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Mount Rushmore KOA
- PO Box 295
- Hill City, SD 57745
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Get Directions
Directions
From I-90 take exit 61 onto Hwy 16 toward Mt. Rushmore. Follow Hwy 16 W 25 miles to Hill City. Continue on Hwy 16/385 3 miles then turn left on Hwy 244. Take 244 toward Mt. Rushmore 3.5 miles to the Mt. Rushmore KOA.
Get Google Directions
Please do not use GPS directions as they are incorrect.
From Custer, SD take Hwy 16/385 14 miles toward Mt. Rushmore then turn right on Hwy 244. Take 244 toward Mt. Rushmore 3.5 miles to the Mt. Rushmore KOA.
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Reserve(800) 562-8503
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Info(605) 574-2525
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Email
Welcome Message
2011 President's Award
KOA President's Award
Awarded to KOAs that meet exceptional quality standards and are recognized by their guests for outstanding service.
2011 KOA Founder's Award
KOA Founder's Award
KOA's highest service award, presented to KOA owners that achieve world class service scores from their camping guests.
KOA Kamp Green Recognition
KOA Kamp Green Recognition
This KOA meets the established criteria to become a greener campground operation and is recognized by the "Kamp Green" icon.
Visit nearby majestic Mount Rushmore and impressive Crazy Horse Monument.
Bigger is better! Live large at the Mt. Rushmore/Hill City KOA and visit nearby majestic Mount Rushmore and impressive Crazy Horse Monument. At KOA, you'll keep busy Memorial Day to Labor Day with two heated pools, two spas, a waterslide, splash pad, gigantic Jumping Pillow and mini golf. Bike rentals, golf cart rentals, guided horseback rides and chuck wagon dinners also are available. Hayrides twice a week, nightly movies and live entertainment three nights a week round out the fun. Scavenger hunts, cartoons and crafts keep the kids entertained. Enjoy breakfast at the pancake tent, lunch at the snack bar and dinner at KOA's full-service restaurant. Hop on KOA's nightly shuttle to the lighting ceremony at Mount Rushmore. Explore the area on your own with visits to caves, gold mines, Custer State Park and Wild West towns. Rental cars and ATVs are available on-site.
Meet Your Hosts
Campground Amenities
- 2 Swimming Pools (May 25 - September 7)
- Splash Park (included in resort fee)
- RV Clubs & Rallies
- Motorcycle Clubs
- Catering on-site by the campground
- Water Slide (included in resort fee)
- Fishing (no charge with valid SD fishing license)
- Military Clubs
- Tours
- Food prepared by staff for consumption by the customer at their site or in outdoor seating provided by campground
- Bounce Pillow (included in resort fee)
- Children's Activities (no charge)
- Families
- Self-service, convenience foods offered
- Guests are provided various entree options at a full service, sit down meal
Campground Activities
Fishing
In addition to the fishing pond at the KOA, there are several lakes and trout streams within a few miles.
Rock Climbing
The area right around the KOA, including Mount Rushmore, is emerging as one of the premier climbing locales in the country. Lessons and gear are available locally.
Golf
The nearest course is in Custer. Meadowbrook in Rapid City is one of the top ten municipal courses nationally. Of course, none of this compares to the Kowboy Kountry Klub mini-golf at the KOA.
Rock hounding
The Black Hills is known as the "Richest Hundred Square Miles on Earth" for a variety of different minerals found here. There are many old mines within a few miles. Also, fossils are prepared in Hill City for display all over the world in museums.
Shopping
Shoppers will enjoy the Dakota Store here at the KOA featuring souvenirs, jewelry, crafts and collectibles all made in South Dakota. From Native American crafts and jewelry to Black Hills Gold to homemade candy and fudge, enjoy shopping the Dakota store. Gifts and souvenirs abound in Keystone, Hill City and most of the attractions.
Biking
The Mickelson Trail is a hundred mile long rails-to-trails route just three miles from the campground. The trails from the KOA are suited to mountain biking. Fun Cycles are the vehicle of choice on the KOA.
