe motor coach transportation
• Professional tour director
• Our State host
• Wine and beer reception
• Hotel transfers
• Baggage handling at hotels

 

Accommodations:

• Six nights in Rapid City: DoubleTree by Hilton Rapid City Downtown Convention Center

Note: Hotels are subject to change.

 

Detailed Itinerary:

Day 1: Arrival
Wednesday, June 23, 2027

After arriving in Rapid City, South Dakota, enjoy a wine and beer reception followed by a welcome dinner with your fellow Our State travelers.

Meals: Dinner
Overnight: DoubleTree by Hilton Rapid City Downtown Convention Center

 

Day 2: Mount Rushmore • Crazy Horse Memorial • Custer State Park
Thursday, June 24, 2027

This morning, visit Mount Rushmore, featuring the awesome sculptures of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. Each face is 60 feet high and carved into the rugged granite mountainside with intricate perfection. Next, continue to the Crazy Horse Memorial, still in progress. View the giant mountainside sculpture of the famous Indian chief astride his pony. This afternoon, visit Custer State Park, a famous wildlife preserve featuring a herd of 1,500 free-roaming buffalo. Experience a thrilling buffalo safari Jeep tour in search of some of the herd. Enjoy dinner at the famous State Game Lodge, built in 1920 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with past guests including Presidents Calvin Coolidge and Dwight D. Eisenhower.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Overnight: DoubleTree by Hilton Rapid City Downtown Convention Center

 

Day 3: Devil’s Tower • Deadwood
Friday, June 25, 2027

Journey west into Wyoming to visit Devil’s Tower National Monument and view the 867-foot monolith. Return to South Dakota to visit historic Deadwood, the 1876 rough-and-tumble gold camp and gambling town where Wild West legends like Wild Bill Hickok, Calamity Jane, and Seth Bullock took shape — plus visit Mount Moriah Cemetery, where many such legends are buried. The entire city of Deadwood is a National Historic Landmark and features an incredibly preserved main street. Later, drive through Spearfish Canyon, a scenic drive in the Black Hills.

Meals: Breakfast
Overnight: DoubleTree by Hilton Rapid City Downtown Convention Center

 

Day 4: The Mammoth Site • The Journey Museum
Saturday, June 26, 2027

The Mammoth Site in Hot Springs has the greatest concentration of mammoth remains in the world. As of 2016, the remains of 61 mammoths — including 58 North American Columbian mammoths and three woolly mammoths — had been recovered. Mammoth bones were found at the site in 1974, and a museum and building enclosing the site were established. Next, visit The Journey Museum, a museum and learning center that traces the geology of the Black Hills and tells the story of the people who inhabited these lands. The Journey Museum features four museums, including the Sioux Indian Museum. Enjoy the remainder of the day at your own pace.

Meals: Breakfast
Overnight: DoubleTree by Hilton Rapid City Downtown Convention Center

 

Day 5: Badlands National Park • Fort Hays
Sunday, June 27, 2027

Drive through Badlands National Park, located between the White and Cheyenne rivers. The area contains spectacular examples of weathering, erosion, ridges, cliffs, and canyons of variegated color. Later, explore the unusual and well-known Wall Drug Store, famous for its “Free Ice Water.” This afternoon, visit the Fort Hays Dances With Wolves movie set to see some of the original buildings used in the Oscar-winning film. Then enjoy a fun-filled chuckwagon supper and cowboy show on site.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Overnight: DoubleTree by Hilton Rapid City Downtown Convention Center

 

Day 6: 1880 Train • Mount Rushmore at night
Monday, June 28, 2027

Enjoy a short drive to Hill City to explore Main Street and board the 1880 Train for a rail journey through history. The 1880 Train is an authentic narrow-gauge railroad, dating back to the Black Hills gold rush. Afterward, stop at a Black Hills gold factory. Tonight’s special farewell dinner is at the K Bar S Lodge, a ranch in the beautiful Black Hills just outside Keystone. Following dinner, experience Mount Rushmore at night to see this American treasure illuminated in a whole new light.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Overnight: DoubleTree by Hilton Rapid City Downtown Convention Center

 

Day 7: Departure
Tuesday, June 29, 2027

Today, depart from Rapid City filled with wonderful memories of your Black Hills adventure. Want to share your experience with other travelers? Post your favorite pictures in the Our State Travel Club Facebook group!

