Black Hills Self Guided Driving Audio Tour
- 2–3 hours
- Free cancellation up to 24h before
- Guided in English
- Instant confirmation
Highlights
Explore the Black Hills with this self-guided walking and driving tour, weaving through landmark sites steeped in monumental art and history. Walk through the majestic Mount Rushmore, delve into the natural splendor of Custer State Park, experience the cultural resonance of Crazy Horse Memorial, and relax at the picturesque Sylvan Lake. Each location enriches your journey with its unique story and breathtaking vistas, creating memories that echo through the landscapes of South Dakota. Purchase one tour per car, not per person. Everyone listens together! After booking, check your email to download the separate Audio Tour Guide App by Action, enter your unique password, and access your tour. These steps require good internet/Wi-Fi access. From there, follow the audio instructions and the route. New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want.
Inclusions
What's included
- Just bring your car and phone; the app guides your tour.
- Support is available via chat, email, or phone if you need help.
- Planning tools, route maps, scenic stops, and area previews included.
- Private tour experience for your family, in your own car.
- Lifetime access: use the tour anytime and keep it for future trips.
- Works offline with GPS route guidance and automatic audio stories.
- One purchase covers everyone in your car, not per person.
- Flexible tour: start, stop, and pause anytime during your trip.
- Access your tour in our separate audio tour app after booking.
- Hidden gems and local stories included along the route.
What's not
- No live guide. Entrance fees, parking, food, and car rental are separate.
Itinerary
This section of 16A is called Iron Mountain Road, which, together with the Needles Highway, encapsulates the spirit of Custer State Park. Note: The tour is over 66 miles long, with more than 65+ audio stories, and takes about 2-3 hours to complete. New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want.
Next up is the second Pigtail Bridge, which is followed immediately by the first tunnel.
After booking, check your email and follow the instructions to set up the tour while you have Wi-Fi/data. Do NOT wait until you are onsite. If you have my Mount Rushmore walking tour, you should exit this tour now and switch to that one. To access the Mount Rushmore tour, first tap Home in the top left corner of your screen. Then press Yes to exit this tour. Once you’ve exited, launch the Mount Rushmore tour. It will start near the Information Centre at the Entrance.
Enjoy this last section of single lane roller coaster driving. As you wind through the forest here, you'll soon be cresting the ridge and leaving the Mount Rushmore area.
The highpoint of the Iron Mountain Road at 5400 ft. There's a big parking lot here, and I recommend taking the time to get out of the car to walk to the overlook.
The last tunnel on Iron Mountain Road is the Scovel Johnson Tunnel, named for the chief engineer and surveyor of the Black Hills Scenic drives.
You’re now driving through the heart of the Galena Fire from way back in 1988, one of largest wildfires in Custer State Park history.
“Jewel Cave”, The third largest cave system in the world, is probably already on your radar if you're at all fascinated with the subterranean world now.
In 1874, Lieutenant Colonel George Custer forever changed the fate of the Black Hills. In those days, the Black Hills belonged to the Sioux, as stated in the 1868 Treaty of Fort Laramie.
If you want to visit cowboy poet Badger Clark's home, which will be on the left. You'll see a sign that says Badger's Hole.
You'll soon see a turnoff for the Black Hills Playhouse, possibly the single most obscure locations for drama in the world! Plays are staged between June and mid-August, a tradition that has been going strong since 1946. Vehicle Restrictions on the Black Hills Loop Drive - Height restrictions apply along the Black Hills Loop Drive, as large RVs cannot fit through the tunnels on Needles Highway and Iron Mountain Road. If possible, drive a regular vehicle, or if towing, detach and leave your trailer behind. For full tunnel dimensions and detailed firsthand driving impressions, see The Narrow Tunnels of the Needles Highway.
Not too long from now, you'll be at Sylvan Lake. That marks the state park boundary. There are two particularly worthwhile places of interest here.
Cancellation
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.
Reviews
4.4
- 517
- 46
- 30
- 20
- 12
Ratings come from 25 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.
Know before you go
- Meeting point
- Start at 13620 US-16, Rapid City, SD 57702. Head along US-16, with the Conoco gas station on your right. We're not affiliated with the gas station or nearby businesses, so please don't ask their staff. The tour starts automatically as you pass the starting point. Check email/text for “audio tour”.
- Pickup
- Everyone meets at the starting point; there is no pickup.
- Ticket type
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Operated by
- Travel with Action
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Vehicle Restrictions on the Black Hills Loop Drive: Height restrictions apply along the Black Hills Loop Drive, as large RVs cannot fit through the tunnels on Needles Highway and Iron Mountain Road. If possible, drive a regular vehicle, or if towing, detach and leave your trailer behind.
- Easy to use: GPS-triggered audio plays automatically along the route for a hands-free experience.
- Private tour: Explore in your own vehicle without crowded buses or large tour groups.
- At your own pace: Start anytime and pause for hikes, picnics, photos, or scenic stops.
- Works offline: Once downloaded, the tour works using GPS without Wi-Fi or cellular service.
- Good value: One purchase covers everyone in your vehicle, not each person separately.
How it compares in Rapid City
- Its from-price is 95% below the median of the 76 experiences we list in Rapid City.
- It is shorter than most of them.
- By number of reviews it ranks 28 of 76.
- The operator lists free cancellation on it.
About Rapid City
Rapid City is the gateway to South Dakota's Black Hills, close to Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse Memorial, Custer State Park and the Badlands.
Rapid City sits where the Black Hills meet the Great Plains in western South Dakota, on the banks of Rapid Creek. Life-size bronze statues of American presidents stand on the street corners of the downtown, and Dinosaur Park, a hilltop with concrete dinosaurs built in the 1930s, looks over the city. The Black Hills, called Paha Sapa by the Lakota, are sacred to them and rise as dark, pine-covered uplands.
Top-ranked sights in Rapid City: Cosmos Mystery Area.
Special offers in Rapid City
Was/now prices come from the operator, never from us.