Swimming and Water Sliding
With two pools and hot tubs and a water slide, water fun begins right here. Evans Plunge in Hot Springs is one of the largest indoor pools and is naturally heated. Rushmore Water Slide Park has a variety of slides and rafting chutes.
Hiking and Walking
Trails to Harney Peak and Mount Rushmore begin at the KOA. There are several shorter loops in the National Forest adjacent to the camp. We just built a wheelchair accessible trail along the creek in the campground.
Hot Air Ballooning, Square Dancing, Flea Markets and Antiquing are all available in the area.
Local Attractions
Crazy Horse Mountain Memorial
The Crazy Horse Mountain Memorial is located 10 miles south of the KOA. Crazy Horse is a mountain carving in progress that dwarfs Mount Rushmore. This carving is in the round with the 90’ high face dedicated in June 1998, which marked the mountain’s 50th anniversary since the first carving began. In addition, there is an Indian Museum and a collection of the sculptor’s other works.
Black Hills National Forest
The Black Hills National Forest surrounds the resort, which is located in the very heart of the Forest. Our trail rides go into the Black Elk Wilderness Area, just a mile from the campground. Hiking trails to Harney Peak, the highest point in the United States east of the Rocky Mountains, begin right at the KOA. The Centennial Trail and the Mickelson Rails to Trails are within four miles of the KOA. Imagine the pristine views and the quiet nature that you’ll enjoy right from your campsite!
Custer State Park
One of the nation’s largest state parks is just eight miles away. The parks 73,000 acres abound in scenic drives, buffalo, elk, deer, bighorn sheep, and sparkling lakes. Also nestled in Custer State Park is the Black Hills Playhouse famous for its Broadway caliber plays with a quaint "woods" setting.
Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway
The KOA is located right on the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway, a thirty mile loop that is selected as one of the top ten scenic byways in America. On the loop, you will meander through the Iron Mountain Road which was built strictly for scenery, featuring hairpin turns, pigtail bridges, scenic overlooks, and tunnels that frame Mount Rushmore. The byway takes you through Custer State Park and over the Needles Highway, another road built for scenery. This one has unusual granite formations, tunnels, and overlooks. The third part of the byway is Highway 244 right in front of the campground. This is the Gutzon Borglum Memorial Highway that takes you to Mount Rushmore, with spectacular views of the Monument. To completely enjoy the sights along the byway consider a bus tour and leave the driving to us!
Wind Cave National Park and Jewel Cave National Park
Both parks are located within 45 minutes of the KOA. These parks not only have cave tours, but interpretive surface facilities as well. Wind Cave is a "dry cave" or a "box cave" with few crystal formations but a great tour through the intricate web of the underground. Buffalo, elk and antelope roam the surrounding park area. Jewel Cave has over 100 miles of explored passageway and is believed to be the third largest cavern in the world. This is a must see for spelunkers--novice or expert.
Almost as popular as the natural attractions in the Black Hills are the man-made attractions:
1.) The Black Hills Central Railroad is a steam train in Hill City, just seven miles from the campground, featuring a twenty-mile back-country round trip. 2.) The Reptile Gardens is a unique family attraction featuring a collection of snakes and reptiles along with exotic plants, performing animals, birds of prey, and educational programs. 3.) Bear Country, USA is a drive-through wildlife park with a great collection of bear, grizzly bear, elk, deer, mountain lions, and many other native species. The baby animal section is very popular with the families. 4.) Beautiful Rushmore Cave is the closest cave to the campground, with beautiful caverns loaded with formations. 5.) Museums include: The Rushmore Borglum Story, The Journey Museum, National Museum of Woodcarving, Black Hills Mining Museum, The Mammoth Site, Fort Meade Cavalry Museum, and the South Dakota Air and Space Museum.
