Shared by Steve & Deb · Colbert · 5 stops
Explore Theodore Roosevelt National Park, spend several days discovering the legendary Black Hills—including Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Custer State Park, and the Badlands—before continuing to Devils Tower, Yellowstone National Park, and Craters of the Moon National Monument. Along the way you'll enjoy scenic byways, historic towns, western museums, wildlife viewing, and comfortable, highly rated RV parks before arriving at the Carve Montana Rally. Designed with relaxed driving days and extended stays, this itinerary lets you experience the West instead of simply driving through it.
Medora to Medora Campground
Booking Site: https://medora.com/medoracampground/
50 amp FHU - specific sites not provided in advance
Overnight stay
$160.00$80.00 per night × 2
Medora Musical at Medora Musical
0.8 mi from stop · ~2m drive
Pricing varies. The Burning Hills Amphitheatre is 1.5 miles from the Campground and less than a half mile from the Presidential Library. Its a live outdoor country-western musical revue in Medora that runs in summer at the Burning Hills Amphitheatre. Tickets purchased individually in advance.
Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library at Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library Tickets
$26.00$26.00 per person
3410 Chateau Rd, Medora, ND 58645, USAtrlibrary.com0.9 mi from stop · ~3m drive
https://www.trlibrary.com/tickets
Access to this new museum is timed entry via advance ticket purchase; $23-$26 per adult. Since new museum, unknown if day of tickets will be available so if you're heart is set on seeing this, you should purchase advance tickets.
This is the official ticketing page for visiting the library, with dates and reservation details.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park - South Unit at Theodore Roosevelt National Park - South Unit
0.4 mi from stop · ~1m drive
Recommend self driving tour in early morning for potential animal viewing and cooler weather. The South Unit is the largest section of the park, located directly adjacent to Interstate 94 in Medora, offering scenic drives, abundant wildlife viewing including bison and wild horses, and a visitor center with a museum.
Painted Canyon Visitor Center at Painted Canyon Visitor Center
7.3 mi from stop · ~16m drive
Medora Campground to Devils Tower KOA
The Devils Tower / Black Hills KOA Journey is a full-service campground located right at the entrance of America's first national monument in Wyoming. Operating seasonally from May 1 to October 10, this highly-rated property provides panoramic, postcard-perfect views of Devils Tower from many of its spacious, grassy campsites.
Overnight stay
$180.00$90.00 per night × 2
Devils Tower National Monument at Devils Tower National Monument
0.8 mi from stop · ~3m drive
Devils Tower KOA to Elkhorn Ridge Campground
Overnight stay
$65.00$65.00 per night
Adams Museum at Adams Museum
6.5 mi from stop · ~15m drive
Deadwood’s oldest history museum, with exhibits on the Black Hills Gold Rush and the town’s frontier past.
Old Style Saloon No. 10 at Old Style Saloon No. 10
6.4 mi from stop · ~14m drive
Historic saloon and living-history stop associated with the Wild Bill Hickok story and Deadwood’s Old West atmosphere.
Tatanka: Story of the Bison at Tatanka: Story of the Bison
5.1 mi from stop · ~11m drive
Interpretive center and sculpture site focused on bison and Lakota history, located just outside Deadwood.
Elkhorn Ridge Campground to Mount Rushmore KOA Resort at Palmer Gulch Resort
Overnight stay
$300.00$100.00 per night × 3
Mount Rushmore National Memorial at Mount Rushmore National Memorial
$10.00$10.00 each
Keystone, SD 57751, USAnps.gov4.4 mi from stop · ~10m drive
A major Black Hills landmark and one of the most iconic stops in the area. Free entrance; $10 per car parking fee; visitor center; no pets
Want to avoid the crowds? Visit before 9:00 a.m. or after 3:30 p.m. For evening lighting program, arrive by 7:30 p.m.
