Mt Rushmore Night Tour: Stargazing & Ceremony

Embark on a thrilling 6-hour Jeep Bison Safari Tour with Black Hills Open-Top-Tours in Custer State Park. Explore stunning attractions like Mt. Coolidge Lookout, Iron Mountain Road, Needles Highway, Sylvan Lake, Stockade Lakes, and the Custer State Park Wildlife Loop. Enjoy comfortable and safe safari vehicles, complimentary snacks and water, and the refreshing South Dakota sunshine and fresh air.

Duration: 4 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway - This tour features the Norbeck Overlook, offering stunning views of Mount Rushmore and Black Elk Peak. It’s an ideal spot to watch the sunset and enjoy stargazing, with countless stars, constellations, and even galaxies visible.
  • Iron Mountain Road - On the return journey, travel along Iron Mountain Road with its…
What's Included
  • Bottled water included
  • Complimentary snacks
  • Professional driver/guide
  • All fees covered
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
Additional Information

Please be aware - This tour is NOT the one described on TripAdvisor. THIS TOUR is a Night Tour to Mt Rushmore, including stargazing after the Ceremony. It is NOT a day tour to Custer State Park. TripAdvisor contains several inaccuracies. Please reach out to us to verify details.
Black Hills Open-Top-Tours is the sole tour company offering a Mt Rushmore…

Location
The National Presidential Wax Museum
U.S. 16A
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.6
(55 Ratings)
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S347ukdonnab
Jul 22, 2025
- The views at night were beautiful, definitely worth going back to see it lit up! The ice cream is AMAZING lol-I recommend the mint chip!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Macieme
Jul 19, 2025
Outstanding - Mike, our tour guide, was great and attentive to each group member. He made sure each person received what they were on the tour for, etc, gave a personal guide through the museum section where their area of interest was.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
A3772cdamandac
Jul 14, 2025
Fantastic Tour - This tour was absolutely amazing! Our tour guide, TJ, was very knowledgeable and friendly. The views were spectacular! Our favorite activity so far this trip!!!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jeffreycj6435sd
Jul 11, 2025
Mt Rushmore and more - TJ was a terrific guide knew so much about the places we went to . The weather was wonderful couldn't have asked for a better night . Highly recommend the tour and this guide .
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jan_h
Jul 9, 2025
Nighttime tour of Mount Rushmore with TJ - Book the open top van for sure for an evening visit to the Monument. It was stunningly beautiful and we felt very honored to be there on 7/3/25 to honor our Veterans and our Country. As a special treat that night the Air Force Band played beautiful music for over an hour. We encountered the Secret Service as we went through security, and they were so nice, upbeat and friendly. Afterwards, we found out that VP Vance was there at the same time! Our tour guide, TJ, was wonderful and a lot of fun. Took lots of pictures of us and gave us great tips. We got to see him in the Deadwood 4th of July parade the next day!
Review provided by Viator
916leahb
Jul 9, 2025
Entertaining, educational and enlightening! - We signed-up for this tour to give our “drivers” a break and to just relax and enjoy. That was absolutely met by our tremendous driver/tour guide Mike, but there was sooooooo much more! Mike took us to key locations, told us about details of history and local lore…additionally…he pointed out the best places to be seated at the monument, took us star-gazing afterwards, and even arranged for an appearance by the ISS 😉. The van is very cool (showing my age there) with retractable roofing that allows a real open-air experience, and, Did I mention the van parks right on the lane in front of the monument so there’s no hassle with parking? Just saying… There are several reasons to select this tour and I’ve listed a few…I’ve never met Mike or dealt with his company before last night…so I can tell you as a complete “stay-vacationer” I absolutely will join them again.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Vincent_g
Jul 4, 2025
Rushmore at Night - Very nice evening of viewing the Mt Rushmore National Monument. Scott was a excellent guide. The evening service is very moving experience. Driving up Iron Mountain Road at night to go stargazing in the sliding roof bus was unique.
Review provided by Viator
G2794wssusanl
Jun 29, 2025
Great Experience at Mount Rushmore - Wanted to see the lighting ceremony at Mount Rushmore. Looked for a tour that could accomodate a wheelchair. Open Top Tours confirmed the reservation quickly and provided info on the tour and how they could assist with the wheelchair. They also were able to accomodate a change due to weather. Our guide Charlie was not only knowledgable and entertaining but very kind when helping my disabled cousin in and out of the van . I highly recommend!!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Nitin_c
Jul 7, 2025
Maybe my expectations were too great - After getting 3 requests for a review from viator I begrudgingly offer this. For $378 I was disappointed that it in essence was being dropped off at Mount Rushmore which was 10 minutes from where we were picked up, to take care of ourselves for 2 and 1/2 hours for what otherwise would be free if I had just driven there myself and done the same thing. Two and a half hours for something that most likely could be done within an hour while waiting for the lighting ceremony which was amazing. Again if I put more thought into this I would have simply driven there, paid $10 for parking and done everything from 8:00 p.m. to 9:30. Given that we were staying in Keystone in essence we paid for a very expensive 10 minute ride in a van up a mountain to a free venue. The driver was a great guy and offered some good suggestions. I did not anticipate writing a negative review. But spending close to $400 for the 2 of us, to be dropped off for a self-guided tour for a free venue just doesn't sit well with me. We were dropped off at 6:40 p.m. and the lighting ceremony didn't start till 9:00. We saw everything in the exhibition center including the movie and walked around the monument, all within 45 minutes. Then we had to wait until 9:00. Crazy.
Review provided by Viator
Amanda
Jul 4, 2025
Trip Advisor sucks - don't use them - 0 - Trip Advisor sold me a tour that wasn't actually happening. I booked the tour through trip advisor for 7/4. I wanted more info about the tour so I called the phone number listed in the contact information for the Black Hills tour guide company (the company trip advisor sold the tour for) and they told me that they don't even do a July 4th tour. The owner of the tour guide company was very nice and explained that Trip Advisor has been selling tickets for tours through his company that weren't actual scheduled tours that they offered for a while. Unfortunately I now have to dispute the credit card charge rather than enjoy a unique tour with my family.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $129
up to 14 guests
2 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).