Most people come to the Black Hills to see Mt Rushmore and Crazy Horse, which are spectacular monuments. However, there is so much more to see and do in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Here are some suggestions of day trips, all within a day drive from Mt Rushmore Hill City KOA. Take advantage of our concierge service or any staff member from front staff to maintenance. Many of our staff members spend their time off exploring the Black Hills themselves. For our guests this means, we KNOW where the great places to eat for your money, and we pride ourselves on being the king and queens of buffets, plus where to get the most educational fun for your children.
The Rapid City Area
The Rapid City area is featured on the third day. On the way to Rapid City, you will see Bear Country, Reptile Gardens, and the Black Hills Maze. In Rapid City, visit the Journey Museum, Storybook Island Children’s Park, Stavkirke’s Chapel in the Hills, and Dinosaur Park. East of Rapid City, the Air and Space Museum is located at Ellsworth Air Force Base. Fifty miles East on I-90 is the famous Wall Drug and the Badlands National Park.
Deadwood Via 385 - Gold mining, fishing, museums, cemeteries and gambling. Go back to the Old West with characters like Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane
Guests can enjoy some sleeping in time for this day trip plan on leaving around 10:00 am by going right out of the campground on Hwy 244, turn right on Hwy 385/16 into Hill City.
Continue on Highway out of Hill City; at Junction 16-385 turn left on Highway 385. Settle in for a beautiful drive passed breathtaking sites like Pactola Lake. Guests may like to stop at the Circle B Ranch Chuckwagon Supper and Music Show http://circle-b-ranch.com to make reservation for dinner that evening for a toe stomping good time.
Does someone in the group like to fish or likes to eat fish? Stop at Trout Haven for lunch. They will furnish equipment, bait, everything with no license needed. Then their full menu Pier Cafe will fry your catch, or pack your trout to go. Catching the fish takes no time at all!!!
Continue on Hwy 385 till the Deadwood-Lead junction. Turn left into Lead to visit the Homestake Visitor Center Gold Mine located at 106 W. Main St. http://www.homestaketour.com Begin your day learning how the Gold Rush started.
Leave Lead and continue back on the Highway into Deadwood. http://www.deadwood.org. Upon, entering Deadwood it will look like a small town in South Dakota but all of the sudden bump bump bump don't worry you do not have a flat your just traveling on a cobblestone road. Park your car and take advantage of Deadwood's city Trolley. At this point you have some choices gaming is everywhere in this Old West Town or you can take advantage of the many museums. Adams Museum and House http://www.adamsmuseumandhouse.org is a favorite along with Mt Moriah Cemetery, the Bullock Motel is haunted, and Kevin Costner has a museum here. Deadwood is also a staff favorite for their many delicious buffets.
Stay right here!
Sleep in, eat pancakes, play mini-golf, take some trips down the waterslide, hike, rent a bike, play basketball, go shopping, eat fudge, have some ice cream, take the bus to the evening lighting ceremonies, the choices are endless. What is great about Mt Rushmore/Hill City KOA is the kids can run and play while the parents relax.
Explore Hill City and Keystone
Start the day in Hill City touring the town's several fine art galleries: Jon Crane's Watercolor Gallery, http://joncranewatercolors.com, Spring Creek Traders, Deborah Carroll's Snow Creek Gallery and Randy Berger's Warrior's Works Studio and Gallery to name a few. Visit Everything Prehistoric http://www.everythingprehistoric.com a free museum with Stan, a real T. Rex! Shopping is in abundance here. When through exploring Hill City hop on the 1880 train http://www.1880train.com (make reservations earlier) to a breathtaking trip to Keystone through some 'back country' of the Hills. Once there plan on spending a couple of hours visiting their shops and museums including Borglum Historical Center http://rushmoreborglum.com and National Presidential Wax Museum http://blackhillsbadlands.com/presidential. The taffy sold in the Dakota Store on the campground is actually made in Keystone, the smell in that shop is utterly out of this world. Take a trip on a scenic chair life and take a thrilling ride down a sensational slide at the President's Alpine Slide http://www.presidentsslide.com. Next, play a game of historically fun mini-golf at the Holy Terror Mini-golf http://www.blackhillsbadlands.com/holyterror next to the President's Wax Museum.