Crazy Horse Memorial at Crazy Horse Memorial
$15.00$15.00 per person
Crazy Horse, SD 57730, USAcrazyhorsememorial.org6.5 mi from stop · ~14m drive
This is the large mountain carving honoring Crazy Horse in the Black Hills, and it is one of the closest major attractions to Mount Rushmore and Custer State Park.
Open Daily 8 -8p.m.; Museum closes earlier; Optional Bus to Base tours start at 4:30 pm
Custer State Park Wildlife Loop and Bison Center at Wildlife Loop Road
16 mi from stop · ~36m drive
A popular scenic drive inside Custer State Park for spotting bison and other wildlife, making it a strong match for visitors combining the park with the Black Hills highlights.
Custer State Park Scenic Drives at Needles Highway
$25.00$25.00 each
SD-87, South Dakota 57730, USAgfp.sd.gov13 mi from stop · ~28m drive
Custer State Park has three iconic drives: Needles Highway, Iron Mountain Road and Wildlife Loop Road - Needles has narrow tunnels, granite spires, and dramatic Black Hills scenery; Iron Mountain goes through a series of twists and turns that showcase pigtail bridges, magnificent Black Hills scenery, and tunnels that frame the national monument. On the Wildlife Loop Road keep eyes peeled for bison, pronghorn, whitetail and mule deer, elk, coyotes, burros, prairie dogs, and more!
Wind Cave National Park at Wind Cave National Park
$17.00$17.00 per person
Wind Cave National Park Visitor Center, 26611 US-385, Hot Springs, SD 57747, USAnps.gov24 mi from stop · ~42m drive
Advance Ticket Purchases Strongly Recommended for those who want to make sure they see these. Timed Entries. This national park is near Custer and is known for its cave system, boxwork formations, and prairie wildlife, making it a major Black Hills-area stop. Approximately 1.5 hours driving from campground Open daily 8 a.m - 6 p.m.
1880 Train - Hill City Depot at 1880 Train - Hill City Depot
$46.00$46.00 each
222 Railroad Ave, Hill City, SD 57745, USA1880train.com2.7 mi from stop · ~8m drive
The World's Oldest Continuously Operated Standard-Gauge Excursion Train in the World offers a scenic round trip between Hill City and Keystone. Trains complete the round-trip in roughly 2-1/2 hours. Choosing an immediate return train will not offer enough time to explore town, so delay return by choosing a later return train. Approximately 40 minutes from campground southwest. Recommended advance ticket purchase.
Mount Rushmore KOA Resort at Palmer Gulch Resort to Badlands/White River KOA Holiday
Overnight stay
$160.00$80.00 per night × 2
Minuteman Missile National Historic Site at Minuteman Missile National Historic Site
$12.00$12.00 each
24545 CottonWood Rd, Philip, SD 57567, USAnps.gov11 mi from stop · ~24m drive
No Reservations required for Visitor Center. Advance Tickets required for a Ranger guided tour of Launch Control Facility Delta-01. Reserve 30 days in advance - limited to 6 pp per time slot. Space sells out.
This Cold War historic site preserves missile-era facilities including a launch control center and silo. Combine with Day trip to Badlands.
Badlands National Park at Badlands National Park
23 mi from stop · ~41m drive
This is the main Badlands destination near Custer and is the region’s signature landscape of eroded buttes, pinnacles, prairie, and fossil-rich terrain. It also serves as the gateway for nearby Minuteman Missile National Historic Site access.
Prairie Homestead Historic Site at Prairie Homestead Historic Site
7.7 mi from stop · ~17m drive
This historic sod dugout and farmstead near Philip offers a pioneer-era heritage experience with a visitor center and historic displays. It is listed as a notable attraction tied directly to Philip.
Wall Drug at Wall Drug
26 mi from stop · ~45m drive
This famous roadside attraction is close to Philip and appears in nearby-attractions lists for the area. It is a common stop for road-trippers traveling through western South Dakota.
Planned and checked by the Rally Planning team. Free with every membership. Members copy it into their own library, change the dates, and plan the drive around their rig.