Meals: Breakfast

 

Tour Rates:

Booking discount: $3,874 per person (based on double occupancy)
Regular rate: $3,974 per person (based on double occupancy)
Single Supplement: $4,899 ($4,799 with booking discount*)

*Make your final payment by check and receive a booking discount of $100 per person.

 

For Reservations & More Information:

Premier World Discovery
Melissa Grant
(877) 953-8687, ext. 238 (Pacific Time)
mgrant@premierworlddiscovery.com

Online booking option: Click here and use the booking number 217638 to make your deposit online in just a few minutes.

Trip brochure: Click here for information on payment schedule, cancellation policy, and trip insurance.

This tour is rated Activity Level 3 of 4 — Active. For more information on physical requirements and what to expect on an Our State trip, click here.

 

Explore More

Learn more about your destination with our curated list of books, films, music, and more.

 

Read

The Work of Wolves (2004) by Kent Meyers — This award-winning novel tells the story of a South Dakota horse trainer whose tense relationship with a wealthy rancher leads to a forbidden romance and a series of events that draw in a Lakota student and a German exchange student, culminating in a daring horse rescue.

The Personal History of Rachel Dupree (2010) by Ann Weisgarber — As Rachel Dupree and her family struggle to survive as Black homesteaders on the South Dakota prairie during the early 20th century, her hardships and determination to overcome them illuminate the realities of frontier life.

Hour Glass: A Novel of Calamity Jane (2018) by Michelle Rene — When their father’s illness forces young siblings Jimmy and Hour Glass to seek help in Deadwood, they find unexpected allies among the town’s colorful residents — including the legendary Calamity Jane.

Deadwood: Gold, Guns, and Greed in the American West (2022) by Peter Cozzens — Cozzens chronicles the rise of Deadwood from lawless mining camp to booming frontier town, separating fact from fiction and introducing colorful figures like Wild Bill Hickok, Calamity Jane, and George Custer.

 

Watch

Dances with Wolves (1990; Amazon Prime Video, rent online) — This Academy Award-winning film centers on a Union Army officer who develops relationships with the Lakota people while stationed on the western frontier. Filmed extensively in South Dakota, it showcases the sweeping prairie landscapes of the region.

Deadwood (2004–2006; HBO Max, rent online) — This acclaimed series dramatizes the transformation of Deadwood from a rough mining camp into a functioning town. Filled with larger-than-life historical characters and frontier intrigue, it vividly re-creates the Gold Rush era that shaped the Black Hills.

The Rider (2017; rent online) — This moving drama follows a young Lakota cowboy recovering from a devastating rodeo injury. Featuring many nonprofessional actors playing versions of themselves, the film offers an authentic, contemporary portrait of life in western South Dakota.

Mount Rushmore and the Black Hills (2008; Amazon Prime Video) — This documentary explores the history, geology, wildlife, and cultural significance of the Black Hills while examining the creation of Mount Rushmore National Memorial.

 

Listen

History 605 (2021-2026) — In this podcast, South Dakota State Historian Ben Jones is joined by authors, museum professionals, archaeologists, and historians to discuss the history of the region, with episodes ranging from the Black Hills Gold Rush and Deadwood to Lakota history, homesteading, and the people who shaped the region.

Listen to the Our State Travel Club’s Spotify playlist for Black Hills, Badlands, & Mount Rushmore, featuring music by South Dakota artists, as well as songs inspired by the places we’ll visit.