The Basic Tour--- Mt Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Needles Highway, Custer State Park And Norbeck Reserve
Note: The roads and tunnels on this route are quite narrow, so leave your RV and rent one of our cars or mini-vans from the car rentals. The concierge desk will also have a map that tells you the exact dimensions of these tunnels.
Leave the campground fairly early, after filling up with all you can eat pancakes at our pancake tent. Turn right on Hwy 244, then left on Hwy 385, and follow Highway 385 to Crazy Horse.
Crazy Horse is a work in progress mountain started in 1939 by Korczak Ziolkowski. Korczak has since passed away but has left all his designs and ideas in detail to his wife, Ruth and nine children, who carry on the traditional and skill of their father today. Guests should plan on around two hours to explore the Sculpture's museum and the Native American museum with art filled rooms and traditional handmade bead work being made right there. Visitors to the mountain can take away a part of the mountain; rocks blasted from the mountain are available in the orientation center, to remember their day.
Return to Hwy. 385 by turning right out of the Crazy Horse Avenue of Chiefs, back track a few miles and turn right on Hwy. 87 (Needles Highway).
Needles Highway is a spectacular drive through sky-piercing granite columns. Visitors will also be treated to Sylvan Lake, where the trail begins for the easiest hike to Harney Peak.
Needles Highway goes into Custer State Park and follows Highway 87 into the Park and continues on to the Wildlife Loop.
On the Wildlife loop, the biggest sight is the park's 1500 buffalo herd. You can also see prairie dogs, pronghorn, donkeys and many many more.
After finishing the wildlife loop, stop at the State Game Lodge for lunch and visit the "summer white house" of President Coolidge.
From the State Game Lodge continue on Highway 16A up Iron Mountain Road.
Iron Mountain Road was "mapped out" by Peter Norbeck. The significance of this Highway, besides the beautiful view of the forest, is the three tunnels, which two will frame Mt. Rushmore and the pigtail bridges.
Turn right at the end of Iron Mountain Road into Keystone to the National Presidential Wax Museum. http://blackhillsbadlands.com/presidential "Where History Hails the Chief" is a wax museum of all U.S. Presidents from George Washington to George W. Bush.
Leave Keystone and follow Highway to Mt. Rushmore.
Mt. Rushmore http://www.nps.gov/moru . Sculptor Gutzon Borglum began drilling into the 5,725-foot mountain in 1927. Creation of the Shrine of Democracy took 14 years and cost a mere $1 million dollars, though it's now deemed priceless. You will want to spend some time at this unbelievable monument of 150 years of this country's history.
Go right out of Mt. Rushmore and travel Highway 244 until you're back home at the Mt. Rushmore/Hill City KOA.
And there's more...
These are a few examples of things to see and do in the Black Hills there are tons more. Wild Horse Sanctuary, Evans Plunge, Journey Museum, Reptile Gardens, Wade's Gold Mine, Old McDonald's Farm, plus the many caves to explore are just a few examples. Check out our links page at www.palmergulch.com for more ideas or stop in the office and ask any of the staff.
KOA Attractions
- Two free spas
- Two free heated pools
- Two full basketball courts
- Sand volleyball court
- Horseshoe pits
- Fishing pond - free but a license is required
- Two playgrounds
- Trail Rides
- Kowboy Kountry Klub Mini-Golf
- Rental Bikes and Fun Cycles
- Paddle boats
- 180 Foot Water Slide
- Hiking Trails
- Rental Cars
- 50 Kamping Kabins
- 500 Campsites
- Two Grocery Stores
- Grapes and Grinds Coffee and Wine Store
- Fresh Homemade Fudge
- Restaurant and Lounge
- Snack Bar
- Three Laundries
- Cable TV
- Group Halls and Shelters for Reunions and Groups
- United Parcel Service Shipping Service
- Propane
- Dog Walk
- Shaded Campsites
- Campsites with a View of the Surrounding Peaks
- Kamping Kitchen
- Horse Camping Facilities
Mount Rushmore National Memorial
Mount Rushmore is located just five miles east of the campground. Guests visit in the daytime for picture taking and to visit the sculptor’s studio, new interpretive center and the concession. There is also the new Presidential Trail that allows visitors to walk along the base of the sculpture for striking views never before available. Visitors this year will also be the first to experience the new interpretive center with state of the art displays recreating the carving of the mountain and the history of the four presidents depicted. Completed just last year is the new Amphitheater. In the evening, there is a very patriotic and inspiring Lighting Ceremony in which the ranger gives a presentation, followed by a film about the four presidents, and then the monument is lighted. We offer shuttle service from the campground to the lighting service nightly. KOA guests sign up each morning for seats for that evening’s program on a first-come first-served basis. This popular service allows our guests to leave their RVs hooked up and helps prevent parking congestion at the monument.
Campground News
Mt. Rushmore KOA is now open for the 2012 Camping Season!
We are now open for the 2012 Camping Season! Give us a call today for reservations or stop on in. We are looking forward to a GREAT Camping Season. See ya soon!
Upcoming Events
May 2011
May 7th Art Extravaganza-Hill City May 8th The Mother's Day Express on The 1880 Train-Hill City May 12th-15th The Black Hills Film Festival-Hill City
June 2012
June 2nd – 3rd
Crazy Horse Volksmarch- www.crazyhorsememorial.org
June 8th – 9th
Mount Rushmore KOA and Palmer Gulch Care & Share Food Drive Weekend- www.palmergulch.com
June 15th
Crazy Horse Rodeo & Gift from Mother Earth Celebration- www.crazyhorsememorial.org
June 16th
The Big Mick Bicycle Race- www.mickelsontrailaffiliates.com/Big _Mick.htm
July 2012
July 1st
Sculpture in the Hills Show & Sale- www.hillcityarts.org
July 3rd
Fourth of July Celebration at Mount Rushmore- www.mtrushmoresociety.com
1880 Train Independence Day Shootout- www.1880train.com
July 8th
42nd Annual Mystic Mountain Run- www.sdrunnersshop.com
July 11th
Trolley on the Trails- www.hillcitysd.com
August 2012
August 4th - 11th
Hill City Senior City Biker Breakfast- Contact info 605-574-3211
August 6th – 12th
72nd Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally- www.sturgismotorcyclerally.com
August 12th
Tucker Day Rodeo- A Special Day for Special needs Children- www.doublediamondbedandbreakfast.com
August 24th – 25th
FAITH Weekend at Palmer Gulch featuring GO Fish- www.palmergulch.com
September 2012
September 1st
1880 Train Labor Day Shootout- www.1880train.com
September 6th
Crazy Horse Night Blast- www.crazyhorsememorial.org
September 8th – 9th
Hill City Area Quilt Show and Sale- www.hillcitysd.com
September 8th – 9th
Wine Express into the West aboard the 1880 Train- www.1880train.com
September 29th
1880 Train Octoberfest- www.1880train.com
September 29th – 30
Run Crazy Marathon- www.runcrazyhorse.com
October 2011
October 2nd Run Crazy Horse Marathon-Hill City
From Memorial Day through Labor Day, the Mount Rushmore KOA has a long list of activities to delight our guests.
- Free horse-drawn hayrides twice a week
- Two different free movies each evening
- Free musical entertainment three nights a week
- Shuttles for a nominal fee to the Lighting Ceremony at Mount Rushmore
- Sunday Worship Service - non denominational
- Breakfast trail rides
- All day rides to Harney Peak
- Pancake breakfasts
May 2012
May 1st-6th
Black Hills Film Festival- www.blackhillsfilmfestival.org
May 3rd
Crazy Horse Korczak Day- www.crazyhorsememorial.org
May 12th
2012 Hill City Art Extravaganza- www.hillcitysd.com
May 13th
Prairie Berry Mother’s Day Brunch- www.prairieberry.com
1880 Train Mother’s Day Express- www.1880train.com
May 26th
Memorial Day Weekend Shootout on board of 1880 Train- www.1880train.com
